Sensitivity Mapping – With Flare! An Internet Approach to Environmental Mapping

Abstract

During emergencies the ready availability of information on the location and vulnerability of resources at risk is crucial to a successful response and in preventing or minimizing further environmental impacts. Environment Canada, Atlantic Region, has developed over a number of years a computer based GIS mapping system for managing and analyzing environmental information. This stand-alone user friendly mapping application has recently moved to the web; allowing broader access by federal, provincial and industry partners in the spill response field. Enhancements have been made that facilitate better coordination and exchange of data among partners. It incorporates a unique shoreline classification system which can be viewed in concert with biological, human use and logistical data. It includes a spill logging function to manage situation reports, maps, resource summaries, photographs and trajectory model outputs. The system allows thematic layers to be displayed on either topographic maps or hydrographic charts and possesses links to other sites that allow real-time display of weather and ocean current data useful in a response. With an open architecture concept the web mapping system is readily modified; partners are able to digitize on-line and to update their own databases shared on the system. Mapped data for the northeastern United States is also included in the package to facilitate joint response to trans-boundary pollution incidents. Although this paper will highlight the unique features of the web mapping application for planning and responding to environmental emergencies, other partners are using the system for conducting environmental assessments, inland management projects, or planning for nuclear emergencies around the globe.

Characterizing Scattering Behaviour and Assessing Potential for Classification of Arctic Shore and Near-Shore Land Covers with Fine Quad-Pol RADARSAT-2 Data

“…For almost 30 years, audio commentaries and helicopter videography acquired at 150 km-185 km per hour and 100 m altitude have been used for this purpose (Owens 1983). Initially, these databases were stored as paper atlases, but today most agencies use geographic information systems (Percy et al 1997;Laflamme and Percy 2003;Lamarche et al 2007). There are, however, a number of limitations associated with the current mapping method: (i) it is expensive and time consuming, (ii) the experience of the videographer largely determines video and map quality, and (iii) acquiring videography is difficult to plan logistically, because it requires the timing of acquisitions with the lowest tides (Lamarche et al 2007).…”

Mapping Coastal Information across Canada's Northern Regions Based on Low-Altitude Helicopter Videography in Support of Environmental Emergency Preparedness Efforts

“…Geotagged videos from aircraft and watercraft can also provide very high spatial resolution data capable of distinguishing finer substrate types that may become indistinguishable or easily confused at lower resolutions. They have been used to map shoreline types, habitat types, geomorphology, and sensitive coasts in Canada and the United States (Anderson, Judd, and Marcoe, 2012;Berry et al, 2001;Diefenderfer et al, 2009;Howes, Harper, and Owens, 1994;Laflamme and Percy, 2005). Furthermore, lowaltitude video acquisitions provide an oblique view of the shoreline, while images acquired at a more vertical orientation may render cliffs or vertical surfaces difficult to detect (Eamer and Walker, 2010).…”

Assessing Radarsat-2 polarimetric SAR for mapping shoreline cleanup and assessment technique (SCAT) classes in the Canadian Arctic

“…Pre-spill databases (as well as SCAT surveys), may also be based on field data or a combination of field data and aerial surveys. Initially these databases were stored as paper atlases, but today most agencies use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (Percy et al, 1997;Laflamme & Percy, 2003;Lamarche et al, 2007). This enables quick access and ready dissemination of data to all responsible parties.…”