1 NSSI Information Needs Assessment Robert Edson Altarum 26 January 2004

1

NSSI Information Needs Assessment

Robert Edson

Altarum

26 January 2004

North Slope Presentation

Presentation Outline• Background• Data Requirements• Remote Sensing• Animals/Plants• Traditional Knowledge• National Academy Cumulative Impacts Study• Assessment Support Tools

Map courtesy of North Slope Borough


NSSI Information Needs Project• Goal

– To do a high level assessment of scientific information needs for the North Slope of Alaska.

– To establish infrastructure and communication pathways to support the continued exchange of information.

• Definition:– Need - assessed based on both

information availability as well as accessibility.

• Process– Interviews

– Literature surveys

– Limited site visits

Ice wedge polygons, image courtesy of USWFS


Agencies/Organizations Active in the Region(representative list)

• Federal– Environmental Protection Agency– Department of Agriculture– Department of Energy– Department of the Interior– Bureau of Land Management– Fish and Wildlife Service– Minerals Management Service– National Science Foundation– Department of Defense– National Park Service– US Geological Survey– Army Corp of Engineers– National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency– National Aeronautics and Space Agency– National Marine Fisheries Service– National Geospatial Intelligence Agency– US Arctic Research Commission

• State– Department of Environmental Conservation– Department of Fish and Game– Department of Transportation– Department of Natural Resources

• Non-Governmental– Barrow Arctic Science Consortium– National Audubon Society– The Wilderness Society– The Nature Conservancy– Sierra Club– Ducks Unlimited– Resource Development Council– Alaska Center for the Environment – ARCUS

• Industry/Consultants– ConocoPhillips– BP Alaska– Tesoro Alaska Company– Unocal– ExxonMobil– Chevron/Texaco– Anadarko Petroleum Corporation– Alyeska Pipeline Services Company– Petro Star, Inc.– Alaska Oil and Gas Association– Total E&P USA– Pioneer Natural Resources– Braund and Associates– ABR, Inc.– AeroMap, Inc.– Alaska Research Associates, Inc.– Enxtrix– ENSR International– Encana

• Local – North Slope Borough– Arctic Slope Regional Corporation– Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope– Alaska Federation of Natives

• Academic– University of Alaska– University of Tennessee– University of Washington– Barrow Arctic Science Consortium– The Ecosystem Center, Marine Biological Laboratory– Many other Universities and Institutes


Baseline Data with Desired Temporal and Spatial Scales (Draft)

Data Category

Data Type

Current Update

Frequency (Temporal

Scale)

Current Spatial scale

Desired Temporal

Scale

Desired Spatial Scale

Existing Data Status

PoliticalCensus

BoundariesDecadal

down to township level

Currentdown to

township levelAvailable

DemographicCensus

DemographicsDecadal

down to Census block

Currentdown to Census

blockAvailable

Native

AllotmentsAnnual

Updatesdown to about

300mHistoric Annual

down to about 300m

Available

Subsistence

Camps/Cabins

Historic Routes

Hunting Areas

Annual Variable

Ecological Wildlife events

some annual, some

observations over several

years

Highly variable Seasonaldown to specific

sitesVariable

Fauna Specific site observations

Variable by species

1km grid over region w/ 20m

sampling at local sites

Variable

Infrastructure Roads Decadal 1:100,000 1 year 10m pixel Incomplete

Pipelines1:100,000

1 year 10m pixel Incomplete

Oil Wells1:100,000

1 year 10m pixel Incomplete

LandmarksAirports, Runways

Annual Specific Sites 1 year specific sites Incomplete


Data Category Data Type

Current Update

Frequency (Temporal

Scale)

Current Spatial Scale

Desire Temporal Scale



ClimaticWeather Stations

Recorded in 60min

intervals, transmitted every ~ 3

hours

Specific SitesReal Time,

Seasonal, Annual

Synoptic North Slope Picture

with fine resolution as specific sites

Limited Stations (20)

Stream Gages

Recorded in 15-60min intervals,

transmitted every ~ 1 to 4

hours

Specific sitesReal Time,

Seasonal, Annual

Comprehensive North Slope

Picture with fine resolution as specific sites

Limited Stations (4)

PrecipitationInfrequent Updates

1:2M Historic/Annual 10km

General Met 4 hours 1 km

Air Quality 5 years Avail for Barrow

Snow Cover bi-weekly in winter 1kmMODIS product available

starting 2000.

