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Remote Sensing Across the Great Lakes: Observations, Monitoring and Action
Session:
Observing Systems and Activities I 10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Abstract: The purpose of this presentation is to show
the latest in large format digital camera sensors. The author will
compare digital camera systems, and highlight the pushbroom technology
of the Leica ADS40 camera. An overview of the ADS40 will include
the acquisition of imagery along with the improvements in data processing
procedures and techniques. The presentation will conclude with a
brief discussion and illustrations of additional benefits gained
from digital sensors. Abstract: The modern glider is a state of the art
submersible vehicle that provides the researcher economical access
to the myriad physical and biological processes in play beneath
the surface of lakes or oceans. Combining the station keeping of
a buoy with the flexibility of a powered AUV, the glider can remain
in place for six months or more to monitor events throughout the
water column. Alternatively, at the behest of the remote researcher
via satellite communication, the glider may be directed to re-locate
or to track a process for up to 4000 km while continually measuring
the water column. This is a key ability that provides the researcher
the 3D mapping tools needed for volumetric mapping. Like the space
shuttle, the glider is a vehicle in which a research payload can
be incorporated. Optical, chemical, electrical and acoustic sensors
can measure, collect, process and transmit physical and biological
environmental data via satellite to multiple researchers in event
timescales. Navigating to location with a combination of dead reckoning
and GPS, the 52 kg glider is simple and economical to deploy without
beacons or moorings. Abstract: Abstract: The United States Environmental Protection
Agency estimates that there are five hundred thousand to one million
brownfield sites in the United States. Brownfields are underutilized
properties, the redevelopment or reuse of which is complicated by
the presence or potential presence of contamination. Recent federal
legislation has increased the availability of redevelopment grants
for these sites and has mitigated some of the legal liabilities
that can result in costly remediation requirements for owners of
contaminated property. Brownfield redevelopment efforts are expected
to expand as local governments take advantage of these changes to
revitalize communities and enhance local economies. This work applies
an object-oriented classification method to high resolution aerial
imagery of the city of Syracuse, NY with the intent of identifying
brownfield sites during the inventory stage of the redevelopment
process. Abstract: Community partnerships are essential to
sustain nearshore observing systems. A real-time environmental monitoring
buoy, owned by the Marine Hydrodynamics Lab at The University of
Michigan, was launched in West Grand Traverse Bay in July, 2005
to measure wind speed and direction, current speed and direction,
wave height and period, as well as air and water temperature. The
data is transmitted in ten minute intervals to a land station. Community
partnerships are woven throughout this project including facilitation
of land station (rooftop antenna mount and static IP address) at
the Great Lakes Campus building of Northwestern Michigan College;
vessel coordination for buoy anchorage, deployment & retrieval;
and ongoing visual monitoring of buoy. Examples of challenges and
opportunities for community value added roles are shared along with
illustrations of uses of real time data. Session: Monitoring Programs
I 10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Abstract: Implementing traditional lake monitoring
programs over a large, lake-rich region, such as the Twin Cities
Metropolitan Area (Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota) poses significant
logistical and financial challenges. This region has approximately
1,000 lakes greater than 10 acres in surface area. Effective lake
management for this region requires long-term water quality information
on a broad scale. However, the expense and time requirements of
ground-based monitoring make it effectively impossible to adequately
monitor more than a small fraction of this resource by conventional
field methods. Even making extensive use of volunteer monitoring,
only about 15% of the region’s lakes larger than 10 acres
are assessed each year. The use of satellite remote sensing is a
cost-effective way to develop a comprehensive regional database
that can be used to evaluate regional differences and water clarity
trends over time. This paper summarizes work on the development
of regional-scale, lake water clarity assessment techniques using
satellite imagery, with a special focus on Landsat data. A procedure
was developed to estimate water clarity using satellite imagery
and is now part of a routine lake monitoring program for the Twin
Cities. Using this technique, water clarity trends were evaluated
for more than 500 lakes over a period 32-year period. This procedure
has been subsequently applied to statewide lake water clarity assessments. Abstract: The Great Lakes Monitoring Inventory and
Gap Analysis is the first comprehensive resource of its kind developed
to report on monitoring activities in the Great Lakes basin. The
core of the project is a comprehensive monitoring inventory of more
than 600 Great Lakes monitoring programs with the purpose of creating
awareness of, and access to, monitoring program information. The
inventory is accessible interactively on the web, with geographic
and content-based search functions. Results of the inventory analysis
show a wide range of sampling programs distributed across the Great
Lakes basin, with a majority operated at the state/provincial level.
