Photos showing from different angles with lines showing slide area. (bottom half of page)
The Oso slide outside Arlington Washington | Goingbigger
The Oso slide outside Arlington Washington | Goingbigger
Washington Mud Slide
- Thread starter jerrybob
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Pilot
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Reporters are always quick to jump on clearcutting as the cause of slides.
Here's my email to Northwest Public Radio, which created the story referred to in post #20, above:
On your story asserting that a clearcut outside the approved boundary contributed to the Oso mudslide, it would have been nice and more responsible to have actually looked at the facts.
On Google Earth you can see that the clearcut has a triangular shape and the smallest part of the clearcut points toward a small portion of the slope failure area, which you can measure on Google Earth as being about 570 feet away (all measurements are approximate). Measuring the length of the clearcut and the elevation difference from the highest portion to the end of the triangle nearest the slide, you find the ground drops about 16 feet over a distance of about 1100 feet. The steepness of that slope, elevation difference divided by distance, is about 1.5%, almost flat ground. Also on Google Earth, you can run your cursor over the clearcut following a constant elevation, as shown at the bottom of the screen, you will find that the slope drains primarily to the east, not toward the slide.
Note also on Google Earth that the slope began to fail some time ago--you can see bare earth at the top of the slope on the photo which was taken in July of 2013. Older photos, available from various sources, often the tax assessor's office, will show if the slope began to fail before the logging was done.
People who know nothing but think they know everything often jump on clearcutting as the cause of every problem related to forestry. Clearcutting may or may not have contributed to the slide, but it doesn't look likely and I doubt you will give as much coverage to the story if the facts show that isn't the case. But you should.
Richard Scott
Here's my email to Northwest Public Radio, which created the story referred to in post #20, above:
On your story asserting that a clearcut outside the approved boundary contributed to the Oso mudslide, it would have been nice and more responsible to have actually looked at the facts.
On Google Earth you can see that the clearcut has a triangular shape and the smallest part of the clearcut points toward a small portion of the slope failure area, which you can measure on Google Earth as being about 570 feet away (all measurements are approximate). Measuring the length of the clearcut and the elevation difference from the highest portion to the end of the triangle nearest the slide, you find the ground drops about 16 feet over a distance of about 1100 feet. The steepness of that slope, elevation difference divided by distance, is about 1.5%, almost flat ground. Also on Google Earth, you can run your cursor over the clearcut following a constant elevation, as shown at the bottom of the screen, you will find that the slope drains primarily to the east, not toward the slide.
Note also on Google Earth that the slope began to fail some time ago--you can see bare earth at the top of the slope on the photo which was taken in July of 2013. Older photos, available from various sources, often the tax assessor's office, will show if the slope began to fail before the logging was done.
People who know nothing but think they know everything often jump on clearcutting as the cause of every problem related to forestry. Clearcutting may or may not have contributed to the slide, but it doesn't look likely and I doubt you will give as much coverage to the story if the facts show that isn't the case. But you should.
Richard Scott
dmccarty
Super Star Member
Those are some interesting before photos. From the one before photo, it is hard to believe that the slide had that much energy to flow as far as it did. Maybe the photos are giving the wrong impression due to lens type and angle. I did not realize there was a previous slide which makes it more amazing to me that there was that much power to go so far. I don't think I would have thought the hills were that risky if standing on the flatter ground. Though the previous slide would have made me nervous.
Pretty danged awful.
Later,
Dan
RobertN
Super Member
My FD has crew/members on the Sacramento area USAR team. They are being deployed up there.
OP
jerrybob
Elite Member
Their help will be greatly appreciated. We worked with a group of folks from Colorado last week......some great people. The searcher/rescue folks are working hard.......very dedicated. Very respectful. The work is hard both physically and mentally........thanks to all.
buickanddeere
Super Member
Always wondered why people build homes in flood planes, beside airports, near garbage dumps, near farms, chemical plants , on to of fault lines etc. Then they appear all surprised after the inevenable disaster. And have the nerve to stand there with their hands out for a freebie.
dragoneggs
Super Star Member
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I hear what you are saying but this town is about a hundred years old and hasn't had anything like this. A colossal mudslide in these parts is very rare. I think you are off base if you are comparing this tragedy to folks who get flooded every few years. just my :2cents:
buckeyefarmer
Epic Contributor
I had no idea the magnitude of the slide until I looked at those pictures in the link above. My heart goes out to them.
cqaigy2
Super Member
I heard the slide wasn't like a regular one where it starts at the top and piles up on the material below, but rather the whole area gave way with much energy. I was amazed my self at the distance it flowed. You can see other areas around there that have given way in similar ways.
