What is a landslide?
A landslide is the downslope movement of soil, rock, and organic materials under the effects of gravity and the resulting landforms. Landslides are common natural hazards in Utah that often occur without warning and can result in destructive, costly outcomes. They can be naturally occurring or human-caused. Many Utah landslides are considered dormant, but recent slope failures are commonly reactivations of pre-existing landslides, suggesting that even so-called dormant landslides may continue to exhibit slow creep or are capable of renewed movement if stability thresholds are exceeded.
Steep slopes, mountainous terrain, rock types, and narrow, debris-choked canyons all contribute to our region’s susceptibility to landslide hazards. Various types of landslides in Utah are debris flows, slides, and rockfalls. (Source: Utah Geological Survey)
What is the anatomy of a landslide?
Source: USGS
Click here for more information from the Utah Geological Survey.
Explore the landslide debris flow paths, deposition areas and scarps compiled by the Utah Geological Survey (UGS). Data were compiled from all known pre-1989 published and unpublished references available at the time, additional landslide paths were later added from 1989-2007 geologic maps and UGS landslide investigations.