Accelerating Costilla County Colorado Soil Survey by Implementing GIS and Remote Sensing Technology.
(S05-kelly780206-poster)
Authors:
J. Cipra* - Colo. State Univ.
C. Loerch - USDA-NRCS Denver, CO A. Price - USDA-NRCS Denver, CO C. Yonker - Colo. State Univ.
R. Flynn - Colo. State Univ.
J. Norman - Colo. State Univ.
E.F. Kelly - Colo. State Univ.
Abstract:
Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) images were utilized with GPS, GIS, and geospatial statistics in a collaborative research and technology application effort between USDA-NRCS and CSU, focusing on the progressive soil survey in Costilla County. Maps of temperature, precipitation, and elevation as well as composite Landsat false-color and natural-color images were produced at 1:24,000 scale for field use. Other maps and images were produced to be used as an aid in fieldwork planning. Visualization was provided by three-dimensional renditions of DEMs draped with Landsat imagery. Terrain analysis modeling was investigated in mountainous eastern and northern parts of the county. In a separate phase of the effort, we produced a 20-class unsupervised Landsat classification map of the more nearly level western part of the survey area, below 8500 feet elevation. Spectrally uniform areas were selected from this map for field sampling sites. A GPS was programmed to navigate to 150 sites where we collected soil surface samples, digital photos, surface texture, dry soil surface color, depth to calcium carbonate, depth to bedrock, and surface vegetation information. Using a hybrid unsupervised/supervised classification procedure, sites were classified into 7 classes based on surface brightness (color value). Field checking showed that areas of lowest surface brightness were basalt outcrops and areas of the highest surface brightness had surface salt accumulations.
Speaker Information: Jan Cipra, Colo. State Univ., Dept. of Soil and Crop SciencesPlant Sciences, Ft.
Collins, CO 80523-1170; Phone: (970)491-6832; E-mail: [email protected]
Session Information: Wednesday, November 5, 2003, 4:00 PM-6:00 PM Presentation Start: 4:00 PM (Poster Board Number: 1311)
Keywords: Progressive Soil Survey; GIS and Remote Sensing; Geostatistics; Terrain Analysis