steepness

Caltrans teams have been working to clear and stabilize the area for months, but Drabinski said it has been particularly challenging because of the slope’s height and steepness.

It is a very high silt-yielding river given the steepness of the mountains it flows through and the force it has, allowing it to carve off so much rock and soil on its way.

“The steepness of the slope and the limited access to the site will make it challenging to mobilize equipment in and out of the project area,” the agency said.

They measured the percentage of land each river's channel network occupies within its watershed, as well as the steepness of river valleys.

Now that I know what to look for, I am able to see the problem that I missed the first time—the unexpected increase in the steepness of the slope of the ground.