Classifying connectivity to guide aquatic habitat management in an arctic coastal plain watershed experiencing land use and climate change

Figures & data

Figure 1. Catchments and river corridor areas in the FCW

Figure 2. Field-validated catchments in the FCW, visited in July. Locations of oblique images (Figure 3) and erosion analysis (Figure 5) are also shown

Figure 3. Oblique (left column) and satellite (right column) images of the four example catchment/riparian connectivity classes. The opaque red triangle on the satellite images shows the point of view seen in the oblique images. Connectivity classes shown are as follows: (a) no barriers, (b) wetland flowthrough, (c) subsurface flow, and (d) knickpoint. Locations of these images can be found on Figure 2

Figure 4. Total connectivity classes explained

Figure 5. Shorelines drawn in ArcMap for (a) Judy Creek, (b) Upper Fish Creek, (c) Lower Fish Creek, and (d) the Ublutuoch River for use with the DSAS tool to perform the erosion analysis. Locations of these images can be found in Figure 2

Table 1. Characteristics of the four main river corridors

Watershed	Drainage area (km^2)	Lake area (%)	Connected lakes (%)	Deep lakes (%)	Dominant surface geology
Judy Creek	1319	16	14	13	Eolian sand and marine sand
Upper Fish Creek	1557	27	18	41	Eolian sand
Lower Fish Creek	377	17	13	0	Marine sand
Ublutuoch River	549	15	11	<1	Marine sand

Figure 6. Catchment connectivity and riparian connectivity in the FCW

Figure 7. Total connectivity of catchments in the FCW

Figure 8. Hydrologic connectivity of river corridors in the FCW

Figure 9. Average and total shoreline erosion rate for each river corridor