Geoscientist investigating the sources and consequences of terrain and land use change using remote sensing and geospatial analysis. Specific research interests include quantifying terrain change hazards, developing and integrating historical datasets, and investigating geomorphic changes in mineral extraction environments. Jessica is also a certified UAS pilot for the USGS.
Jessica DeWitt is a research geographer at the Florence Bascom Geoscience Center. She received a doctoral degree in Geography from West Virginia University and a masters in Geography from the University of Toledo, OH. Since joining the USGS in 2014, she has focused her research on using remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) to map the impact of natural phenomena and anthropogenic activities on the landscape and the environment. Her research combines multispectral satellite image analysis and terrain modeling with geologic, hydrologic, geomorphic data and field mapping to provide detailed information about areas of topographic change, particularly areas of mining activity.
She has worked on several projects focused specifically on artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) occurring in proximity to conflict regions. Her research on this topic aims to improve understanding of the potential contribution of ASM to the conflict by quantifying the scope and magnitude of mineral production. Since ASM production typically occurs in remote and data-sparse regions of the globe, Jessica utilizes a variety of geospatial methods, including photogrammetry of stereo satellite imagery, geomorphic and terrain modeling, and high-resolution image analysis together with geologic and field data to provide the best-available and most current data for a region. The ASM projects she has worked on include assessment of diamond ASM in the Central African Republic, Guinea, and Cote d’Ivoire, gold ASM (ASGM) in Guyana, and ASM of various mineral commodities in Afghanistan.
More recently, Jessica’s research has focused on quantification of terrain change by integrating 3D analysis of historical aerial imagery and archival maps with current data. These investigations quantify decades of terrain change in both naturally and anthropogenically altered regions such as sand dunes, mountain-top removal/ valley-fill mining areas, and urban expansion. As part of this body of research, she is collaborating with a Powell Working Group on topographic change and is part of 2 NRPP projects with the National Park Service looking at terrain and geomorphic change in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MI and Vicksburg National Military Park, MS.
Jessica is also a USGS-certified Remote Pilot in Command (RPIC) and has worked to advance the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in both her own research and in other projects at the Florence Bascom Geoscience Center.
Professional Experience
2014 – present, research geographer, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Geography, West Virginia University, 2016
M.A., Geography & Planning, University of Toledo, 2009
GIS Certification, University of Toledo, 2009
B.A., Geography, Mary Washington College, 2007
Abstracts and Presentations
DeWitt, J., and Chirico, P., 2017, Artisanal and small-scale diamond mining assessment of the Central African Republic, Conference proceedings, Imaging & Geospatial Technology Forum (IGTF) 2017 and the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) Annual Conference, Baltimore, Maryland, March 11-17, 12p.
DeWitt, J., and Chirico, P.G., 2017, Assessing change in small-scale diamond mining activity across the Carnot region of the Central African Republic, Paper accompanying poster and presentation, Proceedings of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Annual meeting, Baltimore, MD., March 14.
Science and Products
A National Topographic Change Mapping and Monitoring System
Terrain change time machine: creating LiDAR-like historical elevation data
Urban and developed areas indicated by classification of Landsat 2018 multispectral imagery
Agricultural area by year between 1988 and 2000 in Kabul, Afghanistan
Geospatial datasets associated with Topographic Change Analysis in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Datasheets associated with borehole sampling of surficial sediments in Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey for the Federal Highways Administration Turner-Fairbanks Research Center In Situ Scour Testing Device
Point locations of brick kilns in Kabul, Afghanistan, derived from 1965, 2004, 2011, and 2018 satellite imagery
Afghanistan Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) Areas (ver. 3.0, June 2021)
Data associated with the investigation of suitable habitat for the endangered plant Harperella (Ptilimnium nodosum Rose) in the Potomac River near Hancock Maryland
Data release for structure-from-motion DEMs derived from historical aerial photographs and their use in geomorphological mapping
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Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Shaida: Points (2017 to 2019)
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Balkhab: Points (2018)
Inventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Doshi-Shibar: Points (2018)
Quantifying and visualizing 32 years of agricultural land use change in Kabul, Afghanistan
Geomorphological mapping and anthropogenic landform change in an urbanizing watershed using structure-from-motion photogrammetry and geospatial modeling techniques
Increasing urbanization and suburban growth in cities globally has highlighted the importance of land planning using detailed geomorphologic maps that depict anthropogenic landform changes. Such mapping provides information crucial for land management, hazard identification, and the management of the challenges arising from urbanization. The development and use of quantitative and repeatable metho
Investigating geomorphic change using a structure from motion elevation model created from historical aerial imagery: A case study in northern Lake Michigan, USA
Mapping the extent and methods of small-scale emerald mining in the Panjshir Valley, Afghanistan
Borehole sampling of surficial sediments in Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland
