Laserfiche WebLink
Memo to Boulay <br />Jumbo Mountain Landaliding <br />page 6 <br />modern (since white man's occupation) activity. In several areas, <br />predominantly in the middle to higher portion of the landslide <br />mass, closed extensional troughs are present. These undrained <br />graben-like topographic troughs are caused by downslope movement of <br />landslides pulling away from the upslope headscarps. The most <br />impressive of these features examined measured approximately 30 <br />feet across and twenty feet in depth, extending for a length of <br />approximately 100 feet. Several of these troughs have been the <br />locus of "natural" stock watering ponds. Unfortunately, this <br />practice provides infiltration water on the landslide mass, which <br />is not conducive to stabilization of the landslide materials. One <br />such pond is referenced by Mr. Mautz as having been dewatered by <br />the 1996 landslide. Judging from the size of tree growth and the <br />degree of smoothing by weathering of the graben side slopes, I <br />estimate that these larger features are in excess of a century in <br />age. I also examined several smaller troughs with widths of five <br />to ten feet and depths in the five foot range. These smaller <br />grabens were less weathered, retaining smoothed but steep-sided <br />trapezoidal shapes, and were less vegetated with small aspen <br />saplings and scrub oak, suggesting ages of several decades. While <br />these estimates of age are based on my experience and may be <br />grossly flawed, the comparative age of these features and the <br />active landsliding demonstrate that recurrent episodes of <br />landsliding have affected this area, separated by periods of <br />relative stability. <br />Subsidence Cracking on Jumbo Mountain <br />At several locations during my 1996 and 1997 tours of the site, I <br />examined cracking which appeared indicative of subsidence troughing <br />without landslide translational movement. These cracks are <br />generally limited in width (2 to 6 inches), and demonstrate no <br />translational or lateral offset between the opposite faces of the <br />cracks. Their orientation tends to sub-parallel the axis of the <br />panel or the longwall face. In contrast, landslide cracking is <br />prolific throughout much of the Jumbo Mountain north slope, <br />contrastingly characterized by extensive translation and offset <br />across crack planes. <br />Relationship of Subsidence and Landslide Occurrence <br />Because of the proliferation of landslides throughout the North <br />Fork valley, the Division has repeatedly expressed a concern <br />regarding the possible reactivation of ancient, historic and modern <br />landslides by subsidence during mine permit review. This same <br />concern is commonly expressed by land owners and the public. The <br />Division has included permit conditions requiring every mine with <br />mapped landslide deposits above projected subsidence to monitor the <br />