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APPLIED RESEARCH PROGRAM | ||||||
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» Mapping water bodies in the Powder River Basin using Landsat imageryPowder River Basin (Wyoming, USA) has witnessned dramatic increase in coal-bed natural gas (CBNG) extraction activities. Saline water, a byproduct during the gas extraction process is discharged in retention ponds (pictured right - photo credit: Ms. Griscom). Some of these retention ponds with submerged vegetation (along the bank) serve as mosquito habitat - the vector for west Nile virus.
Many of these ponds are small to map with 30 m Landsat data. Our research attempts to map these water bodies using pan-sharpened Landsat and other higher resolution (e.g., ASTER) data. Publications
» Estimating vegetation cover in rangelands using satellite imageryThe USDA-ARS, Cheyenne, WY has been acquiring very large scale aerial (VLSA) imagery to estimate the amount of bare-ground and vegetation in rangelands. Estimation protocol is based on a statistical sampling procedure, where regular grids are overlaid and VLSA imagery are obtained. The proportion of bare-ground and vegetation are measured from these photos and estimates are extrapolated for the entire study area. This information is used by land managers to make decisions about allotment rights on public lands. Timely updates of this information are necessary to prevent overgrazing and deterioration of the environmental quality of rangelands. But, frequent updates with VLSA are costly and time consuming.
Therefore, the USDA-ARS is interested in developing ancillary remotely-sensed data sources to monitor larger areas of rangelands more frequently. LANDSAT data were selected for its repeat coverage and spectral characteristics, and also several studies have demonstrated its utility to monitor rangeland conditions. Through collaborative research, the USDA-ARS and the University of Wyoming are evaluating the utility of LANDSAT data to monitor rangeland conditions in Wyoming. First, we are analyzing the similarities and dissimilarities in the spectral data characteristics using multivariate statistical techniques. Issues related to spectral and spatial resolutions of the two data sources will be identified and their impact on the measurement of vegetation and bare-ground cover will be quantified. Finally, vegetation and bare-ground estimates obtained from the two methods will be compared. If the estimates are not statistically different, then LANDSAT can be used for such rangeland monitoring activities. Publications
WyomingView URL: http://www.wygisc.uwyo.edu/wyview
Updated by Ramesh Sivanpillai on May 5, 2008 |