12/18/2017 GISC9231-

Deliverable 3
Georeferencing of Scanned Aerial
Imagery and Change Detection

Hayden Polski B.Sc. and Andrew Vsetula B.A

Letter of Transmittal

Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1
2.0 Discussion................................................................................................................................................ 2
2.1 1934 Canal Operational Status ........................................................................................................... 2
2.2 1934 Wedge Shaped Feature .............................................................................................................. 3
2.3 1934 Merritton (AKA Blue Ghost) Railway Tunnel.............................................................................. 4
2.4 1934 Pond ........................................................................................................................................... 5
2.5 1934 Fields at E ................................................................................................................................... 5
2.6 Canal Operational Status in 1921........................................................................................................ 6
2.7 Canal Operational Status in 2003........................................................................................................ 7
2.8 Welland Canal Locks ........................................................................................................................... 7
2.9 Fuller Plan Change Over Time ............................................................................................................. 8
2.10 Land Change for Feature A ............................................................................................................... 8
Methodology................................................................................................................................................. 9
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................................... 9
Bibliography .................................................................................................................................................. 9
Appendix 1: St. Catharines: Welland Canal-1934 Airphotos ...................................................................... 11
Appendix 2: St. Cahtarines Welland Canal-1921 Airphoto ......................................................................... 12

Table of Figures
Figure 1: Lake East of the Fourth Welland Canal. Only locks 22 and 23 are visible in the south west
corner. 1934 Airphoto A4873_21 ................................................................................................................. 3
Figure 2: Wedge Shaped Feature at A. 1934 A4873_20 ............................................................................... 4
Figure 3: Merritton Railway Tunnel, East and West entrances passing beneath the Third Welland Canal.
1934 A4873_20 ............................................................................................................................................. 4
Figure 4: Pond at Point C. 1934 Airphoto A4873_19 .................................................................................... 5
Figure 5: Fields of Feature F. 1934 Airphoto A4873_19 ............................................................................... 6
Figure 6: Lake East of the Fourth Welland Canal. Only locks 22 and 23 are visible in the south west
corner. 2003 Orthoimagry ............................................................................................................................ 7
Figure 7: Land Change Over Time. Feature A in 2003. 2003 Glendale_IKONOS_BGRNIR ............................ 9

1.0 Introduction
The Niagara Region has been home to multiple generations of canals, allowing goods to move between
the Great Lakes without having to be unloaded to cross between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Moving
between the two lakes requires crossing the Niagara Escarpment, the increase in elevation between
Lakes Erie and Ontario for the natural flow of water occurs at Niagara Falls. To increase the efficacy of
shipping goods between the Great Lakes, a series of locks was constructed to bypass Niagara Falls. Since
the First Welland Canal in 1829, three more generations of Canals have been constructed. Each being
larger than the previous to support the increased size of ships. The Fourth Welland Canal is the more
recent incarnation, having been completed in 1932 and remains active today (City of Thorold, 2017).

The construction of the canals greatly affected their surroundings, forcing local infrastructure to work
with their presence. During the construction of the canals and after their construction is finished,
remotely sensed images were obtained that show their evolution and that of the surrounding. By
comparing the remotely sensed images obtained in 1921 and 1934 to more recent IKONOS orthoimagry
obtained in 2003, the changes in the areas surrounding the canals are clearly visible. Between 1921 and
1934, the landscape changes massively following the completion of the Fourth Welland Canal and the
abandonment of the Third Welland Canal. Further changes between 1934 and 2003 are clearly visible,
the decades between the two having changed the landscape even further.

