4DM, with HDR, awarded AAFC contract for dam safety classification and inundation mapping in Saskatchewan
The Water Infrastructure Division (WID) of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) operates a diverse portfolio of water infrastructure in southwestern Saskatchewan, including thirty-three water storage projects. AAFC manages these reservoirs which were originally built from the 1930s to 1960s under the former Southwest Saskatchewan Water Supply System Development Program to serve as water storage and delivery systems to support irrigation. In conformity with the principles and practices of the Canadian Dam Association (CDA) Dam Safety Guidelines (2007), AAFC has commissioned a detailed consequence assessment of five of these structures, the Gouverneur, Admiral, Cadillac, Eastender, and Braddock dams, to be completed in early 2013.
4DM, in partnership with HDR, will be utilizing LiDAR data and orthophotography to support and conduct hydraulic dam breach modeling needed to determine the incremental flood inundation. The information from the modeling will be used to conduct consequence classification of the Gouverneur, Admiral, Cadillac, Eastend, and Braddock Dams as well as provide AAFC, where applicable, with inundation maps for use in for Emergency Preparedness Planning and Response activities.
4DM contracted to provides spatial modeling support for Niagara Escarpment Crossing Study Class Environmental Assessment, Sept 10, 2012
4DM, as sub-consultant to Hatch Mott MacDonald, was awarded The Niagara Escarpment Crossing Study Class Environmental Assessment. The Region of Niagara has re-opened a Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) to evaluate truck route alternatives across the Niagara Escarpment. In 1997 the Regions of Niagara and Hamilton-Wentworth completed a comprehensive study that sought to address the issue of heavy trucks traveling on steep grades across the Niagara Escarpment through residential areas. The purpose of this study is to review the Class EA completed in 1997 for a new or improved escarpment crossing of the area to accommodate commercial traffic, while minimizing negative impacts to residents and motorists. The project team will build on the available data and update it where necessary to complete an identification and screening of the planning alternatives, followed by the development of design concepts for the preferred alternative.4DM role is provide spatial data and cartography support as well as utilize a multi-criteria decision support spatial model to determine least impact solutions for alternative and preferred crossings.
4DM to conduct a Snowdrifting Assessment on Highway 11, South of Powassan, Ontario.
AECOM has selected 4DM to provide snowdrifting analysis and mitigation services as part of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation assignment to develop a new interchange along Highway 11 at south entrance to Powassan, Ontario Canada. The study area is prone to snowfall and there are public concerns related to hazards associated with drifting and blowing snow in the area. The project will involve a number of tasks including meteorological analysis, snow transport modelling using 4DM’s SnowStream2D model, and cost-benefit analysis of different treatment solutions. Finally, 4DM will recommend a strategy to AECOM and MTO that will reduce winter maintenance costs and safeguard motorists along this stretch of highway and its associated road improvements.
4DM awarded CEATI Project “Water Management Data Dissemination and Reporting”
The Hydropower Operation & Planning Interest Group of the Centre for Energy Advancement Through Innovation (CEATI) has been seeking ways to improve their awareness of how their respective organizations deal with their data dissemination and reporting challenges, specifically to the public. CEATI has awarded 4DM a contract to survey of their member organizations in order to identify the best data dissemination and reporting tools and practices within each organization, and to interpret and document the results of this research. The expectation is that these best data dissemination tools and practices that can then be adopted by all members of the Hydropower Operation & Planning Interest Group, resulting in improved communication with the public.
4DM Inc. and Sanchez Engineering Inc. awarded project to undertake a dam safety review of the G. Ross Lord Dam
Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) owns and operates several dams and channels across the Greater Toronto Area to mitigate flooding in vulnerable areas following the 1954 Hurricane Hazel event. The TRCA owns 2 large dams as classified by the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD). 4DM and Sanchez Engineering have been contracted by the TRCA to conduct a Dam Safety Review (DSR) of one of these two dams, the G. Ross Lord Dam, to determine whether the structure meets current dam safety guidelines.
