Mudflows

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What the contributing factors of a mudflow?

-- Eric Breindel (Breindel@oswego.edu), April 27, 2001

Answers

Mudlfows are most common in hilly and semi arid regions. Mudlfows start after infrequent sometimes prolonged rains. Previously dry, cracked mud keeps absorbing water as rain continues. In the process, its physical properties change. The internal friction decreases, and the mass becomes much less resistant to movement. Thus leading to a mudflow.

- ch 11, pp 243

-- Brent Mathis (mathis@oswego.edu), April 27, 2001.


Mudflows occure when there is not that much vegitation on the hill making the soil very unstable to water seeping into the earth.

-- greg lattimore (lattimoregreg@hotmail.com), May 01, 2001.

A mudflow is most commonly found in areas of high soil saturation levels (larger size particles that allow severe permeability) with minimal vegetation growth. Without the vegetation growth the soil does not have the roots to help hold the material together, or more impotantly the cover to protect it from rain or other elements. Without that cover there is very little runoff.

For more in depth info check out:

http://www.germantown.k12.il.us/html/mudflow.html

-- Ian Craig (craig@oswego.edu), May 03, 2001.


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