Improvement of a quantitative framework for predicting catastrophic stream channel change on steep alluvial fans

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The June 2012 flooding events in Alberta was the most costly natural disaster in Canadian history, resulting in an estimated $6 Billion dollars of damage. Some of the most spectacular and unanticipated damage occurred on the smaller river systems in the Southwestern Rocky Mountains, including Cougar Creek, which flows through the city of Canmore. Flooding there caused rapid and nearly uncontrollable bank erosion and resulted in the closure of the Trans Canada Highway for several days. Using a scaled laboratory model, Dr. Eaton's research group has begun testing a hypothetical model for predicting when such streams are likely to experience such catastrophic changes and has found evidence that supports the possibility of developing a practical tool that can be used to forecast the occurrence of significant channel instability and bank erosion. With the Engage Plus grant, Dr. Eaton's group will conduct additional experiments to explicitly assess the potential risk to pipeline crossings on fans due to extreme flood events. The experiments will focus on the role that sediment input has on controlling the magnitude and rate of bed erosion and channel migration. They will contribution to ongoing flood and erosion risk evaluations being conducted by BGC Engineering (BGC). The work that this grant will fund, and the continued collaborative relationship between BCG and Dr. Eaton's research group that this grant will support, will build towards a more comprehensive understanding of the risks to human life and to infrastructure associated with steep mountain streams.