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\ C-1197 THE NEW JERSEY SUBMERGED AQUATIC VEGETATION DISTRIBUTION ATLAS FINAL REPORT DISTRIBUTION LEVEL MAPS WITH PERCENT COVER AND SPECIES ASSOCIATION INFORMATION OF SUBMERSED AQUATIC VEGETATION IN NEW JERSEY'S COASTAL ZONE OPERATIONAL MAPPING PROGRAM ROBERT T. MACOMBER Director, Water Resources Division and DICK ALLEN, Consultant/Biologist EARTH SATELLITE CORPORATION 7222 47th Street (Chevy Chase) Washington, D.C. 20015 Prepared for New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Coastal Resources, Bureau of Coastal Planning and De- velopment, with the financial assistance of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Coastal Zone Management, under the provisions of the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act, P.L. 92-583, as amended. 175 COASTAL ZONE 175 INFORMATION CEINTER 1979 5.. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NOAA UASTAL SERVICES CENTER 34 SOUTH HOBSON AVENUE nARLESTON, SC 29405-2413 THE NEW JERSEY SUBMERSED AQUATIC VEGETATION DISTRIBUTION ATLAS FINAL REPORT DISTRIBUTION LEVEL MAPS WITH PERCENT COVER AND SPECIES ASSOCIATION INFORMATION OF SUBMERSED AQUATIC VEGETATION IN NEW JERSEY'S COASTAL ZONE OPERATIONAL MAPPING PROGRAM ROBERT T. MACOMBER DIRECTOR, WATER RESOURCES DIVISION AND DICK ALLEN CONSULTANT/BIOLOGIST EARTH SATELLITE CORPORATION 7222 47th St. (Chevy Chase) Washington, D.C. 20015 December 15, 1979 Prepared for New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Coastal Resources, Bureau of Coastal Planning and Development, with the financial assistance of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Coastal Zone Management, under the provisions of the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act, P.L. 92-583, as amended. PropertY of CSC Library TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Synopsis of Approach to SAV Distribution Inventory 2 2.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS 5 2.1 Aerial Photography 5 2.2 Field Data Collection 9 2.3 Map Production 13 3.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 17 3.1 Aerial Photography 17 3.2 Field Data Collection 17 3.3 Map Production 18 4.0 CONCLUSIONS 20 5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 22 6.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY 25 AC KNOW L EDGEM ENT The author wishes to thank Mr. Richard A. Kantor of the New Jersey Bureau of Coastal Planning and Development for his able and enthusiastic support of this project from its conception through its completion, and Mr. David N. Kinsey, Acting Director, New Jersey Division of Coastal Resources, and Mr. Walter Dryla for their administrative support. The author also wishes to acknowledge the cooperation and assis- tance given to this project by the New Jersey Division of Aeronautics through the efforts of Mr. Maupin and Mr. Alvator, in granting a waiver to conduct frequent seaplane landings for the purpose of sampling the submersed vegetation. The dedicated efforts of Mr. Dick Allen, as Principal Biologist/ Consultant, to organize seaplane reconnaissance missions and maximize * ~~~photointerpretation accuracy are reflected in the fine quality of the final SAV distribution maps. 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Since the early 1960's, increased awareness of the dependence of the aquatic ecosystem on wetland vegetation has required better management and regulation of our coastal areas. As a result, New Jersey was one of the first states to enact a Wetlands Act in 1970 and a Coastal Area Facility Review Act in 1973, optimizing coastal planning and promulgating wetland species maps as a regulatory device.-/ New Jersey and other states have utilized remote sensing during the wetland resource identification and mapping evaluation process. With emergent wetland resource management plans now in effect, mapping interest has recently focused on the equally valuable estuarine submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) beds dominant in our nation's littoral zone. As primary producers, submersed aquatic vegetation represents the first trophic level in the aquatic eco- system. Host of the above-ground biomass decomposes annually to detrital food particles available to higher level herbivores. The dependence of the shellfishing and fisheries industries on the nursery and shelter functions provided by the seagrass beds is widely recognized. The value of SAV in migratory waterfowl winter forage has also been recognized through research conducted during the 1960's. 1/ The New Jersey wetland mapping program was conducted by Earth Satellite Corporation under contract to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in 1973-1974. The need for monitoring the distribution of SAV in New Jersey back bays was expressed by the New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife in 1974 (Mairs et al., 1974). Pursuant to the New Jersey Coastal Management Program - Bay and Ocean Shore Segment - the Office of Coastal Zone Management recognized the need for SAV distribution maps in 1977, and funded research (Good et al., 1978) that determined that SAV distribution mapping through aerial photography and surface ground truthing is feasible and cost effective. Critically-timed aerial photography and seaplane reconnaissance were proven to be the most accurate and cost effective means of SAV resource distribution mapping in the Chesapeake Bay (Macomber, 1978). 1.2 Synopsis of Approach to SAV Distribution Inventory The first complete inventory of submersed aquatic vegetation in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay was successfully conducted by Earth Satellite Corporation (EarthSat) during the 1978 growing season. The innovative approach to ground truth and aerial photo procurement resulted in significant photointerpreter benefit, cost savings and increased accuracy. A float-equipped reconnaissance aircraft and a photo aircraft were both operated by the field biologist/photointerpreter team, thus eliminating all standby costs and facilitating proper timing of photo coverage to the phenologic growth stage of the vegetation. This proven approach (with certain tailored modifications necessitated by New Jersey's deeper water and larger SAV bed size) was used to map 27 USGS quad sheets in New Jersey's coastal area during the 1979 growing season. EarthSat's experienced biologist/photointerpreter team conducted all phases of -2- the mapping program using available aircraft, equipment and procedures selected and proven efficient for