Marsh Recession and Erosion study of the Fraser Delta, B.C., Canada from Historic Satellite Imagery
Richard Marijnissen (TU Delft - Coastal Engineering)
Stefan Aarninkhof (TU Delft - Coastal Engineering)
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Abstract
The goal of
the study is to map the changes of marsh extent and topography on both Sturgeon
Bank and Westham Island between 1980 and now. The study will look for a
correlation between the recession and the possible loss of sediment from the
banks. If a sediment deficit is a (major) contributor of marsh recession within
the Fraser Delta, the results of the study should reveal such a connection.
Although
there are plenty of studies suggesting changes have taken place in the marshes
fronting the Fraser Delta, no study has utilized the extensive data record of
satellites to study these changes for the entire Fraser Delta. Tools like the
Aquamonitor can detect the changes in coastlines in the past 30 years from
satellite imagery. More advanced tools are still in development like MI-SAFE,
which detects inter-tidal elevations and vegetation on foreshores to estimate
the potential risk reduction of flooding by coastal vegetation all across the
world. Within the study the latest techniques from these tools are applied and
adapted to the Fraser Delta. By using the full 30+ years of information on
satellite imagery, the marsh and inter-tidal surface changes are examined from
a new angle.