2.0 Discussion
2.1 1934 Canal Operational Status
In 1934 the Fourth Welland Canal is operational, having been completed two years earlier in 1932 (City
of Thorold, 2017). In all three historic air photos from 1934 the canal appears fully constructed. The
Third Welland Canal to the east would no longer be operational at this time due to the fourth canal
allowing for the movement of larger ships containing a larger amount of goods due to the locks larger
size. Looking at the large body of water east of the Fourth Canal you can see the remnants of a section
of the Third Canal in the south west section of the lake. Further up the Third Canal you can see areas
where the canal walls have collapsed/been removed allowing water to flow freely. The Third Welland
Canal has visibly smaller and a greater number of locks compared to the fourth, limiting the size of ships
that may pass through and slow the movement of goods being carried by ship. The First and Second
Welland Canals are also inoperable, having been shut down following the construction of subsequently
larger canals.
 Figure 1: Lake East of the Fourth Welland Canal. Only locks 22 and 23 are visible in the south west corner. 1934 Airphoto
A4873_21

2.2 1934 Wedge Shaped Feature

Debris dump- When digging the canal they would dump the extracted material nearby to minimize cost.
A trolley car runs along tracks from the canal would run to a designated dumping area, then turns on its
side to dump the contents. Several tracks were constructed running through the area that can still be
observed in the air photo, running through the debris dump and leading towards the canal. A shadow
can be observed due to a change in elevation on the eastern edges of the debris dump, these shadows
face north and indicate significant changes in elevation. Towards the south west where the tracks
converge it can be observed that there is a darkening.
 Figure 2: Wedge Shaped Feature at A. 1934 A4873_20

2.3 1934 Merritton (AKA Blue Ghost) Railway Tunnel

The linear feature located at B is the western entrance of the Merritton Railway Tunnel. This is based on
size and shape, both of which would not naturally occur in the area. Also association, as there is another
similar feature to the east side of the Third Welland Canal. Coming from each end of the feature is long
narrow linear features with a slight curve that is likely railway tracks. The Merritton Railway Tunnel
which was used to move goods beneath the Third Welland Canal between locks 18 and 19. As of 1934
the tunnel was not in use with the last train having used it in 1915 and only farmers occasionally using it
after that time.

Figure 3: Merritton Railway Tunnel, East and West entrances passing beneath the Third Welland Canal. 1934 A4873_20
2.4 1934 Pond

The pond at C may be the result of drainage being blocked, allowing water to accumulate. Looking to the
north you can view patterns similar to that of feature A where debris would have been deposited during
the construction of the Fourth Welland Canal. A visible path can be seen leading from the canal to the
north most debris field. The debris blocks drainage from the fields and canals, causing the water to
accumulate in depressions and form the observed pond. The lack of further drainage leading from the
pond is indicative of its artificial nature, as a natural pond would have drainage leading away from it.

Figure 4: Pond at Point C. 1934 Airphoto A4873_19

2.5 1934 Fields at E

The features that are encircled E are likely fields given the features characteristics. Regular shapes that
would not naturally occur with near perfectly straight lines, no visible shadow meaning they are
relatively flat, relatively similar sized fields compared to each other, each field is adjacent to at least two
others on two sides, with some having adjacent fields on three or four sides. Within the area are clearly
defined sections divided by lines patterns that indicate agriculture and the size of the polygons is
reminiscent of fields. There is visible drainage patterns in the area, meaning that while the area was
once an agricultural field, it has likely been abandoned. Light features in the area would indicate
dry/barren soil that would not occur in a properly maintained field. The divisions in the lower two thirds
of the fields have degraded given their lack of care, despite visible differences between the central areas
of the fields still being visible.
 Figure 5: Fields of Feature F. 1934 Airphoto A4873_19

2.6 Canal Operational Status in 1921

During 1921 the Third canal had finished construction and was in operation status, while the fourth
canal had not yet been finished or in operation. This can be seen in the series of H_20 (1921) images, as
the third canal which bends on the right side of the images has clearly been finished and in operation as
there is no sign of unfinished construction and water appears to be flowing consistently through the
canal. In addition, historical records would also indicate that the Third canal was operation from 1887-
1932, indicating that it was in operation in 1921 and would be discontinued ten years later. Viewing the
fourth canal in the H20 (1921) imagery would indicate that it had not yet been completed or in
operation. This is primarily due to the lack of any water presence along the canal but rather rough dug
out terrain with dirt roads leading up to it. The roads and established crossings would suggest that
construction had already began, but historical records show that the fourth canal was not opened until
1932, ten years after the H20 (1921) images were taken.

