Mapping thermal refugia in salmon streams using a remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS)

Climate change predictions make it highly likely that Pacific salmon will be exposed to future water temperature extremes. Given the importance of cold water to maintain Pacific salmon, the availability of discrete cold-water patches in rivers/streams that can act as thermal refugia may become increasingly critical to protect salmon. Such refugia can be provided by the input of cooler tributaries or from influxes of cold groundwater. Developing reliable monitoring/mapping methods to identify potential cold-water refugia areas within basin river/stream networks will become increasingly important tools for salmon conservation and management in a warming world. Information on the relative capabilities of different monitoring methods is needed to determine what could be employed most effectively to track the ongoing status of cold water refugia and to identify potential management interventions where needed. This project aims to map locations of thermal refugia in streams using a remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS or drone).

Faculty Supervisor:

Eric Saczuk;Diana Allen

Student:

Partner:

Pacific Salmon Foundation

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Agriculture; Other services (except public administration); Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

British Columbia Institute of Technology

Program: