Historical activity of debris flows in the medium-high mountains: Regional reconstruction using dendrogeomorphic approach

Abstract

Detailed knowledge of the occurrence of debris flows in the past is key to understanding their linkage to changing climatic variables and their occurrence in the future. For a comprehensive understanding of the origin of these processes, regional reconstruction is optimal rather than detailed analysis of isolated catchments. This study presents the results of a dendrogeomorphic reconstruction of debris flows across an entire medium-high mountain range in Central Europe covering more than 500 km2. The tree-ring data allowed the reconstruction of 96 debris flow events at 21 sites. The average frequency of events was 6.8 per decade, which is comparable or higher compared to alpine valleys. A detailed analysis of potential precipitation triggers was also performed in the paper, whose magnitude significantly influenced not only the number of debris flows but also their magnitude. Debris flows occur in two forms in the study area, with channelized debris flows showing significantly higher magnitude but lower frequency than fan debris flows. The differences between the two types are probably due to the different source of material that is reactivated during precipitation events of different duration and magnitude.