Note: C-CAP was operationally tranferred from
CSCOR to the NOAA
Coastal Services Center in Fiscal Year 1996
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.
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.
Background and History
C-CAP development was initiated in 1990 by the then newly formed
NOAA Coastal Ocean Program (now the NOAA Center for Sponsored Coastal
Ocean Research). Initial work centered on the development of a standard,
nationally accepted protocol and conducting two prototype studies.
The C-CAP protocol was developed from several regional workshops attended
by more than 200 research scientists and coastal managers and was designed
to provide consistent and reliable coastal change information for use
by scientists and managers throughout the United States (regardless
of discipline or institution) for input into the nationwide database.
The protocol was published as a guide for developing regional applications
in 1995 (see Dobson et al. 1995*).
In conjunction with the protocol development, two prototype studies
were initiated, one for Chesapeake Bay and the other for coastal North
Carolina. From 1990 to 1995 CSCOR/COP sponsored funding for C-CAP was
awarded to some 23 institutions or government agencies for a total
funding amount of about $3.5M. Early operational responsibility of
C-CAP was transferred to the then NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
Southeast Fisheries Science Center Laboratory in Beaufort, NC (now
the joint NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Laboratory/National
Ocean Service Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research.
In FY 1996 operational responsibility for C-CAP was transferred to
the NOAA Coastal Services Center in Charleston, SC.
* Dobsen, J. E. et al. 1995. NOAA Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP): Guidance for Regional Implementation. NOAA Technical Report
NMFS 123. U.S. Department of Commerce, Seattle, WA. 92 pp.
C-CAP Applications by State
For more information:
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), NOAA Fisheries 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), NOAA Fisheries 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: June 20, 2007
Comments to coastalocean@noaa.gov