Remote Sensing Analysis

M&A applies a variety of satellite image processing techniques to track surface water conditions, assess the extent of vegetation, identify areas of groundwater/surface water interaction, identify areas of land subsidence, document land uses, and understand geologic features. Because satellite images allow us to distinguish and measure surface features at the resolution dictated by project needs, remote sensing is particularly useful in areas where ground access is impractical or where the required coverage area is large.

Many remote sensing satellites have up to several decades of data available, so we can identify and analyze both naturally occurring and human-induced landscape changes, such as wildfire response and reductions in riparian ecosystems. This information provides a baseline for comparison with future imagery to assess potential impacts of activities in the project area.

Capabilities

• Mapping land use and extent of vegetation and changes through time
• Identifying potential locations of groundwater/surface water interaction
• Estimating rates of evaporation and evapotranspiration
• Identifying extent of drawdown caused by mine dewatering or agricultural pumping
• Identifying basin-wide land subsidence
• Using InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) data in conjunction with groundwater and surface water records to link land subsidence with groundwater pumping activity