NATIONAL PETROLEUM RESERVE - ALASKA
Sound environmental and mineral management processes should involve the best information possible on the resources in question. For the National Petroleum Reserver - Alaska (NPRA - click link to visit the BLM's NRPRA site) that means good information on wetlands. The majority of the land surface in the norther NPRA is wetland. Its structure and functions unique to North American wetlands due to its location and climate. This unique coastal arctic wetland character presents significant mapping and logistic issues. Correctly delineating these wetland types from aerial imagery requires special skill and training in this process. GSS began working with the FWS Anchorage wetland coordinator during the winter of 2004 to scope out the NPRA wetland mapping project. Issues of unique photogrametric signature, unusual wetland structures, helicopter flight logistics, and timing for the most favoable summer weather were addressed. In July 2005 the GSS and FWS field evaluation landed in Barrow to begin the project's phase I field surveys. By the summer of 2007 GSS delivered both phase I and II NRPA wetland products.
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Ice effects on wetland structure. |
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Caribou crossing NRPA tundra wetlands. |
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Biologists field checking NRPA aerial photography |
NRPA field survey GPS flight tracks and check sites |
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Final wetland data base submitted to the National NWI Master Geodatabase. |
