Thermal Studies

Bull trout are a sensitive species that require cool, clean water to survive. We partnered with Montana Tech and Trout Unlimited to determine how best to lower stream temperature of the Thompson River and help this species thrive.

Our team spent 15 days mapping around 20 miles of the river through rugged, dense forest with no cell service. We used a large quadcopter that collected RGB and thermal imagery, as well as temperature sensors placed directly in the water to generate heat maps of the river. Using this information, we were able to pin-point the exact locations of groundwater-surface water interaction, bank seepage, and effects of meander cut-off and sedimentation on the temperature of the river.