During the spring of 2006, flood forecasters were predicting the possibility of a major flood event on the Red River, Manitoba. Scientists from the Earth Sciences Sector, Natural Resources Canada proactively prepared for this natural hazard by offering assistance through the provision of digital flood extent information. A time-series of RADARSAT-1 imagery acquisitions was programmed and flood extent information was extracted on a near real-time basis using a semi-automated software package designed at the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing.

Within four hours of satellite acquisition, geospatial information was made available on a secure web-MapServer site specifically designed for this incident. Similar data from 1996 and 1997, two record flood years on the Red River, was also included on this web site for comparative analysis.

Flood extents were provided in vector format as well as overlaid on topographic digital map sheets. Interactive map capabilities were also available on the secured site. Data users included Public Safety Canada (PSC), the Department of National Defence, the Manitoba Remote Sensing Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration), the Canadian Space Agency, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority, and Manitoba Water Stewardship. Having such information available was recognized by emergency response personnel as being an extremely flexible and dynamic way to provide and utilize geospatial information.

PSC and the emergency preparedness groups who had access to ESS' capability to help mitigate the risks due to flooding and provide the information needed to help Canadians respond effectively to emergencies look to the future for similar assistance.

The Atlas of Canada, partnered with Environment Canada's RésEau program and the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF), produced an award-winning map depicting Canadian watersheds, which took first prize in the cartographic category. The main criteria for judging were inclusion of standard map elements, map organization, artistic quality, colour, presentation and effective communication. All entries were ranked by a panel of judges.

The map, entitled “Discover Canada's Watersheds,” was created to showcase Canada's water ecosystems. It depicts local watersheds as well as larger ocean basins. It was compiled from digital watershed boundaries collected in collaboration with the Water Survey of Canada and the United States Geological Survey. The map also contains suggested resources and activities encouraging people to learn more about their local watershed.

Approximately 35 000 copies of the map were distributed to science teachers across Canada as part of World Ocean Day (June 8), while another 15 000 were distributed at conferences and mailed out to schools.

The data used to create this paper map were also used to produce a series of watershed maps in the online Atlas of Canada. These maps show how watersheds affect Canadians through both physical and socio-economic impacts. This series of maps can be found on the Atlas of Canada, under the topic Environment - Hydrology.

"Discover Canada's Watersheds" is a great educational product and is available for free via the CWF's Wild Education Web site.

This input from industry will be considered in the development of a subsequent Request for Proposal (RFP) to contract out the operations and maintenance of all CCRS satellite acquisition and reception services for a proposed period of two years with the option to extend for a period of one year at Canada's discretion.

This bilateral agreement and accompanying Implementation Agreement are the first deliverables under the Canada-China Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement, which was signed by the Honourable David Emerson, Minister of International Trade, and Xu Guanhua, China's Minister for Science and Technology in January 2007.

With this MOU, a Virtual Capacity Building Centre on Earth Observation (CBCEO) is to be developed by the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The goal of the CBCEO is to build capacity within both countries to use and develop Earth sciences applications for space-based EO data.

CCRS has a longstanding relationship with the CAS that goes back to the 1990s. In anticipation of the launch of RADARSAT-1, GlobeSAR-1 improved the capability of participating countries to use airborne synthetic aperture radar data in resource management applications. This project also prepared users for the operational use of RADARSAT-1 data through airborne radar experiments and applications development. China was one of twelve participating countries.

Under the CBCEO, CCRS will develop applications that will help meet Canadian EO needs by pooling its resources with Chinese scientific organizations such as the Centre for Earth Observation and Digital Earth of the CAS and the National Remote Sensing Center of China of the Ministry of Science and Technology. Areas of research will include land management, natural hazards, and water management.

The research that results from this international agreement will contribute to new business opportunities for Canadian companies; increase demand for RADARSAT imaging applications and related software; enhance Canadian EO industries; and provide knowledge and remote sensing tools to increase Canadian economic opportunities.

The Canadian Centre for Remote Sensing has produced new technology and generated Canada-wide time series of maps at 250m spatial resolution and 10-day time intervals over 2000-2006 period using MODIS data.

Developed with support from the CSA's Government Related Initiatives Program (GRIP), the new method has been accepted as a baseline data processing technology for the North American Land Cover Program.

Data is available on the GeoConnections Discovery Portal.

In May 2007, Vincent Decker, Robert Fraser, Robert Landry, and Don Raymond were recognized by the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) for their development of a forest fire emissions reporting system in partnership with CFS. The CCRS scientists also received a second CFS Merit award for contributions towards the National Forest Carbon Monitoring, Accounting, and Reporting System (NFCMARS) Of Natural Resources Canada.

By expanding the present Canadian Wildland Fire Information System (CWFIS), this ESS-CFS collaboration under the ESS Environment and Health Program integrates CFS fire management systems and research models with CCRS satellite monitoring and mapping technologies. The result is reliable and timely forest fire and carbon emissions information provided annually to a variety of users including NFCMARS which reports to Environment Canada's Greenhouse Gas Division for international reporting to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The enhanced CWFIS has already demonstrated its capabilities and effectiveness by creating 2004 and 2005 fire season geo-spatial products for NFCMARS. This information will also support the Government of Canada's and Natural Resources Canada's policy with respect to climate change.

The National Research Council Institute for Aerospace Research (NRC Aerospace) has successfully completed an acoustic qualification test on RADARSAT-2, a new remote-sensing satellite built by MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.(MDA) under contract to the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The test was conducted to certify that RADARSAT-2 can withstand the noise environment generated by the rocket engines during launch later this year. Conducted in February, it simulated noise generated during the first 60 seconds of launch, which is the worst structural environment that the spacecraft will experience during its mission. It took place in NRC Aerospace's reverberant acoustic chamber and was completed two days ahead of schedule.

The United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response - UN SPIDER" is a new United Nations programme, with the following mission statement:  "Ensure that all countries have access to and develop the capacity to use all types of space-based information to support the full disaster management cycle".

The new programme will achieve this by focusing on being a gateway to space information for disaster management support, serving as a bridge to connect the disaster management and space communities and being a facilitator of capacity-building and institutional strengthening, in particular for developing countries.

UN SPIDER is being implemented by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) as an open network of providers of space-based solutions to support disaster management activities.

For more information: http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/unspider/index.html

CCRS, CSA, PCI Geomatics, and MDA Geospatial Services invite you to attend the Practical Radar Polarimetry: Theory and Applications on August 28-29 in Ottawa.

The objective of this workshop is to provide an overview of polarimetric radar theory, analysis, and applications.

For more information: please visit the site

The Canadian Space Agency is joining with the CEOS Working Group on Calibration and Validation (WGCV), SAR Subgroup to host the Advanced SAR Workshop 2007 on September 11, 12 & 13, 2007 at the Pacific Palisades Hotel in Vancouver, BC.

Deadline for Abstract Submission: May 15, 2007
http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/eng/events/2007/asar.asp