the arctic scat manual

172 Pages·2012·1.02 MB·English

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A Field Guide to the Documentation
of Oiled Shorelines in Arctic Regions

by

Edward H. Owens
Polaris Applied Sciences, Inc.

and

Gary A. Sergy
Environment Canada

July 2004
CITATION

Citation:
Owens, Edward H., and Gary A. Sergy. 2004. The Arctic SCAT
Manual: A Field Guide to the Documentation of Oiled
Shorelines in Arctic Environments. Environment Canada,
Edmonton, AB, Canada, 172 pages.

Copyright:
Copyright© Minister of Public Works and Government Services
2004
Canadian Government Catalogue Number: En4-40/2004E

ISBN: 0-660-19346-9

Responsible Institution and Publisher on behalf of EPPR:
Environment Canada, Suite 200, 4999 - 98 Avenue,
Edmonton, AB, Canada T6B 2X3

Copies Available from:
Gary Sergy, Emergencies Science and Technology Division,
Environment Canada, Suite 200, 4999 - 98 Avenue, Edmonton,
AB, Canada T6B 2X3. Tel [phone] Fax [phone]
Manager, Environmental Protection, Northern Division, Suite 301,
5204 50th Avenue, Yellowknife, NT, Canada X1A 1E2.
Tel [phone]
And through EPPR Working Group National Contacts
http://eppr.arctic-council.org/

