Research

 

Poster: Remote Characterization of Gravel Bars in Big Creek, Idaho

In collaboration with the US Forest Service, Idaho State University is using remotely sensed imagery to study the channel morphology of Big Creek. The project focuses on delineating aquatic habitat regimes and describing the particle size distribution of exposed in-stream sediment bars. Hyperspectral data is used to identify relative grain sizes in exposed bars; along with characterizing areas with deep pools and rifles along with creek. Data processing is currently underway and will ultimately fuse the hyperspectral results with a blue-green LiDAR dataset acquired by the USFS. The blue-green LiDAR provides channel cross-sections which can be used to identify deep versus shallow pools.

The ability to remotely sense these channel parameters has implications for understanding channel development and morphology, which in turn contributes to the understanding of sediment loads and stream ecology. The Boise Center Aerospace Laboratory is a new research and educational remote sensing laboratory funded by NOAA and based in the Department of Geosciences at Idaho State University Boise. BCAL recently moved into the Idaho Water Center with the University of Idaho and the US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station. 
 




See other satellite images of the Big Creek Study Area.
(click on The Big Creek Study)







  Hyperspectral image of Taylor along Big Creek.



 

  A mosaic image of the Big Creek drainage.