Using the program inventory and consulting with program managers,
the Commission assessed gaps and overlaps in monitoring programs
and compiled the results of this analysis in a comprehensive report.
Abstract: A three-dimensional hydrodynamic model (ALGE)
was applied to Lake Ontario to study the spring-summer thermal structure
and circulation pattern.
Abstract: The accurate analysis and prediction of
ice cover in the Great Lakes is vital to the safety of commercial
navigation and Coast Guard winter operations in the region. Additionally,
a growing number of researchers are interested in using Great Lakes
ice conditions as an indicator of regional climate variability and
climate change. The North American Ice Service (NAIS), a virtual
organization comprised of the U.S. National Ice Center (NIC), the
Canadian Ice Service (CIS) and the International Ice Patrol (IIP),
produces comprehensive analyses of ice conditions on the Great Lakes
twice-weekly. Ice analyses are generated by image analysts using
remotely sensed data from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and various
visible, infrared and near-infrared sensors. Information derived
from this remotely sensed data is combined with information from
ship reports and, occasionally, airborne reconnaissance to produce
the Great Lakes ice analysis. Each analysis includes information
on total ice concentration, stage of development (ice thickness),
partial concentrations of each stage of development and the size
of ice floes within the pack ice. Analyses are made available on
the World Wide Web (http://www.natice.noaa.gov or http://ice-glaces.ec.gc.ca)
in the form of graphical charts and ArcGIS interchange files. Session: Implementation
and Management I 10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Abstract: Over the past 3 years an integrated national
urban database, the Canadian Urban Land Use Survey (CUrLUS), has
been created with the goal of providing federal decision makers
with critical information for effective policy development in the
areas of energy use, the environment and human health. The foundation
of CUrLUS is land cover /land use (LCLU) information derived from
Landsat Thematic Mapper images. This layer, integrated with other
national information sources such as demographics, historic land
use change and topographic data, is being used to address a broad
spectrum of urban sustainability issues. Because of the high concentration
of population and major urban centres in southern Ontario, a seamless
product of the region has been created that encompasses 6 Landsat
scenes and spans the Belleville to Windsor corridor. This paper
will illustrate the utilization of southern Ontario CUrLUS products
in addressing three sustainability issues. First, the impact of
Canadian urban form on transportation energy use is being assessed
through the development of synoptic urban travel models. Second,
from diverse land use sources, the geospatial character of urban
growth over the period 1966-2001 has been quantified. This time
series is being used to assess the cost of urbanization in terms
of agricultural and eco-sensitive land loss. Finally, with the aid
of high-resolution Quickbird satellite data, impervious surface
and urban forest cover has been mapped and is being used to study
micro-climate impacts (i.e. the urban heat island effect) on air
quality. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of plans
to extend the CUrLUS concept to provide a seamless view of urbanization
across the whole of the southern portion of the Great Lakes watershed. Abstract: Nonpoint pollution impacts from changing
land use have become an important issue for local governments with
the implementation of EPA's Phase II storm water regulations. As
part of the state's South Shore Estuary Reserve program, the NYS
Department of State (DOS) has been concerned with the same issue.
With DOS sponsorship, SUNY-ESF initiated a project to develop a
dynamic nonpoint pollution model to project relative nonpoint pollution
impacts at the watershed level. Data for the model include readily
available digital elevation models, hydrographic, soils, land use,
zoning, topographic maps, and NYS orthophotos. Land cover data developed
from satellite imagery is also used. The ArcHydro extension to ArcGIS
is used to delineate the watershed, and to develop the database
of hydrologic data and the hydrologic network. ArcGIS's model builder
is used to implement the model based on the Natural Resource Conservation
Service's curve number process and Event Mean Concentration values
for various pollutants. The model will estimate not only negative
impacts of land use change, but also positive impacts of various
mitigation strategies. The International Joint Commission has concluded
a five-year study on potential improvements to managing outflows
from Lake Ontario through the St. Lawrence River. This study has
engaged a wide array of stakeholders in evaluating alternative outflow
regulation scenarios. Much of this analysis is based upon high resolution
imagery, bathymetric and topographic LIDAR collection and detailed
wetlands mapping throughout the system. Flood and erosion prediction
models were generated for key impact areas within the study area
and a detailed document management and geospatial data repository
was created. Abstract: Lakeviews is an interoperable system of
distributed databases linked by Web services and mapping technologies.