ii
PREFACE
PREFACE TO THE ARCTIC EDITION
The Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) process is
now a familiar part of an oil spill response in many countries. SCAT
teams play a key role in the assessment of the scale and scope of
a shoreline response programme. The SCAT approach and
documentation protocols were initially developed in 1989 during the
Nestucca and Exxon Valdez spill response operations.
Subsequently, Environment Canada developed generic second-
generation SCAT protocols to standardize the documentation and
description of oiled shorelines (Owens and Sergy, 1994). Since its
inception, the SCAT approach has been used on many spills, in a
variety of ways, and has been modified by SCAT teams to meet a
range of specific spill conditions. A Second Edition SCAT Manual
(Owens and Sergy, 2000) was produced to reflect updates and
modifications derived from user experience and interagency
adaptations. Neither this nor any other documents, however, fully
address the seasonality issues in a SCAT programme, or the
characteristics or implications of northern climates dominated by
snow and ice conditions. To address these issues, this Arctic
Edition of the SCAT Manual was initiated by Environment Canada
and the United States Coast Guard; an action supported by NOAA
in Alaska, and by private spill response and advisory services. The
manual was produced and published under the auspices of the
Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (EPPR)
Working Group of the Arctic Council.
This Arctic Edition is completely compatible and consistent with the
Second Edition SCAT Manual. The Arctic Edition, however,
provides new material on the unique shoreline types found in
arctic regions, on the character of the various forms of snow
and shore-zone or nearshore ice in the Arctic or in other cold
climate regions during winter months, on the behaviour of oil,
and on the activities of SCAT teams in these environments. In
addition, a First Responder’s guide and short versions of key oiling
summary forms are included that can be used by local inhabitants
during the initial phase of an assessment.
iii
iv
INTRODUCTION TO SCAT
INTRODUCTION
What is SCAT?
As part of oil spill response, Shoreline Cleanup Assessment
Technique (SCAT) teams systematically survey the area affected
by the spill to provide rapid accurate geo-referenced documentation
of shoreline oiling conditions. This information is used to develop
real-time decisions and to expedite shoreline treatment planning
and response operations.
A SCAT programme includes field assessment surveys, data
management, and data application components as part of the spill
management organization. The field survey teams use specific and
standard terminology to describe and define shoreline oiling
conditions. The SCAT process itself, however, is flexible, and the
assessment activities are designed to match the unique spill
conditions (see the case studies described in Section 2.3).
The systematic approach provides for consistent data collection.
This allows a comparison of data and observations between
different sites, between different observers, and between the same
sites over time. These data also provide the basis for cleanup
evaluation. In most surveys, the SCAT teams complete forms and
sketches for each segment in the affected area. A standardized
Shoreline Oiling Summary form is used for documentation; this
template has been modified in this manual for arctic environments
and winter conditions.
SCAT surveys provide a geographic or spatial description and
documentation of the shoreline or riverbank oiling conditions. A
monitoring programme can use the same procedures, terms, and
definitions as the SCAT survey for situations where the same
section of coast or river is surveyed repeatedly. This can occur
when oiling conditions persist for a lengthy period of time, or when
a systematic time-series of oiling conditions is required at one or
more locations.
Frequently, SCAT teams are asked to provide recommendations
regarding appropriate cleanup methods and to define constraints or
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INTRODUCTION TO SCAT
limitations on the application of cleanup techniques, so that the
treatment operations do not result in additional damage to the
shore zone. In developing these recommendations, the teams refer
to the relevant shoreline treatment manuals and field guides (e.g.,
ACS, 1999; Environment Canada, 1996a; EPPR, 1998; NOAA,
2000a).
SCAT Manuals
The first complete manual for SCAT surveys was developed by
Environment Canada (1992), followed by production of a more
simplified Field Guide (Owens and Sergy, 1994). Other agencies
adopted the approach and produced similar field forms and
manuals (e.g., European Commission – Jacques et al., 1996:
NOAA, 2000b). Revisions reflected in the second edition of the
SCAT manual (Owens and Sergy, 2000) were based on actual
applications of the SCAT process during spill operations. The
revision process was interactive with the U.S. National
Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) so that
both Environment Canada and NOAA field forms were directly
compatible in format and content. This Arctic SCAT Manual is
consistent with the 2000 edition SCAT Manual; however, it is
technically expanded to address arctic shoreline types, the
character of the various forms of snow and of shore-zone or
nearshore ice, and the activities of SCAT teams.
The Arctic SCAT Manual is applicable to both the Arctic and
during snow or ice conditions to other cold climate regions.
SCAT survey procedures are flexible. This manual provides
guidelines for the design of a survey programme to fit a wide range
of spill situations. Parameters that govern the scope and scale of a
shoreline assessment survey are as follows: the coastal character
and configuration; the type and amount of oil spilled; the size of the
affected area; and the needs of the response organization.
Guidelines and recommendations presented in this manual reflect
experience gained from using the SCAT approach on numerous
spills worldwide.
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INTRODUCTION TO SCAT
Format of the Arctic SCAT Manual
The first part of the Arctic SCAT manual describes the purpose and
activities associated with SCAT surveys, and include a standard
Arctic Shoreline Oiling Summary (ASOS) form with appropriate
terms and definitions. Part 2 discusses spill management issues.
Additional forms—suitable for winter conditions or for arctic
environments—are presented in Section 2.2. These forms can be
used for tar ball conditions, wetlands, tidal flats, riverbanks, small
rivers, creeks and streams, and freshwater lakes. Part 3 contains
support materials and includes job aids for identifying and
describing oiling conditions, arctic shoreline types, and shoreline
snow and ice conditions. Part 4 presents a guide for First
Responders that includes short versions of the ASOS form and a
winter riverbank oiling summary form.
PART 1 PROCEDURES AND FORMS
1.1 Purpose and Principles of SCAT
1.2 Planning a SCAT Survey
1.3 Field Activities
1.4 Results
1.5 Arctic Shoreline Oiling Summary (ASOS) Form
1.6 Sketch Maps
PART 2 APPLICATIONS
2.1 Spill Management Applications
2.2 Other Applications of SCAT
2.3 Case Studies
PART 3 SUPPORT MATERIALS
3.1 Standard Terms and Definitions
3.2 Physical Shore-Zone Character and Coastal
Processes of Arctic Canada and Alaska
3.3 Oil Behaviour on Arctic Shorelines
3.4 Shoreline Treatment and Cleanup
3.5 Job Aids
3.6 References
3.7 Conversions
PART 4 FIRST RESPONDER GUIDE

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INTRODUCTION TO SCAT
List of Tables and Figures
Table 1.1 Survey Methods..............................................................6
Table 1.2 Definition of Shoreline Segmentation..........................13
Table 1.3 Basic Steps of On-Site Field Data Collection..............24
Table 1.4 Essential Components of a SCAT Data Set................25
Table 1.5 SCAT Documentation “Rules of Thumb”.....................26
Table 2.1 Scat Recommendations Transmittal Sheet.................47
Table 2.2 Case Studies.................................................................64
Table 3.1 Marine Shoreline Types................................................84
Table 3.2 Grain Size Scale.........................................................108
Table 3.3 Tundra Cliff: Ice Rich...................................................118
Table 3.4 Tundra Cliff: Ice Poor..................................................120
Table 3.5 Inudatated Low-Lying Tundra.....................................122
Table 3.6 Peat Shoreline.............................................................124

