Using Remote Sensing Data to Support Cumulative Impact Monitoring of Water Resources in the NWT

Transcription

1 Using Remote Sensing Data to Support Cumulative Impact Monitoring of Water Resources in the NWT NWT Water Stewardship Strategy Implementation Workshop Yellowknife, NT February 4, 2015

2 Project Goal Demonstrate and support the long-term application of EO as part of cumulative impact monitoring, particularly in regards to the sensitivity and distribution of waterbodies in the NWT. Approach: Develop remote sensing products that can support existing management methods and procedures; Demonstrate long-term EO applications that can support cumulative impact monitoring; and Promote and support data management and information delivery. Credit: Hatfield Consultants (2014) Credit: Hatfield Consultants (2014) 2

3 Slave Geological Province and Central Mackenzie Valley Central Mackenzie Valley Slave Geological Province Sources: Hatfield Consultants (2014) 3

4 REMOTE SENSING PRODUCTS 4

5 EO Products Winter 2014 Lake Ice Characteristics Identify lakes with bottom-fast ice and determine maximum extent. Waterbody Extent (Lake size) Delineate open water surface area and investigate seasonal and inter-annual variability. Summer 2014 Wetland Type Information Broad classification of wetland and vegetation types. Submerged Vegetation Identify lakes with submerged and floating vegetation. 5

6 Data Collection (1/2) Winter field survey: Slave Geological Province; 37 sites; Ice thickness - power auger and GPR profiles) Summer field survey: Central Mackenzie Valley; Six low altitude aerial transects; 3,194 geo-coded photographs; Visual observations of land cover types. Credit: Hatfield Consultants (2014) 6

7 Data Collection (1/2) Remote sensing data: RADARSAT-2 (Slave and Central Mackenzie) Wide Fine (Dual - pol): Nov. to Jun Wide Fine (Quad - pol): Jul. to Sept RapidEye (Central Mackenzie) New images: Jun. to Aug Reference reports: Biophysical Baseline Vegetation: All-Weather Access Road and Associated Facilities Slater River EL462 and EL463 Tulita District, Sahtu Region, NWT published in 2012 (MWH 2012); Environmental Impact Statement for the Mackenzie Gas Project published: Volume 3: Biophysical Baseline Part D, Terrestrial Resources: Soils, Landforms and Permafrost and Vegetation in 2004 (Mackenzie Gas Project 2004). 7

8 Winter Product GUIDE System Objective: identify and map distribution of bottom-fast ice. Four test sites processed with just over 3,000 lakes classified; North Slave and Central Mackenzie; and ~ 28 hours processing time 8

9 GUIDE System - Results GUIDE Ice Cover Classification - Lac de Gras, Northwest Territories Diavik Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road 9

10 Area (ha) Summer Products - Waterbody Extent Objective: provide information on physical characteristics of lakes and vegetation communities. Lake ID NHN Sept. 20, Aug. 12, Aug. 30, Aug. 01, Jul. 22, < Aug. 28, < Aug. 04, Aug. 19, Mean STD Median CV

11 Summer Products Wetlands/ Submerged Vegetation Hatfield Consultants. All Rights Reserved. 11

12 CONCLUSIONS / APPLICATIONS 12

13 Technical Conclusions GUIDE system potential to map grounded ice efficiently for a large area of NWT: Investigate transferability to other data sources (e.g., Sentinel-1) Wetland mapping and detection of emergent vegetation improved using radar data (polarimetry): Investigate other methods to detect emergence, growth, and senescence of wetland vegetation. Monitoring waterbody extent is repeatable using radar data: Further investigation of seasonal variation and climate data to assess potential trends. 13

14 Potential Applications (1/3) General themes: Water licensing/permitting provide regulators and developers with pre-screening of a proposed water source for water withdrawals, etc.; Water levels waterbody extent product reflects balance between water input (precipitation and runoff) and water loss (evaporation); and Efficient field surveys help regulators and developers prioritize surveys (i.e., bathymetry, water quality, etc.). 14

15 Potential Applications (2/3) NWT Water Classification System (NWT- WCS) A computer based (MS Excel) tool; Allow rapid assessment of waterbodies, with respect to their relative sensitivities; and High level assessment to focus attention where it is most needed and direct development where most appropriate. System architecture: Considers the physical, ecological, human / cultural, and uniqueness of northern waterbodies; and 22 descriptors (factors) ranked and scored to develop overall sensitivity score of waterbody. 15

16 Potential Applications (3/3) NWT Water Classification System (NWT-WCS) Waterbody Descriptors (Factors) Uniqueness Physical Human/ Cultural Ecological - Special significance? - Size of lake - Trophic status - Hardness - Alkalinity - DOC - Metals - Anthropogenic importance - Pristine? - Subsistence importance - Commercial fishery - Recreational purposes - Drinking water - Fish presence - Spawning Habitat - Non-fish animals - Seasonal bird residence - Open areas in winter - Species at risk Summary Sensitivity Scores 16

17 Acknowledgements: Lyse Champagne (CSA); Joost van der Sanden (CCMEO); Julian Kanigan (NWT - CIMP); Colin Avey (NWT Centre for Geomatics); and Phillip Spencer (GNWT ENR Sahtu Region). References: Adrian R, O Reilly CM, Zagarese H, Baines SB, Hessen DO, Keller W,... & Winder M Lakes as sentinels of climate change. Limnology and Oceanography, 54(6), Duguay, C. R., Pultz, T. J., Lafleur, P. M., & Drai, D. (2002). RADARSAT backscatter characteristics of ice growing on shallow sub Arctic lakes, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Hydrological Processes, 16(8), Borstad GA, Martinez M, Larratt HM, Kerr R, Willis P, Richards M Using multispectral remote sensing to monitor aquatic vegetation in ponds at a reclaimed mine site. Accessed from: Brisco B, Short N, Sanden JVD, Landry R, Raymond D A semi-automated tool for surface water mapping with RADARSAT-1. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, 35(4), Van der Sanden J, Geldsetzer T, Short N, Brisco B Advanced SAR applications for Canada s Cryosphere (Freshwater Ice and Permafrost), Final technical Report for the Government Related Initiatives Program (GRIP), 2012, 80 pages, (ESS Cont. # ). 17

18 Thank You For more information, contact Mr. Olivier Tsui or Dr. Andy Dean Hatfield Consultants Partnership Suite Harbourside Drive North Vancouver, BC V7P 0A6