It serves as a discovery, access, visualization and decision support
tool for federal and provincial monitoring activities and priorities
such as the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes
Basin Ecosystem (COA) and the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference
(SOLEC). Abstract: Jurisdiction over the protection and management
of Great Lakes coastal resources in Wisconsin is distributed among
many agencies at various levels of government. Communication and
information sharing among these agencies is critical to effective
coastal management. Recent breakthroughs in technology allow the
development of integrated and interoperable geographic information
systems (GIS) that hold great promise to improve multi-jurisdictional
coastal resource management. This presentation discusses a recently
completed project funded by the NOAA Coastal Services Center to
develop a “dynamic and distributed GIS” to support integrated
coastal management along the Lake Superior coast of Wisconsin. A
dynamic and distributed GIS is one where custodians, whether they
be local, regional, state, federal, academic, or non-profit, maintain
and provide access to the most current spatial data and multiple
remote users can access and integrate data in real-time from multiple
sources. The presentation will demonstrate capabilities of the Lake
Superior Coastal Mapping Portal (http://maps.aqua.wisc.edu/lscmp),
discuss issues associated with the implementation of web mapping
services at the local government level, and explore the technical
and institutional concerns of integrating interoperable web mapping
services to address coastal hazards and smart growth planning along
Lake Superior in Wisconsin.
2:00 - 2:30 p.m. Abstract: In this presentation we discuss the utilization
of SeaWiFS and MODIS satellite data to obtain seasonal and interannual
time histories of the major water color producing agents (CPAs),
chlorophyll (chl), dissolved organic carbon (doc), and suspended
minerals (sm) for Lake Michigan and Lake Erie. We first present
a validation of the Great Lakes specific algorithm. The obtained
time history of the CPA’s spatial and temporal distributions
is then compared to environmental observations such as air and water
temperature, wind speed and direction and river run-off. Possible
changes in spatial and temporal CPA concentrations, along with corresponding
climate change scenarios, are proposed. We also discuss the creation
of a new hydro-optical model for the application of the algorithm
to Lake Erie. The temporal and spatial variability of the Lake’s
optical properties are determined using an in-situ dataset of radiometric
profiles combined with coincident measured CPA concentrations obtained
during the summer of 2005. Abstract: Imagery provided by the USDA National Agriculture
Imagery Program provides a one meter ground sample distance (GSD)
with a horizontal accuracy that matches within 3 meters of a reference
ortho image providing updated digital ortho photography and a 2
meter GSD image that matches within 10 meters of reference ortho
imagery to support USDA programs that require current imagery acquired
during the agricultural growing season. The reference ortho imagery
is mosaicked DOQs in the Multi-resolution Seamless Image Database
(MrSID) format. The tiles cover a 3.75 x 3.75 minute quarter quadrangle
and a 360 meter buffer on all four sides rectified to the UTM coordinate
system as compressed county mosaics. Abstract: title:(The use of in situ, laboratory and
airborne measurements to estimate the chlorophyll-a concentration
in the St. Lawrence River) Abstract: As part of the Great Lakes Observing System
(GLOS), the Great Lakes Commission is developing an advanced, web-based
GIS portal to display and disseminate regional-level geospatial
data via the Internet. Abstract: Under the soon to be legislated Clean Water
Act, the Province of Ontario will be systematically conducting water
budget analysis and watershed characterization studies across Ontario.
Our current 1:10,000/20,000 scale, photogrammetrically derived base
mapping, including our hydrology relevant layers, will be the working
scale for this analysis. Where potential threats to drinking water
sources are identified, more localized watershed-based studies will
be made at a larger-scale. In order to support this larger-scale
watershed and hydrology analysis, a number of hydrology data gaps
need to be addressed. In particular, a number of large-scale hydrologic
features have been identified as existing data gaps, including the
spatial representation of ephemeral streams, areas of internal drainage
(sinks), off-network flow direction, wetlands and anthropogenic
features, such as tile drains, municipal drains, and culverts. Abstract: The presentation will begin with an overview
of the terrain and surface elevation data holdings available in
the NYS portion of the GLB, then continue with a recount of current
elevation data collection activities aimed at improving and updating
this data layer. Details will be presented about innovative data
collection partnerships, funding schemes and contracting mechanisms
used in the effort to obtain 100% coverage at a level of detail
and accuracy that can support all environmental and water resource
monitoring, modeling and management needs for all users. Session: Monitoring
Programs II 2:00 - 2:30 p.m. Abstract: The southeast shores of Lake Huron provide
an illustration of the importance of spatial scale in the examination
of nearshore water quality. Despite beach postings due to elevated
levels of fecal indicator bacteria and public complaints of algae
on the shoreline, levels of phosphorus and indicator bacteria in
the nearshore, as determined in recent vessel-based studies, have
not been found to be problematic. The shallow slope of the lakebed
and high density of small watercourses along the shoreline are conducive
to onshore-offshore gradients in water quality. On five occasions
in 2005 water quality was mapped over a 5 km reach of Lake Huron
shoreline adjacent to the mouth of Eighteen Mile River. Three zonal
units were surveyed concurrently to provide coverage from the immediate
shoreline to 3-4 km offshore. Extensive field measurements were
used to augment the results from lab-based analysis of water quality.
