GLIN==> IJC Upper Lakes Study - Data Availability?

["Christian J. Stewart" <cstewart@cjscons.com>]

Re-sending as first attempt appears to have failed. Apologies for duplication.

 

Dear Great Lakes Colleague:

 

As you may be aware, the International Joint Commission is initiating the "International Upper Great Lakes Study" which will investigate potential changes to the regulation plans for Lake Superior outflows and the impacts of these changes on various interest groups and the environment along the shorelines of the Upper Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie) as well as the connecting channels and Lake St. Clair. (Study web site is at: http://www.ijc.org/conseil_board/upper_greatlakes/en/upper_mandate_mandat.htm).

 

A part of this activity will be to examine various coastal zone and riparian impacts related to flooding, erosion and low water levels, sediment transport, etc.  Similar work was conducted recently on Lake Ontario as part of the Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Water Level Study (see www.losl.org) and it is intended that a similar approach for the investigation of coastal impacts be conducted in the Upper Lakes Study.

 

The approach for the Lake Ontario Study was very data intensive and significant new coastal data was generated and significant existing coastal data sets were utilized.  Given this, I have been asked to conduct a data scoping exercise for the Upper Lakes shorelines to get a sense of what data already exists and to assess its feasibility for use in the study.

 

In this regard, I am asking for your assistance to identify any coastal zone data sets that your agency / organization has available that could be used in the study. I do not need the data at this time, I only need to know what it is, the source and appropriate reference and if it would be available for use by the Coastal Evaluation Group in the future.  Also, if there is a cost, what that cost might be.

 

There are a range of data sets that were utilized in the Lake Ontario study and that we would want to know about for the Upper Lakes Study. Any information you have on the following types of data would be much appreciated:

• Shoreline Composition - i.e. shore geology (bluff, beach, wetland, bedrock, etc.). Previous studies have made use of a comprehensive shore classification scheme and any information at all that shows shore types in your area are useful. Any shore mapping GIS data would also be useful here.
• Nearshore Geology - part of the classification scheme above considers the geology in the nearshore...i.e. what is under the water?
• Shore Protection - Mapping or details on the types, quality and extent of all kinds of shore protection.
• Digital Orthophotos - These serve as background photos for any GIS mapping but if detailed enough resolution, allow us to determine and map many other things (e.g. structures, shore protection, etc.)
• Standard Aerial Photography
• Digital Elevation Models
• FDRP Mapping
• Other Base Mapping and GIS Products
• Digital Oblique or Ground Based Images
• Shoreline Video Tape from Plane or Helicopter (or ground based)
• Recession Rate Data - Historical, Present Day, Erosion Monitoring Station Updates (Ontario)
• Wave / Wind Climate
• Historic Water Level Data
• Beach / Shore Profiles
• Bathymmetry
• Ice Cover
• Sediment Transport Rates / Sediment Budget
• Currents
• Digital Property Parcel or Assessment Data - In Ontario we know that we may need to obtain this from Teranet or other private sector agencies. If you have "non_Teranet" data and it can be made available to us please let us know.
• Land Use, Land Use Trend Data
• Land Use Plans, Zoning Plans, Master Plans, Shore Management Plans
• Property and Structure Information
  • Property Type and Value
  • Damage and Potential Damage Investigations
  • Building / Structure Mapping and Inventories
  • Road and Other Infrastructure Mapping
  • Lowest Opening / Building Elevation Data
  • Distance to Bluff Measurements; Distance to Waterline Measurements
• Other Potential Flood and Erosion Damage Studies or Investigations

My goal is to provide a report to the IJC by March 31st, so I would greatly appreciate any information as soon as possible (ideally by March 16th).  Should you have any questions or need to discuss any of the above in greater detail, please do not hesitate to e-mail or call (please note I am on the west coast these days so note the 3 hour time difference!).

 

Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.

 

Cheers!

 

Chris

 

Mr. Christian J. Stewart, M.Sc.

President

Christian J. Stewart Consulting

Management Services for the Coastal and Environmental Sectors

1618 Candela Place, Victoria, British Columbia, CANADA V8N 5P4

Phone: 250-472-1699  Fax: 250-472-1698 

Cell / Text Messaging: 250-744-7277 

E-Mail: cstewart@cjscons.com

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