The Proposed Visiting Centre At Elkhorn Slough Environmental Sciences Essay

The Proposed Visiting Centre At Elkhorn slough environmental Sciences EssayElkhorn moult has a visitors union that pointes on the conservation of native resources and biological history of the atomic number 18a. The Strategic Plan for 2006-10 (Elkhorn Slough Foundation ESF, 2006) has an documental to increase membership and be of visitors but laments the limited capacity of the lively meat. It is therefore necessary to build a novel focalize to put up for the increased membership and visitors.Global Information Systems GIS analysis methods were active to crumble the environmental sensitivity issues of the Slough res publica and subsequently make up a proposed visitors fondness. The peeled Visitors Centre will complement the existing one, but focus on stimulating visitors interests in the terrain ( animal(prenominal) geography) of the Slough subject field. The tender visiting reduce will be located north of pudding stone Road.Keywords Boolean maps, environmenta l sensitivity, GIS, Suitability, Visitors rivetIntroductionLocated 1.29x 103 m south of Watsonville approximately 36 20 18.72N, 121 31 17.17W, Elkhorn Slough is the drainage delta for Salinas River and its tributaries in the surrounding farmlands (Cartier, 2009). Its pissshed is an impressive 1.23108 m2 and is part of a larger ne iirk of estuaries. urines from Gabilan and Moro Cojo watersheds drain into the Elkhorn Slough through the Old Salinas River Channel at Moss arrive South toy with (EFS, 2010).Totalling an area of 4x 10 m2, the estuary is a tidal, coastal flavor marsh.The estuary is home to 780 species of birds, a variety of plants, including several that are slowly becoming extinct (EFS, 2010). Elkhorn Slough consists of 1.09x107m2 of unique home ground types. (ESNERR, unpublished info) and has 2.83 x 107 m2 designated protect lands.The Elkhorn Slough has a visitors centre that concent range on the vivid history of the slough area. Activities at the centre include show-casing the unique plant and animal life, birds as well as marine life of the watershed. It has an educational theme which foc engages on the conservation of the resources and innate history of the slough area.The Strategic Plan for 2006-10 (Elkhorn Slough Foundation ESF, 2006) clip out to increase membership and returns of visitors to Elkhorn Slough area. However, the document far-famed the limited capacity of the existing centre to cater for increased numbers of visitors to the area.As a compliment to the existing centre, it is proposed that the establishment of a aid visiting site would be appropriate in trying to chance the objective of increasing membership at the foundation thus boosting the number of visitors to the area. The concept for the new centre will focus on physical surroundings of the estuary and stimulate the local community and visitors interests in the historical and modern-day geography (terrain) of the Slough area. The centre will include an enviro nment or conservation theme that will hopefully stimulate sustainable utilization of natural resources in the area, especially for the local community.GIS techniques will be employed to site the perspective of the proposed second visitors centre at Elkhorn Slough.Literature revue2.1 Location and History of Elkhorn SloughLocated at the midpoint of Monterey Bay, on the west cost of America, Elkhorn Slough is a large tidal salt marsh estuary in central California. Figure 1 below shows the fix of Elkhorn Slough.Figure 1 Location of Elkhorn Slough (ESF, 2010)The estuary is referred to as a coastal em bespeakment and consists of deepwater habitats with intertidal wetlands. It is the remnant of an ancient river flooded at the last sea direct rise (EPA, 2010) that has been filled with sediment from the surrounding area.An artificial fountain to the Monterey Bay was constructed in 1947 exposing the Elkhorn Slough estuary to increased tidal exchange (ESF, 2010). The fens were likewis e artificially drained to make way for the farmlands (ESF, 2010). This has vastly altered the natural flow of the estuary and changed the physical properties of the slough.2.2 Environmental SensitivityThe changes to the physical properties of the area switch raised several environmental issues. The most important issues in the estuary are contamination water quality degradation invasive plant species and hydrology alterations (Cartier, 2009). Brackish water habitats wipe out been lost overdue to the redirection of water from the Salinas into the farmlands. Channel bank erosion rates ranging from 310-1 to 6.110-1 m per year and interior marsh dieback rates of at to the lowest degree 1.22x 104 m2 per year move over led to marsh and habitat loss (ESF, 2010). These changes have affected the estuarys animals and plants habitat, as well as public access sites and squeeze and road infrastructure.There are 2.83107 m2 of protected lands in the Elkhorn Slough watershed. The estuary is in addition an important fish (recreational and commercial) nursery and prime stopover for migratory birds (ESF, 2010). The Moss Landing Power Plant at the mouth of the slough at bay end alike lends to the sensitivity of the area (ESF, 2010).As a tax to conserve the area, the ESF was established in 1982 by the Elkhorn Slough National estuarine Research Reserve ESNERR. In 2006, the Foundation noted that the capacity of the visitors centre to meet the needs of increased number of members was limited. As such, one of the strategic objectives for 2006-10 was to increase membership and numbers of visitors to the area.It is against this background that a new visitors centre is proposed to cater for increased membership and to stimulate interests in physical geography, support sustainable use of estuarine resources.Methodology and Data Processing tally to Sahoo et al (2000), GIS provides ample opportunity for reasoned land rating. GIS are bustling methods and tools use by finis-mak ers to address and cope with uncertainty in decision-making where there are environmental sensitivity concerns.GIS info processing and spatial analysis are use to define the location of a proposed phylogeny. This method along with modern decision analysis techniques nominate be used to meliorate habitat suitability evaluation over large areas (Store and Kangas, 2000). Analysis methods include investigations into approachability, location, environmental sensitivity of the area as well as location-specific hazards.In environmental studies, several factors are taken into account when deciding where to locate a new development. One of the most common approaches for locating new developments is Multi-Criteria Analysis MCA (Sahoo et al, 2000).Employing the MCA technique, a mask is created and used as the extent of analysis. Raster calculations whoremonger