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Coastal Projects

Coastal Data Portal, Grays Harbor County, Washington – Working with Pacific International Engineering and Pangaea Information Technologies, CJS assisted in the development of a web-based information management system that will allow access to complex scientific data, reports, and mapping by members of the Washington State Coastal Communities, and other interest groups along the Washington State shoreline. Visit the portal web site at:
www.washington-coastal.com

Summary of Existing Land Use, Land Use Trends and Shoreline Land Use Management Policies Along the Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Shoreline: Implications for Future Water Level Management. CJS was responsible for a review and analysis of the existing land use situation along the shoreline of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, as well as an examination of trends in land use and residential development that have been occurring over the last ten years and that reasonably may occur into the future.  Existing shoreline management and land use development practices and policies that are in place in both Ontario and New York State were also reviewed to determine whether these policies will be effective at preventing future development in the hazard zones. Implications of possible changes in the present water level and flow regime on future development and on the effectiveness of shoreline management policies was also discussed.
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Development of Digital Property Parcel Mapping and Related Attribute Data, Lake Ontario Shoreline – CJS was responsible for the compilation and development of a digital property parcel mapping database for the U.S. and Canadian shorelines of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Data was assembled from various sources and where parcel data did not exist, it was created. Property parcels were then attributed with a range of data including that related to property value (assessment data), shore protection, dimensions and shoreline geology. Data was then used in various models within the IJC Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Water Level Study.
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Development of a Revised Geomorphic, Shore Protection and Nearshore Classification System for the Canadian and U.S. Shorelines of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River 
Utilized various data sources to conduct a detailed classification of shoreline attributes along the Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River for use in the IJC Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Water Level Study.
Download Related 2003 Canadian Coastal Conference Paper  
Download Full Consulting Report 

Development of an Updated Kilometer-by- Kilometer Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Historic Recession Rate Database
Involved the collection, analysis and coordination of all existing shoreline recession rate data for the Canadian and U.S. shorelines of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River and the incorporation of this data into GIS data bases being used for the IJC Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Water Level Study.
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Review of Potential Data Sources for Use in Evaluating Coastal Process and Riparian Impacts Associated With Changing Water Levels on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River
Provides a comprehensive review of a range of data, reports, GIS data and other background information that is available for use by the Coastal Working Group and others participating in the IJC Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Water Level Regulation Study.
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International Joint Commission Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Water Level Regulation Study
Providing general technical, scientific and administrative support to the Coastal Processes Working Group of the IJC Study, whose key objective is to evaluate the impacts of various water level regulation scenarios on coastal processes and the riparian interest group.

Development of Continuous GIS Coverages for Shoreline Type, Shoreline Protection, Nearshore Geology and Recession Rates, Lake Erie Shoreline, Lower Great Lakes Erosion Study, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Buffalo District 
Created continuous GIS coverages in Arc View GIS format for a range of coastal zone data for the Pennsylvania and New York shorelines of Lake Erie. 
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Review of Potential Data Sources for Use in the Determination of Pre and Post-regulation Recession Rates on Lake Ontario, Lower Great Lakes Erosion Study, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Buffalo District 
Reviewed various literature and GIS and aerial photographic data sources that would be useful in conducting an analysis of historic recession rates on Lake Ontario.
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Development of a Revised Geomorphic, Shore Protection and Nearshore Classification System for Lake Michigan, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Detroit District 
Utilized various data sources to conduct a detailed classification of shoreline attributes along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Detailed and summary statistics of classification types were prepared.
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Development of a Revised Geomorphic, Shore Protection and Nearshore Classification System for the Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Niagara River and St. Lawrence River Shoreline, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Buffalo District 
Utilized various data sources to conduct a detailed classification of shoreline attributes along portions of the Great Lakes shoreline under the jurisdiction of the USACE Buffalo District. Detailed and summary statistics of classification types were prepared.
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Lake Michigan Potential Damages Study, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Detroit District, 1997-2001 
Participating as a lead consultant in a multi-year, multi-agency, multi-disciplinary investigation of erosion processes, potential erosion damages and water level impacts of the entire shoreline of Lake Michigan. Includes activities related to classification of the shoreline, analysis and assessment of long-term and short-term recession rates, land use and land use trend analysis, and development of GIS and modeling applications.
Download 2000 Progress Report 
Download 1999 Progress Report
Download 1996-1998 Progress Report  

Participation in Lower Great Lakes Erosion Study, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Buffalo District, 1998-2001
Collection and Analysis of Coastal Zone Data, Lake Erie and Ontario, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Buffalo District: Compiled extensive database of natural resource, land use and physical process data for U.S. Lake Erie and Ontario Shorelines and developed a database management system in FoxPro to allow data analysis and query generation. Database was linked to QuikView GIS for data visualization and mapping purposes. Involved coordination and liaison with various federal, state and municipal agencies and non-profit organizations.

1999 Canadian Coastal Conference, Victoria BC 
Organized and chaired the bi-annual conference of the Canadian Coastal Science and Engineering Association. Involved 90 participants from across Canada and the United States, as well as a number of international delegates. Organization activities included paper scheduling and coordination, editing and assembly of conference proceedings, accommodation, facility and meal coordination, budgeting, preparation of announcements and advertising and other host activities.

Development of a Zambezi River Wetland Information System, World Conservation Union (IUCN) 
Assisted in the collection, compilation and analysis of a range of natural resource information (maps, photos, videos, reports, etc.) for input into an Internet and CD-ROM based Wetland Information System for the Zambezi River basin in Southern Africa.

Ad-Hoc Task Group, Incremental Approach to Lake Ontario Criteria Review, International Joint Commission - Ottawa, 1999   
Advised staff of the IJC - a Canadian- U.S. agency - as well as staff of various U.S. and Canadian government agencies as to the various data needs and database structures required to properly evaluate and assess social, economic and environmental impacts that might occur due to extreme high or extreme low water levels on Lake Ontario that  may result as a result of man-made activities or from possible climate change/variability scenarios.

Great Lakes Public Information Map of Shore Type, Erosion and Accretion, U.S. Geological Survey 
Assisted the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the University of Virginia in the compilation of U.S. and Canadian data for incorporation to a public information map on Great Lakes shore type, erosion and accretion. 
Copies Available - Please Write With Requests

Submersible Investigation of Glacial and Post-Glacial Geologic Features, Fathom Five National Marine Park, 1996
Assisted researchers with the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC), Parks Canada and the Ontario Marine Heritage Committee in the observation and interpretation of submerged geological features in Georgian Bay, Lake Huron.  This work was written up in the 70th Anniversary Edition of Canadian Geographic Magazine (2000 Annual, Vol. 120, No.1).
Copies Available - Please Write With Requests

Collection and analysis of Canadian Great Lakes shoreline recession rate data, 1994-1995.
Collection and analysis of Canadian Great Lakes shoreline recession rate data, 1994-1995.
Involved the collection of all existing shoreline recession rate data for each of the five Great Lakes for delivery to the United States Geological Survey and the University of Virgina for the production of public information maps on erosion hazards.

The development of a comprehensive U.S. Great Lakes shoreline recession rate data base, 1993-1994.
Involved the collection, analysis and coordination of all existing shoreline recession rate data for each of the eight Great Lakes States and the incorporation of this data into the GIS data base of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
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An underwater geomorphological inventory, Fathom Five National Marine Park, 1993.
Provided diving and professional services in order to inventory, describe and interpret various underwater geomorphological and geological features found within the boundaries of Fathom Five National Marine Park.

Review and Synthesis of Geology, Physiography, Soils, Climate, and Air Quality Information, West-Central Manitoba
Reviewed and summarized geologic and other information for inclusion in the REPAP Manitoba Forest Management License Agreement 13 Year Operating Plan and Environmental Impact Statement.

Review and Synthesis of Geology, Physiography, Soils, and Biomatic Information, City of Mississauga Natural Areas Study
Reviewed and summarized geologic and other information for inclusion in a comprehensive inventory and assessment of all natural areas within the City of Mississauga, Ontario.

Coastal Processes Study and Breakwater Impact Assessment, Jackson's Point, Lake Simcoe
Utilized wave refraction modeling to determine potential impacts of a proposed marina breakwater on coastal processes and adjacent shorelines.

A literature review of studies on the recreational & developmental carrying capacity of coastal zones, 1993.
Conducted a literature review to determine the nature and extent of research conducted on the topic of recreational carrying capacity, specifically as it applies to development and recreation in coastal environments.
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The development of a Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River Emergency Action Plan for flooding, 1993.
Prepared a document describing the roles and responsibilities of federal and provincial agencies in a Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River flooding emergency and described crisis response measures to be put in effect at certain water level stages.

The development of a Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River shoreline classification system, 1993.
Developed and refined a shoreline classification scheme for the Great Lakes shoreline and administered the application of this scheme to the shoreline in order to map and identify the frequency and distribution of various shore types throughout the basin.

An erosion sensitivity evaluation of Great Lakes shore types to changes in water levels, 1993.
Supervised the application of a numerical cross-shore profiling model to determine potential changes in recession rates of various Great Lakes shoreline types with changes in water level regimes.

An inventory and assessment of shoreline management policies in the Great Lakes basin, 1993.
Co-ordinated a bi-national effort to inventory and assess specific shoreline management practices in place throughout the Great Lakes basin, including the provision of information on the impacts of these practices on various interest groups and the natural environment.

An inventory of crisis responses to extreme water level and flood events in the Great Lakes, 1993.
Completed an inventory and assessment of specific landside crisis responses to extreme water level fluctuations, including information on their extent, effectiveness and costs. Such measures included emergency response plans, storm forecasting networks and various low or high water assistance programs.

GIS and Database Services

Development of Geomorphic, Shore Protection and Nearshore Classification GIS Data for the Canadian and U.S. Shorelines of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River 
Utilized various data sources to conduct a detailed classification of shoreline attributes along the Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River for use in the IJC Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Water Level Study. Various GIS mapping coverages were produced for shoreline geology, shore protection, nearshore geology, and land use.
Download Related 2003 Canadian Coastal Conference Paper  
Download Full Consulting Report 

Development of Information Management Strategy for the IJC Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Water Level Study
Assisted with the development of an Information Management Implementation Strategy for the ongoing International Joint Commission Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Water Level Study. The work was carried out in support of the Common Data Needs Technical Working Group within the Study and involved an inventory of existing geospatial data and metadata, the conduction of a user needs assessment of all the task groups within the study and the development of comprehensive information management solutions and recommendations.

Mapping and Classification of Shoreline Protection Structures and Recreational Boating Facilities, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Detroit District
Utilized air photo and video analysis to classify and map shoreline protection structures in four drowned river mouth areas along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Michigan and Wisconsin. Mapping was completed in Arc View GIS format. 
Download Report (6.6MB)

Development of Continuous GIS Coverages for Shoreline Type, Shoreline Protection, Nearshore Geology and Recession Rates, Lake Michigan Shoreline, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Detroit District 
Created continuous GIS coverages in Arc View GIS format for a range of coastal zone data for Lake Michigan shorelines in Ottawa and Allegan County, Michigan and Sheboygan, Ozaukee and Manitowoc Counties in Wisconsin. 
Download Report (9.6MB)

Detailed Mapping and Classification of Shoreline Protection Structures and Historical Trends, Lake Michigan Shoreline, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Detroit District 
Completed detailed mapping of open coast shore protection structures in place along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Ottawa and Allegan County Michigan and Sheboygan, Ozaukee and Manitowoc Counties in Wisconsin. Analysis of the changes in shore protection over the past ten years was completed. Mapping of structures was completed in Arc View GIS format.
Download Report (481KB)

Collection and Analysis of Coastal Zone Data, Lake Erie and Ontario, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Buffalo District
Compiled extensive database of natural resource, land use and physical process data for U.S. Lake Erie and Ontario Shorelines and developed a database management system in FoxPro to allow data analysis and query generation. Database was linked to QuikView GIS for data visualization and mapping purposes. Involved coordination and liaison with various federal, state and municipal agencies and non-profit organizations.
Download Report (2.1MB)

Development of Recession Rate Analysis System, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Detroit District
Compiled extensive database of natural resource, land use and physical process data for Lake Michigan Shoreline and developed a database management system in FoxPro to allow data analysis and query generation.  Database was linked to QuikView GIS for data visualization and mapping purposes.
Download Related 1999 Canadian Coastal Conference Paper (3.4MB)

Development of GIS Project Management Guidelines, Prince Rupert Forest District, British Columbia Ministry of Forests
Assisted with the preparation of guidebooks for GIS project management and completion for the Land Information Management Section of the Prince Rupert Forest District.

Data Service Centre Implementation Project Communication Activities, British Columbia Ministry of Forests 
Responsible for the provision of all internal and external Ministry communications related to the DSCIP project, a major GIS and geomatics restructuring and reorganizational activity throughout all MOF regions and districts within the Province. Activities include newsletter and journal article preparation, WWW page development and maintenance, preparation of Ministerial briefings, preparation of presentations and other internal MOF communication documents. Involved management and coordination of various activities in all MOF regions and districts of British Columbia.