1996 Grand Canyon Flood Analysis

Mark Manone, Northern Arizona University

Summary

Analyze the effect of a 1996 controlled flood on a sandbar in Grand Canyon. This exercise uses Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst

Context

Type and level of course
Geomorphology, Intro to GIS, GIS lab

Geoscience background assumed in this assignment
Intro to Geology/geomorphology/env. science

GIS/remote sensing skills/background assumed in this assignment
Not much

Software required for this assignment/activity:
ArcGIS 9.31

Time required for students to complete the assignment:
2-3 hours

Goals

GIS/remote sensing techniques students learn in this assignment
Integrated remotely sensed data sets, TIN creation, Surface comparison, cut fill.

Other content/concepts goals for this activity
Understand processes involved in sediment transport, fan/eddy dynamics, experimental flood events.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity
hypothesis formulation, evaluate results.

Description of the activity/assignment

: The purpose of this lab is to provide an introduction to Arcview 9.3, a GIS software program that can be used by geomorphologists to gain a quick, precise understanding of the morphology and morphometry of landforms and landscapes. You will learn some of the basic principles of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), followed by a short exercise using ArcGIS to evaluate a small fan/eddy complex at river mile 122 in the Grand Canyon. This lab is designed to take you through some step-by-step analytical techniques that will familiarize you with ArcGIS and give you an understanding of the power of GIS.

Determining whether students have met the goals


More information about assessment tools and techniques.

URLs and References

Download teaching materials and tips

  • Activity Description/Assignment: Sandbar Exercise Data (Zip Archive 5.2MB Aug8 10)
  • Instructors Notes:
  • Solution Set:

Other Materials




1996 Grand Canyon Flood Analysis -- Discussion  

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