Abstract

PERUCCA, Laura  and  ESPER, Yanina. Rock-debris landslide on Santa Cruz river andresulting flash flood by collapse of the natural dam, Central Andes of SanJuan. Rev. Asoc. Geol. Argent. [online]. 2009, vol.65, n.3, pp.571-585. ISSN 0004-4822.

During summer of 2005, a large debris-rockslide occluded the Santa Cruz river valley, from the west slope of theCordillera de Santa Cruz in southeast of San Juan province (S31º40'12'';W70º16'18''). The landslide originated a natural dam in Santa Cruz river andformed a lake of considerable volume. The 12th of November of 2005, probably byeffect of the pressure generated by the same mass of water against the dam, thepartial collapse of this natural dam took place, causing a violent andunexpected flash flood and generating several economic losses in the mainlocalities of Calingasta department and considerable damages in one of the mostrelevant projects of the San Juan province, Caracoles dam, developed in the SanJuan river. Because of the high costs of taking physical remediation measuresto the natural dam in this very farest and almost inaccessible mountain area,the main protective measures that must be undertaken are the installation of aflood early warning system downstream, the hydrological monitoring at the damand an annual satellital monitoring to see the evolution of the massmovement.

Keywords : Aluvión; Deslizamiento de rocas y detritos; Río Santa Cruz; Argentina; Flash flood; Debris-rock slide; Santa Cruz river; Argentina.

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