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On the criteria to create a susceptibility map to debris flow at a regional scale using Flow-R

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An Erratum to this article was published on 05 May 2017

Abstract

Studies on susceptibility to debris flows at regional scale (100-1000 km2) are important for the protection and management of mountain areas. To reach this objective, routing models, mainly based on land topography, can be used to predict susceptible areas rapidly while necessitating few input data. In this research, Flow-R model is implemented to create the susceptibility map for the debris flow of the Vizze Valley (BZ, North-Eastern Italy; 134 km2). The analysis considers the model application at local scale for three sub-catchments and then it explores the model upscaling at the regional scale by verifying two methods to generate the source areas of debris-flow initiation. Using data of an extreme event occurred in the Vizze Valley (4 August 2012) and historical information, the modeling verification highlights that the propagation parameters are relatively simple to set in order to obtain correct runout distances. A double DTM filtering - using a threshold for the upslope contributing area (0.1 km2) and a threshold for the terrain-slope angle (15°) - provides a satisfactory prediction of source areas and susceptibility map within the geological conditions of the Vizze Valley.

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Acknowledgments

The research was granted by the Junior Research Grant Università degli Studi di Padova, year 2013, prot. CPDR138494 (“Criticità idrauliche nel reticolo montano nei riguardi del movimento di detrito legnoso e di colate detritiche”; Prof. Vincenzo D’Agostino).

We thank the office of “Ripartizione Opere Idrauliche” of the Autonomous Province of Bozen, which furnished data about the debris flow event of 4/08/2012.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (TeSAF), University of Padova, 35020, Legnaro, Italy

    Roberta Pastorello, Tamara Michelini & Vincenzo D’Agostino

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  1. Roberta Pastorello
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  2. Tamara Michelini
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  3. Vincenzo D’Agostino
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Correspondence to Roberta Pastorello.

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An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11629-017-4389-9.

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Pastorello, R., Michelini, T. & D’Agostino, V. On the criteria to create a susceptibility map to debris flow at a regional scale using Flow-R. J. Mt. Sci. 14, 621–635 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-016-4077-1

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