REMOTE SENSING SURVEY OF RANGELAND
VICINITY OF JOHN DAY, OREGON
JUNE 1877
REMOTE SENSING OPERATIONS BRANCH
REMOTE SENSING DIVISION
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND SUPPORT LABORATORY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
LAS VEGAS; NEVADA 89114
EMSL-LV PROJECT RSD 7813

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REMOTE SENSING SIRVEY OF
VICINITY OF JOHN DAY,
JUNE 1977
RANGELAND:
OREGON
EMSL-LV Project RSD 7813
By
David R Williaas
LOCKHEED ELECTRONICS COMPANY, INC
REMOTE SENSING LABORATORY
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 89114
Under Contrac? 3PA #68-03-2fci6
For
REMOTE SENSING OPERATIONS BRANCH
REMOTE SENSING DIVISION
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND SUPPORT LABORAT
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
U. S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 8 9114
January J97 8

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GENERAL
The purpose of this study is to provide the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), Region X, with remotely sensed data on
non-point source pollution within the Murderer's Creek, Deer
Creek, and Black Canyon Creek watersheds in Oregon. Non-point
source pollution is defined as contaminants entering waterways
from diffuse of non-distinct points or locations. Since the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendment of 1972, much
emphasis has been placed upon the identification of land manage-
ment practices that cause non-point source pollution problems
and the development of methods to control such problems. EPA
Region X, has been involved in development of various models to
define and describe non-point source pollution processes. In-
put to these models has come from conventional water quality
sampling programs.
In 1976, in an effort to gather pertinent data from all
possible sources, the Region requested that the Environmental
Monitoring and Support Laboratory (EMSL-LV) in Las Vegas perform
remote sensing surveys of selected sites within agriculture,
forest, and rangeland environments. Seven sites within the
States of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho were selected on the

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basis of available water quality data and their representation
of a broad range of non-point source problems. Aerial photo-
graphy was acquired in May and June, 1977, for subsequent
analysis and documentation.
This is the second year that EMSL-LV has performed remote
sensing surveys related to non-point source (NPS) pollution
problems in Region X. As these projects continue, data collection,
analysis, and documentation efforts are being refined in order to
produce more useable products. The ultimate objective is the
development of models through an input of conventional water
quality sampling data and remotely sensed information. Data
derived from these models would then allow the Region to monitor
specific watersheds for compliance to established water quality
standards and/or best management practices. This is the second
in a series of seven reports concerned with non-point source
problems in Region X.
This report presents data from Murderer's Creek, Deer Creek,
and Black Canyon Creek watersheds. These 3 watersheds are located
approximately 25 miles west of John Day, Oregon, in Grant County
(See Figure 1). The areal extent of these watersheds is approxi-
mately 215 square miles. Vegetation on the lower slopes and valley
bottoms are composed of grasses, shrubs, and scattered timber and
is used primarily for grazing. The upper slopes, utilized for
timber production and recreation, are heavily forested.

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MURDERER S, DEER, AND
BLACK CANYON CREEK WATERSHEDS
GRANT COUNTY, OREGON
JUNE, 1977
Legend
4	8
_j	i		Watersheds
MILES (APPROX)
	 Watercourses
Roads
Figure 1

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COLLECTION OF AERIAL IMAGERY
Prior to imagery acquisition, EMSL-LV and Region X personnel
discussed data needs of the Region and EMSL-LV remote sensing ca-
pabilities. The result of these discussions was a list of features
to be identified and delineated during the analysis phase of the
project. Color infrared photographs of the watersheds were ac-
quired for photoanalysis in June of 1977. Approximately 3 weeks
later, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
U2 Aircraft acquired high-altitude color infrared photography of
the watersheds. The high-altitude photography is used to construct
photomosaic base maps for displaying interpreted data. After
imagery acquisition, a field trip was made to the three study
watersheds to observe and document the features of interest.
ANALYSIS OF IMAGERY
The photography was viewed stereoscopically using image para-
meters such as tone, texture, size and shape, in conjunction with
ground-truth data to develop "signatures" for each category or
feature of interest. These signatures are unique combinations of
the image parameters that allow a photointerpreter to recognize
and differentiate each feature.
Vegetation cover can be categorized in a number of ways.
Since the information within this report is to be used for non-
point source modeling, it was decided that physical structure,

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i.e., grass, brush, and trees would be the best categorization
scheme. On the accompanying maps, each category has a 3 digit
number. The first number identifies a density of grass cover,
the second, a percent cover of brush, and the third, a percent
cover of trees within a given area. Essentially, the presence
of grass, brush, and trees in a given location represents a
vertical arrangement of vegetation as well as a horizontal one.
Grass cover would be the lowest level; followed by brush, and
finally, trees are at the upper most level. To be able to view
and map these vegetation strata from an aerial perspective, tree
cover percentage must be fairly low so that the brush below can be
seen. Likewise, the brush cover percentage should be low so that
the grass can be observed.
DATA PRESENTATION
Maps 1 through 4 display results of the photoanalysis. The
first two maps depict vegetation types and streambank vegetation
for Murderer's and Deer Creek watersheds, while Maps 3 and 4
illustrate the same data for the Black Canyon Creek watershed.
Relative to the streambank vegetation maps, two symbols should be
explained. A short bar transecting a given watercourse indicates
a change in streambank vegetation type. Where tributaries and
receiving waters have different vegetation categories, the tribu-
tary is marked with an "arrow" at the point of confluence. (See

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Tables 1 and 2 present acreage by vegetation type for
Murderer's Creek and Deer Creek watersheds. Tables 3 and 4 present
streambank vegetation data for the Black Canyon Creek watershed.
Due to aircraft alignment during data acquisition, photography
for two small areas of Murderer's and Black Canyon Creek water-
sheds was not obtained. The acreage of these areas amounts to
less than 1% of the total watershed acreage.

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TABLE 1. VEGETATION COVER ACREAGES
Murderer1s
Creek
Watershed
Category Acreage
100	2772.0
101	349.0
110 112.0
200	27,443.0
201	26,019.0
202	1501.0
203	20,478.0
210	3458.0
211	2828.0
212	69.0
220 274.0
Deer
Creek
Watershed
Category Acreage
100	1240.0
101	62.0
120	243.0
121	830.0
200	3489.0
201	15,631.0
202	2442.0
203	4018.0
210	1364.0
211	1196.0
220	417.0
221	2274.0
230 343.0
Black Canyon
Creek
Watershed
Category Acreage
200	6398.0
201	7046.0
202	1962.0
203	5831.0
210	1065.0
220	455.0
Totals
85,303.0
33,549.0
22,757.0

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TABLE 2. STREAMBANK VEGETATION MILEAGE
Murderer * s
Creek
Watershed
Category Mileage
100	1.0
101	1.0
200	100.0
201	85.0
201*	0.5
202	98.0
202*	4.0
203	2.0
203*	3.0
210	4.0
210*	6.0
220	3.0
221	0.2
Deer
Creek
Watershed
Category Mileage
100	2.0
101	2.0
200	46.0
201	53.0
201*	0.3
202	9.0
203	1.0
210	3.0
214	0.1
221	1.0
230	0.4
Black Canyon
Creek
Watershed
Category Mileage
201	12.0
201*	4.0
202	40.0
210*	0.1
220	1.0
220*	7.0
222	0.5
Totals
308.0
118.0
65.0
* Denotes Riparian Vegetation.

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