Thousands of landslide dams have formed all over the world during recorded history. This data base is not comprehensive nor exhaustive. it does, however, include the majority of historical landslide dams whose formation was recorded and for which appropriate documentation is available. It is frequently impossible to give the dimensions of old dams or their impounded lakes with any certainty, and published data often differ from one source to another. Whenever possible the dimensions of the dams and lakes were field checked, but otherwise it has been necessary to use judgement in assessing which figures to quote. There is still room for correction or interpretation of available data, and the nature of the data base is to allow for necessary corrections.
The data base is biased toward particular parts of the World where there is a long historical record, where knowledgeable colleagues live, or where the phenomenon of landslide damming has been investigated locally. This, many of the data come form the European Alps, Japan, China, and North America.
Undoubtedly more cases exist and will be discovered by those interested in the topic. Other new cases will occur because damming of rivers by landslides is an active, ongoing process. The data base will be updated periodically as new information becomes available. This report represents data acquired through June, 1991.
The data base is stored in dBase IV1 format, ant the introductory text, individual landslide dam cases, and reference list are in ASCII format. Copies of the database files, and text and data, are available on one 3.5-inch high-density disk, at cost, from the U.S. Geological Survey, National Landslide Information Center (NLIC), Box 25046, Mail Stop 966, Golden Colorado, 80225. Future changes in the data base will be handled through the NLIC. Errors, corrections, additions, deletions, and other adjustments to the data base should be reported or recommended to the NLIC.
1The use of brand or product names in this report is for identification purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey.
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