C-CAP (Coastal Change Analysis Program)
Note: C-CAP was operationally tranferred from COP to CSC in FY 1996
THE ISSUE:
Although over 70 percent of economically important fisheries in the
U.S. depend upon estuarine habitats during some life stage, these areas
are being destroyed or degraded by coastal development, bringing with
it nonpoint source pollution, erosion, and environmental threats. Land
cover changes due to human population growth and attendant impacts on
fishery habitat, adjacent uplands, water quality, and living marine
resources occur faster and more pervasively than we previously have
been able to monitor. Information about the extent and rate of habitat
degradation and loss is needed for sound resource management decisions.
THE APPROACH:
Quantifying changes in the areal extent of wetlands and adjacent uplands
is critical for linking land-based human activities to coastal ocean productivity.
The Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) uses satellite imagery and aerial
photography to monitor areal extent, functional status and change in these
critical habitats. C-CAP is cooperating with EPA's Environmental Monitoring
and Assessment Program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wetlands
Inventory, the U.S. Geological Survey, and other Federal and State agencies.
C-CAP has been divided into three project areas: protocol development, regional
change analysis, and remote sensing of wetland health.
C-CAP APPLICATIONS BY STATE
- Alaska
- California
- Florida
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- Texas
- Washington
For more information:
NOAA/NESDIS/National
Geophysical Data Center
NOAA/NESDIS/National Oceanographic
Data Center
NOAA
Coastal Change Analysis Program: Guidance for Regional Implementation
CCAP
Program Home Page
Last Updated: August 22, 2001
Comments to coastalocean@noaa.gov
ALASKA
The Hubbard Glacier in Alaska is moving very rapidly and within the next
ten years is threatening to close off the Russell Fiord that provides important
marine habitat. If the glacier closes the fiord, it will affect the flow of
the Situk River, an important run for the area's salmon fishery. In 1994,
C-CAP completed an initial land cover classification for the region, and is
now conducting a comparison of current satellite imagery with 1986 imagery
to show changes due to logging activities, coastal erosion, and glacier movement.
An additional analysis was performed to quantify the salmon-related effects
of the glacier closing the fiord.
CALIFORNIA
Along the West Coast of the U.S., California contains more coastal wetland
acreage than Oregon or Washington. California has lost 75% of its original
coastal wetlands. Rapid population growth, diversion of freshwater inputs,
increase in urban/agricultural run-off, and destruction of natural habitat
has a direct effect on the extent of sensitive habitat and species and on
water quality. The cumulative effect of these impacts upon the remaining wetlands
is not well understood on a regional watershed basis.
In 1994, C-CAP-- in cooperation with NOAA's Coastal Ocean Program and Office
of Coastal Resource Management -- initiated a study with the California Coastal
Commission to test the applicability of the C-CAP protocol in a West Coast
wetland ecosystem by the classification of Thematic Mapper (TM) data and visualization
of C-CAP products. These products have been useful in conducting regional
watershed inventories, and for detecting changes in landcover for local planning
purposes.
FLORIDA
C-CAP is assisting the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
in restoring fisheries by improving fisheries habitat. The Florida Everglades
and Florida Bay have been experiencing catastrophic ecosystem collapse. This
has resulted in degradation of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), declines
in habitat-dependent fisheries, such as the pink shrimp, and associated economic
loss. C-CAP is working with the DEP to map and provide information on changes
in this critical fisheries habitat. C-CAP is also working in support of the
Governor's Commission for a Sustainable South Florida to map coastal habitat
important to fisheries populations of the region. The Commission, through
its Science Research Advisory Committee, and the Federal Task Force on South
Florida Restoration are depending on C-CAP to assist in delineating the natural
ecosystem boundaries for the region. Such information will assure that restoration
and development in the region assist the recovery of fishery resources.
In 1994, C-CAP initiated a cooperative project with the National Biological
Service (NBS) to map wetlands and adjacent uplands from the Kissimmee River
(Orlando area) south towards Key West using satellite imagery. The data from
the project will be included in the C-CAP national database. NBS will utilize
the information to monitor changes in emergent habitats and as a basis for
constructing species distribution maps. The products will provide valuable
tools for making resource decisions.
LOUISIANA
In Louisiana, COP supports the National Biological Service in Slidell in
studying land cover change analysis in the Mermentau River basin.
MAINE
St. Croix River Estuary/Passamaquoddy Bay Change Analysis Project:
C-CAP has participated in a cooperative project with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service and Environment Canada by conducting a change analysis for the St.
Croix River Estuary, Passamaquoddy Bay region. Landsat Thematic Mapper imagery
from 1985 and 1992 was used to examine the distribution and areal extent of
coastal habitats and adjacent uplands, and the rate of change over time. The
information is being used to identify areas threatened by changes in habitat
and the types of land use causing habitat change.
