THE NORTH SALT LAKE

LANDSLIDE
Landslides occur often, cause much destruction
and kill approximately 8000 per year worldwide. All
states in the U.S. have landslides. Landslides
cannot be predicted, but often measures of
prevention can be utilized to lower the risk of
movement. Several factors contribute to the
instability of a hillside such as grading for roads
and buildings, expansion of cities and towns, lack
of hillside vegetation, over-grading, and significant
water saturation.
Utah has had many landslides. A large landslide
occurred in North Salt Lake City on August 5, 2014,
causing damage to the hillside and destroying one
home.

Though the city of North Salt Lake and the

developer of the land do not claim responsibility for
the cause of the slide, the aforementioned-factors
played a role in the landslide. According to the
Utah Geological Survey, there are reports dating
from 1980s about the potential of landslides in the
same area of the latest landslide. After two smaller
landslides in 2010, the city bought 11 homes to be
demolished to because of danger and ground
movement.
The following image shows the aftermath of the North Salt Lake
landslide August 5, 2014. Notice the curved shape in the hillside
where the ground gave way. This is called a slump.

Photo Credit: Salt Lake Tribune

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/397935317048438417/

The following illustration shows the most common types of

landslides. Landslides consisting of 2 or more types are called
complex slides.

Image credit: http://image.slidesharecdn.com/naseerppt-140130211210-phpapp01/95/mass-

movement-9-638.jpg?cb=1391116384

The North Salt Lake landslide would be considered a complex

slide, having features of pre-existing soil creep and a rotational
slump formation. A slump is mass movement consisting of ground
material that moves all at once, sometimes rotating inward and
creates a concave shape to the disturbed area. Creep is very slow
movement of soil over an extended period. Creep is indicative of
ground water seepage and instability in the hillside or region.
The landslide area is made up of mostly clay, sand
and gravel. Ninety acres of the adjacent land had
been mined for sand and gravel since the 1940s.
In 2006, the city of North Salt Lake re-zoned the
area for commercial and residential development.
In 2010, after some residential development, two
small landslides occurred, resulting in 11 homes
being damaged, cracked, or unsettled and
ultimately demolished due to safety concerns.
Map showing the approximate boundaries of the Springhill landslide, North Salt Lake (as mapped on
05/05/2011). Photo credit: https://geology.utah.gov/hazards/landslides-rockfalls/springhill-landslide-
north-salt-lake/

These Springhill and North Salt Lake landslides were caused from
excess rainfall and improper land development. The sampled soil
tests conducted after the landslide showed ingredients of excess
moisture, expansive soil and that fill dirt did not have enough
compaction to provide stability to roads and buildings. The North
Salt Lake City website, http://www.nslcity.org/index.aspx?NID=331
has posted the most recent and past geotechnical surveys as well
as approvals for development and landslide remediation surveys.
The geological and geotechnical report done by Applied
Geotechnical Engineering Consultants, Inc. in 2003, prior to
development of the landslide area, notes that many active springs
and seeps were observed. Additionally, there were smaller slumps
present and subsurface pooling of water was a concern. Expert
opinion was that grading and development of roads would lower
the water saturation on the hillside by water collecting on the
roadways and runoff through the installed drainage systems.
While this was sound thinking, the opposite occurred. Hillside
grading, gravity, and weighted pressure from building homes and
roads increased the hazard of a slide. These factors, combined
with heavy rainfall and ground saturation caused an already
vulnerable hillside to fail.
Weight from development of roads and homes surrounding slide area coupled with
heavy rain caused instability in the hillside. Photo credit:
http://img.deseretnews.com/images/article/hires/1546777/1546777.jpg

One home is destroyed by a massive landslide in North Salt Lake. The residents
were able to escape unharmed. Photo credit:
http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1892564.1407262298!/img/httpImage/i
mage.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_970/utah-landslide.jpg

Damage to the Eaglepointe Tennis Club which is located at the base, or toe, of the
slump landslide. Photo credit:
http://cdn.deseretnews.com/images/article/firstheroimage/1528097/1528097.jpg

The Geotechnical Report compiled March 2003, pointed

out hazards of expansive soil and subsurface water. Any
mass wasting of the area could be prevented if there was
little or no moisture change in the area. The hillside
showed stability during dry years, but there were
indications of creep during years with normal-excessive
precipitation. Due to groundwater seeping and natural
springs combined with the unpredictability of Mother
Nature, the hillside was vulnerable to landslides, even
before land development and grading took place. Grading
for roads and excavating of the hill had a significant
impact on the slope causing additional vulnerability to
ground movement. Slope angle, or angle of repose, is
important to consider before removing vegetation or
disturbing hillsides. Improper grading for roads can cut
into the base of the slope and the weight of roads and
building structures at the top of the slope cause
increased pressure.
Development of the North Salt Lake hillside was an
extremely risky endeavor. No amount of mitigation or
safeguards could have prevented the landslide. The
hillside was moving regardless of development.
Landslides can occur from one event, such as heavy
rainfall or an earthquake. North Salt Lake had several
obvious hazards; the soil was previously mined for sand
and gravel, steep slope angle, natural springs and seep
throughout, signs of creep, and a history of land
movement in the area. Excess grading for roads,
improper fill compaction, burying drainage and pipe
infrastructures, weight from buildings and houses and
heavy rainfall increased existing hazardous conditions.
In an area with significant ground instability, one would
wonder why development of this area of North Salt Lake
was ever approved. One would argue that the city of
North Salt Lake is to blame, however, the city did its due
diligence and considered the results of the geological and
technical surveys that were done prior to issuing
development permits. The development seems to have
followed the recommendations of the geotechnical
reports, however, it is possible that the compaction of the
hillside was sub-par; combined with a steep slope of sand
silt and clay, increased pressure from the roads and
simply an abundance of rain was a recipe for disaster.
Should the developer or the city of North Salt Lake be
held financially responsible for the damage to homes and
the repair of the hillside? Was the slide simply an act of
Mother Nature, impossible to predict or prevent?
I am not an expert, however having lived in this area for
35 years, there was a history of ground movement and
instability that has caused cracking foundations and
houses to slide down the hill. Simply based on history, my
opinion, is that developing the hillside was never a smart
idea to entertain. Sometimes common sense, history and
evidence in plain sight should be enough to determine
potential risks and feasibility.
The following link is a news broadcast from KSL dated
1/25/2017. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?
q=north+salt+lake+landslide&view=detail&mid=2369B0
D5A6BFB886CBB02369B0D5A6BFB886CBB0&FORM=VIR
E
The reporter informs that the hillside had 3-4 inches of
movement in between spring and fall of 2017, however,
recent measurements show that the hillside has shifted
an additional 3.5 feet since the beginning of January
2017. Homeowners are very concerned and feel on edge
about more landslides in the near future.
Sources: http://nslcity.org/DocumentCenter/View/550
https://geology.utah.gov/hazards/landslides-
rockfalls/springhill-landslide-north-salt-lake/
https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2004/3072/fs-2004-3072.html