Consistent with the federal efforts for overall disaster preparedness and risk reduction, many state transportation agencies are moving towards proactive risk management strategies for partially, or fully mitigating unstable slope issues. However, there is little in the literature to guide FLMAs, Tribes, and local state agencies (like County, City, and State and Metro Parks) with low to very low traffic volumes and various levels of trail usage in how to manage slopes using asset management principles.  This project will provide guidance to manage slopes by developing and implementing an asset management-based unstable slope management program (USMP) for Federal Land Management Agencies and Tribes that can be adopted by other local state agencies with similar assets and infrastructure assessment needs.
Under the 1^st phase of this project, two primary road corridors with known unstable slopes were identified for use in a field demonstration of the USMP, which included a field inventory and condition survey at approximately 20 unstable slopes consisting of both, soil and rock unstable slopes of varying condition and severity. This phase of the project documented maps of the demonstration corridors with completed rating forms, site photographs, and a ranked list of the slopes with their slope ratings.  The tasks in Phase 2 will integrate asset management performance standards and service life into the USMP , develop conceptual mitigation designs based on performance standards and service life objectives or policies , and prioritize corrective actions for implementation.  Phase 2 will also include the development of a USMP field manual for rating slopes, and a desk manual for using the USMP database and GIS platform.
External Project Contacts:
Douglas A. Anderson, L.E.G. • WFLHD – Engineering Geologist • Office:360-619-7958 • Email:
douglas.a.anderson@dot.gov
Eric Bilderback, PhD • National Park Service – Geomorphologist • Office: 303-969-2154 • Email:
eric_bilderback@nps.gov
Geologic Resources Division

Overview of USMP:

Part 1 – How to Rate Unstable Slopes and Rockfall

Part 2 – How to Rate Unstable Slopes and Rockfall