ABSTRACT: Regional landslide susceptibility mapping and inventorying in the Mackenzie Valley, Northwest Territories.

CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
Search Results

Author :

Date :

Title :

Publication :

Issue :

Page(s) :

Abstract

Through its contribution to providing geoscience information towards hydrocarbon exploration and development in the Beaufort Sea, Mackenzie River Delta and Mackenzie Valley, the Geological Survey of Canada has recently initiated a regional landslide hazards mapping project along a newly proposed natural gas pipeline route in the Mackenzie Valley. This project includes inventorying and mapping of landslides and terrain hazard features. This project aims at providing baseline knowledge on the types and regional distribution of landslides, as well as the factors causing these landslides. The project also proposes a landslide susceptibility mapping methodology based on a 5-step qualitative parametric approach. This GIS-based method has been developed and tested for a pilot site with the ultimate objective of being applied to the entire Mackenzie Valley. Over 1800 landslides and other natural terrain hazard features have been mapped in the study area. Preliminary results indicate an average density of one landslide per 5 km2 in which, the dominant landslide types are retrogressive thaw flows (28%) and active layer detachments (26%). About 47% of all landslides took place in morainal deposits. A good correlation can be observed between landslide occurrence and resulting landslide susceptibility zones. Preliminary results also indicate that the developed susceptibility mapping methodology has proven to be effective. The high landslide susceptibility terrains are mostly located along river banks and lake shores where steeper slopes are present, and in areas composed of geological units consisting of fine deposits more prone to landslides, such as lacustrine plain.

Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology