738 
assessing the information provided by the remotely on the Western highway, Belize. 
sensed imagery. SCHROEDER, M. 1985 Flight performance of the Spacelab 
Symposi 
Metric Camera experiment. D.F.V.L.R., Wessling. 
WALKER, S.H. 1972. Records of river stage, discharge 
4. CONCLUSIONS and water quality for the Belize and Sibun rivers 
Remot 
1968-71. Overseas Development Administration, Land 
The conclusions reached in this paper are made by Resources Division miscellaneous report 126. 
comparing the information afforded by each source of 
data and identifying the results they give. This 
of hyd 
section is necessarily divided into two parts, so as 
to deal with each part of the floodplain separately. 
4.1. The upper floodplain 
W. Murra) 
Ontario Hyi 
The ground survey discusses flooding in this area only 
briefly but its main conclusion is that the lowering 
of flood peaks between Big Falls Ranch and Davis Bank 
gauging stations is due to the attenuation of the 
peak by the river channel and invokes previous work 
that states "..no overflow channels are visible from 
aerial photographs." (Walker 1972). LANDSAT imagery 
shows this not to be true. At least 5 locations of 
overspill are evident and can be seen on map figure I. 
Using the same calculation methods as the report 
(Fiddes 1977), the contribution of the local catchment 
ABSTRACT: 
studies to 
LANDSAT sat 
northern On 
economical 
broad level 
post-develc 
can account for only 26% of the visible flooded area 
- an expansion of more than 88 square kilometres over 
1 INTRODUCT 
normal conditions. 
The LANDSAT scene not only provides this information 
but also displays the distribution of floodwaters so 
that areas most affected and the source of the flood 
may be seen. With the aid of basic spot height data 
the imagery provides estimates of the flood volume 
of the 1979 flood that are very similar to those 
obtained from studies of the flood hydrographs of the 
period, as well as indicating the probable maximum 
level to which the flood rose. Metric Camera imagery 
of this area is not available for comparison. 
4.2. The lower floodplain 
Qualitative flood assessments in this area are not 
possible. The LANDSAT scene provides sufficient detail 
in agreement with the ground survey to show that flood 
water is present, moving from the Belize river. The 
broad front of this floodwater suggests that the vol 
ume is greater than the report states. The scene also 
supports the report's finding that the concentration 
of the flooding is centered around the lagoon area 
and in addition it identifies the channel routes that 
the flood takes. It confirms that the rest of the 
highway will remain relatively unaffected. 
Similar agreements with Metric Camera imagery can 
also be seen by comparisons with figure 5» The subtle 
features of high and low ground can be seen to be the 
same as identified by the ground survey in figure 6, 
despite their differences of elevation - only two 
to three metres, the landform causing the bifurcation 
of floodwaters being approximately square km. 
It is evident that with multitemporal imagery and 
more sources of supplimentary data remotely sensed 
information can provide detailed insights to flood 
processes and provide estimates of flood volumes. 
This imagery gives its best results when used with 
other sources of information but where necessary it 
may be used by itself to. provide unique insights into 
flood processes. 
In Ontario 
the plannin 
projects re 
out at vari 
the plannin 
to assess t 
schemes and 
Environment 
constructio 
conducted t 
verify pred 
of implemen 
the operati 
of these st 
of large vo 
time. The 
strongly in 
the quality 
Much of t 
potential i 
regions of 
and long-te 
time-consum 
cost-effect 
"suitable d 
Satellite 
recommended 
performing 
Singhroy 19 
assessment 
demonstrate 
improve fut 
hydroelectr 
by Ontario : 
Ontario Cen 
project inv 
15,200 km 2 
according t' 
multi-date : 
secondary ti 
drainage ba; 
extraction ; 
technology. 
REFERENCES 
1.1 Study A: 
DOWMAN, I. 1985. Report on the Metric Camera workshop 
II-IJ February 1985. Symposium paper. 
FIDDES, D. 1977• U.K. Transport and Road Research 
Laboratory. Supplimentary report 259> paper 5« 
FLOOD STUDIES REPORT, 1972, U.K. Institute of Hydrol 
ogy, H.M.S.O. 
RICHARDS and DUMBLETON INTERNATIONAL, I98I. Report 
The LJR bas: 
Ontario (Cai