SAV distribution mapping. The EarthSat biologists conducted preliminary seaplane reconnaissance overflights and surface sampling of all New Jersey SAV areas in May-June 1979 to determine the general distribution, phenologic development stage and species associations present in New Jersey estuarine waters. Information from these overflights was used to time aerial photo acquisition precisely. Aerial photo missions flown by the project manager (at 12,000 feet ASL using a photo aircraft and a Wild precision metric mapping camera) were timed to the maximum distribution stage of plant development. The New Jersey species association exhibited a bi-modal maximum distri- bution similar to the southerly, more saline regions of the Chesapeake Bay. Photo coverage of the maximum distribution of Zostera marina (eelgrass) and Zanachellia palustris (horned pondweed) was obtained during the May-June time frame. Ruppia maritima (widgeon grass) and Potamogeton pectinatus (sago pondweed) reached maximum distri- bution during August-September, and required a second set of aerial photos. Seaplane reconnaissance (the most accurate and efficient means of determining when maximum distribution of a particular plant species is occurring locally) was used to determine the exact timing of the aerial photo missions. Surface sampling ground truth was acquired at pre-selected locations (as mutually agreed upon by NJDEP and EarthSat) and at locations of interest encountered during the seaplane overflights. All ground truth information was annotated on the quad sheet or the aerial photograph. Species associations -3- from surface samples and relative percent cover visual estimates from above, were recorded by the field biologist/photointerpreter team on the field print. Photointerpretation and map production was accomplished by the field team during October 1979 as soon as photo coverage and ground truth information was complete. Delineations of SAV bed boundaries were made on Log-E-tronics field prints in the field and later in the office during the photointerpretation process. These delineations were subsequently transferred in ink to the Cronaflex photo quad basemaps. Surface ground truth, including species associations and percent cover, were annotated on the maps at all seaplane landing sites. EarthSat utilized the capabilities of two well qualified, multi-talented professionals whose qualifications include Coastal Ecology/Remote Sensing and Biology, SAV field botanical expertise, Commercial and Seaplane Pilot's License, photointerpretation, aerial photography, and cartography. This team conducted all phases of inventory. EarthSat, through its principal subcontractor, AeroEco, utilized a Piper SuperCub STOL (short take-off and landing) seaplane on EDO oversized Floats (maximum draught, six inches) for surface sampling, and a Cessna 180H STOL photo aircraft fitted with a Wild 9" x 9" precision metric mapping camera certified by USGS (calibration report in Appendix A). -4- 2.0 MATERIALS AMD METHODS 2.1 Aerial Photography to Assess Distribution and Abundance of Submersed Aquatic Vegetation Aerial photography has been used by several investigators to estimate distribution of submersed aquatic vegetation along shore- lines. Lukens (1968) and Anderson (1971) were the first to use aerial photography for this purpose in the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. Orth and Gordan (1975) used this technique to study eelgrass beds in the lower Chesapeake Bay. Markham (1977) mapped submersed vegetation from aerial photos in Canadarago Lake, New York. EarthSat conducted research to determine the optimal film/ filter combination for mapping eastern U.S. estuarine SAV during mid-August of 1977. EarthSat flew various scales of multispectral photography using the 12S four lens camera in the Eastern Bay and Eastern Neck regions of the Chesapeake Bay. The results of careful analysis and controlled compositing of various band combinations indicated a superior capability of the green/red band combination to discriminate SAV from the background. The best single band was the red band. The infrared band, as per remote sensing physics theory, offered no water penetration and thus no SAV information. The blue band was severely degraded by atmospheric haze (parti- cularly at altitudes of 8,000 feet and higher), and by water tur- bidity. Combinations including the blue band added nothing at the lower altitudes, and most certainly degraded the imagery at the higher altitudes, i.e., 12,000 feet. It is for this reason that EarthSat and others recommend the use of black-and-white negative aerial film in the medium to high -5- speed range with a minus blue filter. Aerial photography for this project was conducted using Kodak Double-X Aerographic 2405 standard film for mapping and charting in concert with a deep yellow, i.e., minus-blue filter. This film has a flat spectral sensitivity curve through the visible spectrum, and a peak sensitivity in the red where maximum haze penetration is possible and SAV information is found. The resolving power of 2405 is 100 lines/mm for a high contrast object and 50 lines/mm for a low contrast object such as SAV. Low sun angle photography demands a medium to high speed film in order to obtain a proper exposure. Double-X 2405 has an effec- tive aerial film speed of 320 ASA, allowing proper exposure at f-5.6 and 1/300th of a second at solar altitudes down to 30 at 12,000 feet over the New Jersey coast. Aerial photographic data was interpreted for the purpose of delineating the distribution and aerial extent of the total SAV population in New Jersey waters. The final products are photo quad sheet mylars with delineations of total SAV distribution as inter- pretable from 1:24,000 black-and-white special purpose aerial photography. The aircraft used to acquire aerial photography under sub- contract to EarthSat is owned and operated by AeroEco of Reston, Virginia. It is a Cessna 180H STOL. AeroEco employed a Wild Precision Metric Mapping Camera with a 99" x 9" format and a 6" focal length lens. Full tip, tilt and crab corrections are a standard feature of this camera, as are automatic 60% stereo forward lap and integral view finder flightline tracking. -6- The AeroEco camera holds a recent (November 1978) certification and Calibration Report issued by the United States Geological Survey in Reston, Virginia (see Appendix A). The nominal scale of the aerial photography was chosen to match the photo quad sheet mapping base, i.e., 1:24,000. This required a flying height of 