Landslide inventory in the Abava spillway valley, Latvia

This study discusses the compilation of landslide inventories and their possible application in landslide research and risk assessment. A case study was conducted in the Abava River valley (western Latvia) between the towns of Sabile and Kandava to determine the most effective methods of landslide mapping and to demonstrate the possible applications of landslide inventories there.
Landslide inventories are necessary for landslide risk zoning and landslide hazard prevention. An efficient landslide mapping is one of the first steps for creating a landslide inventory. The effectiveness of different landslide mapping approaches was compared in the real-world study area of the Abava River valley. Hillshade maps and stereoscopic aerial photographs were used to map landslides. To evaluate the accuracy of the applied landslide mapping methods, field surveys were conducted in the study area. During the field surveys, the slopes of the Abava River valley were inspected for the occurrence of landslides. During the field surveys, landslides were also classified according to their morphological expression. By comparing the results of landslide mapping through stereoscopic aerial photographs and hillshade maps with the field surveys, the most appropriate methodology for landslide identification was determined. The information containing the spatial location of landslides and their morphological characteristics reveals factors controlling landslide formation in the study area and delivers information for landslide research and risk assessment.