Topographic DEMs as needed 60m CurrentSubmeter

Height/20m pixels

30-60m horz. Available

Bathymetry as needed 2.5km Current 2.5km pixels




Data Category

Data Type

Current Update

Frequency (Temporal

Scale)

Current Spatial Scale

Desire Temporal

Scale



Geologic Oil Fields 1:250,000 Current 1:250,000

Soils 1:250,000 1 time 1km STATSGO - Not

validated

Permafrost 1:2,500,000 5 years 1km 1970

Thaw

depth/active layer

Limited Specific

Sites5 years 1km 27 - CALM

Hydrologic

Rivers and Lakes –

Extent/Depth (volume)

Decadal 1:100,000 YearlySurface

10m/Depth 1m

Coarse Scale, circa 1980 USGS 1:250,00

Maps. Not fully validated.

Watershed Boundaries

1:250,000 5 years 1km Available at 1:2M

Water Quality 5 years Unknown

Land Use / Land Cover

General 5 years 30m pixels50m available for region from 1978,

30m for limited area

Vegetation 1:4M Sloop

wide5 years 20m pixels

CAVM 1:4M; 30m in NPRA, 1002, ANWR


GIS/Data Holdings (Representative Listing)

• Alaska Geospatial Data Clearinghouse• Barrow Area Info Database-IMS• Alaska DNR – Division of Oil and Gas• Alaska Geobotany Center• Toolik Field Stations GIS• Bureau of Land Management – Northern Field

Office and State Office• USGS Arctic Science Center• USGS - Alaska Digital Geologic Map Database• The Nature Conservancy - Ecoregion Study• Fish and Wildlife Service• US Geological Survey• Geographic Information Network of Alaska (GINA)• North Slope Borough – Planning and General

Slope information• UAA/CRREL – Sea Ice Atlas• ConocoPhillips • BP • LGL – Oil industry and Human activity in Beaufort

Sea • Numerous Research Specific Activities

Toolik Lake, image courtesy of Arctic LTER

Milepost 0 of Trans-Alaska Pipeline and gravel pad, Prudhoe Bay, image courtesy of NAS


Representative Data SourcesSource URL Data Acquired

ADNR – Division of Oil and Gas http://www.dog.dnr.state.ak.us/oil/comprehensive access database of current

leasesX

AeroMap U.S. http://www.aeromap.com/ Detailed imagery

Exploratory oil well infrastructure

Puddle-jumper airfields

Alaska Aviation Weather Unit http://aawu.arh.noaa.gov/Real-time weather conditions at select points

(airports)http://aawu.arh.noaa.gov/pf/pf.php?areat

afs=PABR"Area Fax Sheet" possible link for automated

download of data

Alaska DOT http://www.dot.state.ak.us/ possible source of DOQQsdetailed pipeline corridor study?

Alaska Fish and Wildlife Servicehttp://alaska.fws.gov/Administration/IR

M/GIS/index.htmIMS under construction

Alaska Geobotany Center http://www.geobotany.uaf.edu/ Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map X

Other geologic data (not available for download yet)

Alaska Geo-spatial Data Clearinghouse http://agdc.usgs.gov/data/index.html Various links to other agencies X

Alaska Interim Land Cover Mapping Program (USGS)

http://agdc.usgs.gov/data/usgs/erosafo/ak_int_lcc/int.html

no coverage of North Slope

Alaska Satellite Facility http://www.asf.alaska.edu/ SAR DataAlaska Science Center – Mineral

Resources Team (USGS)http://alaskaminerals.wr.usgs.gov/

Alaska State Geo-spatial Data Clearinghouse

http://www.asgdc.state.ak.us/ X

Alaska’s Cooperatively Implemented Information Management System

http://info.dec.state.ak.us/ciimms/ IMS of real-time stream gages


Representative Data Sources (cont.)Source URL Data Acquired

ANWR Data Sitehttp://agdc.usgs.gov/data/projects/anwr/

webhtml/Landsat MSS and TM mosaiced imagery X

ANWR vegetation rasters X

Arctic Transitions in the Land Atmosphere System (ATLAS)

http://www.joss.ucar.edu/atlas/ detailed weather data from selected sites X

http://www.joss.ucar.edu/atlas/master_data_table.html

data from the North Slope X

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program

http://www.arm.gov/docs/sites/nsa/nsaaao.html

Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring Website (Univ. of Cincinnati)

http://www.geography.uc.edu/~kenhinke/CALM/

annual thaw depth measurements for select sites

X

Creative Force Inc.http://www.creativeforceinc.com/Street_Map_templates/street_maps.asp?ID=85 political and infrastructure maps for sale

