STUDY: ACTON HILLSIDES A LANDSLIDE RISK.Byline: ALEX DOBUZINSKIS Staff Writer The area between the Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, and Antelope valleys is prone to landslides, with the Acton hillsides presenting more of a risk than those around neighboring Agua Dulce Agua Dulce is Spanish for "sweet water". It also refers to various locations: In Mexico:
The California Geological Survey The term geological survey can be used to describe both the conduct of a survey for geological purposes and an institution holding geological information. A geological survey released the maps to help planners and developers looking to build in the area, and to help residents or anyone who might move there. ``This area, you're into the Angeles National Forest The Angeles National Forest (ANF) was established by executive order on December 20, 1892 as the San Gabriel Timberland Reserve. It covers over 2,600 km² (650,000 acres) and is located in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, just north of the metropolitan area of Los and pretty hard rock, the amount of landsliding is quite a bit less than other areas,'' said Tim McCrink, senior engineering geologist An engineering geologist is a geologist trained in the discipline of engineering geology. Many organizations and governments have programs for the qualification, testing and certification of engineering geologists as a protection to the public. with the California Geological Survey. ``As you move to the coast, you see younger rock and ... more landslides in general,'' he added. The map for Acton showed that several hillside areas southeast of Hughes Canyon are ``active or historic,'' meaning they were moving when the survey was done or they have a history of moving. The surrounding areas also had several places with ``dormant -- young'' landslide activity, meaning there has been landslide activity and even though the activity is dormant that could change. The Agua Dulce area did not have active or historic landslide activity. But it did have several areas on either side of the Antelope Valley Freeway The Antelope Valley Freeway is a freeway in Los Angeles and Kern counties in southern California. It is signed as California State Highway 14 along its length. It connects Greater Los Angeles to the rapidly developing Antelope Valley. where landslides have occurred. Those areas are in various stages of dormancy. The areas prone to landslide are largely underdeveloped, but that could change with urban growth, McCrink said. Earthquakes and mining activity -- especially construction of roads to mines -- can trigger landslides, officials said. Mexico-based Cemex plans a large gravel mine in Soledad Canyon Soledad Canyon is a long narrow canyon / valley located in Los Angeles County, California between the cities of Palmdale and Santa Clarita. Soledad Canyon contains the localities of Vincent, Acton, Ravenna, and Agua Dulce. , near Agua Dulce, but officials stressed that mining companies would be required to take measures to make preparations; to provide means. See also: measure to prevent landslides. ``If they do it properly, it shouldn't be a problem,'' said Lynn Highland, a geographer with the U.S. Geological Survey. ``Usually they try to stabilize any type of land they're going to disturb, or they try to avoid it or work around it.'' Susana Duarte, a spokeswoman for Cemex, said those are exactly the kinds of measures her company would take. ``We adhere strictly to all rules and restrictions and regulations that pertain to this project, to any quarry,'' Duarte said. The maps are available online, at www.consrv.ca.gov/CGS/information/publications/LSIM_index.htm alex.dobuzinskis@dailynews.com (661) 257-5253 CAPTION(S): map Map: Potential landslide study areas Source: California Geological Survey Warren Huskey/Staff Artist |
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