International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol XXXV, Part B7. istanbul 2004 
  
RING FOR ECOLOGICAL SENSITIVITY — 
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ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING FOR ECOLOGICAL SENSITIVITY 
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TABLE - 2 
ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY INDEX (ESI) 
Oil fate and effects vary significantly by shoreline habitat type, 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
and many clean up methods are habitat specific. The concept of ESI DESCRIPTION 
mapping coast environments and ranking them on a scale of COD 
relative sensitivity was originally developed in 1976 for lower E 
cook Inlet (Hayes et al., 1976; Michel et aL, 1978). Since that 1 Composed of steeply dipping 
time standardized ESI shoreline habitat rankings have been Exposed vertical bedrock. Exposed to 
devised for estuarine, lacustrine and riverine environments. Rock high to moderate wave 
energy. 
The following is the shore type classifications ranked in order a 2 Exposed Consist of wave cut or low 
of increasing sensitivity rating of 1 is the least environmentally = Wave cut | lying bedrock. May be very 
sensitive and 10 the most sensitive. Adopted from Cook inlet/ = Platforms wide depending on tidal 
Kenai Peninsula. Table...2 > range. Exposed to high to 
2 moderate wave energy 
The sensitivity ranking is based on the following factors: 7 3 Fine-grained Usuall contain a broad, 
= Sand Beaches | gently sloping profile of fine- 
= Relative exposure to wave and tidal energy © grained sand 
= Shoreline slope = 4 Coarse These wide, steep beaches are 
= Substrate type (grain size, mobility, penetration and grained Sand | composed of coarse-grained 
traffic ability) Beaches sand. They are generally 
» Biological productivity and sensitivity associated with river or stream 
mouths 
All these factors are used to determine the relative ESI ranking 5 Exposed Composed of sand and/or 
for a shoreline segment. Key to the rankings is an understanding Tidal Flats gravel. Associated witli 
of the relationships amongst physical process, and associated lagoons and at the head of 
biota, which produce specific geomorphic/ ecologic shoreline > coastal bays. They are 
habitat types and predictable patterns in oil behavior, sediment - exposed to moderate wave 
transport patterns, and biological impact. > and tidal energy, and river 
= flow 
Accordingly the ESI for the area is grouped into two class’s 5 6 Mixed Sand | Composed of coarse grained 
High sensitivity and Low sensitivity. (See maps attached). = and Gravel | sands, gravel of varying sizes, 
= Beaches and possibly shell fragments 
= 
T 7 Gravel, Composed of gravel to 
Cobble, boulder-sized material. The 
Boulder beach is usually narrow and 
Beaches steep 
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