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Geotechnical News • June 2019
GEOHAZARDS
Introduction
A recent article in Nature Communica-
tions demonstrated a 60-fold increase
in retrogressive thaw flows, landslides
caused by melting ground ice in per-
mafrost regions, along Banks Island in
the Canadian North between the years
1984 and 2015 (Lewkowicz & Way,
2019). We’ve noticed similar increases
in coastal retreat and thaw flows fol-
lowing average increases in ambient
surface temperatures in recent Arctic
summers (Figure 1).
Cold region hazards, including moun-
tain hazards (Figure 2), require careful
attention in a world where global
temperatures are rising, particularly in
high latitudes.
In this issue, authors Marco Marcer,
Xavier Bodin, and Alexander Bren-
ning provide us with an interesting
look at rock glaciers in the French
Alps. These rock glaciers appear to
be similarly affected by changing
temperatures and are increasingly
unstable. Though not common, we
have comparable features in the Rocky
Mountains and the Yukon. While we
have less infrastructure at risk, we still
need to consider linear corridors that
move people and resources through
these regions.
News
In a follow-up to the “Safe Work
on Dangerous Slopes” article in the
March 2018 issue of Geotechnical
News, the Association of Geohaz-
ard Professionals (AGHP) awarded
its inaugural Rope Access Safety
Recognition to
and
Honoring
best-in-class safety development and
implementation initiatives within the
geohazard industry, the award distin-
guishes those companies that foster &
employ safe rope access work proce-
dures, provide education & training
to their personnel, and commit to
enhancing the safety culture within
their organizations.
“We are very pleased to confer these
inaugural recognitions,” states Ahren
Bichler of Trumer Schutzbauten
Canada Ltd and AGHP President.
“The Safety Recognition Program is
one of the core efforts of the AGHP
that clearly embodies the values and
goals of the Association. We believe
that by distinguishing members
Figure 1. Retrogressive thaw flows in the Canadian Arctic
(photograph by Olivier Piraux).
Figure 2. Remnants of a glacial lake outburst flood in the Rocky Mountains
(photograph by Rick Guthrie).
