Postfire debris-flow volumes and their associated observation, location, and volume sources

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
Postfire debris-flow volumes and their associated observation, location, and volume sources
Abstract:
This table contains measured and modeled postfire debris flow volumes alongside the associated sources for debris flow documentation, locations, and volumes. We conducted a search of scientific literature and news media reports to find documentation of debris flows that may have followed all wildfires greater than 100 square kilometers that occurred between 1984 and 2021 in California. The wildfires listed are all the fires we found that had documented postfire debris flows. Some fires had field-measurements of debris flow volume. Where field-measurements of volume did not exist, we used model data on postfire debris-flow likelihood and volume from U.S. Geological Survey Emergency Assessment of Post-Fire Debris-Flow Hazards Team (see Lineage section in this metadata). In some cases, exact locations (but not volumes) were known, in which case we used modeled volumes for these locations. Where debris flows were documented but not exact locations, we used the volumes from all basins with a probability greater than eighty percent of having postfire debris flows.
Supplemental_Information:
Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Dow, Helen W., Kostelnik, Jaime, Kean, Jason W., and Lindsay, Donald N., 20240807, Postfire debris-flow volumes and their associated observation, location, and volume sources: data release DOI:10.5066/P9CG3DRR, U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California.

    This is part of the following larger work.

    Dow, Helen W., Kostelnik, Jaime, Kean, Jason W., and Lindsay, Donald N., 2024, Postfire erosion estimates for large California wildfires that occurred between 1984 and 2021: data release DOI:10.5066/P9CG3DRR, U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Suggested Citation: Dow, H.W., Kostelnik, J., Kean, J.W., and Lindsay, D.N., 2024, Postfire erosion estimates for large California wildfires that occurred between 1984 and 2021: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9CG3DRR.
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -120.867019
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -116.164279
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 38.385179
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 32.873746
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 1984
    Ending_Date: 2021
    Currentness_Reference:
    Wildfires that occurred during this time period were part of our study.
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: comma-delimited text
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    PostfireDebrisFlow_DataEstimatesSources.csv
    spreadsheet of postfire debris flow data and their sources. (Source: Producer defined)
    FireYear
    Year the wildfire occurred modified from MTBS perims ‘Ig_Date’. (Source: producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1997
    Maximum:2021
    Units:Year
    Resolution:1
    FireName
    Name of the wildfire, modified from MTBS perims ‘Incid_Name’ (Source: producer defined) modified from MTBS perims ‘Incid_Name’
    MeasuredVol
    Sum of field-based measurement of postfire debris flow volumes across each wildfire. This column shows “N/A” for fires in which volumes were only modeled. (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:823
    Maximum:3743000
    Units:cubic meters
    Resolution:0.1
    ModeledVol
    Sum of model-based estimates of postfire debris flow volumes across each wildfire. This column shows “N/A” for fires in which volumes were only measured. (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:823
    Maximum:3743000
    Units:cubic meters
    Resolution:0.1
    I15Model
    The 15-minute rainfall intensity used in the postfire debris flow likelihood and volume models. If ‘DocumentationSource’ is ‘this report’ then rainfall was measured in the field. If 24 was used, then it is likely no rainfall was measured in the field. Other values are taken from publications listed in sources.This column shows “N/A” for fires in which volumes were only measured. This column lists “-999” for values in which multiple values were used for different watersheds within the fire perimeter; the individual values can be found within the associated VolumeSource field. (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:24
    Maximum:40
    Units:inches
    Resolution:1
    TotalMass
    Sum of measured and modeled volumes converted to mass using a density of 1700 kilograms per cubic meter. (Source: Producer defined)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1399
    Maximum:6363000
    Units:kilograms
    Resolution:1
    DocumentationSource
    The sources documenting that debris flows occurred in the area affected by this wildfire in the first water year following fire. (Source: Producer defined) Various sources described in each row; see ‘PostfireDebrisFlow_DataEstimatesSources_metadata_references.pdf’in the Attached Files section for full citations.
    LocationSource
    The sources for the locations where debris flows occurred in the area affected by this wildfire in the first water year following fire. (Source: Producer defined) Various sources described in each row; see ‘PostfireDebrisFlow_DataEstimatesSources_metadata_references.pdf’ in the Attached Files section for full citations.
    VolumeSource
    The sources for the volumes of postfire debris flows included in this table. (Source: Producer defined) Various sources described in each row; see ‘PostfireDebrisFlow_DataEstimatesSources_metadata_references.pdf’ in the Attached Files section for full citations.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview: The first line of the csv file is a header line.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: U.S. Geological Survey

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • Helen W. Dow
    • Jaime Kostelnik
    • Jason W. Kean
    • Donald N. Lindsay
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
    Attn: PCMSC Science Data Coordinator
    2885 Mission Street
    Santa Cruz, CA

    831-427-4747 (voice)
    pcmsc_data@usgs.gov

Why was the data set created?

We used these data to create a statewide annual postfire sediment budget.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
    MTBS perims (source 1 of 3)
    Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS) Agency, 2007, MTBS Geospatial Datasets: Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS), online.

    Online Links:

    Type_of_Source_Media: Digital
    Source_Contribution:
    We used the burn perimeters from MTBS to define the fire-affected region and produce the watersheds run in WEPP.
    DFshps_release (source 2 of 3)
    Kostelnik, Jaime, and Dow, Helen W., 2024, Model estimates of the probability and volume of debris flows that may be produced by a storm following recent wildfire; re-release of ten wildfires across California, 1997—2015 Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: shapefile: U.S. Geological Survey, online.

    Online Links:

    Type_of_Source_Media: Digital
    Source_Contribution:
    Modeled debris flow volumes for older fires from this same data release;
    DFshps_new (source 3 of 3)
    Kostelnik, Jaime, and Kean, Jason W., 2023, USGS Post Wildfire Debris Flow Hazard Assessment Viewer.: U.S. Geological Survey, online.

    Online Links:

    Type_of_Source_Media: Digital
    Source_Contribution: Modeled debris flow volumes for fires after 2015
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 2022 (process 1 of 5)
    We used these data to find wildfires larger than one hundred square kilometers and all the data associated with them including their official MTBS names, ignition date, and perimeters. Data sources used in this process:
    • MTBS perims
    Date: 2023 (process 2 of 5)
    Sources noted in the ‘DocumentationSource’ attribute were used to identify wildfires that triggered postfire debris flows in the first water year postfire. See the accompanying ‘PostfireDebrisFlow_DataEstimatesSources_metadata_references.pdf’in the Attached Files section for full list of sources.
    Date: 2023 (process 3 of 5)
    Sources noted in the ‘LocationSource’ attribute were used to identify what watersheds within each wildfire experienced postfire debris flows in the first water year postfire. See the accompanying ‘PostfireDebrisFlow_DataEstimatesSources_metadata_references.pdf’in the Attached Files section for full list of sources.
    Date: 2023 (process 4 of 5)
    Sources noted in the ‘VolumeSource’ attribute were used to find the volume of postfire debris flows noted above. See the accompanying ‘PostfireDebrisFlow_DataEstimatesSources_metadata_references.pdf’ in the Attached Files section for full list of sources.
    Date: 2023 (process 5 of 5)
    For all basins with ‘LocationSource’ listed as ‘All basins with P greater than 80 percent’, we used data from the following shapefiles to identify these basins and source modeled debris-flow volumes. Data sources used in this process:
    • DFshps_release
    • DFshps_new
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
    Dow, Helen W., East, Amy E., Sankey, Joel B., Warrick, Jonathan A., Kostelnik, Jaime, Lindsay, Donald N., and Kean, Jason W., 2024, Postfire sediment mobilization and its downstream implications across California, 1984-2021.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Dow, H.W., East, A., Sankey, J.B., Warrick, J., Kostelnik, J., Lindsay, D.N., and Kean, J.W., 2024, Postfire sediment mobilization and its downstream implications across California, 1984 - 2021: Journal of Geophysical Research Earth Surface, https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JF007725.
    Eidenshink, Jeff, Schwind, Brian, Brewer, Ken, Zhu, Zhi-Liang, Quayle, Brad, and Howard, Stephen, 2007, A Project for Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity.

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Eidenshink, J., Schwind, B., Brewer, K., Zhu, Z.-L., Quayle, B., & Howard, S. (2007). A Project for Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity. Fire Ecology, 3(1), 3–21. https://doi.org/10.4996/fireecology.0301003

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    All measured and modeled volumes have a high degree of associated uncertainty. Measured volumes have higher accuracy as all were made in the field. Modeled volumes have uncertainty relating to the rainfall intensity-duration used for the model design storm, the location of the debris flows (even if some locations were documented, there may have been debris flows that were not documented), and the volumes.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    A formal accuracy assessment of the horizontal positional information in the dataset is not applicable.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    No data were intentionally omitted from the dataset.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    The data were checked for logical consistency.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
Access_Constraints No access constraints
Use_Constraints USGS-authored or produced data and information are in the public domain from the U.S. Government and are freely redistributable with proper metadata and source attribution. Please recognize and acknowledge the U.S. Geological Survey and the California Geological Survey as the originator(s) of the dataset and in products derived from these data.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    U.S. Geological Survey - ScienceBase
    Denver Federal Center, Building 810, Mail Stop 302
    Denver, CO

    1-888-275-8747 (voice)
    sciencebase@usgs.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? These data are available in csv format (PostfireDebrisFlow_DataEstimatesSources.csv) and are accompanied by a pdf of references cited (PostfireDebrisFlow_DataEstimatesSources_metadata_references.pdf) and CSDGM FGDC-compliant metadata.
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    Unless otherwise stated, all data, metadata and related materials are considered to satisfy the quality standards relative to the purpose for which the data were collected. Although these data and associated metadata have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness and approved for release by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty.
  4. How can I download or order the data?
  5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
    These data can be viewed with any software capable of viewing text files.

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 07-Aug-2024
Metadata author:
U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Attn: PCMSC Science Data Coordinator
2885 Mission Street
Santa Cruz, CA

831-427-4747 (voice)
pcmsc_data@usgs.gov
Metadata standard:
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
This page is <https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/catalog/pcmsc/DataReleases/ScienceBase/DR_P9CG3DRR/PostfireDebrisFlow_DataEstimatesSources_metadata.faq.html>
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