Geology and El Niño in the desert:

Monitoring landslides, debris-flows, and flash floods in the desert landscape during El Niño events

Landslides, debris flows, mud flows, overland floods, and flash floods in 'dry' washes all might occur frequently as a result of El Niño storms. These surface processes can disrupt vegetation and animals and modify the desert considerably, including destroying man-made features such as roads and canals. The El Niño forecast for 1997-1998 presents an opportunity to describe the changes in the desert landscape caused by extreme storms, which will allow geologists to better predict, and land managers to better plan for, future destructive events.

Understanding desert land-surface processes: What are they and why is El Niño important?

For further information, contact David Miller

http://geology.wr.usgs.gov/wgmt/elnino/deserten/monitor.html, 30 November 1999, Contact: El Niño Web Team