Multispectral analysis of satellite images for the evaluation of the land cover parameter in the EPM model

The sedimentary balance at the watershed-coast-continuum scale is very important for the management of the fluvial and coastal areas. The EPM (Erosion Potential Model) is a semiquantitative model based on geological, geomorphological, climate, and land cover data that allows to evaluate the production, transport, and sedimentation within a catchment. In this work, we focused on the evaluation of the land cover parameter, by the multispectral satellite images analysis, to assess the impact on coastal and fluvial sedimentary balance. The analysis of these images was performed by supervised classification algorithms, which allow for mapping the main land-cover classes. The main results of the analysis evaluated in two different periods (2012 and 2022) highlighted: i) an increase in the wooded areas at the expense of the sowing and meadow areas due to the progressive abandonment of the rural settlements; ii) an increase in urbanized areas close to the coast. The preliminary results of our study show a clear dependence between the different factors: land cover changes and variation of sediment production. The dependence between these factors could represent an important cause of the erosional coastal processes active along the northern Tyrrhenian coast of the Calabria Region.