Remote Geohazards Assessment and Modelling Consultancy in Tajikistan

Remote Geohazards (Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, large landslides leading to the damming of lakes and resulting catastrophic outflows, etc.) constitute a major threat to many Tajik communities, particularly in the Zarafshan and Pamir mountains. The aim of the project is to detect hazardous areas and spots and to assess the impact of potential future events, using remote sensing methods, helicopter surveys, field work, and modelling. Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) will be considered in particular, but also other processes will be taken into account. The regional focus of the study is on the Zarafshan valley and the districts of Rushan and Ishkashim. The project is organized into three stages: (1) Pre-assessment: Potentially hazardous areas are identified from medium-resolution satellite imagery (ASTER, LANDSAT), topographic analysis, and a an assessment scheme; (2) helicopter surveys will be carried out in order to verify the findings from the pre-assessment. The identified source areas of hazards are then surveyed in detail in the field; (3) detailed assessment: With the results from the field work and additional high-resolution satellite imagery, the possible impact of potential future events will be assessed, employing modelling techniques. The project results will be a major input to future development strategies for the area.