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Contributed Poster

Session: Remote Sensing And Image Analysis

PS 33-210 - Integration of UAV based photogrammetry, LiDAR, and thermography for detecting salmon habitat attributes.

Tuesday, August 8, 2023
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM PDT
Location: ESA Exhibit Hall
Abstract: Wild Pacific salmon are an essential cultural, dietary, and economic component of many First Nations peoples in British Columbia, Canada. However, salmon populations have declined in recent years due to the adverse impacts on salmon habitats from anthropogenic and natural disturbances. Such pressures have not only resulted in the loss or degradation of traditional spawning grounds but are forcing salmon to endure long journeys in degraded habitats with increasingly warm waters. In recent years, the development of geospatial technologies has led to remote sensing methods aimed at measuring habitat attributes over increased spatial and temporal scales. However, most research in this area is focused on using a single remote sensing sensor to detect or measure a limited number of attributes to support specific hydrological or habitat models. The objective of this research is to investigate the integration of UAV, photogrammetry, LiDAR, and thermography for the detection of habitat features critical for Pacific salmon. In the presentation, I demonstrate findings related to the advantages and challenges of integrating these data sources across a variety of river environments using UAV-collected ortho-imagery, LiDAR, and thermal imagery at several sites across British Columbia. Habitat features include structural components (wetted width, bathymetry, stream gradient), habitat types (pools/riffles/glides), and surface temperatures (thermal refugia). Overall, habitat features from all categories were successfully identified across various stream conditions. Results indicate the advantages of integration between all three datasets, which aid in the identification of habitat features. However, challenges with river conditions and spatial distribution of errors suggest further refinement. This research demonstrates the ability to use integrated UAV datasets for the identification of salmon habitat attributes and forms the basis of a larger investigation into the use of geospatial technologies and community-based participatory research for a First Nations community-based salmon habitat monitoring program. As a result, this research will make advancements toward the long-term stewardship of wild Pacific salmon, a critical resource for many First Nations communities.