High-Resolution UAS-Based Optical and Thermal Infrared Imagery and Geospatial Data from Surveys of Lake Ontario Tributaries, New York (ver. 2.0, December 2025)

This data release contains geospatial datasets that identify thermal zones across multiple reaches of four tributaries to Lake Ontario: St. Regis River, Salmon River, South Sandy Creek, and Sandy Creek. High-resolution uncrewed aircraft system (UAS)-based optical and thermal infrared imagery and ground level field observations are included. Shapefiles for each tributary reach identify thermal zones that are three, five, ten, and fifteen percent different than a reference temperature calculated as a mean along the approximate centerline of each reach. Also included are shapefiles of output from statistical geospatial models described in Woda and others (2025) for the same four tributaries plus Oak Orchard Creek, and Irondequoit Creek. These models predict where groundwater discharge to these tributaries is most likely and results were used to guide the selection of field sites for data collection and higher-resolution drone-based surveys.

These data are accessible as an online webmap: https://ny.water.usgs.gov/maps/thermalrefugia

First posted July, 2025, ver. 1.0
Revised December 4, 2025, ver. 2.0

Version 2.0 includes all the Version 1.0 data plus shapefiles of outputs from statistical geospatial models used to predict groundwater discharge and identify locations for UAS-based imagery collection. Additional geospatial attributes describing the source of groundwater discharge observed during foot surveys are also included.
These data are accessible as an online webmap: https://ny.water.usgs.gov/maps/thermalrefugia