Commune: Głuszyca (pow. wałbrzyski, woj. dolnośląskie) , Mieroszów (pow. wałbrzyski, woj. dolnośląskie)
Framework element or context represented:
Mountain range shaped by mass movements.
Primary geological/geomorphological interest:
Diversity of landslides and associated features developed within a Permian volcano-sedimentary complex.
Comparative assessment justification:
The extent of mass movement phenomena in the Kamienne Mountains is unique for the Sudetes; an additional value is the diversity of landslide phenomena and their relatively precise dating.
Protection status and accessibility:
The area is located within the "Sudety Wałbrzyskie" Landscape Park. No special protection status is given to landslide in the vicinity of Głuszyca. A few section of landslides are accessible along marked trails, otherwise the access is difficult because of steep slopes and dense vegetation.
Character of site: Landslide forms.
Area: c. 6000 ha
Altitude: 600-936 m a.s.l.
Lithology: other igneous rocks, sandstones, conglomerates, breccias, silstones, claystones, other sedimentary rocks
Discipline: Geomorphology, Stratigraphy of Phanerozoic
Process Age: Holocene, Pleistocene, Neogene, *all periods
Bedrock Age: Permian, *all periods
Description of primary interest:
Kamienne Mountains (Waligóra, 936 m a.s.l.) is a range in the Middle Sudetes built mainly of Permian volcanic and subvolcanic rocks extrudet onto sedimentary rocks of the same general age. Permian volcanics include rhyolites, latites, trachytes, ignimbrites and tuffs; sedimentary rocks range from conglomerates to claystones. High mechanical strength and chemical composition of Permian volcanics accounts for main features of denudation relief, i.e. steep slopes, deeply incised valleys and structural escarpments. The presence of massive volcanic rocks above mechanically weak sedimentary rocks has provided a favourable setting for widespread landsliding. Altogether more than 20 large landslides have been identified, the largest of which occupied the area of 25 ha. Typical elements of landslide geomorphology include scars and niches in the upper slope, benches indicative of multiple rotational movement, closed depressions with seasonal lakes, lateral and frontal pressure ridges, boulder avalanches, extensive colluvial aprons in the lower slope. Landslide activity used to be considered as Late Pleistocene, but recent dating of sediments collected in lakes and ponds indicated a Holocene age. No historical activity has been reported. Traced of landslide activity are most widespread in east-central part of the range, in the Suche Mountains, close to the town of Głuszyca.
Literature:
KOZŁOWSKI S. 1963–The geology of Permian vulcanites in the central part of the Sudetic depression (Lower Silesia) (English sum.). Prace Geol. PAN 14: 1-84. PULINOWA M.Z., MAZUR R. 1971–Stare osuwisko we wsi Grzmiąca (Polish only). Wszechświat 72(7-8): 200-202. PULINOWA M.Z. 1972–Procesy osuwiskowe w środowisku sztucznym i naturalnym (English sum.). Dokument. Geogr. 4: 1-112. JOŃCA E. 1987–Projektowany rezerwat przyrody nieożywionej Jeleniec w Górach Suchych w Sudetach Środkowych (Polish only). Chrońmy Przyr. Ojcz. 43(2): 61-68. AWDANKIEWICZ M. 1999–Volcanism in a late Variscan intramontane trough: Carboniferous and Permian volcanic centers of the Intra-Sudetic Basin, SW Poland. Geol. Sudetica 32: 13-47. SYNOWIEC G. 2003–Landslides in the Kamienne Mts, Sudetes (SW Poland) (English sum.). Przegląd Geol. 51: 59-65. SYNOWIEC G. 2003–Landslides in the Kamienne Mts (Middle Sudetes) as geosites proposed for nature conservation (English sum.). Chrońmy Przyr. Ojcz. 59(3): 33-51.