Fish Distribution Databasehttp://www.habitat.adfg.state.ak.us/geni

nfo/anadcat/awc_gisdata.shtmlanadromous waters (1998 and 2002)

downloadableX

Frozen Ground Data Center (NSIDC) http://nsidc.org/fgdc/index.htmlCircumpolar Active Permafrost Layer Data on

CDX

Inforain http://www.inforain.org/dataresources/ miscellaneous political and infrastructure files X

Intermap Technologies http://www.intermaptechnologies.com/ detailed terrain maps for purchaseInternational Arctic Research Center http://www.iarc.uaf.edu/

International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange

http://ioc.unesco.org/oceanteacher/resourcekit/M3/Formats/Geography/Oceans

Seas.htmshapefile of oceans and seas X

Minerals Management Service http://www.mms.gov/

National Science Foundationhttp://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/arctic/start.ht

m


Representative Data Sources (cont.)Source URL Data Acquired

National Snow and Ice Data Center/Arctic System Science Data Coordination Center

http://nsidc.org/data/arcss017.html

large scale data available for select sites (Toolik Lake, Imnavait Creek, Kuparuk

River)National Weather Service http://www.arh.noaa.gov/obs.php real-time met stations X

North Slope Borough GIS http://www.co.north-slope.ak.us/gis/ no downloadable data

Northwest NPRA EIS Mapshttp://borealis.ak.blm.gov/npra/pdf/pdfm

aps.htmlpdfs of BLM produced maps X

Quaternary GIS Laboratory http://instaar.colorado.edu/QGISL/ Paleoglaciology dataAlaska North Slope Climate Impact

Assesment data and imagerySpatial Data Management System http://sdms.ak.blm.gov/sdms/index.jsp native allotments X

township grids X

The National Atlas http://nationalatlas.gov/atlasftp.html various nationwide data layers X

The Nature Conservancyhttp://nature.org/wherewework/northame

rica/states/alaska/Wildlife data?

http://gis.tnc.org/ pdfs of maps (data looks the same as BLM) X

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicehttp://www.fws.gov/data/statdata/akdata

.htmllinks to GIS data at other agencies X

USACE FUDS (Formerly Used Defense Site)

http://137.161.179.3/fuds/meta/akstatewide.html

various layers (political, roads) X

USGS Real-time Stream Flow Sitehttp://waterdata.usgs.gov/ak/nwis/curre

nt/?type=flowX

WERC – North Slope Hydrology Research Projects

http://www.uaf.edu/water/projects/NorthSlope/currentconditions.html

real-time conditions from selected sites X


• Infrastructure– Metadata on the available infrastructure maps is incomplete, and it is likely that the digital maps of pipelines

and transmission lines are at a relatively coarse scale. We have good maps of roads, as of 2002, from the TIGER files. It is unknown if the roads layer has been adequately validated.

• Topography – Current DEMs are available from the USGS National Elevation Dataset (NED)

(http://gisdata.usgs.gov/NED/default.asp) based on USGS DLGS. The data is a low resolution source grided to a 2-arc-second resolution, which equals about 30 meters in northern Alaska. The precision of the source data determined the NED data precision. In northern Alaska, the data is not well resolved. Some areas of the North Slope have had some additional data collections. Also, some NSF projects have acquired airborne IFSARE data for specific areas.

• Hydrology– The current maps are from standard USGS mapping procedures. Much of the NS has been mapped at the

coarser 1:250,000 scale. Some areas are mapped at the 1:63,360 scale (inch to a mile). Map updates may not be recent. No validation.

• Land Cover– A comprehensive, slope-wide mapping of land cover has been done previously in the late 1970’s using Landsat

MSS. Updated in 1990’s but not readily accessible.• Lake depth/freezing

– Lake depth and freezing has not been done for the North Slope, aside from a few studies of individual lakes for algorithm development.

• Snow cover– Snow cover maps may be available from 2000 to the present from NASA (MODIS Land program). The status

and validity of the product is unknown. Historic snow cover (pre-2000) may be derived from passive microwave imagery (SSMI), but the accuracy would be less than MODIS-derived maps.

