Mapping Riparian and Wetland Weeds with High Resolution Satellite Imagery

QuickBird multi-spectral satellite imagery was evaluated for detecting weeds in waterways and wetlands in Texas. Plant species studied included giant reed (Arundo donax L.), waterhyacinth [Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms], and giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta Mitchell). Accuracy assessment results performed on the unsupervised classified maps for each species were: giant reed, 94.4% producer´s accuracy and 100% user´s accuracy; waterhyacinth, 100% producer´s accuracy and 80% user´s accuracy; and giant salvinia, 93.9% producer´s accuracy and 92% user´s accuracy. These results indicate that QuickBird imagery can be used successfully to map infestations of these three weeds.