Integrating Field and Remote Sensing Methods to Improve Riparian and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Mapping : Habitat Field Data, Allegheny River, Northwest Pennsylvania

Le résumé fourni par la source

An Ecosystem Management & Restoration Research Program (EMRRP) research effort led by the U.S. Army Engineer Research & Development Center (ERDC) aims to evaluate and develop methods for better integrating field-based techniques with remote sensing technology, in which the outcomes and products will improve ways to consistently and comprehensively document maintenance, success, or impact to terrestrial and aquatic riparian environments resulting from restoration or operational activities. The project includes a case study along the Allegheny River situated within the National Wild and Scenic River System in northwest Pennsylvania, representing an ideal location for developing methods to characterize and map baseline conditions of riparian (e.g., floodplain forest and herbaceous) and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) habitat. To support the project goals, field data were collected July 15-21, 2024, by team members from ERDC, USACE Pittsburgh and Mobile Districts, and the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program/Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. Field data include visual observations and measurements of SAV and riparian community vegetation characteristics (e.g., species type, density, abundance, height etc.) along a stretch of the Allegheny River south of Kinzua Dam, including approximately 15 river miles between Tidioute and Tionesta, PA. The field data were collected simultaneously with airborne imagery and lidar elevation surveys conducted by the USACE Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise (JALBTCX). The data will be integrated and evaluated to map and characterize challenging reach-scale riparian and SAV vegetation, which is critical for monitoring and assessment of ecosystem restoration impacts across large river reaches. The data are packaged into a single zipped file containing three separate folders: forest, riparian community, and SAV. Each folder contains tabular field data in Microsoft Excel format with a Metadata worksheet and corresponding Microsoft Word README document describing the tables and field data.

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