How Big is that Hole? Using ArcGIS to Calculate the Volume of Sediment Needed to Mitigate Erosion of an Archaeological Site
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC Ballroom C/D
Start Date
15-5-2014
End Date
15-5-2014
Keywords
Geographical Information System (GIS), Archaeology, Compliance
Abstract
Damaged sections of the Sunrise Ridge Borrow Pit archaeological site in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, were investigated to calculate the volume of sediment removed during the construction of a road. Damage consisted of the excavation of a borrow pit where a significant amount of sediment was extracted and archaeological materials disturbed. Central Washington University began a process that assessed the degree of disturbance and erosion, as well as recovered archaeological data during several field schools. The final step of this process is to determine the volume of sediment removed so the site can be converted to its original form. ArcGIS 10.2.1 was used to estimate current versus original topography in order to calculate the cubic meters of sediment required to fill-in damaged areas and mitigate the effects of erosion. Current and original topography were estimated using ArcGIS interpolation tools, which converted discrete total station elevations into two continuous topographic surfaces. Volume difference in these surfaces was calculated using ArcGIS’s cut and fill measurement. This study suggests a minimum of 637 cubic meters of sediment would be necessary to convert the site’s current topography to its original, unaltered gradient. These results will aid in mitigation efforts associated with this site, as well as represent how GIS can be used to calculate sediment loss in a dynamic setting.
Recommended Citation
Stcherbinine, Sean, "How Big is that Hole? Using ArcGIS to Calculate the Volume of Sediment Needed to Mitigate Erosion of an Archaeological Site" (2014). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 115.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2014/posters/115
Poster Number
30
Additional Mentoring Department
Geography
How Big is that Hole? Using ArcGIS to Calculate the Volume of Sediment Needed to Mitigate Erosion of an Archaeological Site
SURC Ballroom C/D
Damaged sections of the Sunrise Ridge Borrow Pit archaeological site in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, were investigated to calculate the volume of sediment removed during the construction of a road. Damage consisted of the excavation of a borrow pit where a significant amount of sediment was extracted and archaeological materials disturbed. Central Washington University began a process that assessed the degree of disturbance and erosion, as well as recovered archaeological data during several field schools. The final step of this process is to determine the volume of sediment removed so the site can be converted to its original form. ArcGIS 10.2.1 was used to estimate current versus original topography in order to calculate the cubic meters of sediment required to fill-in damaged areas and mitigate the effects of erosion. Current and original topography were estimated using ArcGIS interpolation tools, which converted discrete total station elevations into two continuous topographic surfaces. Volume difference in these surfaces was calculated using ArcGIS’s cut and fill measurement. This study suggests a minimum of 637 cubic meters of sediment would be necessary to convert the site’s current topography to its original, unaltered gradient. These results will aid in mitigation efforts associated with this site, as well as represent how GIS can be used to calculate sediment loss in a dynamic setting.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Novak, Mathew