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Remote Sensing for Coastal Management
Land and Environmental Resources MappingMany state and local governments are using geographic information systems (GIS) and the Internet to organize and distribute information. The centralization of various data sources allows these resources to be utilized more efficiently. Coastal managers in Maryland are benefiting from the creation of Maryland's Environmental Resources and Land Information Network (MERLIN) and its use of SPOT imagery. The Project
Incorporating SPOT ImageryIn the late 1980s, SPOT's 10-meter panchromatic imagery was used to generate wetlands guidance maps for the entire state as a component of environmental permit application screening systems. The maps were created according to the U.S. Geological Survey's 7.5 minute quadrangle boundaries, which resulted in over 250 maps for Maryland. Several of the data acquisitions were group purchases where a number of organizations (mostly state agencies) partnered to acquire imagery that all partners could use. Spotlas, a GIS-based electronic atlas, was released in 1990 and represented the first generation of the permit application screening system. SPOT imagery served as the base map upon which the various environmental and infrastructure data were displayed. The system provided users with the ability to locate the site of each permit application and quickly identify the absence or presence of key features that might influence the application review process. Environmental data layers included wetlands mapped by the National Wetlands Inventory, wetlands of special state concern, submerged aquatic vegetation, and shoreline erosion hotspots. The SPOT imagery allowed users to discern land use or land cover at each site and placed the areas of concern within a larger context. Before posting the imagery on the MERLIN Web site, Maryland DNR needed to ensure that users would not be able to download the actual imagery because this would violate the license agreement with SPOT. The solution used in MERLIN On-line (the system sends the user a JPG file of the maps created) was ultimately supported by SPOT and even served as a marketing technique to show potential SPOT customers how well the imagery worked with a variety of other geospatial databases.
The ResultThe wetlands guidance maps, originally produced in 1989, were used for years as a resource for assisting users in determining the location of tidal and nontidal wetlands. In 1997, these maps were retired and replaced with new maps that used a Landsat TM color infrared image as the base and reflected changes in the distribution of wetland areas in Maryland. The regulatory community, coastal managers, and the general public were given access to these maps, and many were distributed through the Maryland Geological Survey's map sales desk. Each new release of MERLIN On-line, dating back to 1990, has incorporated SPOT data. Improved resolution available with new space-based sensors such as SPOT 5 create exciting possibilities for future acquisitions and applications. For More Information |
![[Maryland location map]](images/md_loc.gif)
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been using data
from the SPOT constellation of satellites since the late 1980s. New legislation
in the late 80s regarding nontidal wetlands necessitated the creation
of maps that showed both tidal and nontidal wetlands. SPOT imagery was
selected to derive base maps because the spectral characteristics and
resolution allow the user to determine the land use or land cover at a
particular site. SPOT imagery has also been included in several electronic
atlases DNR has created and maintained since 1990. MERLIN On-line was
released in 1998 as an Internet application and incorporates SPOT imagery
as land use and land cover base layers. Originally designed as a decision-support
system for environmental permit review processes, MERLIN has evolved into
a powerful data analysis and distribution tool.
