Known Geologic Events at Mount Rainier
The purpose of this page is to list all known, dated gelogic events at Mount Rainier, including lahars, debris flows, large rockfalls, large avalanches, rockfalls, and other events. This list is currently being compiled, so if you find errors or a missing event, please
let Scott know.
Database ID#: 165
Date: Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Location: South Tahoma Glacier
Glacier Name: South Tahoma Glacier
Drainage Basin: Tahoma Creek
Event Type: Debris Flow
Weather:
Several day heat wave after seasonally normal temps.
Paradise:
8/13/2023 = Min 58.2, Max 77.6, No precip, no snow pack
8/14/2023 = Min 67.2, Max 84.0, No precip, no snow pack
8/15/2023 = Min 66.8, Max 83.5, No precip, no snow pack
DD32 for day of event = 51, DD32 for 18 day period is 588.
P18 = 0.24, P15 = 0.24, P3 = 0, P1 = 0
DFH HSDry = 60
See DFH for more: https://dfh.morageology.com/view_dfh.php?d=2023-8-15
Season: Dry
Notes:
*** ALL INFORMATION HERE PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE ***
A small debris flow occurred in Tahoma Creek at 4:25 pm on Tuesday, August 15, 2023. This event was the first detection of the brand new debris flow detection system since its inception in June (the system nailed it!). It likely originated as an outburst flood from the South Tahoma Glacier. Field evidence from an aerial reconnaissance flight on Tuesday afternoon showed obvious trim lines and significant discharge emanating from the glacier. This small debris flow seems to have run out of energy somewhere between the Tahoma Creek suspension bridge and former Tahoma Creek trailhead. Flows downstream at the Tahoma Creek road bridge on the Nisqually-Paradise road show high sediment load and a very distinctive “mud” smell in the air.
DF detection system result:
https://rsam.morageology.com/view_spectra_time.php?ds=1692142023&ts=5&te=30
DF Detection System triggered at 4:27 pm, AL 1, max AL 3
Initiation time (Approx, possibly 30 sec earlier): ~23:24 UTC
Approx Arrival times for seismic waves (subject to change)
RER/COPP: 23:25:10 UTC
TABR: 23:32:40 UTC [USGS lists this as 23:34:48 UTC based on LRF (laser range finder)]
TAVI: 23:53:30 UTC
WOW: 00:25:10 UTC (extremely hard to pick the actual arrival time out here)
Peak flow height estimation at TABR (from LRF): 1.5 - 2 m (consistent with estimate from park of ~5 ft)
Estimated Velocity: *based on initial seismic data*... RER/COPP to TABR = 5.92 mph (8.68 fts), TABR to TAVI = 4.69 mph (6.88 fts), TAVI to WOW = 1.88 mph (2.75 fts)
Estimated Peak Flow: Unk
Estimated Volume: Unk
References:
Data references:
Beason, S.R., 2012, Small glacial outburst flood occurs on Mount Rainier - October 27, 2012: Unpublished National Park Service Science Brief, 3 p.
Beason, S.R., et al., in prep, Glacial outburst floods and debris flows from the South Tahoma Glacier, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington: August and September, 2015: National Park Service Natural Resource Report NPS/MORA/NRR-2015/XXX.
Copeland, E.A., 2010, Recent periglacial debris flows from Mount Rainier, Washington: M.S. Thesis, Oregon State University, 125 p.
Copeland, E.A., P.M. Kennard, A.W. Nolin, S.T. Lanscaster and G.E. Grant, 2008, Initiation of recent debris flows on Mount Rainier, Washington: A climate warming signal? American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
Crandell, D.R., 1971, Postglacial lahars from Mt. Rainier volcano, Washington: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 677, 75 p.
Donovan, K.H.M, 2005, An investigation into the 2003 Van Trump Creek debris flow, Mt. Rainier, Washington, United States of America: BSc Geological Hazards Thesis, University of Portsmouth (UK), 58 p.
Driedger, C.L. and A.G. Fountain, 1989, Glacier outburst floods at Mout Rainier, Washington State, USA: Anals of Glaciology, Vol. 13, 5 p.
Hodge, S., 1972, The movement and basal conditions of the Nisqually Glacier, Mount Rainier: Ph.D Thesis, Univeristy of Washington, xxx p.
Legg, N.T., 2013, Debris flows in glaciated catchments: A case study on Mount Rainier, Washington: M.S. Thesis, Oregon State University, 162 p.
Legg, N.T., A.J. Meigs, G.E. Grant and P.M. Kennard, 2014, Debris flow initiation in proglacial gullies on Mount Rainier, Washington: Geomorphology, Vol. 226, p. 249-260.
Richardson D., 1968, Glacier outburst floods in the Pacific Northwest: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 600-D, D79-D86.
Samora, B., 1991, Chronology of flood events as noted in the superintendent's annual reports 1940-1991, Unpublished Internal Document, Mount Rainier National Park, WA, 13 p.
Scott, K.M., J.W. Vallance, and P.T. Pringle, 1995, Sedimentology, behavior, and hazards of debris flows at Mount Rainier, Washington: United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 1547, 56 p.
Vallance, J.W., C.L. Driedger and W.E. Scott, 2002, Diversion of meltwater from Kautz Glacier initiates small debris flows near Van Trump Park, Mount Rainier, Washington: Washington Geology, Vol. 30, No. 1/2, p. 17-19.
Vallance, J.W., M.L. Cunico and S.P. Schilling, 2003, Debris-flow hazards caused by hydrologic events at Mount Rainier, Washington: United States Geological Survey Open-File Report 2003-368, 4 p.
Walder, J.S. and C.L. Driedger, 1994, Geomorphic changed caused by outburst floods and debris flows at Mount Rainier, Washington, with emphasis on Tahoma Creek valley: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 93-4093, 100 p.
Walder, J.S. and C.L. Driedger, 1994, Rapid geomorphic change caused by glacial outburst floods and debris flows along Tahoma Creek, Mount Rainier, Washington, USA: Arctic and Alpine Research, Vol. 26, No. 4, p. 319-327.
Walder, J.S. and C.L. Driedger, 1995, Frequent outburst floods from South Tahoma Glacier, Mount Rainier, USA: relation to debris flows, meterological origin and implications for subglacial hydrology: Journal of Glaciology, Vol. 41, No. 137, 11 p.