Debris warning for burn areas

Posted on | October 6, 2009 | 3 Comments

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THE US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY today issued winter rain debris-flow warnings for communities at the feet of the San Gabriel Mountains, as well as areas in Big Tujunga Canyon, Pacoima Canyon, Arroyo Seco, West Fork of the San Gabriel River, and Devils Canyon.

For the USGS press release along with further links for landslide preparedness and weather warning systems, click here; for text of the USGS hazard assessment, click here; for the Los Angeles Times report, click here. To enlarge the map, click on the image.

Over at LA Observed, Kevin Roderick harks back to John McPhee’s account of “rock porridge” via a Bernadette Murphy op-ed piece in the LA Times.

If it’s any comfort to those downhill from potential torrents of debris, predictions of an El Nino for Southern California look about as promising for rainfall as another supposed El Nino year, 2006-2007, a record low rainfall year.

This post has been updated.

Comments

3 Responses to “Debris warning for burn areas”

  1. Grace
    October 7th, 2009 @ 10:54 am

    2007 wasn’t an El Nino year. The weak El Nino reversed into a La Nina. The press just wasn’t paying attention. I documented it here, then LA Observed and the LAT picked it up.

    http://badmomgoodmom.blogspot.com/2007/02/its-officially-drought.html

    We currently have a very weak El Nino. Bill Patzert was quoted in the LAT as saying that it might reverse. The ENSO is not very predictable.

    Hill dwellers might want to read
    http://badmomgoodmom.blogspot.com/2007/03/fire-is-river-that-runs-uphill.html

    We never learn.

  2. EmilyGreen
    October 7th, 2009 @ 3:34 pm

    Thanks for the link and what a great 2007 post. The reference to 2006-07 being an El Nino year (supposedly) came from a July 20, 2009 interview here with Bill Patzert (link: https://chanceofrain.com/2009/07/youd-better-put-your-money-on-conservation/ ). The reference was admittedly ironic as an example of how predicted El Ninos can conk out. However Patzert repeats the same line about 2006-07 in this NASA article in September on how All El Ninos are not created equal. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/features.cfm?feature=2325

    And, yes, I thoroughly concur re: hill dwellers. Thanks for writing and what a great site you have.

  3. luis
    October 8th, 2009 @ 12:53 pm

    I wonder if any of the guerilla gardeners will be adopting any of these sites for native plants? This is a great opportunity to re-introduce native grasses, shrubs, and trees.
    I’m Ordering more clay as we speak…

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