Skip to main content
Article
Hunza River Watershed Landslide and Related Features Inventory Mapping
Environmental Earth Sciences
  • Muhammad Farooq Ahmed
  • J. David Rogers, Missouri University of Science and Technology
  • Muhammad Zubair Abu Bakar
Abstract

This study summarizes the continuation of a series of regional landslide inventories undertaken in Northern Pakistan. Mass wasting appears to be the dominant process shaping the morphology of the main river channel in the Hunza River watershed. The project included assembling an inventory of historic mass wasting features in the basin, especially, those along the Hunza River. A hillshade topographic map was created by stitching ASTER Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) with 30 m resolution topographic sheets of 40 m resolution, using ArcGIS. The methodology utilizes anomalous topographic expression (i.e., parallel and converging drainage patterns, divergent contours, crenulated contours, and isolated knobs) to identify landslide features. The screening process includes examination of topographic anomalies and inconsistencies, which are typical of landslides and related mass wasting features. The mapped landslide features included a number of historic landslides in the area. Historic landslide damming of the Hunza River has occurred at Attabad, Boultar Glacier, Gannish-Chiss, and Ganesh-Saukien. The outbreak floods associated with the overtopping of these recent landslide dams often leave anomalous geomorphic signatures, which were identified in the terrain analysis, and helped validate the interpretations made as part of this study. Such products serve as guide maps for more detailed analyses of specific sites, as might be under consideration for structures, highways, tunnels, dams, powerhouses, or utility corridors.

Department(s)
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering
Keywords and Phrases
  • Hillshade Maps,
  • Hunza River,
  • Inventory Mapping,
  • Landslide,
  • Lithology,
  • River Basin Projects,
  • Watersheds,
  • Digital Elevation Model,
  • Dominant Process,
  • Drainage Patterns,
  • Landslide Inventories,
  • River Watersheds,
  • Screening Process,
  • Terrain Analysis,
  • Topographic Map,
  • ArcInfo,
  • ASTER,
  • Hillslope,
  • Pakistan
Geographic Coverage
Pakistan
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2016 Springer Verlag, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
3-1-2016
Publication Date
01 Mar 2016
Disciplines
Citation Information
Muhammad Farooq Ahmed, J. David Rogers and Muhammad Zubair Abu Bakar. "Hunza River Watershed Landslide and Related Features Inventory Mapping" Environmental Earth Sciences Vol. 75 Iss. 6 (2016) ISSN: 1866-6280
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/j-rogers/37/