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Title: AIRBORNE VIDEOGRAPHY FOR THE INVENTORY AND MAPPING OF POINT SOURCE DISCHARGES INTO THE RIO GRANDE AND ARROYO COLORADO RIVERS OF SOUTH TEXAS

Author
item REPIC, RANDALL - UNIV.MICH-FLINT,FLINT,MI
item WEBSTER, CHARLES - TX/CONS.COM.,HARLINGEN,TX
item Everitt, James
item Escobar, David
item Davis, Michael

Submitted to: 19th Annual Applied Geography
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/7/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Improved techniques are needed to detect water pollution. Recently, airborne video systems have emerged as remote sensing tools because of the real-time imagery they provide and their multispectral capabilities. Research was conducted to assess the potential of multispectral video to detect point source water pollution in the Rio Grande and Arroyo Colorado rivers of south Texas. The results showed that multispectral videography can be used to delineate effluent plumes in both river systems. Video data reflected from the water column revealed variability in the brightness values, thus spatial patterns which relate to differences in water column constituents. A global positioning system (GPS) integrated with the video data permitted the placement of latitude and longitude coordinates on the imagery. The georeferenced data is valuable for mapping point source pollution. This information should be of interest to environmental managers and consultants.

Technical Abstract: This paper summarizes the findings of a project using video remote sensing for the detection of point source water pollution. This study utilized airborne digital videography integrated with a Global Positioning System (GPS) to study seven sampling locations on both the Rio Grande and Arroyo Colorado rivers in south Texas. In this project color-infrared (CIR) composites and their black-and-white (B&W) image components were collected and registered to ground coordinates via GPS. The images demonstrate that airborne video remote sensing can be used to delineate effluent plumes in both the Rio Grande and Arroyo Colorado rivers. The video data reflected from the water column revealed variability in the brightness values thus spatial patterns which relate to differences in water constituents. The methods and resultant imagery, reveal the potential utility of video technology for the detection and mapping of point source pollution. Further, the study suggests that airborne video can be used for the identification and geographic location of pollution discharges into the river providing an initial step in water resource planning and management.