Multi-temporal mapping of the Upper Rhone Valley (Valais, Switzerland): fluvial landscape changes at the end of the Little Ice Age (18th–19th centuries)

Abstract

The Upper Rhone Valley (Valais, Switzerland) has been heavily modified over the past 200 years by human activity and natural processes. A qualitative analysis of the morphological and landuse evolution of the Rhone River floodplain since the end of the eighteenth century was carried out using historical maps from 1780 to 1860 processed with Structure-from-Motion (SfM) and Geographical Information System (GIS) tools. This study aims to produce a long-term analysis of river management and land-use change in a stretch of the Upper Rhone Valley around the town of Sion based on a time series of maps, realised in the years 1780-1802, 1820-1845, 1847, 1850s, 1852-1857, 1859-1860. The historical maps were digitised, and for each of the corresponding periods, a map was produced within a GIS. The comparison of the maps was completed by using documentary sources or subsequent studies. With the intention to identify the fluvial landscape changes and past river management, six multitemporal maps were produced. Finally, this research aims to provide helpful diachronic information for planning a future sustainable landscape development in Valais.

Glacier Ice Thickness Estimation and Future Lake Formation in Swiss Southwestern Alps—The Upper Rhône Catchment: A VOLTA Application

“…They cover about 570 km 2 of the landscape (~10% of the catchment) based on the SGI2010, which is about 80% of the total Swiss glacier ice volume [68]. The impact of climate change in terms of glacier evolution and hydrology have extensively been addressed in previous studies [69,70]. According to Fischer et al [71], the Upper Rhône catchment has lost about 152 km 2 of the glacierized area since 1973, with a mean geodetic mass balance change of −0.59 m w.e.…”

Fluvial and coastal landform changes in the Aceh River delta (northern Sumatra) during the century leading to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami

“…Historical maps are valuable sources to document landscape dynamics (Alberico et al, 2018; Bondesan & Furlanetto, 2012; Brandolini et al, 2020; Cremonini & Samonati, 2009; Hohensinner et al, 2013). They are usually considered reliable starting in the 18th century, but in some cases, even pictorial maps from the 15th and the 16th centuries, once georeferenced, have provided useful paleogeographic information (Bondesan & Furlanetto, 2012).…”

Late-Holocene Human Resilience in a Fluvial Environment: A Geoarchaeological Dataset for the Central Po Plain (N Italy)

“…Historical maps offer a glimpse into a long and dynamic history of landscape change [15]. Both archaeological and historical resources considered are reported in the List_ of_References.txt file.…”

“…In this regard, the position of historic canals and ditches still active in the current drainage system served as reliable references. Moreover, to minimise the spatial inaccuracy of the historical maps the 'backdating approach has been employed: it consists in verifying and correcting the positions of the points in older maps (in this case, the historical maps retrieved at the Modena National Historical Archive) according to recent and most accurate cadastral maps (in this case WMS of the Historical Cadastral Map of Emilia Romagna Region -1853) [15]. This method cannot resolve all the positional inaccuracies mainly due to scale differences [21] but represents the most reliable approach to georeference historical maps when other more accurate methods are not applicable [22].…”