This presentation examines the potential for disparity in the interpretation
of water quality which may result from differences in scale of survey
in the nearshore. The analysis to date indicates appreciable depth-related
and location-dependent variability in water quality much of which
would be difficult to detect with a conventional vessel-based survey
or conventional beach monitoring protocol. Abstract: The USACE-Detroit District is a key cooperator
in the “Lake Michigan Potential Damages Study” (LMPDS),
which will provide an extensive assessment of potential shoreline
damages due to changes in Lake Michigan water levels over the next
50 years. (LMPDS Progress Report 1999) This paper shows the photogrammetric
and LiDAR techniques used. Low-cost, high-performance radar sensors and networks
have been developed to meet homeland security requirements such
as border security, law enforcement and critical infrastructure
protection. These systems generate very rich data sets covering
wide areas. A modest number of radars can cover an entire Great
Lake. The data is readily distributed using an elegant network architecture
that can provide real-time or historical data. A wide range of data
products can be derived from this data as required. The 24/7 historical
database can support Search & Rescue planning with both derived
environmental data products and a complete historical picture of
vessel movements. Abstract: The NOAA Coastal Services Center (CSC) has
been developing a nationally standardized database of land cover
and change information, for the coastal zone of the U.S., as part
of its Coastal-Change Analysis Program (C-CAP). C-CAP products inventory
coastal intertidal areas, wetlands, and adjacent uplands with the
goal of monitoring changes in these habitats, on a one-to-five year
repeat cycle. These maps are developed utilizing remotely sensed
imagery, and can be used to track changes in the landscape through
time. An immediate objective for C-CAP is to expeditiously complete
its national baseline, to which additional dates of imagery are
already being used to track coastal changes through time. The C-CAP
effort is conducted in coordination with state coastal management
agencies, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Multi-Resolution
Land Characteristics (MRLC) consortium and other federal programs.
This presentation will review the status of C-CAP’s national
baseline; past, current and upcoming initiatives in the great lakes
region; as well as the vision for future higher-resolution land
cover mapping. Abstract: Wetlands are critical interfaces between
aquatic and terrestrial environments. Old Woman Creek (OWC) Estuary,
where non-point source pollution due to total suspended particulates
(TSP) is a major concern, is the only National Estuarine Research
Reserve in the Great Lakes biogeographic region. In this study,
visible and mid infrared reflectance data from Landsat5 TM satellite
along global positioning (GPS) system referenced transects were
used to calibrate TSP concentrations obtained with a Malvern Mastersizer
2000. We used the algorithm of normalized difference water index
(NDWI), which exploits the upwelling electromagnetic radiation from
visible and mid infrared regions of dark object subtracted imagery,
to assess the TSP concentration of surface water. NDWI was compared
with several optical algorithms, which also formulated using Landsat5
TM spectral regions, based on simple linear regression analysis
in order to evaluate the capability of quantitative mapping of TSP
concentrations in OWC estuary. In addition, we normalized the electromagnetic
radiation from near and mid infrared regions and formulated normalized
surface wetness index (NSWI) to provide information on land cover
based on the wetness of the area. NSWI clearly differentiated open
surface water from aquatic and terrestrial vegetation. The study
allowed a higher temporal resolution in comparison of calibrated
inventories of TSP with environmental and climatic conditions. Abstract: Current plantings of 25+ million acres of
transgenic corn in the United States require a new approach to monitor
this important crop for the development of pest resistance. Remote
sensing by aerial or satellite images may provide a method of identifying
transgenic pesticidal crop distribution in the landscape. Genetically
engineered crops containing bacterial gene(s) that express an insecticidal
protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are regulated by EPA under
the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Crops,
containing transgenic pesticidal traits, have been recognized by
EPA to be “in the public good,” due to their potential
to create higher crop yields with fewer insecticide applications.
