Debris flow relationships in the Central Spanish Pyrenees

Abstract

It is commonly accepted that, in terms of volume moved in a short space of time, debris flows are one of the most powerful mechanisms for transporting material downslope (Johnson & Rodine, 1984; Takahashi, 1991; Bathurst et al., 1997). They occur if i) sediment availability, ii) water input, and iii) slope gradient are present in a critical combination (Takahashi, 1981; Rickenmann & Zimmermann, 1993).