LIDAR-BASED LANDSLIDE INVENTORY AND SUSCEPTIBILITY, PRESTONSBURG 7.5-MINUTE QUADRANGLE, KY

The Prestonsburg 7.5-minute quadrangle is located within the forested and mountainous region of the Cumberland Plateau of Eastern Kentucky. Narrow ridges, steep slopes, weak bedrock geology, and terrain disturbed by past and present coal mining yield a region prone to landslides. We undertook a pilot project to develop a LiDAR-based mapping protocol to create a landslide inventory, which will then be used to model and support landslide susceptibility assessment of the study area. Arcuate head scarps, landslide flanks, toe bulges, displaced drainage paths, and hummocky topography define landslides throughout the quadrangle. Geomorphological signatures are used to classify landslides as rotational or translational earth slides, debris flows, or complex failures. Implementing a confidence rating system supported by topographic roughness, topographic curvature, and aerial photographs, along with field checking, helps to confirm mapped features as landslides. Susceptibility maps will be created using geologic data, geotechnical parameters, and a LiDAR-based DEM. We will experiment with both the physics-based probabilistic computer code PISA-m and empirical logistic models. If successful, our protocol may be implemented statewide serving as a resource for residents and professionals.