| Context | |
| IMPACT OF A DAM | |
|
Should we build the dam ? The Wadi Mujib canyon is very young in geological
terms, cutting into the Jordanian plateau to a depth of 700 m during
the Quaternary period. The canyon walls have been overgrazed and
severely degraded by a variety of geomorphological processes. This
makes them very sensitive to landslides. The construction of a dam
will not have a favourable influence on this. Before starting work on the dam it is important to find out exactly what impact it would have on the environment. |
|
 The archaeological site of Lehun is located on the northern edge of Wadi Mujib, overlooking the canyon which is 700 m deep and 5 km wide |
|
|
The research is particularly concerned
with the possible usefulness of Russian stereoscopic high resolution
TK-350 images for geomorphological mapping in semi-arid regions
and for archaeological studies. The question is to what extent
stereoscopic satellite pictures are suitable "replacement"
material when no stereoscopic aerial photographs are available.
Indeed for many regions - such as infertile abandoned areas or
military zones - there are no aerial photographs. An initial point is what added value stereoscopic high resolution images can bring when introduced to a GIS in the case of a preliminary geo(morpho)logical study for major infrastructure works in arid and semi-arid regions. |
|
 Location of planned dam site in Wadi Mujib canyon (Jordan) |
|
|
Can the TK-350 images be used in combination with geological maps and digital terrain models in drawing up hazard maps for slope instability, the infill of a reservoir, etc? A second point is to what extent high resolution images can contribute to the preliminary studies for locating possible archaeological sites in arid and semi-arid regions. There is little or no photographic material available for such areas. TK-300 images could therefore be the solution. An attempt is being made to map the geomorphology with the aid of stereoscopic high resolution images. These provide the basic information for drawing maps on slope instability and the likelihood of locating archaeological material. This method could then be applied to similar studies in other arid and semi-arid regions in the Mediterranean region. |