Massachusetts Wetlands Mapping and Monitoring Program A wetland is not fully protected til it s safely in a geo-database
Massachusetts Long History of Wetlands Protection Regulations Densely developed eastern portion Rapidly developing in central and western portions
Tools for Wetlands Protection in Massachusetts State Regulations are implemented at local level Coastal regulations Inland regulations Rivers Act Restrictions Program Wetland Mapping Program Wetland Change Program
Wetlands: Unique Places in the Landscape Provide vital functions at no cost Oftentimes, functions can t be replaced by other habitat type Restoration doesn t equal Protection
Wetlands Under Pressure Transportation Residential Development Commercial Development
Resource Restoration? Maine lost its native Atlantic salmon runs to dams, forestry and blueberry spraying Spent over $20 million No Success
Wetland Values Unappreciated
If a wetland isn t mapped..it can disappear without a trace.
List of Mapping Data Specs Wetlands Data, Stereo-scopic images. Minimum Mapping Unit: 0.25 ac Digital Orthophotoquad Base Map 1:5000 scale, 0.50m resolution Mapping interval: 3-4 years
Different Types of Wetlands Mapping Least Accurate USGS Topo Maps Smaller Scale, Older Photography National Wetlands Inventory Small Scale, Older Photography,Limited Site Verification DEP Wetlands Mapping Large Scale Recent Photos, Site Verification, As Needed Onsite Mapping Onsite: Plant Communities, Soil Characteristics and Hydrology Most Accurate
Color Infrared Aerial Photograph Flown in early April leaves-off conditions Film consistently codes wet areas with a dark coloration
Photointerpretation Process 1:12,000 CIR Film positives 10X Magnification Stereo Viewing Comprehensive Manual of Photointerpretative Conventions Fieldwork for difficult sites
Analogue Interpreted Wetlands Overlay The wetlands areas are drafted onto an acetate overlay and registered to digital state base map. Questionable areas are flagged for site visit.
DEP Base Wetlands Map Comprehensive wetlands blue polygons Located on digital base map Also showing hydrological connections green lines Wetlands have added protection once they are in the state s GIS
Minimum Mapping Unit Notes MA statewide wetlands data base has a MMU of 0.25 acre If you select out polygons between 0.25 and 0.49 acres: # of polygons reduced by 29% resulting in reduction of 2.9% total acreage
Costs to Produce MA Digital Wetlands Data From Analogue CIR Photography (Including Staff Costs) Total Cost - $ 3,159.000 Cost/sq. mi - $399 Duration 12 years
Costs to Produce MASS Wetlands Data from Digital Imagery (Estimated) Total Cost - $ 1,180,000 Cost/sq. mi - $147 Mapping Interval: 3-4 years
Costs to Acquire Statewide Digital Imagery with enhanced DEM Digital Color Orthophotomap -- Cost $ 850,000-0.5m pixel resolution Per Sq. Mile - $ 106 -individual stereo color geotiffs
2 nd Statewide Orthophoto Acquisition Served as change map Same geometry as earlier DOQ Date: April 2001 Costs shared with Transportation and Public Utilities
Change Detection Technique - 1995
Change Detection Technique - 2001
Wetlands Change Project Process Parking Area expanded into Wooded Swamp
Change Technique Requirements Digital Wetlands Dataset More recent digital imagery Image Processing Software to Detect Pixel Changes
Wetlands Change Project Test Prototype Before Computer Change Detection Shows Pixels of Change in Red
Wetlands Change Project Test Prototype After Computer Change Detection Shows Pixels of Change in yellow
Wetlands Change Project Onsite Conditions Fill 3-4 ft. up trunks of trees
A picture is worth a 1,000 words April 1996 April 2001
April 1996 April 2001
What We Have With Our Statewide Imagery Analysis Acres of wetlands altered, by type Project types and acres alteration attributed to them Estimates of permitted/unpermitted for sample communities
What are we finding? Over 900 acres of loss in 7-10 year period Principal activities causing loss: 31% Agriculture 23% Residential 11% Commercial and industrial
How much is permitted? Percent of identified loss 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Permitted Likely unpermitted Unknown
Now What Are We Doing With The Data?
