Hydrogeological Analysis Supported by Remote Sensing Methods as A Tool for Assessing the Safety of Embankments (Case Study from Vistula River Valley, Poland)

Abstract

We aim to answer a question: how does the evolution of fluvial environment affect to risk of embankments failure in lowland rivers and how can we identify and describe places at risk of levees failure using the remote sensing data? The study was carried out in the Vistula River valley near Magnuszew (middle Vistula course, central Poland). 24 geological boreholes were drilled to a depth of 2.0–8.5 m and groundwater table observations were conducted in a monitoring network consisting of 22 wells, 5 piezometers (screened within the Holocene alluvial aquifer) and 2 temporary water gauges. Identification of the diversity of the geological structure of the floodplain was supported by airborne laser scanning imaging, as well as high resolution satellite images and aerial photos. This remote sensing study allowed the creation of a conceptual model of hydrogeological conditions. Study takes into account the effects of the land forming activity of flood waters resulting from the evolution of the fluvial environment in the Holocene. Created conceptual model subsequently fed into the construction and calibration of a mathematical groundwater flow model using MODFLOW software. The study allowed the identification and characterisation of intensified groundwater flow zones. Concentrated flow in the substrate of flood protection levees constitutes a threat to their stability. Documented in many publications climate change will induce in future climate scenarios an increase in rainfall and prolongation of dry periods. The implementation of the methodology of identifying the geological forms with the use of presented techniques allows the identification of sections of flood embankments potentially at risk of failure.

Application of Remote Sensing Methods to Study the Relief of Lowland River Valleys with a Complex Geological Structure—A Case Study of the Bug River

“…Such phenomena occur cyclically in the areas of these valleys. An additional factor affecting the floodplain morphodynamics of river valley reaches is the geological structure of the channel zone [16,17,23,50].…”

“…The characteristic floodplain relief landforms are therefore geospatially associated in many places with sub-alluvial bedrock protrusions [17,21]. Some types of the landforms indicate flood flow directions within the floodplain, and some, due to their lithology, are privileged paths of groundwater percolation through the alluvial layer [22,23]. As evidenced by research carried out in valleys of large rivers of the Polish Lowlands-the Vistula, Bug, and Narew rivers-repeated failures of hydrotechnical constructions and levees are associated with this morphodynamic specificity [24].…”

The Need to Recognize Conditions for River Crossing Operations in the Polish Lowlands by Military Vehicles in the Light of NATO Regulations

“…Struktury takie charakteryzują się duża stabilnością [26,24,16], a w przeszłości strefy te wykorzystywane były jako naturalne brody [17]. Można je identyfikować w oparciu o rozpoznanie elementów rzeźby i litologię powierzchni równi zalewowej, ponieważ stabilność dna w takich miejscach jest przyczyną dużej aktywności morfo-i litotwórczej przepływów wezbraniowych [14,26,34,8,5].…”

“…W przypadku wielu dolin utrudnieniem w wyznaczaniu podejść do koryta mogą być także głębokie (rzędu kilku metrów), ułożone w ciągi starorzecza [8,5],a także głębokie rynny powstałe w wyniku erozji wód wezbraniowych [25].…”

“…Złożoność genezy powierzchni równi zalewowych w dolinach rzek na Niżu Polskim, a także ścisły związek ich współczesnej morfodynamiki z rzeźbą, budową geologiczną, warunkami geologiczno-inżynierskimi i hydrogeologicznymi [5,34] gwarantują dużą efektywność badań teledetekcyjnych prowadzonych zarówno w oparciu o sensory optyczne [5,14,15,30], jak i termalne.…”