12,000 feet ASL and provided a ground coverage of 18,000 feet on a side per photograph. With standard stereo forward lap and sidelap and a north/south flightline orien- tation, approximately 16 photographs were required to cover a full quad sheet. The optimal time for early season photographic acquisition of SAV in the New Jersey coastal zone was determined to be between May 15 and June 31. The water turbidity at this time of year is low because boating traffic is not yet at a peak, and the growth stage of Potomogeton pectinatus and Zostera marina was found to be at a maximum. All photography was acquired at tidal stage/water turbidity levels that allowed experienced interpreters maximum opportunity to accurately and consistently delineate total SAV distribution. (See Photographic Specifications, Table 1.) Early Season Photography Zostera marina was the target species during the June photo overflights of the middle New Jersey coast. Potamogeton pectinatus was in full distribution in Upper Barnegat Bay by mid-June. A gradual transition, starting below the Route 37 bridge north of -7- TABLE I AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY SPECIFICATIONS FOR AN INVENTORY OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF SUBMERSED AQUATIC VEGETATION AND ALGAL BEDS IN NEW JERSEY COASTAL WATERS 1.0 SCALE A scale/film type combination sufficient to resolve submersed vegetation to five metres in areal extent. 2.0 FILM TYPE 2405 or 2402 3.0 FORMAT p ~~~~~~9'in x 9'1 4.0 CAMERA Precision metric mapping camera - (Wild or Zeiss) * ~~~5.0 SOLAR ALTITUDE Low - i.e., 200 to 400; to minimize sun glare on the water. 6.0 TIDAL STAGE * ~~~~~Low tide plus or minus two hours as predicted by NOS tide tables and local knowledge for the area being photographed. 7.0 TURBIDITY Minimal, to insure interpretation of SAV beds. 8.0 WIND Low velocity or off-shore breeze to minimize wave action, shoreline erosion, and associated water turbidity. * ~~~9.0 WEATHER CAVU (Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited) 10.0 TIMING/SEASON * ~~~~Two sets of photography required to insure coverage of maximum distribution of all grass species. Surface sampling of the vegetation completed prior to aerial photography to insure timing coincident with maximum distribution. Toms River, to Ruppia maritima was discovered during the seaplane reconnaissance flights in mid-June. Flightlines were laid out on 1:250,000 scale topographic map mosaics of the New Jersey coast. Figure 1 is a reduction of the original flightline map with an overlay showing the early season aerial photo flightlines. The early season photo coverage was obtained during excellent weather conditions on June 25, 1979 (see Table 2) from an altitude of 12,000 feet during the low tidal/low sun altitude window. See the aerial photographer's log, Figure 2a and 2b, for exact flightline times. Table 3a lists the low tidal windows occurring during low sun altitude periods of the day for June. A cross reference between the photographer's log (Figure 2a and 2b) and the low sun altitude/low tidal window schedule (Table 3a) shows that the photography was timed to the appropriate tidal stages and sun altitudes. The film was developed by Precision Photo Laboratories in Dayton, Ohio, on an Eastman Kodak Versamat continuous film processor. A test strip at the beginning of each roll was provided so that the speed of the Versamat could be adjusted to provide the proper film density. The photo center of each frame was plotted on the flightline map to insure that the coverage was adequate. Each negative was annotated on the east edge of the frame with the date of exposure, the line number and the sequential exposure number within the flightline. The negatives were then printed on Dupont VCP resin coated paper on a Log-E-tronics electronic dodging contact printer. Do No Sca Rep~ren-Insert Do Not'Scan Document Here Document ID: I p - k Page H:X- A~. TABLE 2 Mission NJSAV Photo #1 - Monday, June 25 #2 - Thursday and Friday, August 16 and 17 Mission NJSAV Recon #1 - Tuesday and Thursday, June 20-21 *@~~~~ ~~#2 - Tuesday-Thursday, August 7-9 #3 - Tuesday-Thursday, September 25-27 40 40 AeroEco Figure 2a: Early Season FLIC(;1')'ARMEN 2303 ArEcda l TAKO 2303 Archdale Road TAKE OFF TAKE OFF P'lI()IO(; RAI'I IC LOG Reston, Va. 22091 LANDING LANDING LOCATION NJ SAV #1 PROJECT NO. 1197 i DATE 6/25/79 TAKEOFF TAKE OFF AIRCRAFT NO. 47990 | PILOT Marin PHOTOGRAPHER Macomber LANDING LANDING CAM~ERA/FILM/FILTER NOTES (WEATHER, ETC.) CAMERA/FILM/FILTER 15 AG 81/2405/Yellow 60% forward lap NOTESfWEATHER ETC.) CAVU D RUN DmR R FRAME NO. TIME ASL EXPOS. DATA iO. HDG REMARKS NO. HOrG F START STOP EXP. START STOP ALTITUDE S/SPEED F/NO. T 25 E 4N 1 77 77 ? 1:32 12,700 1/300 f 16 COFE NJ SAV #1--sun angle little high--wait 1 N 5E 78 96 2:10 2:27 12,300 1/300 two hours spot 9 shot 97 - 5:12 12,300 1/300 If 11.5 2 N 98 106 5:15 5:20 12,300 f 11.5 spot 10 shot 107 .- 5:24 spot 11 shot 108 - 5:28 3 N 8E 109 130 5:34 5:48 N 1 I laA ; :;7 f-n7 f 11 6 W 147 150 6:10 6:12 spot 17 chnf N 151 - 6:16 7 NE | 152 156 1 extra 6:20 6:22 Traffic 747 (S.H.) 18 161 6:32 Pt RIOD TOTAL FLYING IHOURS Figure 2b: Early Season L(;i I)I'AR'I'MINT 2303 Aerc d TAKOFF TAKE 2303 Archdale Road TAKE OFF TAKE OFF P11OTOGRAPHIC LO(; Reston, Va. 2209:1 LANDING LANDING LOCATION NJ SAV #1 PROJECT NO. 1197 DATE 6/25/79 TAKE OFF TAKE OFF AIRCRAFT NO. 479901 PILOT Marin PHOTOGRAPHER Macomber j LANDING LANDING CAMERA/FI LM/FILTER 15 AG 81/2405/Yellow 60% forward NOTES (WEATHER, ETC.) 15 AG 81/2405/Yellow 60% forward lap RUN DIR R FRAME NO. TIME ASL EXPOS. DATA REMARKS NO. HDG F START STOP EXP. START STOP ALTITUDE S/SPEED F/NO. spot 6 shot S 162 6:42 spot 16 shot S 163 164 4 S 165 191 26 6:4E 7:02 I'1.