Deterring Illegal Fill Using maps to identify enforcement cases Over 50 cases so far Over 300 acres illegal fill Over $4,000,000 penalties Restoration
Detection DEP WETLANDS LOSS IDENTIFICATION DEP Loss Analysis Data Sources: Wetlands & Streams- based on Color Infrared (CIR) photos from 1991 Wetlands Loss Areas determined by DEP Wetlands Conservancy Program, 2003 Color Infrared (CIR) Photos DEP Conservancy Program, Apr 1991 Black & White Orthophotos MassGIS, 5/1/95 Color Orthophotos MassGIS, 4/1/01
Enforcement
2005 Imagery Detection -- Enforcement Restoration
Publicity = Deterrence
New 2005 Imagery Acquired April 2005 4 Band 12bit 0.5m pixel
What are we finding? Almost 500 acres of loss in 4 year period Principal activities causing loss: 24% Residential 16% Clearing Unknown Reason 12% Commercial and industrial
http://www.mass.gov/mgis/wetchange.htm DEP Wetlands (1:12,000) Change - March 2007 Download this layer (ESRI Shapefile, with ArcGIS 8.3 LYR and ArcView 3.x AVL) OVERVIEW The DEP Wetlands Change Datalayer comprises two polygon feature types, wetlands change from 2001 imagery and wetlands change from 2005 imagery. The attribute codes in the polygon layer describe different types of wetland environments and different types of reasons for the wetlands change. View the Wetlands Change online The layer is named WETCHANGE_POLY.
http://www.mass.gov/mgis/wetchange.htm
LIMITATIONS/DISCLAIMER The DEP Wetlands Change Datalayer has been developed and is made available for distribution for the purpose of serving as a tool to monitor changes within the wetland areas which DEP has included in its statewide wetlands datalayer. The DEP Wetlands Change datalayer is based on the interpretation of aerial photographs and digital aerial imagery. Because the changes represented on these maps have been determined solely through photo-interpretation, they do not represent, and should not be used as, wetlands delineation under the Wetlands Protection Act (M.G.L. c. 131, sec. 40) and the implementing regulations (310 CMR 10.00 et seq.). While aerial photography can be a useful and reliable tool for ascertaining the existence, past or present, of wetland resource areas, it is not a substitute for and should be used in conjunction with appropriate ground survey observation (vegetation; history of hydrology; soil profiles, etc.).
Digital On-Screen Stereo Mapping
Image Comparisons IR Band True Color Band
Improve Wetlands Mapping Data
Wetland Changes for New Wetlands Data Duration 2 Years Polygon Registration Errors New Wetlands Areas/Polygons Original Map Errors (including tidal flat corrections) Changed Wetlands (human vs. natural in metadata) Hydro Edits (registration) New Hydro (within & outside wetland polygons) ADOPT MAPPING PROTOCOLS OF FGDC
Back yard Encroachments 2001 2005
Beaver Activity
Cranberry Bog Expansion
Coastal Erosion
Eventually Permitting data base that links with GIS Electronic submission of NOIs Easy match of permit files with GIS identified change locations
Improving Compatibility of Data Combining Wetlands Change Data with Permit Data
Seagrass Beds
Zostera marina Primary Producer of Estuarine Habitats Robust system of Rhisomesstabilizing the bottom Shoots float above bottom providing safe haven for larval scallops and other shellfish Highly stressed from macroalgal competition in enriched embayments In some embayments 2-3% areal decline per year
Aerial Imagery 1:20,000 Scale Low Tide Low Sun Angle
Methods Acquire high resolution aerial imagery to the specifications of the NOAA-C-CAP Program Photointerpret imagery Conduct fieldwork as required to verify photointerpretation Record field data Geo-reference analogue data to state digital map base
Efficient Observer
Brief History 1993- Conducted pilot project to develop methods 1994-1996- Completed first state coastal mapping. Made a digital coverage 2001 Completed 2 nd state coast-wide mapping 2002-5 Monitored all waterbodies 2006 - To conduct 3 rd mapping of state s most stressed waterbodies
Poor Water Quality
Jehu Pond at Waquoit Bay
Lake Tashmoo
Land Use in Estuarine Zone Incompatible with habitat requirements
A B Minimum-light water quality requirement Median concentration ------ Management trajectories [TSS] Chlorophyll only (µ c, µ s ) TSS only Line of Constant Attenuation Projection to origin 0 0 [Chl ]
Establishing the Optical Requirements of Seagrass Light Profiles
Establishing the Optical Requirements of Seagrass AC 9 - Water Column Particulates
Improve Wetlands Mapping Data
Final Recommendations It s never too late to begin an update to wetlands data Work with local resources (universities, environmental groups) to cooperate. Money may be tight, but in MA they found the money and it proved to be a shrewd investment. Insure the procedures you develop give you the product you want and need.
How to get started: Insure that all future statewide aerial imagery acquisitions include as deliverables the stereo viewable raw images. Prioritize area s of state most needing better wetlands data Lobby for funds to get a pilot project started which includes training for staff involvement Set schedule to complete (regardless of duration)
Charles Costello, Section Chief Wetlands Mapping Program Dept. Environmental Protection One Winter Street 02108 Tel. 617-292-5907 charles.costello@state.ma.us