Bradley lake watershed mappingproject period: 08 1 2023- 07 31 2024 award purpose the primary goals of this project are to capture aerial imagery using an existing alaska pacific university mapping…

Bradley lake watershed mappingproject period: 08 1 2023- 07 31 2024 award purpose the primary goals of this project are to capture aerial imagery using an existing alaska pacific university mapping system to create both an orthomosaic (a georeferenced photo mosaic draped over a DEM) and a digital elevation model (DEM) using structure from motion (SFM) methods of the of bradley lake watershed. Additionally, the proposed project with provide hands-on training to both a graduate student within geospatial technologies (remote sensing, GIS, and gnss) and an undergraduate student in surficial geological mapping while conducting research that addresses the implications of glacier ICE loss from a warming climate. Activities to be performed this projects purpose is two-fold, 1) to create an orthomosaic image and digital elevation model (DEM) using an existing mapping system and 2) use collected geospatial data and field site visits to produce a surficial geology map of the greater bradley lake watershed. Bradley lake and adjacent watersheds are located within alaskas seldovia C2, C3, D2, and D3 1:63,360 quadrangles. The bradley lake hydroelectric project (120-megawatt) provides 10 of alaskas power and is FED meltwater from multiple glaciers. These glaciers contribute meltwater to the lake with a planned future diversion to result in a 50 electrical production increase. Glaciers throughout alaska are thinning and retreating as climate warms. Knowledge of how glaciers are thinning, and the resultant meltwater contributions would justify the planned future diversion project. Geospatial products create from proposed project would allow glacier geodetic mass balance calculations using DEM differencing methods from earlier dems. Additionally, a surficial geological map would be used as model input for a hydrological watershed to determine past and future water flows into bradley lake.thus, products created from this proposed work will be utilized by additional students to further study impacts glacier wastage will have on stream flow. Deliverables and expected outcomes data synthesis project:orthomosaic image metadata (resolution: 15 CM, UTM, zone 6, WGS84)digital elevation model metadata (resolution: 15 CM, UTM, zone 6, WGS84)map product depicting orthomosaic first authored by APU graduate studentfield focused project:GIS layer metadata depicting study site surficial geologymap product depicting surficial geology first authored by APU undergraduate student intended beneficiary(IES) the benefits of this mapping project and associated scientific investigations will be: mentoring of the supported student. Additionally, this work will support the alaska energy authority, currently investigating the diversion of melt water from dixon glacier to bradley lake to increase power production by 50 . Knowledge of how dixon is changing in a warming climate will aid decision to invest in this planned future diversion project as a benefit to local residents. Additionally, a surficial geology map may be used in hydrological modeling applications to determine historical and future stream flow patterns into bradley lake. Subrecipient activities, if known or specified at the time of award. None