~R101) ...._ TOTAL FLYING HiOURS 7.3 EARLY SEASON LOW TIDAL/LOW SOLAR ALTITUDE PHOTOGRAPHIC WINDOWS, EDST 1 0775 0800 0825 0775 0725 0800 0725 0725 2 0875 0900 0875 0825 0900 0825 0825 3 0900 0900 0900 1500 1575 6 1500 1650 7 1500 1575 1725 1500 8 1575 1650 1800 1575 1500 9 1650 1725 1875 1650 1575 10 1500 1525 1550 1500 1725 1800 1525 1725 1650 1600 1626 1650 1600 1825 1550 1900 0825 1625 1550 1825 1750 1550 12 1675 1700 1725 1675 1900 1625 0750 0900 1700 1625 1900 1825 1625 13 1750 1775 1800 1750 0775 1700 0850 1775 1700 0775 0700 1700 14 1850 1875 1900 1850 0850 1800 1875 1800 0850 0775 1800 1 5 0700 0725 0750 0700 0725 0850 5 1 6 0800 0825 0850 0800 0750 0825 0750 0750 1 7 0900 0900 0850 0850 0850 18 1 9 1550 20 1625 21 1500 1575 1725 1500 22 1575 1650 1800 1575 1500 23 1650 1725 1875 1650 1575 24 1500 1525 1550 1500 1725 1800 1525 1725 1650 25 1575 1600 1625 1575 1800 1525 1875 0825 1600 1525 1800 1725 1525 26 1650 1675 1700 1650 1875 1600 0750 0900 1675 1600 1875 1800 1600 27 1725 1750 1775 1725 0750 1675 0825 1750 1675 0750 1875 1675 28 1775 1800 1825 1775 0800 1725 0875 1800 1725 0800 0725 1725 29 1850 1875 0700 1850 0875 1800 1875 1800 0875 0800 1800 30 0700 0725 0750 0700 1875 0725 1875 0850 1875 Heavy lines indicate date of early season COASTA L SECTORS Photography. Table 3a. Low tides in low solar altitude periods, 0700-0900 and 1500-1900. Note: time presented rounded to nearest 0.25 hour. This printer scans the negative with a CRT light beam and automatically adjusts the exposure of each area within the negative to maximize detail in the shadow and highlight areas. Subtle low contrast SAV information is thus enhanced on the field print. The early season photography was thus ready for preliminary photointerpretation and seaplane. ground truth verification. Late Season Photography The late season photography was acquired on August 16 during a low sun altitude/low tidal window over portions of the New Jersey coast (see Figure 2, Figure 3c and Table 1). On August 17, during a high sun altitude/low tidal window, additional photography was acquired over selected areas, including Barnegat Say, where SAV had been found (via seaplane trawls) to be growing in deeper waters. The higher sun altitude, resulting in greater light penetration into the deeper waters of upper Barnegat Bay, was employed in hopes of imaging the extent of SAV in this area. Increased sun glitter caused by the higher sun altitude was compensated for by shooting 80% forward lap. These extra measures were necessary only in deep water areas (i.e., greater than 10 feet at MLW) where SAV boundaries were difficult to discern on the low sun altitude photography. The late season photography was developed, annotated and * ~~~~printed in the same manner as the early season photography. 2.2 Field Data Collection The first seaplane reconnaissance missions were conducted on June 20-21, 1979, from Cape May to Sandy Hook, to determine the SAV * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-9- Do Not Scan ReDren-Insert Do Not Scan Document Here Document ID: --CG Page #:*I Of iXt LATE SEASON LOW TIDAL/HIGH SOLAR ALTITUDE PHOTOGRAPHIC WI NDOWS, EDST 1 1075 1150 1300 1075 1000 2 1000 1175 1250 1400 1175 1100 3 1075 1100 1125 1075 1300 1025 1375 1100 1025 1300 1225 1025 4 1150 1175 1200 1150 1375 1100 1450 1175 1100 1375 1300 1100 5 1250 1275 1300 1250 1475 1200 1275 1200 1475 1400 1200 6 1350 1375 1400 1350 1300 1375 1300 1500 1300 7 1450 1475 1500 1450 1400 1475 1400 1400 8 1475 1475 1475 9 10 11000 1075 12 1025 1175 13 14 1050 1125 1275 1050 . 1 5 1125 1200 1350 1125 1050 15 (> 16 1000 1025 1050 1000 1225 1300 1450 1025 1225 1150 22 1125 1150 17 1100 1125 1150 1100 1325 1050 1400 1125 1050 1325 1250 1050 18 1200 1225 1250 1200 1425 1150 1500 1225 1150 1425 1350 1150 19 1275 1300 1325 1275 1500 1225 1300 1225 1500 1425 1225 20 1350 1375 1400 1350 1300 1375 1300 1500 1300 21 1425 1450 1475 1425 1375 1450 1375 1375 22 1500 1500 1450 1450 1450 23 24 25 26 27 1025 � ~~~~~~~~28 ~~~~~1075 28 29 1125 30 1000 1075 1225 1000 1125 1200 1350 1125 1050 Heavy lines indicate date of late season Table 3b. Low tides in high solar altitude periods, 1000-1500 Note: time presented roundedto nearest 0.25 hour. a EDt 0 9 ..itj EZ an Heavy lines indicate date of late season COASTAL SECTORS photography. .Indicates photography procured within one-half hour of optimal window. Table 3b. Low tides in high solar altitude periods, 1000-1500 Note: time presented rounded to nearest 0.25 hour. Figure 3c: Late Season LI(;HT PA MNT 20AcroEco 2303 Archdale RIco.i TAKE OFF n7-Rn TAKE OFF PIIO'ICO(;RAI'IIIC LO(; Reston, Va. 22091 LANDING( __ LANDING LOCATION NJ SAV #2 PROJECTNO. 1197 DATE 8/16/79 1AKIF OFF TAKE OFF AIRCRAFT NO. 47qn PILOT PHOTOGRAPHER nmhLANDING LANDING *47qqfl SI(OV I Marnmhor LANDING CAMERA/FILM/FILTER 80% forward lap NOTES (WEATHER, ETC.) AM 81/2405/Yellow CAVII nw tidp R:47. Cane Mav RUN DIR R FRAME NO. TIME ASL EXPOS. DATA I REMARKS NO. HDG F START STOP EXP. START STOP ALTITUDE S/SPEED F/NO. T la N 11� 1 9 8 9:15 9:21 12,500 1/300 f 8 Test develop lb & 1; N 110 10 29 9:47 Ok spot 9 N 30 31 9:50 2 N 110 32 40 10:00 spot 10 N 41 10:05 spot 11 N 42 10:07 8/17/7) 43 clearing shot ,SPJ N/-S 44-46 14lnn 4 N 47 66 14:00 14:25 4a N 67 74 14: 14:30 spot 13 N 75 5S N 76 90 14. 14:46 spot 16 S 91 15 i 92 14 93 14:53 PIRIOI) TOTAL FLYING HIOURS growth stage and species associations present in New Jersey and to establish a base of operations. The seaplane facilities in Atlantic * ~~~~City proved to be unsatisfactory for overnight docking due to reports of vandalism at the town pier. Refueling arrangements were confirmed with the fixed base operator and were subsequently carried * ~~~~out with minimal inefficiencies. Overnight docking, washing and refueling facilities were utilized at Little Ferry Seaplane Base, since no other suitable location was available. All subsequent * ~~~~seaplane reconnaissance missions were conducted from Little Ferry. It was determined that full distribution of the early species associations did exist as of mid-June 1979. Also, water clarity * ~~~~was generally observed to be excellent. Interviews with local marina operators revealed that water turbidity would increase significantly after the 4th of July because of heavier summer boat * ~~~~traffic. It was therefore decided that photo coverage should be obtained at the earliest tidal/weather window (see Table 3a). (Note: Water clarity is highest in the autumn months, e.g., October * ~~~~and November, but federal fiscal year grant constraints and de- clining standing crops did not allow photography at this time.) The first set of photography was obtained under ideal tidal/ weather/sun angle conditions. The photos were studied under magnification using various combinations of bottom and overhead lighting to maximize vegetation-substrate contrast. The photo- interpreter made preliminary delineations--of those beds in which the SAV visual signature was unquestionable--directly on the photographs. In a similar manner, notations of non-optimal photo imagery, future ground truthing sites and information for future ground truthing activities were made directly on the photographs. -10- After a complete preliminary interpretation, a second reconn- * ~~~~aissance mission was scheduled. Each mile of shoreline and open water was inspected from the