Geography Available Research Project

Debris flow erosion and sediment transport in the Cairngorms, Scottish Highlands

Debris flows are key drivers of erosion and sediment transport in mountainous areas and are significant hazards to both human populations and infrastructure. Sediment supply from debris flows has important implications for downstream flood risk and channel migration. However, our ability to quantify debris flow hazard is limited by our poor understanding of where they occur. This is a major issue for quantifying hazard and making reasonable estimates of debris flow risk.

The steep, mountainous regions of the Scottish Highlands are commonly affected by debris flows. However, little work has been done in quantifying the extent of debris flows in the region or assessing whether these processes contribute to shaping the modern landscape. The extent to which debris flows erode and deliver sediment to downstream river channels is an open question. This project will explore debris flow gullies in the Cairngorms, Scottish Highlands, using a combination of field work, high-resolution laser scanning, and topographic analysis. The aim of the project is to map the extent and characteristics (length, width, grain size) of debris flow gullies along Glen Feshie. These will constrain a sediment budget for this steep, mountainous catchment to quantify the contribution of debris flows to downstream sediment transport. The key research questions of this project are:

1. Where do debris flows occur in the landscape?
2. Do debris flows erode material and contribute to modern sediment loads in the Cairngorms?
3. How is sediment generated from debris flow events moved through catchments?

Key references:

Stock, J. and Dietrich, W.E., 2003. Valley incision by debris flows: Evidence of a topographic signature. Water Resources Research, 39(4).

McCoy, S.W., Kean, J.W., Coe, J.A., Staley, D.M., Wasklewicz, T.A. and Tucker, G.E., 2010. Evolution of a natural debris flow: In situ measurements of flow dynamics, video imagery, and terrestrial laser scanning. Geology, 38(8), pp.735-738.

Mueting, A., Bookhagen, B. and Strecker, M.R., 2021. Identification of Debris‐Flow Channels Using High‐Resolution Topographic Data: A Case Study in the Quebrada del Toro, NW Argentina. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 126(12), p.e2021JF006330.

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