Landslides and new lakes in deglaciating areas: A risk management framework

Abstract

New lakes forming in high-mountain areas due to climate-driven glacier shrinkage are likely to be located in areas of potentially unstable slopes. Therefore they are prone to impacts from rock/ice-avalanches and other types of landslides, which might trigger outburst floods causing damage farther down valley. In view of an integral lake management, a risk management concept for the Swiss Alps is proposed in this study, which consists of risk analysis, risk evaluation and the integral planning of risk reduction measures. The pertinent question is how risk, resulting from natural hazard process chains involved with landslides and new lakes, can be assessed. The present knowledge basis together with currently available models, methods and tools is herein reviewed. Knowledge gaps are mainly identified in the determination of future landslide detachement zones and in the evaluation of changes in landuse and damage potential. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.