Geomatics Tools for Inventorying and Assessing Headwaters Adam Hogg Inventory Monitoring & Assessment, Ministry of Natural Resources Eastern Region Headwaters Streams Workshop February 25, 2011

Outline  Presentation Objectives  My Background  How do we define headwaters?  Geomatics and Headwaters: inventorying and assessing  Summary

Presentation Objectives  To describe the spatial tools available for inventorying and assessing headwater areas (systems) and streams at local and regional (provincial) scales  To show an example application of a regional scale inventorying and assessing tool

My Background  A provincial role obtaining 10 years experience focused on regional land cover mapping using ELC, focus on wetlands  Instruction of geomatics related components of numerous courses: Ontario Wetland Evaluation System ELC Fleming College Advanced Remote Sensing  Attended Temperate Headwater Wetland Restoration course  Last 3 years have been focused primarily on Ontario’s Far North

Geomatics and Headwaters: Inventorying, Monitoring and Assessing

How Do We Define Headwaters?  Interest in a spatial perspective  Excellent direction from The Natural Functions of Headwater Features: A Literature Review (TRCA, 2007)  Distinction between headwater streams and systems (areas) Streams: “primarily ill-defined non-permanently flowing features in the upper reaches of catchments” Systems: these streams and the catchment areas that flow into them

Inventorying Headwater Streams  Large scale digital air photography and elevation Orthophotography requires large scale DEM Digital stereo imagery requires “estimation” under tree canopy  Recent stereo imagery will be available for Eastern Ontario and South Western Ontario (DRAPE / SWOOP)  Time consuming and heavy reliance on experienced interpreters  Water Resource Information Project and Conservation Ontario leading development of large scale mapping specifications (draft complete March 31, 2011) Capture of all “features where water is observed on imagery” are mandatory to meet the spec Ephemeral, intermittent and perennial codes “if desired”

Inventorying Headwater Streams: Interpretive Approach  Spring photo’s ideal  Existing stream data  Hydrologic indicators  Understand the topography

Inventorying Headwater Streams: Surface Flow Modelling Source: Gomi et al  “Flow accumulation”  Topographic Index (Beven & Kirkby, 1978) flow accumulation local slope soil conductivity?

Case Example: North Carolina  Mapping Headwater Streams: Intermittent and Perennial Headwater Stream Model Development and Spatial Application (Russell, 2008)  Use high precision DEM for first and second order stream prediction  Survey grade GPS mapping for calibration and accuracy assessment  Successes: Spatially accurate, presence absence, length of permanent streams  Challenges: Commission error, stream length of non-perennial streams, labeling of permanence

Inventorying Headwater Streams: Validation of Either Method  Very challenging to validate  Requires spatially precise field sampling  Field Operations Manual for Assessing the Hydrologic Permanence of Headwater Streams (Fritz K.M., Johnson, B.R. and D.M. Walters. 2006) Sample design Physical and biological sampling

Data Available For Southern Ontario: A Provincial Perspective Streams & DEM’s Orthophotos Acquired (Drape)

Inventorying Headwater Systems  Headwater system: the catchment area defined by stream order and/or contributing area  More conducive to regional data, methods and planning  Correspondence between headwater streams and provincial inventory is unknown  An area based approach is more attractive

Assessing Headwater Systems  Engaged in a pilot project to develop a “headwater wetland database” decision support tool  A regional decision support tool that consists of headwater areas summarized by SOLRIS land cover and topographic modelling: Existing wetland Potential wetland Land use

Mitigation Protection Restoration Note: source SOLRIS wetlands Headwater Decision Support Tool

Note: Source topographic index Mitigation Protection Restoration Headwater Decision Support Tool

Note: source SOLRIS frequently tilled agriculture Mitigation Protection Restoration Headwater Decision Support Tool

Note: Source untilled SOLRIS agriculture Mitigation Protection Restoration Headwater Decision Support Tool

Cyan Ellipse: Development Mitigation Prevent development Magenta Ellipse: Protection Blue Ellipse: Restoration Headwater Decision Support Tool

Inventorying And Assessing Headwater Systems  Engaged in a collaborative co-op project involving Fleming College and the Ontario Headwaters Institute: To better understand the unknowns about provincial scale data Develop a “first cut” at a Southern Ontario approach Extend pilot decision support tool to Oak Ridges Moraine Provide mapping examples for OHI website  A long term (recurring) intent

Summary

Summary  It is possible to map headwater streams: Two potential ways of doing it Will be challenging and potentially time consuming depending on project objectives and scale Rigorous field calibration and validation is crucial  Regional mapping focusing on headwater systems  Simple assessment summaries and data organization can inform decision making

Questions?