Slope instability along some sectors of the road to la Bufadora

Abstract

La Bufadora is a famous water sprout and a tourist spot located about one hour drive south of the city of Ensenada, in the state of Baja California, Mexico. The route toLa Bufadora is a narrow curvy road with unstable slopes. On a 4m. stretch, the road continuously subsides, probably due to a sector of the Agua Blanca Fault that crosses the Punta Banda Peninsula. Swarms of small earthquakes have been located in this same section by RESNOM since 1997 (CICESE, RESNOM Online catalog. http://sismologia.cicese.mx/resnom/catalogo/datain.php) and unstable rocks presuppose a risk that is manifested in the occurrence of slips. In this paper we will show a slope classification made according to the need of attention as well as their remedial options. We document new evidence of an anthropogenic impact: a high pressure of tourist housing development in several places of the peninsula. We registered and identified the causes for the slope instability and landslides in the farthest point of the peninsula finding that they are due to the construction of an access road. The impacts registered and the measures taken by a net of wood stacks to measure slope deforestations by wind, rain and continuous car vibrations show an approximate 5 loss in slope vegetation. This research allows the decision makers to implement a series of recommendations into the regulations they have regarding tourist areas to develop as well as access roads.