Afghanistan artisanal and small-scale mining sector
Remote sensing inventory and geospatial analysis of brick kilns and clay quarrying in Kabul, Afghanistan
Investigation of suitable habitat for the endangered plant Ptilimnium nodosum (Rose) Mathias (harperella) using remote sensing and field analysis—Documentation of methods and results
Evaluating elevation change thresholds between structure-from-motion DEMs derived from historical aerial photos and 3DEP LiDAR data
The Central African Republic Diamond Database—A geodatabase of archival diamond occurrences and areas of recent artisanal and small-scale diamond mining
Multi-scale 46-year remote sensing change detection of diamond mining and land cover in a conflict and post-conflict setting
Mapping informal small-scale mining features in a data-sparse tropical environment with a small UAS
Creating high-resolution bare-earth digital elevation models (DEMs) from stereo imagery in an area of densely vegetated deciduous forest using combinations of procedures designed for lidar point cloud filtering
Topographic and Hydrographic GIS Datasets for the Afghanistan Geological Survey and U.S. Geological Survey 2014 Mineral Areas of Interest
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
- Science
A National Topographic Change Mapping and Monitoring System
The three-dimensional (3D) form of the Earth’s surface results from both abiotic and biotic forces. Major abiotic forces, such as tectonic uplift, erosion, and climate, exert strong influence over land surface morphology. Biotic forces, including, significantly, humans, also shape the landscape, but often at different temporal and spatial scales and magnitudes than geologic forces. Because the pro...Terrain change time machine: creating LiDAR-like historical elevation data
This project leverages the USGS's photo archive and Structure from Motion algorithms to derive historical elevation and geomorphic data to catalyze a long-term landscape change analysis of a conservation area. We propose to create a best practices workflow and establish suitable accuracy metrics. - Data
Filter Total Items: 19
Urban and developed areas indicated by classification of Landsat 2018 multispectral imagery
Polygons indicate the extent of urban (gridcode 5) and developed (gridcode 6) land cover in the greater Kabul area. Polygons were created from classification of Landsat 8 Operational Land Imagery (OLI) 30m resolution multispectral satellite imagery acquired on June 13, 2018.Agricultural area by year between 1988 and 2000 in Kabul, Afghanistan
This multi-band raster dataset describes the extent of agricultural activity, including both growing and bare or fallow agricultural fields, surrounding the city of Kabul, Afghanistan for 1988 - 2020. Landsat multispectral images acquired at the height of each year's growing season were used to perform a combined vegetation and clay band ratio analysis. Each band of this raster dataset representsGeospatial datasets associated with Topographic Change Analysis in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
These datasets were created as part of a project to map landslides and other mass movements throughout Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The project aims to address the potential hazards and geomorphic consequences of historic high water levels in Lake Michigan, due to active wave erosion affecting beaches, slopes, and dunes; and coastal inundation. The scale and accuracy of these datasets eDatasheets associated with borehole sampling of surficial sediments in Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey for the Federal Highways Administration Turner-Fairbanks Research Center In Situ Scour Testing Device
This spreadsheet contains the results of open-bore auger samples collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in Maryland and Virginia for the Federal Highways Administration Turner-Fairbanks Highway Research Center. 19 sites were selected in 14 different locations across northern Virginia and southern Maryland by FBGC scientists to drill boreholes for the development of the TFHRC?s In-situ Scour TestiPoint locations of brick kilns in Kabul, Afghanistan, derived from 1965, 2004, 2011, and 2018 satellite imagery
This dataset was created as part of the USGS Afghanistan Project investigating artisanal and small-scale mining activity. Clay mining for brick making purposes represents a small but important segment of the mineral extraction industry in Kabul, Afghanistan. Over the past several decades Kabul has grown from a relatively small city, with a 1970 population of less than 500,000 people, to a sprawlinAfghanistan Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) Areas (ver. 3.0, June 2021)
This data release catalogs currently active ASM operations in Afghanistan in various parts of the country. The dataset was developed through visual interpretation of mining features from the most recently available very high-resolution satellite imagery. The polygon-based shapefiles contains 1 square kilometer gridcells, each of which indicates the presence (and number) of mine sites recorded withData associated with the investigation of suitable habitat for the endangered plant Harperella (Ptilimnium nodosum Rose) in the Potomac River near Hancock Maryland
In lieu of a uniform mapping of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park corridor at very high-resolution using UAS, this study developed a multi-scale workflow, where (1) geospatial modeling methods and (2) historic image analysis were used to constrain the areal extent of (3) detailed field and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) observation. Geospatial Modeling Methods: Harperella habiData release for structure-from-motion DEMs derived from historical aerial photographs and their use in geomorphological mapping
This data release publishes datasets within and surrounding the Piney Branch watershed located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan suburb of Vienna, Virginia. This dataset was utilized in studies that investigated the accuracy and application of geospatial modeling techniques, structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetric methods, and digital elevation model (DEM) differencing to assess and quantifPlease Recycle
