Integrated Use of Aerial Photographs and LiDAR Images for Landslide and Soil Erosion Analysis: A Case Study of Wakamow Valley, Moose Jaw, Canada

Abdul Raouf,Yulu Peng,Tayyab Shah

doi:10.3390/urbansci1020020

Abdul Raouf, Yulu Peng + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci1020020

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Abstract

Urban parks and open spaces offer a unique setting that can play a vital role in improving health and quality of life in cities and towns, making cities more attractive places to live and work, and connecting residents to nature. Degradation of park facilities caused by natural processes or recreational activities requires continuous monitoring for efficient maintenance and management. Identification and continuous monitoring of areas prone to natural hazards such as landslides within an urban park are particularly important for public safety. Traditional techniques for identification and monitoring of such areas involving field surveys, being costly and time-consuming, cannot be used on a regular basis. This research explored the integrated use of aerial photographs and point cloud LiDAR data for identification of areas prone to landslide and soil erosion zones in an urban park and a conservation area known as Wakamow Valley, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. This study used the point cloud LiDAR of 2014 to develop a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the area. The accuracy of the DEM was validated through a series of well-distributed ground control points collected through a survey grade handheld GPS device. The areas prone to potential landslides and soil erosion were identified using slope analysis techniques. A typical criterion of areas having a slope greater than 35° was used for classification of potential hazardous zones. Geospatial information including land-cover, land-use, and trail system was extracted from a 2014 aerial photograph to create a base map. It has been estimated that 5.3 km along the banks of the Moose Jaw River and 8 km along the cliff of the canyon-shaped Wakamow Valley are under a possible threat of soil erosion and landslides. This portion of the valley was classified as high-risk for possible landslides and soil erosion.

Highlights

The earth and its environment, being highly complex in nature, are difficult to understand through the use of only one technology
The study concluded that areas prone to landslide or soil erosion could be identified through be done on a regular basis
Areas under the threat of soil erosion caused by Moose Jaw River were identified

Summary

Introduction

The earth and its environment, being highly complex in nature, are difficult to understand through the use of only one technology. An integrated use of different technologies has been proven highly useful in a complex situation where problems cannot be identified through the use of a single technology, and a solution to the problem cannot be proposed. An assessment and identification of landslide and soil erosion areas is one of those complex situations where integral use of different technologies can be useful, especially in case of an urban park where managers and planners of such facilities are confronted with the difficulty of achieving a balance between preservation, sustainability, and future development of new attractions in the area [1]. The Development Act of 2007 of Saskatchewan requires that all the municipalities of the province should identify areas prone to natural hazards before initiating any planning, rezoning, and development activities within the jurisdictions of the municipality [4]

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