Study of debris flow peak discharge at Kamikamihorizawa Creek

Abstract

Prediction of the peak discharge of debris flow is one of the most important factors in mitigating debris flow disasters. Currently, empirical methods based on the relationship between the peak discharge and total debris flow volume (magnitude) for many debris flow events are used to estimate peak discharge for planning or designing debris flow countermeasures in Japan. In order to estimate the peak discharge of debris flow with high accuracy, the debris flow monitoring sensors with load cell and pressure sensor (hereafter referred to as a DFLP system), was installed to evaluate various characteristics during floods involving debris flows at Kamikamihorizawa Creek. During the debris flow that occurred on August 29, 2019 at Kamikamihorizawa Creek, seven surges corresponding to debris flow events were monitored by the DFLP system for a 20-minute period. Based on the relationship between the peak discharge and magnitude, the observation data of Kamikamihorizawa Creek, Illgraben and Schipfenbach has been added to previous data from the literature and the relationship has been updated. The peak discharge and magnitude of debris flow on August 29, 2019 at Kamikamihorizawa Creek exhibited distributions similar to past observation data, which shows that the relationship between peak discharge and magnitude follows a similar trend.