A chronology of landslide activity in the valley of Rivière du Gouffre, Charlevoix, Quebec

Abstract

Data on earthquake-induced landslides in the valley of Rivière du Gouffre in the Charlevoix region of Quebec are presented. A set of 37 radiocarbon dates obtained from tree trunks buried in flow material and found at the bottom of a small lake was used to reconstruct landslide activity. In addition, large subfossil tree trunks were sampled for tree-ring analysis. The radiocarbon dates indicate that most landslide activity in the area is recent (<600 BP). Two tree-ring-dated landslides were triggered by a large earthquake in AD 1663.