Landslide susceptibility zonation in the Kolubara river basin (western Serbia) - analysis of input data

Abstract

According to estimates, 25% of the territory of the Republic of Serbia is affected by landslide processes. In the spring, when snowmelt is accompanied by the maximum amount of precipitation, a great number of landslides have been activated within the territory of Serbia. The year 2006 had a particularly large number of registered landslides accompanied by huge material damages. Because a landslide data base for the territory of Serbia does not exist, it is very difficult to carry out the regular assignment of land use and to make a spatial development strategy. This imposed a need for methodological development of landslide hazard zonation (LHZ) for the territory of Serbia. The Kolubara River Basin was selected as an area with a significant number of landslides occurence. The spatial distribution of landslides is a result of the interaction of many parameters. Landslide susceptibility zones in the Kolubara River basin were identified by heuristic analysis of landslide causal factors - local topography, morphological and geological setting, and the existing and past landslides identified the study area. Based on the results obtained in this study, it was found that 243.75 km(2) or 6.69% of the total area was prone to landsliding. The results can be implemented as a base for development of LHZ model for the overall territory of Serbia, and will represent the first step for compilation of a landslide data base.