One-meter pixel resolution. In 2008, the Bureau of Reclamation’s Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Group (RSGIG) in collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management Miles City Field Office mapped sagebrush and other land cover in a study area in and around the Cedar Creek Anticline within the Williston Basin. The study area fell within portions of NW South Dakota, SW North Dakota and SE Montana representing approximately 1,132,000 acres. The project utilized the recently developed methodology of combining high resolution multi-band color infrared digital imagery along with object oriented image processing for the identification and mapping of sagebrush over a large area in a cost effective manner. The objective of the project was to cost effectively collect and analyze imagery to determine the extent of sagebrush vegetation communities at a level of detail to assess vegetation community relationships. The costs incurred by using the methodology represented in this project to map 10 land classes have been estimated at $.40 to $.80 per-acre compared to the $2.00 to $3.00 per-acre using traditional methodologies.

One-meter pixel resolution. In 2008, the Bureau of Reclamation’s Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Group (RSGIG) in collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management Miles City Field Office mapped sagebrush and other land cover in a study area in and around the Cedar Creek Anticline within the Williston Basin. The study area fell within portions of NW South Dakota, SW North Dakota and SE Montana representing approximately 1,132,000 acres. The project utilized the recently developed methodology of combining high resolution multi-band color infrared digital imagery along with object oriented image processing for the identification and mapping of sagebrush over a large area in a cost effective manner. The objective of the project was to cost effectively collect and analyze imagery to determine the extent of sagebrush vegetation communities at a level of detail to assess vegetation community relationships. The costs incurred by using the methodology represented in this project to map 10 land classes have been estimated at $.40 to $.80 per-acre compared to the $2.00 to $3.00 per-acre using traditional methodologies.