The use of geospatial technologies to monitor surface water Department of Zoology, UNH Cooperative Extension Center for Freshwater Biology, University of New Hampshire NEAEB Annual Meeting, March 29-31, 2006 Shane Bradt

What are geospatial technologies? “Hypothetical” situations for using GST to monitor surface waters Where did these ideas come from? Any other ideas...

Geographic Positioning System (GPS) Geographic Information System (GIS) Remote Sensing (RS)

How does GPS work? Earth Space 1. The receiver picks up the signals from the satellites GPS

How does GPS work? Earth Space 2. Travel time of signal from satellite used to calculate distance sec = 14,000 mi sec = 11,000 mi sec = 13,000 mi sec = 12,000 mi 3. Receiver triangulates to determine position of the receiver GPS

How does GPS work? 3. Receiver triangulates to determine position of the receiver GPS

How does GPS work? 3. Receiver triangulates to determine position of the receiver GPS

How does GPS work? 3. Receiver triangulates to determine position of the receiver GPS

How does GPS work? 3. Receiver triangulates to determine position of the receiver You are here! GPS

Geographic Positioning System (GPS) Points, Lines, Areas

Chemical, Physical and Biological Activities RS

Visual representation Thematic representation RS

Geographic Positioning System (GPS) Remote Sensing (RS) Points, Lines, Areas Imagery, Topography

Remote Sensing GPS GIS Data Sources Paper Maps GIS

What makes GIS work? GIS SOFTWARE - Stack different data layers GIS SOFTWARE - Knows how features are related to each other spatially GIS

Geographic Positioning System (GPS) Geographic Information System (GIS) Remote Sensing (RS) Points, Lines, Areas Imagery, Topography Points, Lines, Areas, Imagery, Topography Spatial information linked to tabular data Be aware of error inherent in data

Questions you need to ask yourself What is your goal? –Monitor many lakes over long time scales What features would you like to monitor? –Water clarity How frequently do you need measurements? –Several times a year What is the spatial scale you need? –30 meters

What is your goal? –Monitor many lakes over long time scales What features would you like to monitor? –Water clarity How frequently do you need measurements? –Several times a year What is the spatial scale you need? –30 meters “Hypothetical” situation #1

Long term change – Secchi disk depth Landsat TM GISGPSRS

Long term change – Secchi disk depth Landsat TM GISGPSRS

Long term change – Secchi disk depth Landsat TM GISGPSRS

What is your goal? –Detail water quality a single large lake What features would you like to monitor? –Chlorophyll How frequently do you need measurements? –Once What is the spatial scale you need? –1 km “Hypothetical” situation #2

(  g l -1 ) GISGPS Short term: chlorophyll

Chl 2Chl 3 Short term: chlorophyll Chl 1 MODIS GISGPSRS

Long term: chlorophyll GISGPSRS

2 Jun 05 Chlorophyll data from lake collections Method for determining chlorophyll from satellite 18 May 057 Jun 059 Jun 0514 Jun 0517 Jun 0526 May 0513 May 058 May 05

What is your goal? –A RS method to detect many water quality features What features would you like to monitor? –Chlorophyll, CDOM, cyanobacteria, sediments How frequently do you need measurements? –Variable What is the spatial scale you need? –Small as possible “Hypothetical” situation #3

DRS on-lake GPSRS Short term: chl, phyco, CDOM, sediments

Phycocyanin Fluorescence Scattering CDOM Chlorophyll aPhycocyanin Fluorescence Scattering CDOM Chlorophyll a Chl a = 61.9  g l -1 SDD = 0.6 m CDOM = 28.4 CPU Chl a = 1.4  g l -1 SDD = 6.4 m CDOM = 7.4 CPU Short term: chl, phyco, CDOM, sediments GPSRS

Short term: chl, phyco, CDOM, sediments GISGPSRS

What is your goal? –Describe watershed characteristics for a water body What features would you like to monitor? –Watershed extent, landcover, soils, topography How frequently do you need measurements? –Every few years What is the spatial scale you need? –Depends on feature “Hypothetical” situation #4

Topography: DEM GISRS

Hillshade: DEM GISRS

Topography: DEM GISRS

Watershed: DEM GISRS

Slope: DEM GISRS

Severe slope: DEM GISRS

Landcover: Landsat GISRSGPS

Impervious surfaces: Landsat GISRS

Impervious surfaces: Landsat GISRS

Soils: Soil Surveys GIS

Where did I get these ideas? Introduction: –UNH Cooperative Extension – Myself, Jeff Schloss Hypothetical #1: Monitor water clarity in many lakes –Upper Midwest Regional Earth Science Applications Center (Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin) Hypothetical #2: Monitor chlorophyll in a large lake –My PhD research, USGS Salt Lake City, Utah State University Hypothetical #3: RS method of describing lakes –My PhD research, University of Nebraska Lincoln, EPA Region 1 Hypothetical #4: Describing watershed features –UNH Cooperative Extension GIS course – Watershed Analysis using Spatial Analyst in ArcGIS 9.1

Where did I get these ideas? Introduction: –UNH Cooperative Extension – Myself, Jeff Schloss Hypothetical #1: Monitor water clarity in many lakes –Upper Midwest Regional Earth Science Applications Center (Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin) Hypothetical #2: Monitor chlorophyll in a large lake –My PhD research, USGS Salt Lake City, Utah State University Hypothetical #3: RS method of describing lakes –My PhD research, University of Nebraska Lincoln, EPA Region 1 Hypothetical #4: Describing watershed features –UNH Cooperative Extension GIS course – Watershed Analysis using Spatial Analyst in ArcGIS 9.1

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