be used to create Boolean maps (graphic representation of binary equivalence whereby 0 = no data, 1 = data present) that simpli fy the data to the contract criteria. Threshold values are then employed to simplify the decision making process into whether certain feature data tin can be included or excluded from the final choice of location.Areas are included or excluded based on environmental sensitivity. For example, the United Kingdoms UK Environment Agency recommends that protected areas remain free of development (Environment Agency, 2010).According to the UKs Highways Agency no development shall take place within, on average 300 m of a busy road (rank-1). This is to create a buffer for noise pollution given that heavy goods vehicles can be very noisy at confining proximity (Environment Agency, 2010). Similarly, distance of particularisetlements from roads is important for easy accessibility reasons.A further factor to exclude from the model is areas that contain plant life be movement some areas sink due to diking and draining (ESF, 2010). Woodlands and marshlands lend diversity to the habitat and t herefore have conservational importance. They are thus inharmonious for building/development. Similarly, bob up water areas are unsuitable for development due to likelihood to cause pollution in areas such as the estuary (ESF, 2010).Based on excision of environmentally sensitive areas, raster calculations are performed utilise the Boolean logic. Therefore, the remaining area is the potential location of the proposed development.4 Data AnalysisData used was originally obtained from the Elkhorn Slough website and the projection is UTM Zone 10N, WGS84 datum. In addition to the GIS data supplied, a digital elevation model DEM data of the area was obtained from the SRTM data on Google Earth GE. The data was re-projected with Global Mapper to overlay the two data sets in ArcGIS. The DEM was used to visualise the terrain of the area and guide decision-making on the suitability of the terrain for the proposed development. Other sources of data included available maps and literature on t he area in question. The data used is illustrated in Figure 2 below.Figure 2 Original data used (ESF, 2010)ArcGIS 9.3 was used for data processing. All data was adjusted to cell size 50, with each pel on the resultant Boolean maps being 50 m long.5 FindingsAs outlined in section 4 above, environmental organisations, such as the UKs Environment Agency, Figure 3 below shows the raster of the protected area that is excluded in the final calculation.Figure 3 Protected Area development data on the road network of the Elkhorn Slough area, Figure 4 below shows the buffer created around the busy roads rank-1 which are unsuitable for locating the new visitors centre. The light-shaded areas are, theoretically, suitable for locating the centre.Figure 4 caramel Zone around Rank-1 RoadsTaking into consideration data on the vegetation in the Elkhorn Slough area which requires exclusion from the analysis due to diking and draining for cultivation, Figure 5 below shows that the new visitors centr e can be located in the light-shaded areas. The dark-shaded areas have conservational importance for the wood and marshland species.Figure 5 Vegetation areasSurface water areas are as well as excluded from possible location of the new development due to likelihood of water pollution, as shown in Figure 6 below.Figure 6 Water AreasThe wetlands area was also excluded from the possible location of the centre because these areas are cognise for their ecological diversity. Vast numbers of birds and plants as well as micro-organisms (mud species) would be in this area. Figure 7 below shows the wetlands areas of the Elkhorn Slough which was also excluded as potential areas for locating the new visitors centre.Figure 7 Wetland areasAn elevation of 40 to 195m was chosen as the optimal height above sea level for the development. The elevation is considered suitable to facilitate transport logistics of building materials. The elevation also takes into consideration the tidal nature of the ar ea to ensure that the new visitors centre is protected from any possible tidal effects.Applying the necessary measurements and raster calculations leaves the areas that are potentially suitable for siting the new centre as illustrated in Figure 8 below.Figure 8 Optimal Elevation for New Development other important consideration was the distance to roads for ease of accessibility to the new centre by visitors. This is illustrated in Figure 9 below.Figure 9 Distances to roadsFigure10 below shows the final results excluding environmental sensitive features and measurements.Figure 10 Location of Visitors CentreCorroborating the Boolean logic with Google Earth, the second visitors centre can theoretically be sited at a location north of Empire Road.LimitationsThree areas with data on the resultant Boolean map harmonise the criteria defined. Potentially, these are the locations for the new visitors centre. However on closer inspection by overlaying with data on the road network, an area between Elkhorn and Dolan rank 1 roads close to Empire Road remains after further scrutiny using GE. Using this database imagery, the proposed site is just outside a forested area. all important(p) information is absent from the analysis above. For example, information was miss on the location of current buildings on which the proposed site cannot be located. Information was also missing on the heaviness of traffic at different times to best(p) estimate the buffering distance of the rank-1 roads (assuming they are asphalt). Other information missing was on tidal range and volume of the coastal zone with the bid high flood risk.Therefore, given that the data available for this analysis was not entirely straight forward rendering the proposed location of the new visitors centre tentative. Digital Terrain Models (DTM) by using Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) technology to obtain more get along and accurate surface data. Had data been more complete and accurate, the positioning of the centre would be more conclusive without the need to use a further data source.This analysis shows that although data processing and bundle can sometimes be expensive, GIS methods can conclusively be used in defining areas for development, and are quicker than traditional methods of exploration of new areas. (Store and Kangas, 2000).Conclusion and RecommendationsAvailable data shows that the proposed location of the new visitors centre is close to Empire Road. Due to incomplete data, the proposed location of the second visitors centre is tentative. The evaluation has highlighted the need to have a more conclusive data set to avoid the need for re-projection from other sources, which may cause inaccuracies in positioning.