Mapping and Characterization of Rockfall Runout Talus Deposits from Columnar Basalt Cliffs in Boise, ID

Abstract

The Boise Valley contains several columnar jointed basalt cliffs, which were deposited approximately 1.4 to 0.5 Ma on terraces formed by downcutting of the Boise River. Three runout talus deposits on Whitney Terrace were characterized using unmanned aerial vehicle visual imagery. Although the runout talus deposits were from different areas and were of varying size, they contained roughly the same dimensions and distributions of blocks. Images of the cliff face indicated that blocks were detached from the base of columns along horizontal discontinuities which lacked support (undercut columns) and by toppling of basalt columns. The mapped block sizes in the cliff face were larger than the blocks in the associated runout, indicating the cliff blocks were fragmented during impacts in the runout.