Slow Movements
Creep is one type under this category which can occur on moderately steep, soil-covered slopes. Flows occur when the material, soil, and/or rock, behave more like a liquid or fluid. Movement of materials is extremely slow and imperceptible except through extended observation. Materials involved can be soil or rock debris. Have you ever seen fence posts, telephone poles lean downslope from their vertical position and in their linear alignment?
If you have, that is due to the creep effect. Depending upon the type of material involved, several types of creep viz., soil creeps, talus creep, rock creep, rock-glacier creep etc., can be identified. Also included in this group is solifluction which involves slow downslope flowing soil mass or fine-grained rock debris saturated or lubricated with water. This process is quite common in moist temperate areas where surface melting of deeply frozen ground and long continued rain respectively, occur frequently. When the upper portions get saturated and when the lower parts are impervious to water percolation, flowing occurs in the upper parts.
