MEASURING THE EXTENT OF STORM SURGE FLOODING ON THE MACKENZIE RIVERDELTA, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA USING SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR*

摘要

Storm surge flooding on the Mackenzie River Delta poses a constraint on the design of oiland gas infrastructure and plays a role in controlling the quality of waterfowl habitat. Usingsynthetic aperture radar (RADARSAT) imagery fortuitously collected during or within 24hours of a storm surge, we are able to identify active flooding and post-surge ponding inflooded regions. Two storms with appropriate imagery and high water levels were identified.During the 1999 storm, a portion of the outer delta was imaged within several hours of thepeak surge. Most of the imaged area was inundated. The 2000 storm image was acquiredafter the peak and the distribution of ponded water in depressions reveals a conservativeestimate of the extent of flooding. The SAR-derived flood mapping is a more or less directobservation of flood extent which exceeds previous estimates based on driftwood lines andother indicators.