The catastrophic mud-flows impact on the Baksan river channel at Tyrnaus city

Abstract

Mud-flows passing along the Gerhozhansu river - the tributary of the Baksan - and getting to the channel of the latter, have a great effect on its deformation morphology, granulometric composition of alluvium for the space of 8 km. The long-term action of the mud-flows has led to the longitudinal profile of the Baksan's channel and to the formation of the three characteristic sections, which differ in many parameters. The sections are: the zone of affluent, channel within the debris cone, and the downstream site of mud-flow deposits reworking. Catastrophic mud-flows in the year of 2000, carried the enormous amount of solid material, transformed the channel morphology radically and conditioned the channel processes in the area under consideration for long.