There are many possible applications of remote sensing to water resources, too many to describe here. Click on the link below to find out more information about our inland lake water quality work. The protection, restoration, and management of our nation's remaining wetlands is critical, for they play a vital role in energy fixation, nutrient assimilation, geo-chemical cycling, sediment stabilization, and wildlife habitat. There is a need for a cost-effective method for the detailed inventorying of wetland areas. Remote sensing offers a solution but needs refining.
Many species have very similar reflectance signatures across much of the electromagnetic spectrum.
This research project uses airborne hyperspectral sensors to distinguish narrow spectral bands in the near-Infrared portions of the spectrum. Flights will be made over a study site within the Les Chaneaux Islands in northern Lake Huron. Hyperspectral information can be linked to biophysical properties such as percent open water, percent green biomass, and plant genera. Community-level wetland maps will be derived with this information, calibrated with ground measurements. This research will determine the optimal spectral and spatial resolutions suitable for detailed wetland community mapping.