| Project name: | Modernizing the geo-hazard assessment in Georgia |
|---|---|
| Project duration: | 11/2023 - 12/2024 |
| Project implementer: | Czech Geological Survey (CGS) |
| Project partners: | Georgian National Environmental Agency (NEA) |
| Funding resource: | Czech Challenge Fund |
The Czech-Georgian project is a collaborative effort between the Czech Geological Survey (CGS) and the Georgian National Environmental Agency (NEA) to map and assess geological hazards in the Pirikita Khevsureti region of Georgia. The project builds upon a successful history of cooperation between the two organizations, dating back to the Dusheti project (2014-2017) and the Kazbegi project (2021).
Mount Kazbek, over 5000 m high volcano in Eastern Georgia and the city of Stepantsminda. | Author: Martin DostalíkThe NEA is currently involved in another international project, co-funded by UNDP, that is mapping geological hazards across most of Georgia, excluding a few border areas like Khevsuretie. This mountainous region is highly susceptible to landslides and other geological hazards, but it is also difficult to access. The Czech-Georgian project aims to supplement the missing information by focusing on the Khevsureti region.
The project aims to address the risks associated with frequent landslides in mountainous regions of Georgia, which cause significant social and economic damage. Traditional risk management approaches in Georgia have been reactive, focusing on post-disaster recovery, which is costly and inefficient. This new project promotes collaboration between CGS and NEA to improve land-use planning and prevent development in vulnerable areas.
The project aligns with several of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 13 Climate Action - contributing to adaptation and vulnerability reduction in the face of climate change impacts, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities - promoting integrated policies and plans for climate change mitigation and disaster resilience.
While geodynamic natural processes cannot be prevented, their impacts can be mitigated to minimize disasters and losses. Effective land-use planning with comprehensive and high-quality engineering-geological data is crucial for this purpose. This project demonstrates a conceptual approach to risk reduction and prevention.
Historic village Shatili with a fortress of strategic importance is in northeastern Georgia in the Khevsureti. | Author: Martin DostalíkThe primary goal of the project is to map and assess geological hazards in the Pirikita Khevsureti region, located in the upper Arguni and Assa river basins. This area, situated in northern Georgia near the Russian border, is connected to surrounding regions by a single main road along the Arguni River. This road is of strategic importance for the region, but landslides and rockfalls frequently disrupt traffic. Consequently, the geological risk assessment will focus on this road. Communities living in rural areas like Khevsuretie find it easier to get funding to build or restore infrastructure when there are natural hazard maps for the area.
The Khevsureti area is highly prone to landslides, but its terrain is relatively deforested making it suitable for deploying satellite and UAV-based remote sensing techniques to detect unstable slopes in support of traditional field mapping. These methods will be integrated into a suite of open-source analytical tools for easy replication and long-term value for the NEA team. These tools will be used simultaneously with the focused field surveys to create a series of geological hazard zoning maps for the Khevsureti area, particularly for the highly endangered backbone road.
Fieldwork on a glacier at Kazbegi region. | Author: Jan Novotný
The project's key outcomes include:
The project's innovation lies in combining automated processing of large amounts of freely available satellite data with traditional landslide mapping and engineering geology procedures. CGS's expertise in developing automated tools for large data processing, particularly in geohazards research and moisture mapping, will be leveraged to create a customized toolbox for slope instability detection tailored to NEA's needs. This toolbox will utilize a cloud-based database of free satellite data (Sentinel-2, GPM global rainfall data, and digital elevation data) and offer data processing without requiring physical downloads. The procedures will be universal but will be specifically applied and tested for the needs of the model area.
Meeting at NEA in Tbilisi. | Author: Martin Dostalík
The project is divided into three stages:
This initial phase focused on the research of sources and the preparation of data for the expert assessment. A robust GIS project was prepared as a database of all the acquired data on the Khevsureti area, from which geological hazard maps will be generated. The Landslider24 tool was also developed. In addition, training materials and sample data were prepared for the workshops planned in Georgia. All preparatory work was carried out in close cooperation with Georgian colleagues.
Fieldwork, consisting of two expeditions to Georgia, took place during the summer of 2024. Each expedition was preceded by a meeting with Georgian specialists at the NEA headquarters in Tbilisi, where a workshop was held to share experience. To strengthen expertise, Georgian geologists also visited the Czech Republic for training and field excursions. The collaboration also enabled knowledge transfer through a lecture at Tbilisi State University with the aim of increasing the number of related experts in Georgia.
The final phase ensured the successful completion and delivery of project deliverables. This included the completion of geological hazard maps for the designated model area. All project deliverables, including maps, training materials and sample data, were presented and formally handed over at a final meeting held in late November in Georgia.
In late April, Georgian specialists participated in a highly intensive study program in the Czech Republic.
A week-long visit dedicated to comprehensive workshops and trainings thematically focused on the prevention of geological risks and especially landslides, including practical field training and a demonstration of the methodology of mapping and assessing the dangers and risks of slope movements. An integral part was theoretical and practical demonstrations of the use of remote sensing tools, including the presentation of a newly developed tool for the automatic detection of changes in the landscape, which Georgia will receive through this project. As part of the study stay, experts from NEA will also participate in the traditional geomorphological conference.
Remote sensing workshop at CGS in Prague. | Author: Martin Dostalík
Field workshop - mapping and risk assessment of slope movements. | Author: Martin Dostalík1st expedition
At the turn of July and August 2024, we completed the first expedition to Georgia.
The primary focuse was an intensive 2-day workshop at the NEA headquarters. Key presentations included a methodology for effective geohazard mapping in the Khevsureti region and an introduction to Landslider24, a newly developed tool for automated landscape change detection using satellite image comparisons. This was followed by a 5-day field campaign in Khevsureti, where participants gathered field data for a geohazard map, trained Georgian colleagues, and conducted on-site verification of the Landslider24 tool's functionality.
2nd expedition
The second (mostly field) expedition to Georgia took place at the turn of August and September 2024.
The trip started with a workshop at the NEA, where methodologies for assessing geological hazards and risks were presented. This was followed by field training near Tbilisi and the subsequent day in the Tana-Tadzani region (south of Gori). The subsequent nine days were dedicated to fieldwork in the Caucasus. Three days were devoted to completing mapping efforts in the Khevsureti region (Shatili - Ardoti), followed by three days of work in the Roshka area. The final three days were allocated to additional mapping activities in the Kazbegi region.
3rd expedition
The final trip to Tbilisi was conducted from November 19th to 22nd, 2024 with the participation of two CGS experts. The program included a final meeting at the NEA headquarters to present the project's final results. The project handover was followed by a lecture for students of the Tbilisi State University of Geological Sciences.
