Dam Removal Visualization

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Detailed presentation of dam removal and river restoration visualization project which helped in the decommissioning of two power dams in California.

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Visualizing Dam Removal and River Restoration in the Pacific Northwest

ASPRS/CaGIS Specialty Conference

November 16, 2010

Lex Ivey

Agenda

1. Background

2. Approach

3. Results

4. Outcomes

Background

• 250-mile river system

• Once 3rd largest salmon run on west coast

• Pacific Corp Klamath Hydro Power Project began in 1918

• Relicensing process in 2001

• American Rivers involved in 2001

• Hired TerraCognito to create 3D visualizations

Overall Approach

1. Model existing conditionsa) Terrain

b) Features

c) Textures

2. Model future conditionsa) Terrain

b) Features

c) Textures

Challenges

Large Area

Complex terrain

Forested

Data quality/availability• Ortho imagery

• Lake/river bed textures

Limited budget

Existing Conditions

• Terrain

• Reservoir surface

• Vegetation

• Structures– Dams

– Buildings

TERRAIN CREATIONnested, seamless TINs

regional context: USGS DEM

TERRAIN CREATIONnested, seamless TINs

regional context: USGS DEM

TERRAIN CREATIONnested, seamless TINs

areas of interest

TEXTURE CREATIONLandSat imagery

color, but low resolution

TEXTURE CREATIONDOQQ imagery

high resolution, but no color

TEXTURE CREATIONSolution

merged using Photoshop

FEATURE CREATIONExisting trees

USFS tree stand data

FEATURE CREATIONExisting trees

Tree images

FEATURE CREATIONExisting trees

Tree “fences”

FEATURE CREATIONExisting trees

Tree “fences”

FEATURE CREATIONStructures

Dam and powerhouse

RESULTSExisting conditions

Dam and powerhouse

RESULTSExisting conditions

Dam and powerhouse

Future Conditions

• Reservoir bottom

• River bed

• Re-vegetation

• River surface

TERRAIN CREATIONnested, seamless TINs

Existing conditions

TERRAIN CREATIONnested, seamless TINs

Reservoirs clipped out

TERRAIN CREATIONnested, seamless TINs

Reservoir bottom

Historic map

Digitized river course

TEXTURE CREATION

hillshade raster

photo-real sediment texture

random color ramp on elevation raster

TEXTURE CREATION

TEXTURE CREATIONFuture conditions

Reservoir draw-down

hillshade

photo-real restoration texture

elevation

TEXTURE CREATION

aspect

slope

TEXTURE CREATIONFuture conditions

Reservoir draw-down

TEXTURE CREATIONFuture conditions

Re-vegetation/river restoration

Results

1. Interactive fly-through

2. Animation videos

3. Still shots (before and after)

RESULTSexisting conditions

Dam and powerhouse

RESULTSfuture conditions

Restored river valley

RESULTSexisting conditions

Dam and powerhouse

RESULTSfuture conditions

Reservoir drawdown

RESULTSfuture conditions

Restored river valley

Outcomes

The visualizations were usedextensively by American Rivers throughout the settlement negotiation processand in meetings with legislators, and “inspiring” topotential funders who may be called upon to helpwith the costs of restoration.

“The visualizationsallayed many fears,filled in gaps and also served toinspire many people about howsoon a free-flowing KlamathRiver could become a functional,aesthetic resource thatcould benefit the environmentand community.”—Steve Rothert,American Rivers CaliforniaField Office Director

Outcomes

November 2008• PacifiCorp, the federal

government, and the states of California and Oregon signed an Agreement in Principle stating the preliminary view that “…..the benefits of dam removal outweigh the potential costs and impacts.”

MORE INFO

CommunityViz

http://www.communityviz.com

American Rivers

http://www.americanrivers.org

Klamath information

http://www.americanrivers.org/our-work/restoringrivers/dams/projects/restoring-klamath-river.html

Klamath visualizations

http://www.americanrivers.org/our-work/restoringrivers/dams/projects/

envisioning-a-restored-klamath.html

TerraCognito GIS Services, Inc:

http://www.terracog.com

Visualizing Dam Removal and River Restoration in the Pacific Northwest

ASPRS/CaGIS Specialty Conference

November 16, 2010

Lex Ivey

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