WATER DEPTH DETERMINATION USING LANDSAT THEMATIC MAPPER DIGITAL IMAGERY

Abstract

An analysis was performed using Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper digital imagery to determine water depth of an area on the eastern coast of James Bay. Classification methods, grouping water bodies into natural classes, were compared to established bathymetry of the area. Calculations for water depth were tried using a NASA sponsered water depth alogorithm developed by F.C. Polcyn. The results of this study, presented graphically and tabularly, indicated the delineation bottom topography, but provided a range in digital pixel count values too small for proper determination of water depth. It was concluded, that with few positive results, TM data is not a viable means of determining water depth in eastern James Bay.