Figure 1.1 Example of Shoreline Segmentation..........................13
Figure 1.2 A Typical Sketch Map...................................................40
Figure 2.1 Typical ICS — SCAT Organization Diagram..............42
Figure 2.2 SCAT Within The Spill Management Cycle................43
Figure 2.3 Shoreline Treatment Decision Process......................46
Figure 2.4 Key Phases Of A SCAT Programme.........................49
Figure 2.5 Components Of Pre-Spill Mapping And Planning.....52
Figure 3.1 Visual Aid For Estimating Oil Distribution...................74
Figure 3.2 Surface Oil Cover Category........................................76
Figure 3.3 Surface Oil Category...................................................76
Figure 3.4 Subsurface Definitions................................................79
Figure 3.5 Oil In And Under Ice ...................................................96
Figure 3.6 Summary Of Shoreline Treatment Methods.............99

Form 1.1 Arctic Shoreline Oiling Summary (ASOS) Form........34
Form 2.1 Winter Tar Ball Summary Form...................................55
Form 2.2 Winter Wetland Oiling Summary Form.......................56
Form 2.3 Winter Tidal Flat Oiling Summary Form.....................57
Form 2.4 Winter Riverbank Oiling Summary Form...................58
Form 2.5 Winter Stream Bank Oiling Summary Form...............59
Form 2.6 Winter Lake Shoreline Oiling Summary Form...........60
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PART 1 PROCEDURES AND FORMS
PART 1 PROCEDURES AND FORMS
1.1 PURPOSE AND PRINCIPLES OF SCAT
1.1.1 Objectives and Purpose of SCAT
1.1.2 Principles of Shoreline Assessment Surveys
1.2 PLANNING A SCAT SURVEY
1.2.1 Scope of SCAT Surveys and Programmes
1.2.2 Scale and Method of Surveys
1.2.3 Winter or Arctic Surveys
1.2.4 Number of SCAT Teams
1.2.5 Participation in SCAT
1.3 FIELD ACTIVITIES
1.3.1 Shoreline Segmentation
1.3.2 Segmentation in Snow and Ice
1.3.3 Field Equipment Checklist
1.3.4 Aerial Surveys
1.3.5 Ground Surveys
1.3.6 Monitoring Programmes
1.3.7 Field Documentation
1.4 RESULTS
1.4.1 Data Management
1.4.2 Data Outputs
1.5 ARCTIC SHORELINE OILING FORM
1.5.1 Arctic Shoreline Oiling Summary (ASOS) Form
1.5.2 Summary of Terms and Definitions
1.6 SKETCH MAPS
1
1.1 PURPOSES AND PRINCIPLES OF SCAT
1.1 PURPOSE AND PRINCIPLES OF SCAT
1.1.1 Objectives and Purpose of SCAT
Over the last decade, the term SCAT has taken on a number of
meanings and has grown to embody a range of activities, however
the basic purpose still remains one of providing operational
support. The cornerstone activity is the shoreline assessment
survey and its fundamental objective is to
• collect and document real-time data on oil and shoreline
conditions in a rapid, accurate and systematic fashion
SCAT surveys conducted by trained SCAT teams provide
information to build a spatial or geographic picture of the regional
and local oiling conditions ⎯ an understanding of the nature and
extent of shoreline oiling that is key to the development of an
effective response. This information is provided in a format that can
be interpreted easily and applied by planners and decision makers.
In addition to its primary objective, SCAT surveys can be used for
• development of treatment or cleanup recommendations
• development of treatment or cleanup standards or criteria
• post-treatment inspection and evaluation
• provision of long-term monitoring
• management of special issues
The information collected during shoreline assessment surveys is
used in various ways in the decision process. At a minimum, it is
used to
• identify oiled and non-oiled areas
• describe the location, character, and amount of stranded oil
• assess environmental and socio-economic constraints
• evaluate operational and logistical factors
2