4DM, working with Sanchez Engineering, is in the process of performing a full dam safety review of the G. Ross Lord Dam for the purpose of due diligence. The previous DSR was completed in accordance with the 1999 draft Ontario Dam Safety Guidelines, which has now been replaced by the 2011 Guidelines under the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act. This DSR will be conducted independently of the previous review, and will meet the current standards per the newly released guidelines. 4DM has been tasked with conducting the hydrological and hydraulic assessments as well as the inundation mapping and consequence analysis components of this project.
4DM is awarded funding support from the National Research Council – IRAP to utilize numerical weather prediction data for forecasting snow drifting events and applications in water resources
4DM is awarded financial support from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) to utilize numerical weather prediction data for forecasting snow drifting events and applications in water resources 4DM has developed a snow transport model for predicting snow drifting along transportation corridors. The model was developed from knowledge gained from ongoing consulting work and a previous IRAP supported project. The snow transport model requires meteorological inputs such as wind, temperature, and precipitation. The model produces a gridded distribution of snow depth and flux in tonnes/meter. Meteorological inputs can come from global weather services that provide access to numerical weather prediction and regional reanalysis data. These organizations use an internationally recognized generic format called GRIB developed by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The goal of this project is to develop a streamlined process that utilizes GRIB data for estimating regional snow drifting along transportation networks such as roads, rail lines and airport areas, from both a predictive and historical perspective. The same process can be used as input into hydrological model to predict flooding events.
4DM awarded the project for conducting quality review and hydrological enforcement of LiDAR data acquired on the Mattagami and Abitibi River Systems for Ontario Power Generations
Ontario Power Generation is updating their base mapping using orthophotography and LiDAR data. The data sets are being used for corporate planning and to support operational needs. Additional data collection has been added to the existing project that includes 19 river systems across Ontario. 4DM is responsible for quality review of the data that involves confirming data coverage, ensuring data integrity is met and the quality meets the specifications. Another component of the project involves enforcing the natural drainage of the river system to better define the stream network and river shoreline. A set of tools developed in ArcGIS along with other LiDAR software tools are being used to conduct this process. The extent of the coverage area is approximately 600 sq km.
4DM is pleased to announce we have moved into larger and contiguous office space
4DM presents and exhibits at the CDA 2010 Annual Conference, Oct 4th–6th in Niagara Falls, Ontario
The Canadian Dam Association 2010 Annual Conference will take place in Niagara Fall, Ontario. 4DM is presenting two papers on at the conference; “Application of LiDAR Technology for Hydroelectric Operations” and “Niagara Pump Generating Station Inundation Mapping and Consequence Analysis with ArcGIS and MIKE 21″. These papers highlight examples of two projects where 4DM and OPG have worked collaboratively together over the past year. 4DM will also be exhibiting at the conference showcasing expertise in water resources, environment and property mapping. Attendees at the conference will have an opportunity to learn more about 4DM’s products and services.
Dr. Zhen (John) Xiong completed post doctoral work at the University of New Brunswick and joins 4DM Inc. enhancing the company’s photogrammetry and remote sensing capabilities
Dr Zhen Xiong holds a PhD degree in Geomatics from the University of New Brunswick, where he specialized in photogrammetry and remote sensing.
Dr. Xiong has over fifteen years of experience in the areas of photogrammetry and remote sensing. He finished twenty two engineering projects and twenty eight research projects in photogrammetry, remote sensing, surveying, and mapping. He developed more than twenty software programs, and two patent pending techniques in DEM generation, image orthorectification, image matching and sensor modeling. Dr. Xiong is the co-author of more than thirty peer-reviewed papers and book chapters. He is the first place co-recipient of 2009 ASPRS president award for “An Initial Study on Vehicle Information Extraction from Single Pass Quickbird Satellite Imagery,” PE&RS, (74) 11, 1401-1411.
Dr. Xiong has extensive experience in building extraction from both optical imagery and LiDAR point cloud. He developed a program for automatic building extraction from LiDAR point cloud based on elevation, slope, and azimuth features. Prior to that, he developed a program to extract buildings from stereo IKONOS images automatically. He has published several papers on building extraction from remote sensing data.
Dr. Xiong joined 4DM inc. as a senior remote sensing scientist with his main focus is on technical development of both active remote sensing and passive remote sensing, such as LiDAR data processing, RADARSAT image processing, multispectral classification, DEM generation and image orthorectification.