Regional level landslide inventory maps of the Shyok River watershed, Northern Pakistan

A preliminary landslide inventory map has been prepared for the Shyok River watershed in northern Pakistan. The document is intended for use as a screening tool in route selection of engineered infrastructure of this mountainous area preparatory to undertaking site-specific investigations of possible landslides that could adversely impact such routes. Remote sensing techniques and GIS software can be utilized to prepare a reconnaissance-level landslide inventory and gross susceptibility maps at relatively low cost. This watershed was selected as a test location for regional landslide inventory mapping because of the high density of deep-seated bedrock landslides. Topographic recognition keys were employed on a stitched shaded topographic map of the study area using 40-m contour topographic maps and 30-m resolution ASTER DEM data. The goal of these efforts is to delineate slopes with anomalous topography, often indicative of past land slippage. Most of the landslide features are expressive of composite and complex landslides, extending into the parent bedrock units. The results of this mapping were then compared with historic data and regional level landslide susceptibility maps. This effort is intended to serve as a reconnaissance-level inventory map to provide qualitative, first-order information about the probable existence of bedrock landslides and related mass wasting features, which are subject to field verification.