GeomorphIS Team to Help BLM to Ground-Truth Disturbance Maps

The BLM Bakersfield Field Office has tasked GeomorphIS and our teaming partner, West Kern Environmental Consulting (WKEC), to develop a process and strategy to ground-truth mapped surface disturbance within the BFO area within Kern and Kings Counties. The goal of the project is to confirm or update the surface status identified through aerial imagery analysis by BLM GIS specialists. The work is being done in accordance with the Bakersfield 2014 Resource Management Plan (RMP), which restricts surface disturbance from development on public lands in reserve areas and habitat corridors. The surface disturbance limit is also required to meet obligations outlined within the Oil and Gas Programmatic Biological Opinion issued by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Once the survey protocols are developed, GeomorphIS/WKEC field specialists will conduct surveys on about 8,000 acres of BLM-administered lands.