Remote Sensing and GIS in Landslide Management: An Example from the Kravarsko Area, Croatia

Abstract

The Kravarsko area is located in a hilly region of northern Croatia, where numerous landslides endanger and damage houses, roads, water systems, and power lines. Nevertheless, natural hazard management plans are practically non-existent. Therefore, during the initial research, a landslide inventory was developed for the Kravarsko pilot area based on remote sensing data (high-resolution digital elevation models), and some of the landslides were investigated in detail. However, due to the complexity and vulnerability of the area, additional zoning of landslide-susceptible areas was needed. As a result, a slope gradient map, a map of engineering geological units, and a land-cover map were developed as inputs for the landslide susceptibility map. Additionally, based on the available data and a landslide inventory, a terrain stability map was developed for landslide management. Analysis and map development were performed within a geographical information system environment, and the terrain stability map with key infrastructure data was determined to be the “most user-friendly and practically usable” resource for non-expert users in natural hazard management, for example, the local administration. At the same time, the terrain stability map can easily provide practical information for the local community and population about the expected landslide “risk” depending on the location of infrastructure, estates, or objects of interest or for the purposes of future planning.