Evaluating vegetative cover at historic spill locations for residual contamination stress

Satellite Image Assessment for Potential Contamination at Sites

Our client was interested to see if satellite imagery would effectively evaluate residual environmental impacts associated with historic release events in Ontario and Quebec. Stantec’s remote-sensing PipeWATCH service was an excellent match, as we could look at signs of vegetative stress by examining biophysical absorption and reflection rates of electromagnetic energy.

The client requested we include a historical satellite imagery assessment for the identification and assessment of the environmental conditions at multiple legacy spill site locations. We then employed our PipeWATCH methodology including data analysis, change detection analysis, and vegetation health signatures in a two-staged approach. First, we completed a satellite imagery assessment of a 50-km section of pipeline. Second, the team completed a pilot satellite imagery assessment of selected spill sites.

We delivered quantitative evidence of spill sites that have recovered and spill sites that have not fully recovered. Our client was pleased to receive this statistical evidence in a more safe and cost-effective way. They are now focusing their resources on recovering release locations that need assistance.