Assessing the Gully Potential of a Territory (A Case Study of Central Yamal)

Abstract

Modern processes of gully erosion and thermoerosion are clearly pronounced in the permafrost zone in the north of Western Siberia, on the Yamal Peninsula, including in the territories of new development. Under these conditions, knowledge of the gully potential is necessary for the rational siting of buildings and infrastructure in the areas of new development in order to avoid their damage and destruction by newly formed gullies. The gully erosion potential was calculated for one of the valley catchments in the area of the Bovanenkovo gas condensate field. The dynamic model of gully erosion and thermoerosion (GULTEM) was used, which describes the main gullying processes in the permafrost zone and permits a reasonable assessment of the gully erosion potential. The calculations were done in terms of the ArcticDEM digital elevation model, climate data were obtained from the nearest node of the ERA-Interim reanalysis grid, and water discharges were calculated using the hydrological model calibrated with observational data on this catchment. The gully erosion potential was estimated for different values of the critical rate of erosion initiation for the upper soil layer with vegetation. The calculated gully erosion potential was compared with the erosion relief on the catchment. It has been established that the gully potential calculated for severely disturbed vegetation cover corresponds to the erosion network in the catchment area formed over more than 30 years of its development. It is concluded that the erosion potential of this catchment is mainly developed, with low probability of a further lengthening of the gully network. Therefore, only rill erosion can damage the infrastructure of the Bovanenkovo gas condensate field, mainly located on a flat watershed surface, the consequences of which are easily eliminated.