aerial vantage point. A Piper Super Cub STOL seaplane with oversized EDO floats was used to gather * ~~~~field data on all the quad sheets listed in Table 2. The two-man field team, consisting of a coastal ecologist/pilot and a biologist/ photointerpreter, gathered numerous sample points of information * ~~~~rapidly and inexpensively using the aircraft via four increasing extrapolative techniques: (a) Via direct contact and species identification on foot. * ~~~~~(b) Via along-shore transect trolling and random bottom sampling with the SAV rake and a new specially designed deeper water trawl (double faced close tined rake). * ~~~~~(c) Via surface observations during slow speed taxi. (d) Via 50-1,000 foot aerial reconnaissance extrapolation of prior surface sample points. * ~~~~~The field team had ample time to conduct ground truth spot checks and low altitude extrapolations because of the mobility and versatility of the Super Cub seaplane. This aircraft was used to * ~~~~navigate the shallow waters and inlets to depths of six inches under its own power, or by paddles much like a canoe. It was anchored or beached when the field team gathered samples on foot. * ~~~~The Super Cub was also taxied at slow speeds (1-5 knots) like a small outboard motor boat for extended surface transects and along shore runs. The Super Cub made high speed taxi runs at speeds up * ~~~~to 50 mph when transiting from one area to the next or when along- * -~~~~~~~~~~~~~11- TABLE 4 LIST OF USGS 7�-MINUTE QUADRANGLE MAPS INCLUDED IN THE NEW JERSEY SAV DISTRIBUTION ATLAS This study included the estuarine water portions of the following USGS quads Sandy Hook** Long Branch Ashbury Park Lakewood* Point Pleasant Tom's River Seaside Park Forked River Barnegat Light West Creek* Ship Bottom Long Beach, NE New Gretna Tuckerton Beach Haven Oceanville Pleasantville* Brigantine Inlet Marmora Ocean City Atlantic City Sea Isle City Woodbine* Stone Harbor Avalon Cape May Wildwood Quads with very small estuarine water areas therein Within Sandy Hook Bay, the mapping area was limited to waters of eight feet or less (mean low water) shore extended runs were conducted. The STOL capability of the * ~~~~Super Cub allowed the field team to operate in and out of small inlets (300 feet long) and to fly reconnaissance missions down to 15-20 mph at 50 foot altitudes. Rapid straightline point-to-point * ~~~~transit from the Little Ferry Seaplane Base to the surface sampling areas and between SAV areas allowed the field team to arrive on- site anywhere in the New Jersey coastal area within one and one- * ~~~~half hours. Also, the field team wore polarized sunglasses to eliminate surface glare and to allow for maximum SAV documentation. * ~~~~~Complete information on species associations, distribution, percent cover, and delineations of the seaward limits of the grass beds were recorded directly on the photographs by the project * ~~~~biologist. In some cases, the field data reconfirmed information obtained in the preliminary photointerpretation. Areas which had been difficult to interpret in the office because of localized * ~~~~turbidity were visited and additional data was gathered. Relevant observations such as species growth stage, relative vigor and preference to tidal current, depth, local land, and water use * ~~~~variations were also noted by the field team. Seaplane landings were made often enough to assure that bottom phenomena being interpreted as SAV were in fact submersed vegetation * ~~~~beds as opposed to schools of fish, clam shell bars, substrate differences (such as dark organic-rich mud) or deeper water. Each landing site location was annotated directly on the photograph. * ~~~~Approximate percent cover estimates were made of the standing crop * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~-12- at the landing site by taking off and flying back over the site and viewing it again from above. Upon completion of the ground truthing mission, the early season photography was reinterpreted in a manner identical to the preliminary interpretation. Photo data were integrated with field data, and further delineations of SAV beds were made. Data which had been obtained in the preliminary photointerpretation and checked in the reconnaissance mission were interpreted again. This redun- dancy, inherent in the inventory procedures, assured the utmost in quality control. These procedures also resulted in considerable photointerpreter benefit as the photointerpreter had studied the beds from an aerial vantage point in the field. 2.3 Map Production The photos were interpreted in light of the field data. Information from the field trips and both sets of photography were composited on individual photos covering the entire study area. This information included delineation of the SAV bed's seaward perimeters and annotations of species distribution, association 0 percentages and percent cover. After the delineations for each quad sheet were completed, a final evaluation and quality check was carried out. As the photography was flown at the same scale as the selected basemaps, the composite data were transferred directly from the photos to scaled Cronaflex "photo quads" formatted to the 1:24,000 USGS series. These "photo quads" were duplicated by EarthSat from -13- a set made available by the NJDEP. Final inking of the basemaps was completed using a Faber Castell #2 technical drafting pen with permanent ink. The photos were registered to the basemaps, and the basemaps were edge matched. Figure 4 is a reduction of a typical photo quad final product map. All species information was gathered using the ground truthing methods described herein. Therefore, all species annotations are also indicative of a landing site. Table 5 is a list of SAV species found in New Jersey and their map abbreviations. The data for the other symbols, such as the percent cover class annotations and the "SAV" annotations, were gathered by aerial observation or during the photointerpretation process and, therefore, their placement is not associated with a particular landing site. Two types of percentages are presented on the basemaps. Species association percentages follow species annotations when the data were sufficient to make an estimate, and indicate the relative percent composition of each species within a SAV bed. The percen- tages are related to the preceding species information respectively (i.e., sp.A, sp.B/% A, % B). Percent cover class annotations are preceded by a "C" and indicate the abundance of all species within a single bed relative to other beds within the study area. The percent cover class annotations are non-quantitative visual estimates and should not be confused with biomass or vegetative productivity measurements. The seaward perimeter of the individual SAV beds was delineated by a single black line, except where land provided a natural boundary -14- NEW JERSEY SUBMERSED AQUATIC VEGETATION - DISTRIBUTION- 1979 <I) ~ ~~ k~ j~~~~:-~ IS~---CLEGEND Zoster a ma rin a Zm Potamogeton pectinatus Pc Ruppia maritima Rm Zannichellia palustris Zp Ulva lactuca UI ~l ~ ~ l'~~:i~~ Codium fragile Cf Gracilaria verrucosa Gv Gracilaria folifera Gf Enteromorpha intestinalis Ei Fucus vesiculosis Fv (Taxonomy after Fernald) t~nnd ..................STATE OF NEW JERSEY - -.