Debris-flow and Flood Video Files, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA, 2015

Chalk Cliffs, located 8 miles southwest of Buena Vista, Colorado, is one of the most active debris-flow areas in the state (U.S. Geological Survey). Three stations were set up at Chalk Cliffs which are located sequentially along a channel draining the 0.3 km^2 study area. These stations are equipped with rain gauges, laser distance meters, and data loggers to record rainfall and stage data (Kean, et al., 2020). This data release includes videos of debris-flows and floods captured by high-definition cameras placed at two different locations, associated with the monitoring stations, along the study area at Chalk Cliffs during 2015. Both cameras are located near the Upper Station (Station 1). One is located at the bridge cross section at the channel (Bridge Camera) and another on the opposite side of the basin with a broad view of the channel (Wide-angle Camera). The attached figure "station_and_camera_locations.png" provides an overview figure with the location of the two cameras and three stations along the channel. The videos and their audio are used to record information on flow type and velocity of debris flows. They can also be used to interpret how the flow characteristics, such as sediment concentration, vary with time to compare to seismic observations. Video recording for all cameras is triggered using a rainfall threshold, derived from rainfall measurements using the rain gauges (Michel et al., 2019). The complete videos for all the cameras are downloaded manually during site visits. More detailed information about the cameras and settings used can be found in the metadata file under “Process steps” in “Data quality information.” During 2015, several debris flows and floods were captured by the two cameras. The videos can currently be viewed in the individual ‘Child item’ pages accessible below. The ‘Child item’ pages contain either flood or debris flow video files for each camera described above. The following citations relate to reports that provide background information for this data release: Michel, A., Kean, J.W., Smith, J.B., Allstadt, K.E., Coe, J.A. (2019). Taking the pulse of debris flows: Extracting debris-flow dynamics from good vibrations in southern California and central Colorado. Debris-flow hazards mitigation: Mechanics, Monitoring, Modeling, and Assessment. http://dx.doi.org/10.25676/11124/173224
U.S. Geological Survey Landslide Hazards Program. (2020). Chalk Cliffs, Colorado. U.S Geological Survey, https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/landslide-hazards/science/chalk-cliffs-colorado?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects Kean, J.W., Smith, J.B., and Coe, J.A., 2020, Debris-flow monitoring data, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA, 2014: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9MUWDFN.