Using high resolution LIDAR DEM to reconstruct historical network of lakes and wetlands in the Northern part of the Moldavian Plateau, NE Romania

Abstract

A particular environmental feature of the northern part of Moldavian Plateau (NE Romania) is the large number of anthropic lakes along river courses. Even more, due to climatic, hydrological, hydrogeological and geomorphological settings and human activities (dominated by an extensive agriculture) this characteristic was mentioned and mapped in writen records and cartographic representations in many historical stages of the humanization of this region.  The need for watter supply have forced the inhabitants to build dams of various sizes along the entire river network. Over the time, many dams were abandoned, while others have been relocated with a impresive dynamic at historical time scale