Sapelo Research Application Form
Research Application ID: GCE-125-2022 (submitted: 06/06/2022, status: approved)
Provide a brief title for web display
Building Resiliency with Nature Based Infrastructure: DEM Correction and Modeling
Investigator Information
On Island Sponsor: GCE SINERR UGAMI GADNR
| Principal Investigator: | Christine M. Hladik | ||
| Home Institution: | Georgia Southern University | ||
| Award Information: | DNR CRD award for marsh elevation, $77,000. | ||
| Mailing Address: | Department of Geology and Geography | Phone Number: | (911) 478-0338 |
| Georgia Southern University | E-mail Address: | chladik@georgiasouthern.edu | |
| Statesboro, Georgia 30460 | |||
| Co-investigators: | |||
Briefly describe the project goals and methodology
The overall goal of this project is to provide accurate datasets that are critical to coastal managers to effectively plan and carry out their mission, through modeling future wetland elevations and distributions using SLAMM. In the context of this project, I propose: 1) to evaluate the accuracy of LIDAR-derived DEMs for tidal marshes for Georgia coastal counties; 2) to derive and apply habitat-specific correction factors for salt, brackish and tidal-fresh marsh to the coastwide LIDAR to produce corrected DEMs; 3) to provide raster inputs (DEM, slope, NWI habitat classification) and assist in the execution of SLAMM sea level rise modeling; and 4) assist researchers from other institutions in providing maps and summaries of future marsh elevations and distributions for the various SLR scenarios generated using SLAMM.
Outcome 1: Evaluate the accuracy of LIDAR-derived DEMs for tidal marshes for Georgia coastal counties.
The accuracy of LIDAR-derived DEMs for the coastal counties will be evaluated using high accuracy RTK survey data to produce vertical correction factors for salt, brackish and tidal-fresh marsh habitats. The extensive RTK survey will be carried out in June to September 2022 to acquire ground elevations for salt, brackish and tidal-fresh marsh sampling locations. At each location I will survey the marsh ground elevation and measure plant species presence and percent cover. To assess the accuracy of the LIDAR-derived DEM elevation relative to the RTK ground survey elevation, I will calculate the mean error, the root mean square error (RMSE), the fundamental vertical accuracy (FVA) and 95th percentile errors for each habitat class. Based on the accuracy assessment, the mean error for each habitat represents the correction factors to be used for DEM correction (Outcome 2).
Where will the project be located?
Georgia salt, brackish, and tidal fresh marshes
How will you provide GPS coordinates for study sites?
I will provide a GIS file describing my study sites (ArcGIS shapefile, Google Earth KML/KMZ)
What are the expected start and end dates of the project?
Start Date: 06/06/2022 End Date: 09/30/2022
How many people will access the site and at what frequency?
Two-five people will be accessing the ground control point locations once for a one-time survey of marsh elevation.
Keywords that describe your project
What equipment will be deployed in the field?
An RTK will be used to survey elevations. A 0.25 x 0.25 m quadrat will be used to assess plant height and species cover. Nothing will be left in the field.
Will plants or animals be collected as part of this study?
No.
What are the likely impacts of the project on the site?
Marsh boot foot traffic (trampling of vegetation) to access the tidal marsh locations.
Will the project design include boardwalks? If not, explain why not.
No.
How long will impacts persist after the research is concluded?
Short term.
Study Area Map:
Files attached to this application
GCE-125-2022_Maps_GCP_05June2022_1.kmz (Compressed KML file, 22.47 kb, submitted 06/06/2022)
