CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Author : Evans, S.G.; and Clague, J.J.
Date : 1997
Title : The impact of climate change on catastrophic geomorphic processes in the mountains of British Columbia, Yukon and Alberta
Publication : Responding to Global Climate Change in British Columbia and Yukon. Volume 1 of the Canada Country Study: Climate Impacts and Adaption. Edited by: E. Taylor and B. Taylor. British Columbia Ministry of Environment Lands & Parks and Environment Canada, Vancouver, B.C.
Issue :
Page(s) : 7:1 - 7:16
Abstract
Catastrophic geomorphic processes in mountain terrain are heavily influenced by climatic factors. As a result, the occurrence of these processes, which include landslides and outburst floods, is sensitive to climate change. In the Canadian Cordillera, the analysis of historical data and a limited number of cases, suggest that under conditions of possible increased precipitation in future climate change, the frequency of debris flows and other landslide types will increase. As in the past, these events should be expected to impact on settlements, infrastructural elements, resources and the environment, resulting in human and financial losses. Long term temperature change affects the volume of glacier ice in mountain regions. Glacier ice loss due to global warming has been identified as an important factor in the occurrence of a range of catastrophic processes, such as outburst floods and rock avalanches. With respect to predicted temperature increases, further glacier ice loss will result in continued debutressing of mountain slopes leading to slope deformation and, in some cases, catastrophic failure. The potential impact of rock avalanches should therefore be considered in the development of areas adjacent to and downstream of present-day glaciers. With continued warming, the frequency of outburst floods will reach a peak and subsequently decrease as the naturally-damned reservoirs decrease in number and size. The nature of mountain permafrost in the Canadian Cordillera is not well known. This is an important gap in view of recent European work linking major rock avalanches and debris flows with the decay of mountain permafrost during recent warming. The further decay of permafrost in northern areas as a result of continued warming trends is likely to increase the occurrence of thaw-flow slides and other types of landslides. Locally, forest fires will amplify this effect.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology