NEWS 2005

Posted October 17, 2005

October 18, 2005

Development of a Warning System for the South Peak of Turtle Mountain

Corey Froese, M.Sc., P.Eng., P.Geol., Alberta Geological Survey

Since the original catastrophic slide at Turtle Mountain in 1903 that buried the Town of Frank, killing 70 people, government and public attention has shifted to the potential for a second large failure originating from the South Peak. In 2003, on the centennial of the initial slide, the design, installation, and commissioning of a real time monitoring system for the South Peak was launched by the Alberta Provincial Government to provide first and foremost the framework for a real time monitoring system to warn of the development of a second large failure. In addition, the monitoring system will also be an educational tool for the public. This presentation outlines the review of recently obtained data from a series of tiltmeters, surface extensometers, prisms and differential GPS, as well as surface and subsurface microseismic instrumentation installed in 2003/2004, coupled with a review of historic monitoring data obtained from the early 1900's to present. Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometery (InSAR) has also been utilized to map deformations over a six-month period in 2004. Included as part of this assessment is an update of the structural geology of the South Peak obtained from a combination of detailed mapping, ground penetrating radar surveys and borehole televiewer data. All this information, coupled with the recent and historical movement data, was utilized to develop preliminary alarm threshold values and alarm and notification protocols to be incorporated into the Emergency Response Planning for the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass.

Mr. Froese is a senior geological engineer with over 11 years of consulting engineering experience in the field of landslide hazard assessment and risk management as applied to linear corridors (pipelines, railways, roads), mining and municipal development for projects throughout western Canada. Mr. Froese is the past Chair of the Engineering Geology Division of the Canadian Geotechnical Society and currently sits on the Executive of the Standing Committee on Landslides of the CGS.

Mr. Froese recently joined the Alberta Geological Survey as the lead for a new Geohazards program for the province and also assumed the project lead for the long term monitoring at Turtle Mountain.

Location: Royal Glenora Club - Glenrose Room
Time: Registration 11:45 p.m., Lunch Starts at 12:00 p.m.
Date: Tuesday October 18, 2005
Cost: Students: $10, GSE Members: $15, Non-members: $20
Register: Space limited. Please confirm your attendance by noon of Friday Oct 14 by following this link or emailing kent.bannister@amec.com.