Digital Data 2019-0019

Author(s) Date 2019-09-10

This land-use and land-cover (LULC) classification dataset is derived from 2017 Sentinel-2 multispectral imagery (10 m spatial resolution) for the Cold Lake Oil Sands Area portion that falls within the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan (LARP) area. As part of Alberta’s Land-use Framework, LARP was developed in 2012 to set the stage for robust growth, vibrant communities, and a healthy environment within the region. One of its implementation objectives is to balance the economic development of oil sands and impacts on ecosystems and the environment. This objective is achieved through enhanced science-based monitoring to improve the characterization of landuse over time and understand cumulative effects on the environment.

This land classification raster dataset contains 11 classes: 0 - Unclassified, 1 - Shrubland, 2 - Grassland, 3 - Coniferous Forest, 4 - Deciduous Forest, 5 - Open Water, 6 - Wetland (Bog/Fen/Marsh/Swamp), 7 - Exposed - Barren Land, 8 - Agricultural Land, 9 - Developed Footprints, and 10 - Burned Areas - Little Biomass. These categories can be used as baseline data for planning, managing, and monitoring surface infrastructure needs and impacts.

Chowdhury, S., Chao, D.K. and Shipman, T.C. (2019): Land-use/land-cover classification of the Cold Lake Oil Sands Area of Alberta, derived from 2017 Sentinel-2 multispectral data (image data, TIFF format); Alberta Energy Regulator / Alberta Geological Survey, AER/AGS Digital Data 2019-0019.