Marsh Recession and Erosion study of the Fraser Delta, B.C., Canada from Historic Satellite Imagery

The goal of the study is to map the changes of marsh extent and topography on both Sturgeon Bank and Westham Island between 1980 and now. The study will look for a correlation between the recession and the possible loss of sediment from the banks. If a sediment deficit is a (major) contributor of marsh recession within the Fraser Delta, the results of the study should reveal such a connection.

Although there are plenty of studies suggesting changes have taken place in the marshes fronting the Fraser Delta, no study has utilized the extensive data record of satellites to study these changes for the entire Fraser Delta. Tools like the Aquamonitor can detect the changes in coastlines in the past 30 years from satellite imagery. More advanced tools are still in development like MI-SAFE, which detects inter-tidal elevations and vegetation on foreshores to estimate the potential risk reduction of flooding by coastal vegetation all across the world. Within the study the latest techniques from these tools are applied and adapted to the Fraser Delta. By using the full 30+ years of information on satellite imagery, the marsh and inter-tidal surface changes are examined from a new angle.