- - -�- - - - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Figure 4. TABLE 5 List of SAV species found in New Jersey waters and their abbreviations Zostera marina Zm Potamogeton pectinatus Pc Ruppia maritima Rm Zannichellia palustris Zp Ulva lactuca U1 Codium fragile Cf Gracilaria verrucosa Gv Gracilaria folifera Gf Enteromorpha intestinalis Ei Fucus vesiculosis Fv to growth. In areas where the beds are large and extensively convoluted, it may be difficult for the map user to differentiate * ~~~~the substrate and vegetation sides of an individual line. The "SAV' annotations were placed in such vegetated areas to aid in this process. * ~~~~~All the beds were entirely enclosed within lines or land boundaries. These boundaries indicate the absolute limit of any submersed vegetative growth. It should be noted that in some * ~~~~cases, what is delineated as one complete bed may include a broad range of vegetation densities. For the purpose of this mapping effort, an SAV bed is roughly defined as connected vegetated sub- * ~~~~strate. In cases where the SAV density was consistent throughout the entire bed, a percent cover class estimate was made and anno- tated on the final basemap as described earlier. It was not always possible to place the written annotations within the bounded areas. In such cases, a line was used to connect the annotations to the relevent locations within the SAV beds. 0 ~~~~~The third series of seaplane ground truthing missions was conducted during September 25-27, 1979, following the procurement of the late season aerial photography. Verification of the pre- 0 ~~~~liminary SAV bed delineations on the field photos continued. Less than optimal weather conditions including low ceilings, rain showers, winds, and turbulence made ground truthing difficult on the first 0 ~~~~day. Associated water turbidity and high tides in the middle of the day obscured the SAV beds. The subsequent days offered better conditions, and the accuracy of the preliminary photointerpretation was determined to be high. These missions were carried out according to a previously planned mission profile, which specified transects to be flown and additional seaplane landing sites that were required to insure ade- quate and complete ground truth information. All transects were flown, and all landing site information was successfully obtained. -16- 3.0 RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 Aerial Photography Both the early and late season photography provided excellent imagery. Mr. Robert Macomber made day-by-day decisions on the possibility of acquiring SAV aerial photography based upon vege- tation, water and weather conditions. This was possible because Mr. Macomber was conducting ground truth seaplane missions and was thus intimately familiar with SAV growth, water clarity and weather conditions throughout the SAV areas of New Jersey. The EarthSat team prepared tidal/sun angle charts (see Tables 3a and 3b) to aid in timing the photographic procurement. This carefully planned approach provided high quality aerial photo coverage of the coast of New Jersey at a very affordable cost. 3.2 Field Data Collecting The use of the seaplane in reconnaissance missions proved itself time and again as the best available means of obtaining field data. The biologists/photointerpreters were able to view the grass beds from above and make immediate and accurate assessments of the distribution of the vegetation portrayed on the aerial photo. Surface craft navigation would have been very difficult within the beds due to plants tangling in the propellers and would have given very limited perspective of SAV distribition. All SAV areas on the 27 quads were flown in the low altitude ground truthing mode, and accurate verification of the maximum distribution of SAV beds was delineated on the field prints. This task would have been virtually impossible to accomplish from a boat. The rapid point- � -17- to-point surface sampling capability available to the field team * ~~~~was far beyond that of a boat and equally efficient once a surface sampling site was reached. The timing of the seaplane reconnaissance on the day of, or * ~~~~within two days of the photographic overflight of a locality was not always practical. Weather and turbidity conditions did, at times, preclude seaplane observations. In addition, film develop- * ~~~~ment and film printing took several days. The distribution of a seagrass bed and/or its species association and percent cover are not factors which change rapidly, i.e., over a two-day period. In * ~~~~fact, there was more advantage to a longer term, more repetitive sampling program centered around two maximum distribution seasons and accompanying photo overflights. The ground truth was collected * ~~~~within a time frame that insured adequate assessment of the accuracy of the distribution information on the photographs. * ~~~~3.3 Map Production EarthSat has determined, through past research and operational SAV mapping programs, that 1:24,000 photography can be used to * ~~~~interpret and delineate the distribution of SAV beds over an entire region, such as the Coastal Zone of New Jersey or the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. In 1978, EarthSat mapped distribution of SAV on * ~~~~80 quad sheets in the Chesapeake Bay. This Distribution Atlas now documents the previously unknown fact that only one-half to two- thirds of the Chesapeake Bay quads have any SAy. The Chesapeake Bay -18- Management Atlas to be produced following the three year monitoring of distribution trends will provide species associations and percent cover for vegetated quads at a scale of 1:6,000 using color photo- graphy. The SAV delineations for the New Jersey Division of Coastal 0 ~~~~Resources were transferred directly from the photographs to the final basemaps in ink. This combination of photointerpretation data transfer and cartographic final inking resulted in a great increase in efficiency in what are otherwise two separate and labor intensive tasks. This method is not only most efficient in terms of redundant task elimination, but is also less susceptible -to error. 