The Desert Laboratory

The Vigil Network
Big View Slope: Table 3 - Movement of Surficial Particles from Painted Soil Line Established July 31, 1965

Data Files:


Data of June 19, 1966
Particle Size (inches) Number of Particles (Distance Moved, inches)
< 0.25 3 (1.75), 29 (2), 39 (2.25), 88(2.5), 12 (3), 105 (3.5), 6 (4), 5 (4.5), 1 (5), 20 (6), 3 (7), 2 (9)
[Many particles less than 1/8 inch have moved all the way out.]
0.25 - 0.5 1 (1), 1 (1.5), 16 (2), 29 (2.5), 23 (3), 3 (3.5), 2 (6)
0.5 - 1 6 (1.5), 8 (2), 1 (3)
1 - 2 1 (1), 1 (2)
2 - 4 2 (1), 1 (2)

Measurements recorded for only the south half, or 24 feet, of painted soil line. General appearance of north half is same as that for south half.

Data of June 26, 1968
Distance Along Line from South B.M. (ft) Particle Size, inches (Distance Moved, inches) Number of Particles
0 - 1 0.5 (2) 1
1 - 2 1.3 (6) 1
2 - 3 0.4 (1) 7, 0.4 (2) 4, 1.1 (3) 1
3 - 4 0.3 (2) 3
4 - 5 0.2 (3) 10, 0.2 (4) 1, 0.3 (3) 7, 0.4 (6) 1, 0.7 (2) 1, 0.9 (2) 1
5 - 6 0.3 (3) 8, 0.4 (3) 7, 0.5 (7) 1, 0.6 (14) 1, 0.6 (15) 1
6 - 7 0.2 (4) 6, 0.3 (2) 8, 0.4 (3) 4, 0.5 (5) 4, 0.5 (9) 2, 0.6 (4) 6, 0.7 (3) 1
7 - 8 0.2 (4) 6, 0.2 (6) 8, 0.3 (3) 6, 0.3 (6) 4, 0.3 (8) 1, 0.4 (5) 7, 0.5 (3) 5
8 - 9 0.2 (6) 6, 0.3 (8) 2, 0.3 (11) 10, 0.4 (8) 4, 0.4 (13) 1, 0.5 (11) 3
9 - 10 0.4 (2) 5, 0.4 (3) 2, 0.5 (3) 9, 0.6 (8) 1, 0.7 (12) 1, 0.8 (2) 6, 1.5 (2) 1, 1.8 (3) 1
10 - 11 0.2 (2) 1, 0.3 (10) 4, 0.4 (12) 1, 0.6 (2) 3
11 - 12 0.2 (5) 2, 0.3 (2) 9, 0.3 (5) 1, 0.4 (4) 2, 0.5 (3) 4, 0.9 (6) 1
12 - 13 0.2 (7) 1, 0.2 (11) 2, 0.3 (14) 12, remainder 3 - 5 inches down
13 - 14 all 2 - 4 inches down
14 - 16.5 in place
16.5 - 18 all 3 inches down
18 - 19 all 1 - 4 inches down
19 - 20 all 1 - 5 inches down
20 - 21 most 8 inches down; max. 15 inches; 2.5 (7) 1
21 - 22 most in place
22 - 23 4 plates (up to 2.3 in. dia) 2 - 4 inches down
23 - 24 most in place

Notes of explanation for 1968 data, Table 3.

1. Last half of line, station 24-48 feet, not checked; general appearance is same as in first half. Rocks average lying in a band 8 inches wide. Maximum distance moved and found was 17 inches.

2. Only movements over 2 inches were recorded. Almost all fine particles (diameter < 0.2 inch) are now gone. Over 75 percent of original painted particles are now missing, presumably moving downslope.

3. No rocks counted in this survey were returned to the original line.

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