Jason Kean
My research focuses on the processes controlling debris-flow initiation and growth, particularly after wildfire, but also in unburned areas.
This research includes a field component that obtains direct measurements of debris flows in natural settings, a modeling component that seeks to explain the observations, and an applied component that focuses on assessment of debris-flow hazards. My previous research at the USGS focused on river mechanics, including bank erosion and the development of model-based approaches to gage streams and rivers.
Education and Certifications
University of Colorado, Ph.D., 2003, Civil Engineering
University of Colorado, M.S., 1998, Civil Engineering
Cornell University, B.S., 1994, Civil Engineering
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 20
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Observations of debris flows at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA: Part 1, in-situ measurements of flow dynamics, tracer particle movement and video imagery from the summer of 2009
Debris flows initiated by surface-water runoff during short duration, moderate- to high-intensity rainfall are common in steep, rocky, and sparsely vegetated terrain. Yet large uncertainties remain about the potential for a flow to grow through entrainment of loose debris, which make formulation of accurate mechanical models of debris-flow routing difficult. Using a combination of in situ measurem
Authors
Scott W. McCoy, Jeffrey A. Coe, Jason W. Kean, Greg E. Tucker, Dennis M. Staley, Thad A. Wasklewicz
Hydrologic conditions and terrestrial laser scanning of post-fire debris flows in the San Gabriel Mountains, CA, U.S.A.
To investigate rainfall-runoff conditions that generate post-wildfire debris flows, we instrumented and surveyed steep, small watersheds along the tectonically active front of the San Gabriel Mountains, California. Fortuitously, we recorded runoff-generated debris-flows triggered by one spatially restricted convective event with 28 mm of rainfall falling over 62 minutes. Our rain gages, nested hil
Authors
Kevin M. Schmidt, M. N. Hanshaw, James F. Howle, Jason W. Kean, Dennis M. Staley, Jonathan D. Stock, Gerald W. Bawden
In situ measurements of post-fire debris flows in southern California: Comparisons of the timing and magnitude of 24 debris-flow events with rainfall and soil moisture conditions
Debris flows often occur in burned steeplands of southern California, sometimes causing property damage and loss of life. In an effort to better understand the hydrologic controls on post-fire debris-flow initiation, timing and magnitude, we measured the flow stage, rainfall, channel bed pore fluid pressure and hillslope soil-moisture accompanying 24 debris flows recorded in five different watersh
Authors
J. W. Kean, D.M. Staley, S.H. Cannon
Rainfall intensity-duration thresholds for postfire debris-flow emergency-response planning
Following wildfires, emergency-response and public-safety agencies can be faced with evacuation and resource-deployment decisions well in advance of coming winter storms and during storms themselves. Information critical to these decisions is provided for recently burned areas in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. A compilation of information on the hydrologic response to winter sto
Authors
S.H. Cannon, E.M. Boldt, J.L. Laber, J. W. Kean, D.M. Staley
Observations of debris flows at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA: Part 2, changes in surface morphometry from terrestrial laser scanning in the summer of 2009
High resolution topographic data that quantify changes in channel form caused by sequential debris flows in natural channels are rare at the reach scale. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) techniques are utilized to capture morphological changes brought about by a high-frequency of debris-flow events at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the topographic resp
Authors
Dennis M. Staley, Thad A. Wasklewicz, Jeffrey A. Coe, Jason W. Kean, Scott W. McCoy, Greg E. Tucker
Seismic and geodetic signatures of fault slip at the Slumgullion Landslide Natural Laboratory