EPA requirements for FIFRA registration of transgenic pesticidal
crops include a number of stewardship issues, among which crop monitoring
for development of insect pest resistance plays a critical role.
Using hyperspectral imagery collected from a camera mounted in a
Cessna 210 aircraft; our research has imaged a series of designed
corn plantings of known hybrid composition. The ability to distinguish
transgenic hybrids from their nearest relative isolines and potentially
determine differing levels of pest infestation detection will be
discussed. Our evolving monitoring system is designed to provide
an early warning of pest resistance development. It is important
that crop management practices be adaptive to new threats and unexpected
outcomes. The extension of current research into this system will
also be discussed. USEPA Office of Research & Development has
developed in collaboration with National Aeronautics and Space Administration
and U.S. Department of Agriculture, a research program has focused
on a variety of issues important to the improvement of current resistance
management practices. Session:
Implementation and Management II 2:00 - 2:30 p.m. Abstract: The Oklahoma Conservation Commission (OCC)
has begun using satellite imagery with water quality modeling to
identify potential critical source areas of pollutants. Identification
of these source areas aids in implementation of best management
practices (BMPs) for targeted Oklahoma watersheds. The study area
was the Wister Lake watershed located in southeast Oklahoma and
Arkansas. Wister Lake is eutrophic and its watershed has been placed
on the Nutrient Limited Watershed (NWL) list, as well as the State’s
303(d) list. An unsupervised classification technique was used to
map landcover types in 2000 and 2004 and field data were collected
in 2005 to assess the accuracy of the classification. An image differencing
process was employed to map, detect, and quantify changes in landcover
within the watershed as well as within a riparian buffer zone. The
vegetation analysis consisted of a normalized difference vegetation
index (NDVI) and a normalized difference senescent vegetation index
(NDSVI) as well as fractional cover. The overall objectives of this
project were: 1) Utilize Landsat TM imagery to map landcover types
within the watershed and subsequently use these data as an input
to the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to estimate pollutant
loads; and 2) Use vegetation indices to identify varying pasture
grazing intensity from the summer of 2000 through the summer of
2004 to evaluate the effectiveness of BMPs implemented through the
Section 319 program. This presentation will reveal the results from
this remote-sensing and watershed modeling exercise. Abstract: The CORS enables positioning accuracies that approach a few centimeters relative to the National Spatial Reference System, both horizontally and vertically. The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is in the process of implementing 36 new CORS stations that are distributed throughout New York State. NYSDOT is collaborating with National Geodetic Survey (NGS) to get the NYSDOT CORS integrated into the national CORS. This presentation will focus on how this system got started, where it is in the implementation phase and with what kind of data this system is envisioned to supply and how
this data is expected to be delivered. Abstract: The Institute for the Application of Geospatial
Technologies (IAGT) is investigating the integration of USGS ground
monitoring technologies and water resources data with NASA’s
Earth Observing System data and systems to enhance and develop decision
support tools. Driving the requirements of this project are the
specific needs of state and local governments in the Northeastern
United States, with particular attention paid to federal mandates
driving regulatory workflows across various levels of government.
IAGT gathered feedback from stakeholders in fourteen states across
the Northeastern U.S. to determine how decision support technologies
(DST), USGS and NASA data, and USGS and NASA enabling technologies
can be used to support water resource management. IAGT and project
co-developers are currently developing an environmental monitoring
data network, and are prototyping decision support tools for flooding
and water quality program managers. Abstract: Understanding, predicting, and responding
to the affects of human activities on the environment requires the
monitoring and interpretation of available information to provide
for the needs of society. Wise use of scientific data resources
can support the development of effective strategies for growth planning
as well as adapting, mitigating, and responding to change. Thus,
effective decision support depends on continued insight from historic,
current, and projected information from a wide range of sources. Abstract: The Clean Water Act is a new provincial
initiative that will require geospatial integration of multi-agency,
multi-jurisdictional land-use information. Information will include
imagery (Quickbird satellite & orthophotography) to in situ
monitoring networks, demographic to geographic, ambient to anthropogenic. Abstract: The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission
and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is an advanced multispectral imager
on board the EOS Terra spacecraft. Its data and products have broad
potential applications in addressing many scientific and practical
problems in the Great Lakes region. ASTER acquires 60-km x 60-km
images in 14 spectral bands in the visible/near-infrared, shortwave
infrared, and thermal infrared with spatial resolutions of 15 m,
30 m and 90 m, respectively. It also acquires along-track stereo
imagery and is capable of 16-day repeat coverage. The geolocation
accuracy of ASTER data is better than 50 m.
