Maps Help Protect Sensitive Areas from Spills

Every second counts when there has been an oil spill at sea. The time it takes for emergency crews to respond can mean the difference between protecting vital resources and dealing with the repercussions of an environmental disaster. In situations where sensitive habitats or species at risk are involved, the damage may be irreversible.

To minimize the impact of spills on the Atlantic coast, Environment Canada scientists in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, have developed a computerized mapping system that enables emergency responders to plan their strategies more quickly and effectively. This new program not only identifies the most important and vulnerable coastal resources at risk during an environmental emergency, but also recommends the best protection and clean-up techniques for the situation. It can also be used as a tool for pre-spill planning and training spill responders.

The Atlantic Region Coastal Mapping Project divides over 35,000 kilometres of shoreline into 12,000 segments with common physical features and geological structures. More than 140 different attributes describe each segment, including physical features such as the shoreline material and form (e.g., tidal mud flats, salt marshes, sand beaches); biological resources such as birds, fish, and mammals; and human-use resources such as aquaculture operations, parks, historic sites, and fishing harbours. Logistical and operational attributes—for example, staging areas, boat-launch sites, helicopter landing pads, and medical services—are also identified. Combining these data with information on the type and quantity of oil spilled, and current and predicted weather conditions, enables the user to determine the best course of action in an emergency.

The project encompasses all of the Atlantic region except Labrador, and includes detailed 1:50,000- and 1:250,000-scale digital topographic base maps and hydrographic charts, as well as aerial videos of each segment of shoreline. This system allows emergency personnel to generate reports, maps, and charts for a specific area affected by a spill. An on-line logging system enables the user to store and archive all incident reports, maps and photos generated during a spill incident for future use.

The computer mapping project has been under development for several years. Much of this time was spent tailoring the software, developing standards and protocols for data management, as well as collecting and inputting data. Unlike hard-copy sensitivity maps, which are derived mainly from published reports and government archives, the mapping software also includes an array of unpublished ecological data from local sources, such as community groups, First Nations, oil companies, and others. Also unlike hard-copy maps, computer maps are easily updated, and can be transmitted electronically with no loss in quality.

Although there are many potential users of sensitivity maps in Canada, the principal client for the Atlantic mapping project is the Regional Environmental Emergency Team—a multi-disciplinary group chaired by Environment Canada and made up of environmental and emergency services experts from the federal, provincial and municipal governments and industry. The team has already used the software for a number of emergency incidents, including to identify and protect sensitive resources from potential leaks during the raising of the oil barge Irving Whale in 1996, and to map the movement of debris and potential impacts of released fuel as a result of the Swiss Air crash off the coast of Nova Scotia in 1998.

The software has attracted significant interest both at home and abroad, and has been sent to Environment Canada offices in other regions—several of which are adding new components and adapting existing ones to their own purposes. The Department also plans to put the mapping system on its Internet site—the Green Lane—to increase its accessibility to users, and to enable the agencies involved to update their own data directly. In the meantime, discussions are ongoing with community and First Nations groups to assist in compiling the required data for Labrador.

  Home |  Air |  Atmospheric Science |  Climate Change |  Environmental Action |  Habitat |  Pollution |  Species at Risk |  Technology |  Water |  Weather |  Wildlife