Abstract
The goal of this project is to create an interactive hazards map that can be rapidly updated, and used to analyze emerging landslide hazards in Badlands National Park, South Dakota. Digital map technology is a dramatic improvement on the analytical and predictive power of traditional paper maps, allowing us to integrate photographs, digital maps, investigator data and commentary with GIS modeling and analysis. We believe that the Norbeck Ridge Slide, which is approximately 814 meters and is adjacent to State Route 240, the main road into the Badlands National Park, is an intermittently active, slump-induced slide with destructive potential. Ephemeral sag ponds observed at the head of the Norbeck Ridge Slide, along with gentle southward dipping strata and vertical jointing, could create conditions conducive to reactivation of slumping. Conditions at the slide that contribute to possible reactivation include flooding and unstable fault lines. As part of this project, we created a digital base map of Badlands National Park on ESRI’s ArcGIS using data gathered with Trimble and Garmin GPS units, field notes and photographs at specific landslide locations. Using field data, we created a geodatabase and rectified those data on high resolution Bing imagery. We analyzed the composite map to create distinct spatial and temporal boundaries based on geologic beds and historic activity. Here we present our results using ArcGIS, a topographic map, and Global Positioning System units showing that we were successful in creating a GIS digital map showing the landslide activity in Badlands National Park.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Paul Baldauf
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-12-2013 1:00 PM
End Date
4-12-2013 5:30 PM
Landslide Hazards Mapping, Badlands National Park, South Dakota: Applications in GIS
Alvin Sherman Library
The goal of this project is to create an interactive hazards map that can be rapidly updated, and used to analyze emerging landslide hazards in Badlands National Park, South Dakota. Digital map technology is a dramatic improvement on the analytical and predictive power of traditional paper maps, allowing us to integrate photographs, digital maps, investigator data and commentary with GIS modeling and analysis. We believe that the Norbeck Ridge Slide, which is approximately 814 meters and is adjacent to State Route 240, the main road into the Badlands National Park, is an intermittently active, slump-induced slide with destructive potential. Ephemeral sag ponds observed at the head of the Norbeck Ridge Slide, along with gentle southward dipping strata and vertical jointing, could create conditions conducive to reactivation of slumping. Conditions at the slide that contribute to possible reactivation include flooding and unstable fault lines. As part of this project, we created a digital base map of Badlands National Park on ESRI’s ArcGIS using data gathered with Trimble and Garmin GPS units, field notes and photographs at specific landslide locations. Using field data, we created a geodatabase and rectified those data on high resolution Bing imagery. We analyzed the composite map to create distinct spatial and temporal boundaries based on geologic beds and historic activity. Here we present our results using ArcGIS, a topographic map, and Global Positioning System units showing that we were successful in creating a GIS digital map showing the landslide activity in Badlands National Park.