We tested the hypothesis that the Slumgullion landslide is a useful natural laboratory for observing fault slip, specifically that slip along its basal surface and side-bounding strike-slip faults occurs with comparable richness of aseismic and seismic modes as along crustal- and plate-scale boundaries. Our study provides new constraints on models governing landslide motion. We monitored landslide
Authors
J. Gomberg, W. Schulz, P. Bodin, J. Kean
Relations Between Rainfall and Postfire Debris-Flow and Flood Magnitudes for Emergency-Response Planning, San Gabriel Mountains, Southern California
Following wildfires, emergency-response and public-safety agencies are faced often with making evacuation decisions and deploying resources both well in advance of each coming winter storm and during storms themselves. Information critical to this process is provided for recently burned areas in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. The National Weather Service (NWS) issues Quantitativ
Authors
Susan H. Cannon, Eric M. Boldt, Jason W. Kean, Jayme Laber, Dennis M. Staley
Establishing a Multi-scale Stream Gaging Network in the Whitewater River Basin, Kansas, USA
Investigating the routing of streamflow through a large drainage basin requires the determination of discharge at numerous locations in the channel network. Establishing a dense network of stream gages using conventional methods is both cost-prohibitive and functionally impractical for many research projects. We employ herein a previously tested, fluid-mechanically based model for generating ratin
Authors
J.A. Clayton, J. W. Kean
Evolution of a natural debris flow: In situ measurements of flow dynamics, video imagery, and terrestrial laser scanning
Many theoretical and laboratory studies have been undertaken to understand debris-flow processes and their associated hazards. However, complete and quantitative data sets from natural debris flows needed for confirmation of these results are limited. We used a novel combination of in situ measurements of debris-flow dynamics, video imagery, and pre- and postflow 2-cm-resolution digital terrain mo
Authors
S.W. McCoy, J. W. Kean, J. A. Coe, D.M. Staley, T.A. Wasklewicz, G.E. Tucker
Landslide movement in southwest Colorado triggered by atmospheric tides
Landslides are among the most hazardous of geological processes, causing thousands of casualties and damage on the order of billions of dollars annually. The movement of most landslides occurs along a discrete shear surface, and is triggered by a reduction in the frictional strength of the surface. Infiltration of water into the landslide from rainfall and snowmelt and ground motion from earthquak
Authors
W.H. Schulz, J. W. Kean, G. Wang
Test of a method to calculate near-bank velocity and boundary shear stress
No abstract available.
Authors
Jason W. Kean, Roger A. Kuhnle, J. Dungan Smith, Carlos V. Alonso, Eddy J. Langendoen
Modeling the evolution of channel shape: Balancing computational efficiency with hydraulic fidelity
The cross-sectional shape of a natural river channel controls the capacity of the system to carry water off a landscape, to convey sediment derived from hillslopes, and to erode its bed and banks. Numerical models that describe the response of a landscape to changes in climate or tectonics therefore require formulations that can accommodate evolution of channel cross-sectional geometry. However, f
Authors
C.W. Wobus, J. W. Kean, G.E. Tucker, R. Scott Anderson
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 20
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 89
Observations of debris flows at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA: Part 1, in-situ measurements of flow dynamics, tracer particle movement and video imagery from the summer of 2009
Debris flows initiated by surface-water runoff during short duration, moderate- to high-intensity rainfall are common in steep, rocky, and sparsely vegetated terrain. Yet large uncertainties remain about the potential for a flow to grow through entrainment of loose debris, which make formulation of accurate mechanical models of debris-flow routing difficult. Using a combination of in situ measurem
Authors
Scott W. McCoy, Jeffrey A. Coe, Jason W. Kean, Greg E. Tucker, Dennis M. Staley, Thad A. Wasklewicz
Hydrologic conditions and terrestrial laser scanning of post-fire debris flows in the San Gabriel Mountains, CA, U.S.A.
To investigate rainfall-runoff conditions that generate post-wildfire debris flows, we instrumented and surveyed steep, small watersheds along the tectonically active front of the San Gabriel Mountains, California. Fortuitously, we recorded runoff-generated debris-flows triggered by one spatially restricted convective event with 28 mm of rainfall falling over 62 minutes. Our rain gages, nested hil
Authors
Kevin M. Schmidt, M. N. Hanshaw, James F. Howle, Jason W. Kean, Dennis M. Staley, Jonathan D. Stock, Gerald W. Bawden
In situ measurements of post-fire debris flows in southern California: Comparisons of the timing and magnitude of 24 debris-flow events with rainfall and soil moisture conditions
Debris flows often occur in burned steeplands of southern California, sometimes causing property damage and loss of life. In an effort to better understand the hydrologic controls on post-fire debris-flow initiation, timing and magnitude, we measured the flow stage, rainfall, channel bed pore fluid pressure and hillslope soil-moisture accompanying 24 debris flows recorded in five different watersh
Authors
J. W. Kean, D.M. Staley, S.H. Cannon
Rainfall intensity-duration thresholds for postfire debris-flow emergency-response planning
Following wildfires, emergency-response and public-safety agencies can be faced with evacuation and resource-deployment decisions well in advance of coming winter storms and during storms themselves. Information critical to these decisions is provided for recently burned areas in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. A compilation of information on the hydrologic response to winter sto
Authors
S.H. Cannon, E.M. Boldt, J.L. Laber, J. W. Kean, D.M. Staley
Observations of debris flows at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA: Part 2, changes in surface morphometry from terrestrial laser scanning in the summer of 2009
High resolution topographic data that quantify changes in channel form caused by sequential debris flows in natural channels are rare at the reach scale. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) techniques are utilized to capture morphological changes brought about by a high-frequency of debris-flow events at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the topographic resp
Authors
Dennis M. Staley, Thad A. Wasklewicz, Jeffrey A. Coe, Jason W. Kean, Scott W. McCoy, Greg E. Tucker
Seismic and geodetic signatures of fault slip at the Slumgullion Landslide Natural Laboratory
We tested the hypothesis that the Slumgullion landslide is a useful natural laboratory for observing fault slip, specifically that slip along its basal surface and side-bounding strike-slip faults occurs with comparable richness of aseismic and seismic modes as along crustal- and plate-scale boundaries. Our study provides new constraints on models governing landslide motion. We monitored landslide
Authors
J. Gomberg, W. Schulz, P. Bodin, J. Kean
Relations Between Rainfall and Postfire Debris-Flow and Flood Magnitudes for Emergency-Response Planning, San Gabriel Mountains, Southern California
Following wildfires, emergency-response and public-safety agencies are faced often with making evacuation decisions and deploying resources both well in advance of each coming winter storm and during storms themselves. Information critical to this process is provided for recently burned areas in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. The National Weather Service (NWS) issues Quantitativ
Authors
Susan H. Cannon, Eric M. Boldt, Jason W. Kean, Jayme Laber, Dennis M. Staley
Establishing a Multi-scale Stream Gaging Network in the Whitewater River Basin, Kansas, USA
Investigating the routing of streamflow through a large drainage basin requires the determination of discharge at numerous locations in the channel network. Establishing a dense network of stream gages using conventional methods is both cost-prohibitive and functionally impractical for many research projects. We employ herein a previously tested, fluid-mechanically based model for generating ratin
Authors
J.A. Clayton, J. W. Kean
Evolution of a natural debris flow: In situ measurements of flow dynamics, video imagery, and terrestrial laser scanning
Many theoretical and laboratory studies have been undertaken to understand debris-flow processes and their associated hazards. However, complete and quantitative data sets from natural debris flows needed for confirmation of these results are limited. We used a novel combination of in situ measurements of debris-flow dynamics, video imagery, and pre- and postflow 2-cm-resolution digital terrain mo
Authors
S.W. McCoy, J. W. Kean, J. A. Coe, D.M. Staley, T.A. Wasklewicz, G.E. Tucker
Landslide movement in southwest Colorado triggered by atmospheric tides
Landslides are among the most hazardous of geological processes, causing thousands of casualties and damage on the order of billions of dollars annually. The movement of most landslides occurs along a discrete shear surface, and is triggered by a reduction in the frictional strength of the surface. Infiltration of water into the landslide from rainfall and snowmelt and ground motion from earthquak
Authors
W.H. Schulz, J. W. Kean, G. Wang
Test of a method to calculate near-bank velocity and boundary shear stress
No abstract available.
Authors
Jason W. Kean, Roger A. Kuhnle, J. Dungan Smith, Carlos V. Alonso, Eddy J. Langendoen
Modeling the evolution of channel shape: Balancing computational efficiency with hydraulic fidelity
The cross-sectional shape of a natural river channel controls the capacity of the system to carry water off a landscape, to convey sediment derived from hillslopes, and to erode its bed and banks. Numerical models that describe the response of a landscape to changes in climate or tectonics therefore require formulations that can accommodate evolution of channel cross-sectional geometry. However, f
Authors
C.W. Wobus, J. W. Kean, G.E. Tucker, R. Scott Anderson