Many new concepts on debris flow research were developed at the Kazakh Research Hydrometeorological Institute, but until recently, they were only available in hard in the institute’s Russian-language publications.
In 2024, the National Hydrometeorological Service of Kazakhstan together with the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL prepared the “Natural debris flows and field experiments in Kazakhstan” collection, which presents English translations of original Russian-language papers published in the “Debris Flows” collection, issued by the Kazakh Research Hydrometeorological Institute between 1976 and 1992.
The “Natural debris flows and field experiments in Kazakhstan” collection contains publications on the topics “Debris Flows in the Zailiysky Alatau”, triggered by glacial lake outburst floods and the “Chemolgan experiments”. In addition, two further papers summarize the evolution of debris flow activity in the past and give an overview of the main observations at the field experiments.
The Chemolgan experiments, conducted between 1972 and 1978, still evoke admiration and interest among specialists. The results of these researches are used in developing methods for debris flow forecasting and computating their characteristics, as well as in the design of debris-flow protection structures and mitigation measures aimed at reducing damage caused by debris flows. A film about the Chemolgan experiments is available on our YouTube channel at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlYNHqqGjPo.
Material of scientific interest to foreign specialists can be found in the "Natural debris flows and field experiments in Kazakhstan" collection.