• Freeze/thaw– Freeze/thaw maps derived from SAR may be available from NASA JPL. The status and validity of the product

is unknown.• Vegetation/greenness (NDVI)

– 15-day composite NDVI products would be the desired product for April to September. Many years of composite data are avail, and a product is currently being made using MODIS. Approx 20 years of 8-km data are not difficult to obtain. 1 km resolution could be compiled, but with some missing years.

Major Slope Data Layers- Current Status


North Slope Remote Sensing• Landsat –16-17 scenes required for full coverage of North Slope (see figure).

Landsat MSS from mid 1970’s to 1980 – limited available – mosaic is better Landsat TM from early 1980’s to 1990’s – limited coverage Landsat 7 (ETM+) 1999 to 2003 – very good coverage, but sensor problems beginning in 2003 continue at present. Landsat MSS Mosaic Circa 1978 – Covers entire North Slope, three spectral bands (green, red, near-ir); 50 m pixel spacing. 2 scenes from

1987. Landsat TM – 4-scene mosaic of Prudhoe Bay and east. 30 m resolution Landsat ETM+ images of portion of NPRA-northwest – 2 adjacent scenes from 2002

• AVHRR – one or two scenes required for full coverage. Composite data more useful than raw images. AVHRR composite images – bi-monthly composites of Alaska for summers 1990 to 1992. 1 km resolution. May be available for 1993/4. AVHRR imagery – available at least 2X per day from 1981 to present – difficult to use “raw” data (see composite images above)

• Synthetic Aperture Radar – many data collections from each sensor ERS-1/2 SAR – 300+ scenes needed for full NS coverage 1991 to present. JERS SAR – 300+ scenes needed for full NS coverage 1994 To 1998 Radarsat standard beam – 300+ scenes needed for full coverage Radarsat ScanSAR – 4 to 6 scenes needed to cover NS 1995 to present

• TERRA/AQUA sensors: MODIS – multi-spectral system – data collected on 2 satellites – at least one morning and one afternoon collection each day. 250m to 1km

resolution. Many data products being created (see below). MISR & ASTER – multi-spectral sensors with small coverage per scene (smaller than Landsat). Targeted collections can be requested as a

NASA investigator.• Specific Products

Vegetation index (NDVI/EVI) – MODIS-derived 16-day composite; 250 or 500 m resolution; global product for 2000 to present. Vegetation index (NDVI) – AVHRR-derived; 15-day composite; 8-km resolution; global product for 1982 to 2000 available. Snow cover – MODIS-derived; 8-day composite; 500 m resolution; global product, composite used to eliminate clouds. Algorithm is well

tested and robust. Combination of MODIS snow cover product with passive microwave (AMSR on AQUA) can yield snow-water equivalent. Active layer/thaw depth – Data from the CALM project – may not be RS-derived


North Slope GIS/Data Efforts• Good Attributes

– Site specific data available– Highly detailed data available– Many data layers are constantly updated– Abundance of GIS related activities in the North Slope

• Problems– Incomplete coverage across slope– Slope-wide data is often at a small scale

• Major Deficiencies– Metadata missing, incomplete, or in a format not easily imported

in ArcCatalog– Many layers are over 10 years old with no plan to update

• The NSSI needs a comprehensive GIS for planning and research which is accessible and user friendly.– Targeted at archive and analysis.






Animal/Plant Studies

• Significant work has been done.– Studies predominately development region specific or very

local in nature.– Concentrated on individual species - snap shot in space

and time.

• Ecosystem/system perspective not obtained.• Few landscape scale studies.


Traditional Knowledge• Traditional knowledge (from Patricia Cochran, AKNSC)

– Practical common sense passed on from generation to generation. – Knowledge of the environment and the relationships between things. – Holistic. It is a way of life.

• Several excellent projects to make traditional knowledge more available and to incorporate into decision making. Examples include:

– Alaska Native Knowledge Network– MMS Hearing Testimony Transcripts– Projects by Native Science Commission and Institute for Social and Economic

Research– Northern Contaminants Program

• Difficulties still exist in the application of Traditional Knowledge:– Eliciting and gathering the information– Long term commitment to the collection and collation of the information– Development of applications and methods for efficient information storage and

access – Development of tools for the western scientist and manager to use and understand

the information


• Committee formed by the National Academies

• Reviewed information about oil and gas activities on the North Slope, and assessed the known and possible cumulative impacts of those activities.

• Looked at impacts on the physical, biotic, human and marine environments. Evaluated a variety of possible scenarios for the future.