4.0 CONCLUSIONS The distribution of submersed aquatic vegetation along the New Jersey coast is distinctly stratified. From Cape May north to Great Bay, where the marshes generally extend all the way to the barrier islands, only the algal species, almost exclusively Ulva lactuca, are found in the shallows of the myriad of bays, sounds and channels. A small amount of the various algal species as listed in Table 5 were found growing in the open bay waters from Great Bay to the Metedeconk River. North of the Metedeconk, the distribution is again comprised primarily of Ulva lactuca, with a small percentage of other algal species mixed in. The exception to this is a large mixed bed of Ruppia maritima at the mouth of the Navesink River. The beds of Ulva lactuca in some of the shallower rivers and sounds north of Barnegat Bay are quite expansive and dense. The relatively open bay waters from Great Bay to the Metedeconk River are dominated by vascular species. Large and dense beds of Zostera marina grow on the broad shallows behind the barrier islands and along the shoreline proper. The extent of these beds is so vast that delinea- tion of areas of bare substrate within totally vegetation back bay areas proved to be most appropriate. With decreasing salinity, Zostera marina transitions to equally vast beds of Potamogeton pectinatus, above the Route 37 Bridge, north of Tom's River. The Potamogeton pectinatus is mixed with lesser amounts of Zannichellia palustris, Ruppia maritima and Zostera marina and is found up to the Metedeconk River. SAV distribution studies in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland have not discovered beds of Potamogeton pectinatus as extensive as those found in upper Barnegat Bay. The extensive protected shallows -20- behind New Jersey's barrier beaches provide an ideal environment for vast SAV beds to thrive. New Jersey submersed aquatic vegetation is characterized by less diversity of vascular species than that found in the less saline Maryland regions of the Chesapeake Bay. 9~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-1 5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS The final basemaps provide excellent detail of the overall dis- tribution of SAV in New Jersey's estuarine waters. The location and perimeter of every bed is precisely delineated. The careful selection of ground truthing locations, facilitated by the aerial observation and photointerpretation processes, resulted in selected species distribution information. The final basemaps are evidence of the cost efficiency and accuracy of the data collection 0 ~~~methods. Seagrass distribution shown on the maps could be compared with information such as local currents, bottom topography, land use, salin- ity, and local nonpoint source pollution management practices. Future monitoring of the distribution of seagrasses in New Jersey as an indi- cator of water quality trends could lead to new land use management plans and in improved water quality. Activities which affect water turbidity and sedimentation rate (such as dredging or certain kinds of land use) may be a controlling factor in SAV distribution. This large area inventory is an important first step in the manage- ment of New Jersey's seagrass resources and will be an input to the Coastal Zone Management Plan. However, it does not provide adequate species information, quantified species association percentage or per- cent cover information at the 1:24,000 mapping and photo scale. If more detailed management level information of these types is deemed cost effective, future funds could be applied to obtain larger-scale color photography to produce larger-scale management maps in selected areas. -22- This year's distribution inventory would provide the basis for selecting, for instance, the high density vascular plant areas north of Great Bay for further study. 'The distribution and relative density of any particular SAV species varies notably within one growing season. SAV distributions are also known to be quite dynamic from year to year. Any conclusions drawn from this year's basemaps should be prefaced with the understanding that the data is only one frame in a dynamic, changing system. These dynamic aspects ultimately lead to consideration of repeat inventories on an annual basis similar to the monitoring effort ongoing in Chesapeake Bay. Such a schedule of data collection would identify seagrass population trends which can in turn reflect water quality trends in New Jersey's back bays. Future funds could also be directed toward more detailed ecological analyses. Ecological value assessment of SAV grass bed areas must be based on net worth or contribution to the aquatic ecosystem. Management of New Jersey's Coastal Zone will require a determination of the value of specific SAV areas as a source of forage for waterfowl, such as the Atlantic brant and other migratory waterfowl, as a source of shelter from predation for fin fish and shellfish, especially bay scallops; as a source of detrital contribution to the aquatic food chain; and for bottom and shoreline stabilization. The SAV species within a given bed, and percent cover differences between beds, will determine the relative value of each SAV area. More detailed species and cover mapping may now be desirable in New Jersey as a follow-up to the general distribution inventory. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~-23- The collection of samples of associated substrate could be an important aspect of any future inventory. The EarthSat field team is uniquely qualified to gather this kind of data via the seaplane in the ground truthing mode. Sample locations could be determined from the air and numerous surficial sediment cores of the substrata in representative grass beds could be gathered rapidly and inexpensively. Samples would be analyzed as to particle size and silt/clay/organic content to deter- mine suitable habitat conditions. -24- 6.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY Anderson, R.R., 1970, The submerged aquatic plants of Chincoteague Bay, Maryland, in Assateague Ecological Studies, Final Report, Ref. No. 446, Nat. Res. Inst., Solomons, Maryland. Good, Ralph E., et al., 1978, Analysis and delineation of the submerged vegetation of coastal New Jersey: A case study of Little Egg Harbor. Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, pp. 58. Lukens, J.E., 1968, Color aerial photography for aquatic vegetation surveys, Proceedings 5th Symposium Remote Sensing of Environment, pp. 441-446. Macomber, Robert T. and G.H. Fenwick, 1978, Aerial photography and seaplane reconnaissance to produce the first total distribution inventory of submersed aquatic vegetation in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, in Proceedings of the 45th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Photogrammetry, Washington, D.C., p. 498. Mairs, R.L., et al., 1974, Application of ERTS-1 data to the protection and management of New Jersey's coastal environment, ERTS-1 Final Report, Earth Satellite Corporation, Washington, D.C., pp. 16. Markham, G.L. and A.E. Russell, 1977, The aerial photo utrafication link, Environmental Science and Technology, 11(8): 742-743. Orth, R.J., plus H. Gordon, 1975, Remote sensing of submerged aquatic vegetation in the Lower Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, Final Report to NASA, 62 pages. -25- USGS Report No. RT-R/471 APPENDIX A United States Department of the Interior 1.vV3~ ,2 ~GEOLOGICAL SURVEY * RESTON, VIRGINIA 22092 REPORT OF CALIBRATION October 31, 1978 of Aerial Mapping Camera Camera type Wild Heerbrugg RC5A Camera serial no. 318 Lens type Wild Aviogon Lens serial no. AR 81 Nominal focal length 153 mm Mfaximum aperture f/5.6 Test aperture f/55.6 Submitted by Aero Eco . Reston, Virginia '22091 Reference: Letter dated October 23, 1978, from iMr. Robert .T. Macomber These measurements were made on Kodak micro flat glass plates, 0.25 inch thick with spectroscopic emulsion type V-F Panchromatic , developed in D-19 at 680F for 3 minutes with continuous agitation. These photographic plates were exposed on a multicollimator camera calibrator using a white light source rated at approximately 3500K. I. Calibrated Focal Length: 152.154 mm This measurement is considered accurate within 0.005 mm II. Radial Distortion: D' for azimuth angle Field c * angle 00 A-C 900 A-D 1800 B-D 2700 B-C (degrees) pm pm pm Dm m 7.5 , 5- 6 5 4 6 15 ' 7 6 7 .5 . 9 22.5 3 0 .5 3 6 30 -1 '-4 3 -5 3 35 -5 -9 -1 -10 2 40 ..1 -7 '9 -6 6 i B The radial distortion is measured for each of 4 radii of the focal plane separated by 90� in azimuth. To minimize plotting error due to distortion, a full least-squares solution is used to determine the calibrated focal length. cI is the average distortion for a given field angle. Values of distortion * Dc based on the calibrated focal length referred to the calibrated principal point (point of symmetry) are listed for azimuths 0�, 90�, 180�, and 270'. The radial distortion is given in micrometres and indicates the radial displace- ment of the image from its ideal position for the calibrated focal length. A positive value indicates a displacement away from the center of the field. These measurements are considered accurate within 5 pm. ( 1of 4 ) VSGS Report to. RT-R/471 III. Resolving power in cycles/rm Area-weighted average resolution 54.7 Field angle: 00 7.50 150 22.5� 30 350 400 Radial lines 113 113 80 40 57 67 -20 Tangential lines 113 95 80 57 57 40 40 The resolving power is obtained by photographing a series of test bars and examining the resulting image with appropriate magnification to find the spatial frequency of the finest pattern in which the bars can be counted with reasonable confidence. The series of patterns has spatial frequencies from 5 to 268 cycles/m in- a geometric series having a ratio of the 4tEh root of 2. Radial lines are parallel to a radius from the center of the field, and tangential lines are.perpendicular to a radius. IV. Filter Parallelism The two surfaces of the Wild 500 Pan No. 2979 filter accompanying this camera are within 10 seconds of being parallel. This filter was used for the calibration. - -. . - V. Shutter Calibration Indicated shutter speed Effective shutter speed Efficiency 1/200 4.1 ms = 1/240 s 72% 1/300 3.4 ms = 1/290 s 71% The effective shutter speeds were determined with the lens at aperture f/5.6 The method is considered accurate within 3%. The technique used is Methldd I described in American National Standard PH3.48-1972. VI. Magazine Platen The platen mounted in Wild RC5 film magazine No. 209 does not depart from a true plane by more than 13 pm (0.0005 in). ( 2 of ) USGS Report No. kT-R/471 VII. Principal Point and Fiducial Coordinates 3 (90�) 7 2 (180�) . D Positions of all points are referenced to the principal point of autocollination as origin. The diagram indicates the orientation of the reference points when the camera is viewed from the back, or a contact positive with the emulsion up. The direction-of-flight fiducial marker or data strip is to the left. (0o�) & 4 (270�) - - " -. ' -.- X c6ordinate Y coordinate Indicated principal point, corner fiducials 0.006 mm 0.028 mm Indicated principal point, midside fiducials - Principal point of autocollimation 0.0 0.0 Calibrated principal point (point of symmetry) 0.013 0.002 Fiducial Marks 1 -105.990 mm -105.971 mm 2 106.017 106.041 3 '. ' � -105.992 106.031 4 105.999 -105.971 S --- -- VIII. Distances Between Fiducial Marks Corner fiducials (diagonals) 1-2 299.826 mm 3-4 299.809 mm . Lines joining these markers intersect at an angle of 89 59' 52" Midside fiducials Not Applicable 5-6 mm 7-8 mm Lines joining these markers intersect at an angle of Corner fiducials (perimeter) 1-3 212.002 mm 2-3 212.009 mm 1-4 211.989 mm 2-4 212.011 mm The method of measuring these distances is considered accurate within 0.005 mm. ( 3 of 4 USGS Report No.. RT-Rt'71 STEREOMODEL FLAITESS TEST AN-D FILMI RESOLUTION Camera No. 318 Lens No. Ag 81 Magazine No. 209 Focal length 152.154 mm Maximum angle of field tested 40� Base-height ratio 0.6 Accuracy of determination 5 Um -6 -14 8 -4 30 -2 Direction of flight 7 -12 -7 Stereomodel Test point array (values in micrometres) The values shown on the diagram are the average departures from flatness (at negative scale) for two computer-simulated stereonodels based on comparator measurements on contact glass (Kodak micro flat) diapositives made from Kodak 2405 film exposures. Resolving Power, in cycles/mm Area-weighted average resolution 35.5 Film: Type 2405 Field angle: 7.5: 150 22.5� 30� 350 400 Radial lines 57 57 48 28 40 48 20 Tangential lines 57 48 40 40 34 28 24 William P. Tayman<y Branch of Research and Design Topographic Division (4 of 4)