Maine Application Examples: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
is using our C-CAP change detection products in its Fishery Stewardship Program
to monitor Atlantic salmon habitat in 7 watersheds of Cobscook Bay as part
of an effort to restore the Atlantic salmon fishery. In addition, the FWS
is using the products to document surrounding land-cover type and changes
in relation to changes in the salmon habitat.
The FWS is also using the C-CAP products to highlight valuable wildlife,
as well as fishery, habitat throughout the Cobscook Bay region, and, in an
effort to protect these resources, is providing this information to other
relevant agencies. The FWS is also using C-CAP data in conjunction with other
digital map products to document resources within the FWS Moosehorn National
Wildlife Refuge.
MARYLAND
Quantifying changes in areal extent of wetlands and adjacent uplands is critical
in linking land-based human activities to productivity of the coastal ocean.
The Coastal Ocean Program, through its Coastal-Change Analysis Program (C-CAP),
is helping to develop the tools to monitor and understand changes in wetland
and adjacent uplands and to relate these impacts to living marine resources
in the coastal areas of Maryland and throughout Chesapeake Bay. C-CAP has
developed a standard, nationally accepted protocol for mapping these areas
which involves using Landsat satellite imagery for detection of emergent wetlands
and uplands, and aerial photography for detection of submerged aquatic vegetation.
The prototype Chesapeake Bay data set constitutes one of the largest change
detection efforts ever attempted. NOAA 's National Oceanographic Data Center
archives and manages C-CAP data and is developing C-CAP CD-ROM products manages
C-CAP data and is developing C-CAP CD-ROM products.
MASSACHUSETTS
The development of C-CAP tools have greatly aided the understanding of the
threats to the coastal Massachusetts area. Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV)
mapping of coastal Massachusetts is a cooperative effort involving the Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to develop an SAV mapping program
(almost exclusively eelgrass). Photography of northern Buzzard's Bay, Gloucester
Harbor, Annisquam River, southern Ipswich Bay and Nantucket Island have been
completed (1993), as have map products for Buzzards Bay and Nantucket Island
(1994). In addition, aerial photography of the southern shore of Cape Cod,
Marthas Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands are complete (1994). Surface level
sampling (ground-truthing, photo-interpretation, compilation, and digitization
of these data) were scheduled for completion in 1995.
NORTH CAROLINA
In North Carolina C-CAP is helping to develop the tools and the scientific
information to monitor and understand changes in submerged aquatic vegetation
(SAV), emergent wetlands and adjacent uplands and to relate these impacts
to living marine resources. C-CAP has mapped SAV from Bouge Inlet north to
the Virginia border, and the database has been incorporated into the State's
Center for Geographic Information and Analysis. The data has been applied
for coastal management decisions involving the harvest of clams and dredge
disposal projects. In 1994, C-CAP efforts were expanded to include the development
of a land-cover change detection data base for all of coastal North Carolina.
This effort will provide valuable data to scientists and resource managers
who are assessing environmental problems facing the State's coastal system
OREGON
C-CAP entered into a cooperative project with the Columbia River Estuary
Study Task Force (CREST), NMFS Point Adams Field Station (Hammond, OR) and
the State of Washington to perform a land cover classification and change
detection analysis for the Columbia River coastal drainage area from Willapa
Bay, Washington south to Tillamook Bay, Oregon. Wetland habitat important
to salmon was a focus of the project and has resulted in a habitat classification
for resource managers and regulatory agencies in the region, including those
presently dealing with severely stressed salmon stocks. These products have
also been useful in conducting regional watershed inventories, and for detecting
changes in landcover for local planning purposes.
TEXAS
In Texas, C-CAP continues to provide technical assistance to the Texas Parks
and Wildlife Department to build a change detection capability for that state.
Change analysis has been completed for the area from coastal Galveston Bay
to the Texas-Louisiana border and processing is underway for the coast from
Galveston Bay to the Texas-Mexico border.
WASHINGTON
C-CAP entered into a cooperative project with the Columbia River Estuary
Study Task Force (CREST), NMFS Point Adams Field Station (Hammond, OR) and
State of Washington to perform a land cover classification and change detection
analysis for the Columbia River coastal drainage area from Willapa Bay, Washington
south to Tillamook Bay, Oregon. Wetland habitat important to salmon was a
focus of the project and has resulted in a habitat classification for resource
managers and regulatory agencies in the region, including those presently
dealing with severely stressed salmon stocks. State managers are applying
the C-CAP protocol and data to a number of uses, including applications for
habitat change determination on state lands, and inventorying intertidal habitats.
In 1994, C-CAP efforts were expanded in Willapa Bay to map seagrass distribution.
Data from this project will be valuable in assessing the human impacts on
the Bay, and will be used to monitor the efficacy of resource management decisions
within the region.
Last Updated: August 22, 2001
