Assessment of the Extent of Distribution and Danger of Activation of Landslide Processes in Dagestan

Abstract

Aim. Assessment of the extent of the distribution and danger of activation of landslide processes in the Republic of Dagestan. Material and Methods. The principal materials used were data of the government monitoring of subsoil conducted by Hydrospetzgeologiya and its southern regional and territorial centres (Dagestangeomonitoring) over the past fifteen years and published in the open press, as well as other literature sources. Maps were compiled using ArcGIS software. Results. An assessment was made of the extent of the distribution and danger of occurrence of landslide processes (for the period 2004-2018) in urban and rural settlements, on linear infrastructure (highways, oil, gas and water pipelines, power lines) and in reservoirs of large hydroelectric power stations of the republic. There was a high level of landslide activity recorded in 2004, 2005 and 2014, the lowest in 2007 and 2012. The largest number of landslide occurrences was recorded in the areas of Makhachkala city (12.7%) and Tlyaro-tinskiy (9.6%), Dokuzparinskiy (8.1%), Buynakskiy (6.1%), Tsuntinskiy (5.4%) and Tsumadinskiy (5.0%) districts. Landslides were most often activated in the summer period (41.6%). 31.5% of landslides occurred in spring, 22.6% in autumn and 4.3% in winter. Conclusion. Analysis of landslide activity in the territory of Dagestan showed that the presence of favorable physico-geographical conditions for the development of landslide processes and active economic activity contribute to the wide distribution of landslides in the mountainous part of the republic.