THE STATUS OF THE KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY'S LANDSLIDE INVENTORY

The Kentucky Geological Survey is actively collecting data for a statewide landslide inventory and database. Steep topography, variable bedrock geology, and surficial deposits have combined to result in several areas of Kentucky being highly susceptible to different styles of mass-wasting events. This has been recognized by the USGS National Landslide Hazards Map and the Kentucky State Hazard Mitigation Plan, among others. To better document the distribution and context of Kentucky’s landslide problems, the KGS has begun a landslide inventory program. A comprehensive inventory can serve as a powerful foundation for future modeling and hazard assessment efforts. The KGS landslide inventory database was designed based on common attributes collected by other states with active inventories and landslide hazard assessment programs, as well as fields necessary to collect and store information on recurrence and associated costs and losses.

The first stage of work consists of compiling data from a wide variety of information sources: active field mapping, existing published geologic maps, state transportation reports, other state and local agency files, media reports, and remote sensing data including Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). Presently there are approximately 2,100 landslide locations inventoried across Kentucky. As resources permit, reported landslides are visited to collect key ground-condition information; to date, approximately 40 sites have been visited; a key goal is to visit as many active or recently active locations as possible to gather ground-truthed context information. For historic or other older landslides in the inventory that can’t be investigated in the field, efforts will be made to populate the database with as much data as possible from a variety of information resources.

Developing a comprehensive inventory of landslides in a state with geologic variety and different hazard impacts is a challenge. Of locations that have very little data, which ones should be focused on? What source allows the most field verification? An inventory that can address costs and ultimately reduce the landslide hazard risk is the ideal goal.