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01/24/2012 -
SyracuseCoE to Host "Spring Greening" Teacher Training...
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SyracuseCoE to Host Jan. 24 Forum on Intelligent Building Systems...
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An Integrated Monitoring/Modeling Framework for Assessing Human-Nature Interactions in Urbanizing Watersheds: Onondaga and Wappinger Creeks
Start Date 08/01/2006
End Date 07/31/2008
Extension: 06/2009
Primary Partner: SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry
Primary Contact: Limburg, Karin - Associate Professor
Other Project Contacts:
Groffman, Peter - Co-Principal Investigator
Hall, Myrna - Co-Principal Investigator
Hong, Bonghoi - Co-Principal Investigator
Mountrakis, Giorgos - Co-Principal Investigator
Project Type: CARTI I
Technical Description:
Urbanization and sprawl rank among the most serious threats to watershed ecosystems, water quality, and biotic integrity in much of the U.S. and elsewhere. We have been developing an integrated assessment tool that links economic activity to land use change, and land use change to changes in watershed ecological condition ("watershed health"). However, there are shortcomings with the approach that we propose to remedy within the scope of the proposed project.
Specifically, we propose to improve the assessment tool by:
(1) collecting advanced monitoring data with a stream and meteorological monitoring network,
(2) reducing uncertainties in model prediction by incorporating the monitoring data through a state-of-the-art Bayesian estimation technique,
(3) developing and incorporating a cutting-edge model that estimates impervious surfaces at 30-m resolution with high accuracy and advanced uncertainty metrics,
(4) adding a hydrological sub-model with algorithms to relate land cover (including ISA) to water, sediment, and nutrient loading to streams, and
(5) developing a decision support system with full capability of scenario evaluation and uncertainty analysis.
Expected Outcomes:
Make improvements to existing integrated economic activity/land use change/watershed health assessment tool. Watershed managers, urban and regional planners, educators, as well as the research and business community would be among the beneficiaries as they would gain insight into decisions to support environmental sustainability.
Accomplishments:
A novel image processing algorithm using satellite imagery was developed that uses multiple algorithms targeting specific parts of the classification problem rather than the typically-used single thread algorithm.
The method relies on only satellite imagery whereas the National Land Cover Data set require other ancillary data such as road vectors, slope and population data. Because of this, our method promises to be broadly applicable, facilitating easy updates for local and state planners.
The tools to complete the integrated assessment were developed to run in ArcGIS; they included two economic analysis tools, five land use change analysis/projection tools, and three hydrology/water quality analysis tools.
Benefits:
These tools can enhance the understanding of watershed health and environmental sustainability, and in turn be used to make more informed decisions in these areas.
For more information: http://www.aboutgis.com/tag/active-research/
Grant received building on this CARTI Grant:
"Satellite-derived antropogenic land use/land cover changes: Integrating detection, modeling and educational approaches." National Aeronautics and Space Administration. PI: G. Mountrakis.
“Positioning Rust Belt Cities for a Sustainable Future: A Systems Approach to Enhancing Urban Quality of Life” (M. Hall and D. Nowak, PIs.) National Science Foundation ($299,000, 2 years).
Publications:
G. Mountrakis, R. Watts, L. Luo, J. Wang. (in press). "Moving towards an integration framework for collaborative classifiers: An expert-based model demonstrated on impervious surface detection." Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing.
G. Mountrakis (2008). "Next generation classifiers: Focusing on integration frameworks." Highlight article for October, 2008 issue of Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing.
Presentations at the 2008 CoE Symposium:
Transdisciplinary Approaches to Understand and Manage Spreading Impervious Surface Areas, Part 1: Assessing the Causes of Sprawl. K. Hyde, M. Hall, B Hong, L. Luo, G. Mountrakis, S. Myers, K. Limburg.
Transdisciplinary Approaches to Understand and Manage Spreading Impervious Surface Areas, Part II: Modeling the Impacts on Stream Flow and Water Quality, B. Hong, KI. Hyde, M. Hall, L. Luo, G. Mountrakis, K. Limburg, P. Groffman, V. Kelly.
Impervious Surface Area Detection in the Onondaga Creek Watershed Using Satellite Imagery. L. Luo & G. Mountrakis.
Impervious Surface Changes Estimated by Satellite Imagery: Example Map
Image Credit: G. Mountrakis and L. Luo, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
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