10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Abstract: Coastal habitats in the Great Lakes are
recognized as critically important ecosystem components that provide
multiple social (boating, fishing, bird watching), economic (development,
recreation, commercial fishing), and environmental (wildlife habitat
and water quality) factors. With an estimated $32.4 million dollars
contributed annually to the local economy through waterfowl hunting,
sports fishery, and commercial fishery alone, it is extremely important
to both protect and enhance this coastal habitat. Yet, over half
of the coastal habitat that supports these activities has been lost
and many of the remaining habitats have been degraded resulting
in poor water quality and invasion by exotic species. The first
step in protecting, restoring, and enhancing coastal habitat is
to identify the current status and communicate the results to the
organizations involved in managing the resource. This project will
utilize CASI hyperspectral imagery to classify the coastal wetland
habitats in Saginaw Bay, Michigan. The resulting classification
will be used to prioritize areas for conservation activities (enhancement,
restoration, and protection). Abstract: Land-cover composition and change are important
factors that affect ecosystem condition and function. These data
are frequently used as a primary data source to generate landscape-based
metrics to assess landscape condition. The use of satellite-based
remote sensor data has been widely applied to provide a cost-effective
means to develop land-cover data over large geographic regions.
Past and ongoing efforts for generating land-cover across the United
States have been implemented using an interagency consortium to
share the substantial costs associated satellite data acquisition,
processing and analysis. The first moderate resolution National
Land-Cover Data (NLCD) set was developed for the conterminous United
States using Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery collected between1991-1992.
Currently, the NLCD-2001 is under development for all 50 States
and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Although the NLCD 2001 will
provide the most current landcover available, the required development
time will result in five-to-nine year offset between data collection
and product availability. Ideally, LC products supported by annual
updates would provide the user community with a current product
to support ongoing environmental assessment and policy decisions.
To best achieve this goal in a cost-effective manner, one possible
approach would be to identify alteration areas occurring subsequent
to 2001 to provide the means for identifying change areas (alarm
products) and support the development of appended land-covert products.
Both land-cover classification and change detection methods were
developed using an NDVI time series database assembled for the Albemarle-Pamlico
Basin (APB) pilot area. APB change detection was implemented using
an automated multi-temporal data analysis approach. NDVI data collected
from NASA’s MODIS sensor were subset to the APB study boundary
and resembled into a 250 x 250 m grid database in an Alberts Equal-Area
Conic projection. Separate image and data stacks were developed
for both the 16-day NDVI data and quality ranking Meta data. The
NDVI stack was filtered using the quality information data to remove
“corrupted” data values. The filtered data were transformed
using a Fourier transformation into frequency domain and corrupted
data points estimated using a nonlinear deconvolution approach to
provide a complete (n=23) NDVI data Abstract: The Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Laboratory
of RIT has been conducting remote sensing research of the Lake Ontario
Rochester Embayment region since its inception in 1985. This presentation
will detail the history of the lab's different remote sensing activities
targetting this region and how these early studies led to the current
direction of activities employing airborne hyperspectral instruments
and their analysis using physics-based numerical models to map water
quality parameters. A case study of collection campaigns (airborne
and ground measurements) conducted in 1999 and 2004 will be presented
to show how these efforts are leading to the development of model-based
technologies for atmospheric compensation, determination of inherent
optical properties of in-water constituents, and complex littoral
scene and radiative transfer modeling. These techniques address
the limitations of algorithms developed for oceanic conditions and
model complex factors present in inland water. Inherent to the use
of model-based analysis is the need for good estimates of input
parameters from monitoring stations, measurements campaigns, and
existing databases. Abstract: Phragmites australis is an invasive species
of special concern in the wetlands of the Laurentian Great Lakes.
