Reservoir drawdown and rainfall combo triggers unstable landslides, study finds.
Landslides in reservoir areas can be triggered by a combination of heavy rainfall and changes in reservoir water levels. A study on the Zhulinwan landslide in China's Three Gorges Reservoir area found that a rapid drawdown of 1.2 meters per day, along with a once-in-50-years rainstorm, can make the landslide unstable. Using specialized software, researchers analyzed the stability and deformation of the landslide under these conditions. They discovered that the coupling effect of reservoir drawdown and heavy rainfall can lead to significant instability, with a maximum deformation of 0.049 meters. These findings can help local authorities make decisions on slope stabilization during extreme rainfall events.