Remote Sensing to Assess Effects of Hydroelectric Development

by Stewart K. Sears, Ontario Hydro, Toronto, Ont, Canada,
Tracey J. Ellis, Ontario Hydro, Toronto, Ont, Canada,
David B. White, Ontario Hydro, Toronto, Ont, Canada,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Water Forum '86: World Water Issues in Evolution

Abstract:

Planning for hydroelectric development of rivers in the province of Ontario, Canada requires extensive environmental evaluation and assessment. To test the feasibility of using digital analysis of remotely sensed satellite data as a means of acquiring and using environmental information to assess proposed hydroelectric development, a pilot project was conducted in 1985 using a remote Ontario river basin as a test case. The project involved mapping the 1. 5 M ha Little Jackfish River drainage basin according to 14 land cover types. Three test applications were found to be useful in evaluating environmental effects of hydroelectric development, i. e. , suspended sediment mapping, reservoir mapping, and wildlife habitat mapping. The technology appears to offer an extremely cost-effective means of collecting and using environmental information for the applications which were tested.

Subject Headings: Hydro power | Sensors and sensing | Rivers and streams | Project management | Mapping | Suspended sediment | Satellites | Canada | Ontario

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