Geography 361: Environmental Hazards (Group 3)

How to identify regions that are susceptible to landslides

Landslide hazard assessment plays an important role in developing land regulations that are aimed at minimizing human and economic loss. In recent years, more scientists, governments, engineers and communities have paid more attention to landslide hazard assessment. In previous years susceptibility mapping and probability assessment were very laborious. But the advent of GIS has become an important tool in landslide hazard assessment. The use of GIS in landslide hazard mapping can help develop early warning systems and enhance current land utilization regulations to help minimize the loss of life and decrease property damage. 

Models of regional landslides are used to detect where future landslides may occur in a given region based on relevant environmental characteristics, assuming that future landslides will occur under conditions which led the past landslide to occur.

   Residents of Guinsaugon and other areas are forced to evacuate.

Hazard Map. Green represents the landslide area. Orange represents the the roads. GIS can show clearly what are the areas that are affected by the landslide. The roads are cut off my the landslide. Without road access, it is difficult to deliver food and other supplies for affected residents of Guinsaugon and neighboring villages.

Land use practices that increase landslide occurrence

There are several land use practices that increase landslide occurrence. They are:

- slash and burn agriculture, converting lands to have weak root strength

- logging

- homes

- power lines

- road constructions and road systems

Webpage Designers: Ashley Wong, Jac Chambers, Jenny Briggs and Lance Valiquette

Questions? Email: wongk@uwec.edu