2.7 Canal Operational Status in 2003

In 2003 the Fourth Welland Canal is still in operation while the Third Welland Canal has degraded
further, with most of the locks being almost completely destroyed or difficult to located in air photos.
The third canal is not operational given that the locks are destroyed/inoperable and the river that
flowed alongside the third canal, which was used to fill the locks has been filled in/degraded. Locks 19-
21 are submerged within the lake that is located to the east of the Fourth Welland Canal while locks 22
and 23 are visible but in poor state. While looking at the 2003 orthoimagry, two large ships can be seen
moving through the canal, the northern of the two traveling between the locks while the southern of
the two is within a lock.

Figure 6: Lake East of the Fourth Welland Canal. Only locks 22 and 23 are visible in the south west corner. 2003 Orthoimagry

2.8 Welland Canal Locks

The following table displays the status of the Third Welland Canals locks in the years that the airphotos
and orthoimagry were acquired.

Lock Status
Lock 1921 1934 2003 Comment
Number
11 Not-Shown Visible Not-Visible Lock has degraded by 2003 from lack of
maintenance, cannot be distinguished
from surroundings
12 Visible Visible Partly Visible
13 Visible Visible Partly-Visible
14 Visible Visible Visible
15 Visible Visible Visible
16 Visible Visible Visible
17 Visible Visible Partly Visible
 18 Visible Visible Partly Visible
19 Visible Not-Visible Not-Visible Lock has degraded, is submerged or
destroyed
20 Visible Not-Visible Not-Visible Lock has degraded, is submerged or
destroyed
21 Visible Visible Partly Visible
22 Visible Visible Partly Visible
23 Not-Shown Partly Visible Partly Visible
24 Not-Shown Not-Shown Not Visible Lock has degraded, is submerged or
destroyed
2.9 Fuller Plan Change Over Time
2.10 Land Change for Feature A
The wedge shaped formation located at A becomes forested over time, with several of the tracks
present in the earlier photos still remaining visible in the 2003 orthoimagry. A dense forest has grown
overtop the majority of the wedge shaped formation as evident from the rough texture, slight shadow
and green colouration that occupies the majority of the area in the 2003 image. Several of the original
paths remain visible and appear to have been modified since the 1934 airphoto. The two west most
paths appear to have been paved, indicating their use for traffic or machinery access. The third trail
from the west in the 1934 airphoto appears to still exist, given the lack of trees in a small radius around
either side, likely an unofficial trail rather than a properly maintained road. The other paths that once
existed in the wedge shaped formation have been covered by the forest canopy and are not visible in
the airphoto, should they still exist.
 Figure 7: Land Change Over Time. Feature A in 2003. 2003 Glendale_IKONOS_BGRNIR

Methodology
The 1934 airphotos were rectified by creating tie points between locations on the 1934 airphotos and
the 2003 IKONOS orthoimagry. Using ArcMap 10.5 the orthoimagry and airphotos were imported into
one database. Points that exist on both images were selected and linked together, with the points on
the airphoto being selected before the point on the orthoimagry. The locks within the Fourth Welland
Canal and the roads that cross it were the main focus of the tie points as they are unlikely to change
over time. Several points of the decayed Third Welland Canal also were useful as tie points. Each image
was assessed individually to provide the best fit to the IKONOS image, attempting to create an image
where the features mesh together with minimal amounts of distortion.

Conclusion

Bibliography
City of Thorold. (2017). The Welland Canals. Retrieved from City of Thorold:
http://www.thorold.com/content/welland-canals
Appendix 1: St. Catharines: Welland Canal-1934 Airphotos
Appendix 2: St. Cahtarines Welland Canal-1921 Airphoto