Item: A COMPREHENSIVE AVALANCHE MITIGATION AND MONITORING FRAMEWORK FOR ARCTIC COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION ON ARNØYA, NORWAY
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Title: A COMPREHENSIVE AVALANCHE MITIGATION AND MONITORING FRAMEWORK FOR ARCTIC COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION ON ARNØYA, NORWAY
Proceedings: Proceedings, International Snow Science Workshop, Whistler, BC, Canada, 2026
Authors:
- von Wartburg J [ Geoprevent, Zurich, Switzerland ]
- Wickström S [ Skred AS, Oslo, Norway ]
- Berger T [ MND, Sainte-Hélène-du-lac, France ]
- Kavli Walberg N [ Skred AS, Oslo, Norway ]
- St Pierre Ostrander T [ Geoprevent, Zurich, Switzerland ]
- Carrel M [ Geoprevent, Zurich, Switzerland ]
Date: 2026-09-28
Abstract: Arnøya, a remote island in Troms County, Northern Norway, saw the installation of a comprehensive avalanche mitigation and monitoring system in 2024, focused on two major high-risk zones along county road 9740: Singla and Oterelvne. The primary objective was to protect critical road infrastructure, ensuring reliable year-round access for the local population while supporting regional economic activity. The system consists of 24 remotely operated O'Bellx avalanche gas control systems supported by two Doppler avalanche radars, camera networks and two weather stations. This integrated monitoring framework provides both quantitative and qualitative data in a region where operational assessments are frequently constrained by limited daylight and Arctic coastal weather conditions, making direct visual evaluation of mitigation outcomes and natural avalanche cycles difficult. In addition to supporting avalanche hazard assessment and control operations, the radar system is used to track and count boats and vehicles and to provide warnings in situations where natural avalanche activity may have exposed road users or marine traffic. This capability is particularly important because many avalanche paths terminate abruptly near the shoreline, placing transportation infrastructure and marine traffic routes at direct risk. The combined mitigation–monitoring system provides two primary operational benefits. First, centralized control and event management reduce exposure of practitioners to hazardous avalanche terrain and make post-control verification easier and more precise. Second, real-time data from cameras, weather stations and radars provide precise tools for forecasters and operators to plan and time avalanche mitigation to support effective operations. In this study, we demonstrate how advanced mitigation and monitoring technologies can be deployed in parallel to enhance avalanche hazard management in remote and operationally challenging environments, where infrastructure disruptions can have immediate and significant consequences for local communities.
Object ID: ISSW2026_P2.40.pdf
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15788/1790098998
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Theo St Pierre Ostrander
Keywords: Avalanche Monitoring, Norway, RACS, Mitigation, Forecasting
Page Number(s): 1446 - 1451
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