SP&M Lab Updates: Exciting Developments in Landslide Research and Flood Modelling
The Surface Processes & Modelling Laboratory (SP&M) at the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS) is making significant strides in research and collaboration, including welcoming an esteemed international scholar, publishing research, and securing new funding. The SP&M Lab is funded by the NSF EPSCoR 'Climate Resilience through Multidisciplinary Big Data Learning, Prediction & Building Response Systems (CLIMBS)' award, which aims to advance Kentucky's climate resiliency through hazard assessment based on Kentucky-specific scientific research.
New Research Grants Secured
SP&M secured its first major grant, receiving approximately $183,000 in funding from the U.S. Geological Survey. Led by Sarah Johnson and Jason Dortch (KGS), Dylan Ward (UC), Yichuan Zhu (Temple University), and Dan Strummer, this two-year project will focus on landslide movement analysis, inventory development, and advanced Monte-Carlo modelling in the Greater Covington-Cincinnati region.
Sarah Arpin and Bailee Hodelka (KGS) were also awarded $24,997 from the National Cave and Karst Research Institute to instrument and monitor a small catchment in Mammoth Cave National Park. The title of the project is 'Sediment transport dynamics in a complex fluviokarst system, south-central Kentucky' and data analysis and modelling will be undertaken in the SP&M Lab.
Recent Publications
The SP&M Lab celebrated the release of its first associated publication in February:
Swallom, M.L., Koch, H.J., Dortch, J.M., Crawford, M.M., Thigpen, J.R., & Andrews, W.M. (2025). Evaluating root strength index as an indicator of landslide-prone slopes in eastern Kentucky. Landslides, 22, 567–578 (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s10346-024-02384-9.
Some types of vegetation cover, such as trees, can aid in stabilizing slopes and reduce the likelihood of landslide occurrence due to strong roots anchoring soils in place. However, root strength is not commonly used in landslide susceptibility models because trees species classification over large regions is prohibitively time intensive. Our study demonstrates that lidar-derived vegetation data can be processed through a GIS workflow to create regional maps of generalized tree root strength. When these new maps are incorporated into existing landslide models, they notably improved accuracy.
In addition, Meredith Swallom (KGS primary author above) is leading efforts on revisions for a second paper on flooding in eastern Kentucky, a key component of her Ph.D. research.
International Collaboration
The SP&M Lab proudly hosted its first Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Onena Ivanik, a senior landslide scientist from the University of Kyiv. Dr. Ivanik is a visiting researcher at the University of Cincinnati (UC) for the next six months and she is looking to develop a short-term research project while she is in the United States. During her visit to the SP&M Lab, she, along with Craig Dietsch and Dan Sturmer, both from UC, spoke with KGS geologists about their research on mass movements. Plans are underway for Dr. Ivanik to present a KGS Internal Seminar in the coming months and participate in ESPCoR monitoring equipment installation.
Advancing Flood Modelling Capabilities
In a commitment to enhancing research opportunities, Jason Dortch and Meredith Swallom (KGS), Luciano Cardone (University of Kentucky), and Amy Collick (Morehead State) recently completed training on the SP&M's new TUFLOW FV flood simulation software. This software enables advanced 3D flood and sediment transport modelling.
These accomplishments highlight the SP&M Lab's dedication to advancing landslide and flood modelling research and fostering collaboration in geoscience. Stay tuned for further updates as the team continues to make significant contributions to the field and pursue other research and funding opportunities.