We tested the applicability of Hyperion hyperspectral satellite
imagery to remote sensing of Phragmites in wetlands of the west
coast of Green Bay. Using a target detection approach and the Spectral
Correlation Mapper, we created a two-class thematic map which was
validated with field data. Three of the purest Phragmites reference
samples, based on preliminary field reconnaissance, were selected
from the September 2004 image to use as training data. The Spectral
Correlation Mapper algorithm (SCM) was used to create a continuous
value raster with values ranging from 0 to 1, where 0 represented
the greatest similarity between the reference spectrum and the image
spectrum, and 1 the least similarity. The final two-class thematic
classification predicted monodominant Phragmites covering 3.4% of
the study area. Most of this was concentrated in long linear features
parallel to the Green Bay shoreline, particularly in areas that
had been under water only six years earlier when lake levels were
66 cm higher. An error matrix using spring 2005 reference points
(n=129) showed good overall accuracy—81.4%. The small size
and linear arrangement of Phragmites stands was less than optimal
relative to the sensor resolution, and Hyperion’s 30 meter
resolution captured few if any pure pixels. However, reasonably
accurate, contemporary Phragmites maps prepared with Hyperion imagery
would provide wetland managers with a tool that they currently lack,
which could aid attempts to stem the spread of this invasive species. Abstract: A high-resolution land cover data set of
the Carmans River basin (Suffolk County, NY) was required for use
in both a hydrologic model of non-point source water pollution and
an economic model of open space. QuickBird satellite imagery (2.44
m multispectral) of the region was acquired in May and June 2005.
eCognition object-oriented classification software was used to segment
and classify the image. In addition to the four spectral bands,
an NDVI image layer and road, wetland and water thematic layers
were used in the two-level segmentation process. The original 15
classes were aggregated in a final image consisting of eight classes:
impervious, grass/herbaceous, tree, woody wetland, emergent wetland,
tidal wetland, bare, and water. The overall accuracy of the classified
image was assessed at 73.9% using a stratified random sample with
727 points. Digital orthophotos (1 ft. natural color) served as
reference data. User accuracies for the three dominant classes,
impervious, grass and tree, were 73.4%, 68.4%, and 74.5%, respectively.
Though they may seem low, these accuracy estimates are consistent
with other attempts at land cover classification with high-resolution
satellite imagery. The final product is suitable for both the hydrologic
and economic models. Session:
Monitoring Programs III 10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Abstract: This project covered ten states over the
Mid-Atlantic region, mapping the agricultural extent of the Chesapeake
Bay Watershed, and produced an inventory of the major crops grown
in each of the states for the 2002 crop season. Major crops such
as corn, soybeans, cotton, tobacco, winter wheat, double-cropping
practices (winter wheat followed by soybeans), and other crops are
included for Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York,
North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and West Virginia. Abstract: Extensive copper mining throughout the Keweenaw
peninsula of Michigan resulted in the deposition of approximately
half a billion tons of mine waste directly into Lake Superior and
its tributaries. These mine wastes, referred to as stamp sands,
contain trace metals of sulfide bearing ore that leaches into streams
and lakes. The high concentrations of contaminants related to these
stamp sands are above toxicity thresholds for many animal and plant
species. Abstract: Like many jurisdictions, land information
holdings in Ontario are not widely documented, publicized or accessible;
compiled in various formats and media; non-standardized; difficult
to integrate, share and maintain; and, become quickly obsolete.
Land Information Ontario (LIO), in conjunction with the Canadian
Geo-Spatial Data Initiative (CGDI) Project, has created an infrastructure
that will support the development of partnerships in the collection,
management and distribution of Ontario’s land information
assets. The Ontario Land Information Infrastructure (OLII) has two
major thrusts: ensuring the existence of certain important data
sets, and ensuring access to, and widespread general use of, geospatial
data. Self-sustaining, well managed, good quality, important data
sets are created through a wide variety of cross-jurisdictional
projects and policy initiatives. This discussion reviews the objectives,
the history and the reality of Land Information Ontario and its
role among the users and managers of geospatial data in Ontario.
