Riparian habitat

1. Stream Shade Patterns and Canopy Surface Models Derived from LiDAR Data For the South Fork Nooksack River Erica CapuanaEGEO 552

2. Riparian habitat • Riparian habitat directly influences in-stream habitat by providing: • large woody debris • bank stabilization, minimizing erosion • filter sediments and runoff • particulate organic matter • shade production

3. Project Objectives • Develop shade model from LiDAR data • Develop Canopy surface models to describe structure of riparian forest • Relate shade model to actual stream temperatures

4. Methods • Data: LiDAR data flown on April 20, 2005 • Incorporated all returns LiDAR in FUSION to develop canopy models and view data in 3-D • Import LiDAR data into ArcGIS for shade analysis using HILLSHADE function

6. Example of LiDAR pulse returns

7. Fusion Bare Earth Raw points Canopy surface model

8. Vegetation cover 6 - 49 ft

9. Canopy models – subsample near Howard Creek Aerial photo Vegetation density from 6-50 ft Canopy model > 70 ft

10. Shade model Shade – function of solar angle and altitude Tree Height layer – First return LiDAR – last return LiDAR Hillshade – using model shadows function for specific dates throughout year

11. Shade over stream buffer June 15, 2007 August 15, 2007 How to relate to stream corridor?

12. Stream temperature

13. Conclusions • Hillshade model success • Next steps: • Model stream width • Correlate with stream temperatures • Collect Field data this summer