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#: 63
Date: Tuesday, July 26, 1988
Location: South Tahoma Glacier
Glacier Name: South Tahoma Glacier
Drainage Basin: Tahoma Creek
Event Type: Debris Flow
Weather:
Warm and Dry
Season: Dry
Notes:
The Longmire seismograph recorded debris-flow movement between 15:48 and 16:01. This flow was witnessed by G.G. Parker and C.H. Swift, USGS, from a vantage point near river km 8.0. Swift's estimated hydrograph is presented in Walder and Driedger (1994) as Figure 17. Estimated peak velocity and peak discharge were 5 m/s and 540 m3/s, respectively. Distinct levees were deposited in the vicinity of river km 7.0.
*** From a case incident report on 7/26/88, CI# 880275 ***
Details of incident:
Two USGS employees reported to Comm. Center that another jokulhlaup (glacial outburst flood occurred in the Tahoma Creed drainage at approx. 16:30 hrs. on 7/26/88.
Day's weather: hot, sunny, high temperature at Longmire 93deg.
No persons were believed caught or trapped by the flood.
Ranger Southwick (Dale Southwick) and I (Galen Stark) inspected the site at approx. 1900 hrs. A flood of lesser magnitude than the 07/14/88 flood had occurred. The creek was swollen, extremely muddy, and much of the channels were freshly wet, in places as high as six feet deep.
The 1000 feet of Westside Road buried by the 07/14 flood was also freshly wet, with basketball sized rocks freshly deposited and a small amount of water trickling down the plowed portion.
The main stream has vacated the westernmost channel at the old trailhead area, leaving a ten foot deep dry gorge. The stream now occupies a more easterly channel.
One vehicle was present at the temporary road closure, occupants have permit to backcountry camp through the week. Vehicle gone on 07/30.
Estimated Velocity: 5 m/s (16 ft/s)
Estimated Peak Flow: 540 m3/s (19,070 ft3/s)
Estimated Volume:
References:
Walder and Driedger (1994) (Page 81)
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Beason, S.R., 2012, Small glacial outburst flood occurs on Mount Rainier - October 27, 2012: Unpublished National Park Service Science Brief, 3 p.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.