The objectives of DRI's Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI) was to develop baseline conditions for evaluating the effect on public health and the environment had Yucca Mountain been developed as a deep geological repository for spent fuel and high-level nuclear waste. The proposed land landwithdrawal area for Yucca Mountain had already been impacted by past activities on the Nevada Test Site, from military use during and after World War II, and mining and other historic activities.

To serve as a reference for disturbance caused by the repository a baseline land disturbance was developed using Quickbird™ satellite tiles flown between 2002 and 2005. Fusing the tiles created a 60 cm panchromatic and 2.4 m multispectral data with for an approximately 1000 km² area. Spectral and textural classifaction algorithms were applied to separate disturbance features paths, jeeps trails, drilling pads, buildings, and other background features. Features were mapped using several methods including Feature Analyst™, manual digitizing, and buffering operations. Disturbance features were demarcated in yellow. The landwithdrawal disturbance baseline could be an important tool if the land disturbed as part of site characterization of Yucca Mountain is restored. 

Tim Minor collects ground based plant spectral data to help calibrate satellite multi-spectral data--part of using Multi-spectral imagery for mapping land disturbance.	Part of the result of the land disturbance baseline developed by Tim Minor and Judith Lancaster for the proposal land withdrawal for Yucca Mountain. Areas of land disturbance are highlighted in yellow.