It focuses specifically on how organizations using Ontario geographic
information can, and have already participated in LIO’s programs
and offerings. One of the main goals is to implement a collaborative
approach to spatial data in the province through the development
of data sharing opportunities that will benefit a wide variety of
organizations. Remote Sensing is now becoming essential for land
use planning and other geospatial activities. The cost of acquisition,
licencing and ownership rights along with the ability of organizations
to use those data tend to impede and restrict public sector organizations
becoming collaborative partners in the collection of high resolution
image data. Through data sharing, development of data standards
and adoption of collaborative approaches to data collection and
management significant benefits can be realized amongst both private
and public sector organizations. Those who are interested in Ontario
geospatial data will have the opportunity to discover how LIO is
developing and fostering relationships and how remote sensing is
being acquired through a cost sharing relationship across all levels
of government. Abstract: In the fall of 2004, the Binational Executive
Committee (BEC) unveiled their Great Lakes Monitoring Inventory
as a first step towards implementing a long-term Information Management
Strategy for monitoring programs in the Great Lakes Basin. Since
then, over 1000 programs have been added to the Inventory and plans
are now under way to integrate this system with the Great Lakes-St.
Lawrence Research Inventory coordinated by the Council of Great
Lakes Research Managers. This presentation will focus on the development,
current status, and future plans of the BEC Great Lakes Monitoring
Inventory. Abstract: CoastWatch is a nationwide National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) program within which the Great
Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) functions as the
Great Lakes regional node. In this capacity, GLERL obtains, produces,
and delivers environmental data and products for near real-time
observation of the Great Lakes to support environmental science,
decision making, and supporting research. This is achieved by providing
Internet access to near real-time and retrospective satellite observations,
in-situ Great Lakes data, and derived products to Federal, state,
and local agencies, academic institutions, and the public via the
Great Lakes CoastWatch web site (http://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov).
The goals and objectives of the CoastWatch Great Lakes Program directly
support NOAA’s statutory responsibilities in estuarine and
marine science, living marine resource protection, and ecosystem
monitoring and management. Great Lakes CoastWatch data are used
in a variety of ways including monitoring of algal blooms, plumes,
ice cover, water temperatures, two and three dimensional modeling
of Great Lakes physical parameters (such as wave height and currents),
damage assessment modeling, research, and for educational and recreational
activities. New utilities such as JAVA based interactive retrieval
of physical parameters such as surface temperature, ice cover, winds,
and bottom depth at a given location enhance the accessibility and
utility of Great Lakes CoastWatch data. Plans include enhancing
the present product suite with image products from satellite sensors
such as Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and ocean color sensors. Session: Law
Enforcement and Security 10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Abstract: Coast Guard mission planners, especially
Search and Rescue (SAR) controllers, and operations center staff
need a variety of accurate environmental data (winds, currents,
sea state, visibility, etc.) to effectively conduct various Coast
Guard missions. Search and Rescue missions in particular have an
acute need for this information to predict search object drift,
and to estimate victim survival times and the effectiveness of search
units. SAR planners use a range of existing sources of environmental
data for coastal and open ocean searches. For offshore searches,
planners use monthly current maps, global model products provided
by the U.S. Navy, or geographically specific models for areas such
as the Great Lakes. The menu of environmental data sets available
for coastal SAR cases is more limited. SAR planners rely on NOAA
tidal predictions, which are primarily for inlets along the coast
and major estuaries and harbors, or use Datum Marker Buoys (DMBs).
Abstract: This Breakout Session extends CDR Robbins’
Plenary Session remarks by providing greater detail regarding policy,
program and technology efforts aimed at improving MDA. Abstract: InfraGard is a Federal Bureau of Investigation
program dedicated to promoting information sharing and dialog between
the public and private sectors concerning critical infrastructure
issues. Abstract: Canada has recently created Marine Security Operations Centers (MSOC) on the east coast in Halifax, the west coast in Esquimaux,and on the Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Seaway (GLSLS) in the Niagara region. The MSOC is a joint facility composed of five core partners involved in marine security including the Canadian Coast Guard, Canadian Border Security Agency, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ministry of National Defence and Transport Canada. Participation is also anticipated from the USCG and the USBP. The MSOC provides a single secure location where the representatives from those agencies can collect, share and assess information regarding potential threats to maritime security and enhance their common awareness of any situation. These centres will be the focal points for the collection, analysis, fusion and exchange of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information (ISR) in support of domestic marine security issues. The coordinated fusion of all source ISR data derived from the complete spectrum of government and other maritime offices is critical to the establishment of a 'common operating picture' within our waters and is a centerpiece of the MSOC mission. Lacking this capability, vessel traffic within Canadian waters will continue to pose a risk to both domestic and continental maritime security Whereas the east and west coast MSOCs are led by the Canadian Navy,
the Great Lakes MSOC will be led by the RCMP. Our speaker will be
Sgt. Todd Gilmore, NCO in charge of the GLSLS MSOC.
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