National Academy of ScienceCumulative Environmental Effects of Oil and Gas Activities

Aerial view of Prudhoe Bay, image courtesy of Alaska DNR

Prudhoe Bay drill rig, image courtesy of Alaska DNR


NAS Study Key Findings• Climate Change

– Interaction of climate change and oil development.– Source of change in the region is not well understood.

• Need for Comprehensive Planning– Currently decisions on industrial activities without a comprehensive plan to guide

the process.• Ecosystem Research

– Lack of ecosystem-level research in the North Slope. • Offshore Oil Spills

– Additional research needed especially in broken ice.• Zones of Influence

– Research is required to understand the true zone of influence from industrial activities.

• Human Communities– Research is needed that looks at the benefits and threats from industrial activities

to the way of life of North Slope communities.• Human-Health Effects

– Lack of data on the exact impact of industrial activities on human health in the North Slope.


NAS Study Key Findings (cont.)• Air Contamination and its Effects

– Limited historical data for air quality trend analysis. • Off-Road Traffic and the Tundra

– Effects of off-road traffic are not completely understood. • Caribou and Bowhead Whales

– Need to understand impact of development on caribou on the North Slope, especially in regards to their habitats and reproductive activities.

– Effects of noise from offshore activities on the behavior of bowhead whales.• Consequences of Water Withdrawals

– Effects of an increase in the use of water from deeper lakes.– Effects of the removal of water from lakes that may not contain fish, but are used

by other biota.• Dealing with Uncertainty

– Impossible to collect enough data – Difficult to study certain animal species. – Uncertainties in research need to be provided to decision makers to improve the

decision making process.


SEARCH Implementation

• Arctic System Reanalysis• Detecting and Quantifying Unaami• Social and Economic Interactions• Large Scale Atmospheric Observatories• Distributed Marine Obersvatories• Distributed Terrestrial Observatories• Linkages and Global Couplings• Social Response


Assessment and Planning Tools

• NSSI Composite Planning GIS• NSSI Portal

– Online Citation Database– Online Project Database

Trans-Alaska Pipeline, image courtesy of BLM

Trucks spraying water in the construction of an ice road, image courtesy of Alaska Oil and Gas Reporter


NSSI Composite Planning GIS

GIS Data

Political/Admin.

Demographic

Infrastructure

Cadastral

Landmarks

Env./Pub. Health

Imagery

Climatic

Topographic

Geologic

Hydrologic

Landuse/Landcover

Ecologic

• Landsat MSS (50m and 100m)• Landsat TM (50m)

• USGS DEMs• Elevation Contours

• Exploratory Oil Wells• Oil and Gas fields

• Surficial Geology• Coal Fields

• Real-Time Stream Gages• Detailed lakes

• STATSGO Soils• Ecoregions

• Wildlife Data

• Annual Average Precipitation (1961 – 1990)• Real-Time Weather Stations

• State Lines• County Lines

• Census Tracts, Block Groups, Blocks• 2000 Census Data

• MIRIS (transportation & utilities)• TIGER Line Files

• Available for a fee

• TIGER Line Files (schools, hospitals, religious centers, etc.)

• National Cancer Atlas

• Municipality Boundaries• City Boundaries

• Coastline Bathymetry

• Airports/Airstrips• Pipelines

• Native Allotments

• Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map• NPRA land cover raster

• TIGER Hydrology • USGS Hydrology

• SeaWiFS phytolankton chlorophyl concentrations

• Pump stations


NSSI Portal (www.northslope.org)A unified front end/entry point for all aspects of the initiative…

• Website with collected links and information on the North Slope.

• “One-Stop Shop” for the casual or serious user.

• Brings together large numbers of disparate data.

• Invaluable for communication, education, and outreach.

• Provides enhanced research and collaboration environment.

•Online Project Database– Emphasis on Industry and Agency

Projects

•Online Citation Database– Emphasis on gray and non-traditional

literature


Summary

• The extent and cause of change in the North Slope region is not well understood.

• Baseline data for the region, from species population and dynamics to ecosystem assessments, is incomplete from a spatial and temporal standpoint.

• Data management is not sufficiently organized or coordinated to maximize and leverage data use.

• Coordination and exchange between researchers is difficult or lacking because there is no user friendly process in place.

• Sufficient support infrastructure is not available to fully address these issues.

Documents

1 NSSI Information Needs Assessment Robert Edson Altarum 26 January 2004