Estimation of error in bankfull width comparisons from temporally sequenced raw and corrected aerial photographs

Abstract

This study investigates the propagation of error through image-to-image comparison of 285 river bankfull width measurements of the Afon Trannon, mid-Wales. Bankfull width is quantified from both aerial photographs analysed as rectified images in ERDAS Imagine OrthoMax and raw images in Paintshop Pro. A method for the robust estimation of bankfull width measurement error through temporal sequences of scanned aerial photographs is presented and the improvement in accuracy achieved using rectified imagery is quantified. Results from this study are placed in the context of previously published rates of bankfull width change, from a wide range of river scales, and the bankfull change rates for robust medium-term analysis using approximately 1:10,000 historical aerial photography are identified.