DYNAMICS OF FOREST VEGETATION DESTRUCTIOS IN THE AREA ADJAICENT TO THE COPPER MINE IN THE SVERDLOVSK REGION

Abstract

The study represents spatial and temporal analysis of the consequences of water pollution leading to vegetation destruction, caused by uncontrolled underspoil drain from a copper mine in the north of the Sverdlovsk region, based on GIS methods and satellite remote sensing data. Based on a 1:25 000 topography map DEM with filled sinks we built a flow accumulation model a watershed map. Examining the satellite imagery of the area dated from 2009 to 2023 we have noticed a distinct pattern of the vegetation destruction along the riverbeds located in the affected watersheds. Our ground observations and drone images have confirmed that the dead forest plots are located in the areas of flow accumulation, in the terrain depressions. The total area of forests affected by the uncontrolled underspoil drain from the copper mine gradually grows and has reaches 1140 ha.