The Mackenzie Landslide Database

The text documents Abstract, DatabaseLegend, and 
DatabaseSummary are common to Open Files 3915, 3916, and 3917.

The Mackenzie landslide database was compiled as part of the 
Climate Change Program of the Geological Survey of Canada.  The 
Mackenzie landslide database is a compilation of information on 
landslides occurring within the Mackenzie valley and adjacent 
mountainous areas and the Mackenzie Delta and adjacent Beaufort 
Sea coast.  The database is in Excel 5 spreadsheet format and is 
accompanied by maps depicting landslide location.

The Mackenzie landslide database (maps and digital spreadsheet 
files) is presented in three parts: 
1) Geological Survey of Canada Open File 3915: "Landslide 
inventory, Mackenzie corridor (southern part)" by J.M. Aylsworth 
and J.A.Traynor, covers the region from 60°-64°N and includes 
NTS map sheets 85 D to E and 95 A to C, F to K, N to O.  
Database is accompanied by a map depicting landslide location, 
differentiated by type, on a generalized surficial geology 
background (Fulton, 1995).

2) Geological Survey of Canada Open File 3916: "Landslide 
inventory, Mackenzie corridor (central part)" by A. Duk-Rodkin 
and T. Robertson, covers the region from 64°-68°N and includes 
NTS map sheets 96 C to F and 106 G to P.  Database is 
accompanied by a map depicting landslide location, 
differentiated by type, on a generalized surficial geology 
background (Fulton, 1995).

3) Geological Survey of Canada Open File 3917: "Landslide 
inventory, Mackenzie Delta and adjacent Beaufort Sea coast" 
(68°-70°N) by J.M. Aylsworth, J.A. Traynor and G. Krusynski, 
covers the region from 68°-70°N and includes NTS map sheets 
107 B-C (partial) and 117 D-E (partial).  Database is 
accompanied by a map depicting landslide location, 
differentiated by type.

The full database contains 2014 entries, of which 55% represent 
individual landslides and a further 10% represent a pair of 
closely spaced landslides.  The remaining 35% of entries 
represent clusters of closely spaced landslides with numbers 
ranging from 3 to >30 landslides per cluster, with most clusters
consisting of fewer than 10.  These clusters mainly represent 
groups of adjacent, small retrogressive thaw flows in the 
northern third of the inventory area, although, in places, they 
represent a section of continuous riverbank characterized by 
adjacent rotational slides. The database contains information 
on landslide location, class and type of failure, dimensions, 
description of bedrock lithology or unconsolidated sediments, 
age if known, additional comments if any, airphoto numbers, and 
references if available.  Each information  field is described 
fully in the next section.
Compilation of the landslide inventory is based primarily on 
the interpretation of airphotos or compilation from existing 
surficial geology maps.  For the most part, the latter maps 
were also produced mainly from airphoto interpretation.  North 
of 68° latitude, the interpretation is based on 1985 images, 
and 1970 to 1981 airphotos were used between 68°and 64°N.  
Between 64° and 60°N, most of the landslides in the area were 
compiled from existing surficial geology maps based on 1948 to 
1972 airphotos; however, within a corridor extending 
approximately 3 km on either side of the Mackenzie and Liard 
rivers, all available airphoto images (1947 to 1990) were 
re-examined during this project. 	
Because most of the inventory is based upon airphoto
interpretation in an area which has been irregularly and 
infrequently flown, most entries in the database are accurate 
only to the date of the most recent airphoto listed and 
comments, activity, measurements etc. must be understood to 
apply to the date of the airphoto and not to the present time.  
We welcome any additions to the database, in complete or partial 
form.  The database will be up-dated as new landslides are 
reported.

REFERENCES

Fulton, R.J. , compiler,
1995:	Surficial materials of Canada; Geological Survey of 
	Canada, Map 1880A, 1:5 000 000 scale.