This data release publishes datasets within and surrounding the Piney Branch watershed located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan suburb of Vienna, Virginia. This dataset was utilized in studies that investigated the accuracy and application of geospatial modeling techniques, structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetric methods, and digital elevation model (DEM) differencing to assess and quantifInventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Shaida: Points (2017 to 2019)
Afghanistan is endowed with a broad range of mineral resources. Currently, the majority of mining throughout the country is comprised of informal and undocumented artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations. The exact scope of excavation operations depends largely on the mineral commodity produced. In the case of gemstones, such as emeralds and rubies, small teams of miners use manual equipmInventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Balkhab: Points (2018)
Afghanistan is endowed with a broad range of mineral resources. Currently, the majority of mining throughout the country is comprised of informal and undocumented artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations. The exact scope of excavation operations depends largely on the mineral commodity produced. In the case of gemstones, such as emeralds and rubies, small teams of miners use manual equipmInventory of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Doshi-Shibar: Points (2018)
Afghanistan is endowed with a broad range of mineral resources. Currently, the majority of mining throughout the country is comprised of informal and undocumented artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations. The exact scope of excavation operations depends largely on the mineral commodity produced. In the case of gemstones, such as emeralds and rubies, small teams of miners use manual equipm - Maps
Quantifying and visualizing 32 years of agricultural land use change in Kabul, Afghanistan
Agriculture is a key element of Afghanistan’s economy and plays an essential role supporting the expanding population and urban development of Kabul, the country’s capital. Over the past decades the urban landscape has changed substantially and agricultural land use has shifted in its extent, location, and density. Identifying trends in the amount of agricultural area, as an indication of food proGeomorphological mapping and anthropogenic landform change in an urbanizing watershed using structure-from-motion photogrammetry and geospatial modeling techniques
Increasing urbanization and suburban growth in cities globally has highlighted the importance of land planning using detailed geomorphologic maps that depict anthropogenic landform changes. Such mapping provides information crucial for land management, hazard identification, and the management of the challenges arising from urbanization. The development and use of quantitative and repeatable metho
- Publications
Investigating geomorphic change using a structure from motion elevation model created from historical aerial imagery: A case study in northern Lake Michigan, USA
South Manitou Island, part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in northern Lake Michigan, is a post-glacial lacustrine landscape with substantial geomorphic changes including landslides, shoreline and bluff retreat, and sand dune movement. These changes involve interrelated processes, and are influenced to different extents by lake level, climate change, and land use patterns, among other faAuthorsJessica D. DeWitt, Francis AshlandMapping the extent and methods of small-scale emerald mining in the Panjshir Valley, Afghanistan
Emerald mining in the Panjshir Valley, Afghanistan, has occurred for thousands of years, yet few records exist documenting the detailed spatial extent, techniques, or productivity of small-scale miners. This study proposes new methods to map and monitor the extent and changes in small-scale mining in remote and inaccessible terrain by integrating multispectral remote sensing analysis with archivalAuthorsJessica D. DeWitt, Peter G. Chirico, Kelsey L. O'Pry, Sarah E. BergstresserBorehole sampling of surficial sediments in Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland
From 2014 to 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey’s Florence Bascom Geoscience Center (FBGC) entered into an inter-agency agreement with the Federal Highway Administration’s Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) to assist in field site selection and auger drilling fieldwork. The TFHRC was developing a device to measure the erosional properties of clay-rich sediments to be used for in situ teAuthorsPeter G. Chirico, Jessica D. DeWitt, Sarah E. BergstresserAfghanistan artisanal and small-scale mining sector
For millennia, extractive activity in Afghanistan (officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, or IRA) has been entirely artisanal or small-scale in scope. Various international governments, organizations, and companies have supported the growth of the sector, and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GoIRA) views its mineral wealth as vital to the country’s stability and prosAuthorsJessica D. DeWitt, Sindhuja Sunder, Kathleen M BostonRemote sensing inventory and geospatial analysis of brick kilns and clay quarrying in Kabul, Afghanistan
Reconstruction and urban development in Kabul, Afghanistan, has prompted vast expansion of the clay quarrying and brick making industry. This study identified the extent and distribution of clay quarrying and brick kilns in the greater Kabul area between 1965 and 2018. Very high-resolution satellite imagery was interpreted to quantify and characterize the type, number, and location of brick kilnsAuthorsJessica D. DeWitt, Peter G. Chirico, Marissa A. Alessi, Kathleen M BostonInvestigation of suitable habitat for the endangered plant Ptilimnium nodosum (Rose) Mathias (harperella) using remote sensing and field analysis—Documentation of methods and results
Ptilimnium nodosum (Rose) Mathias (harperella) is an endangered plant species found in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, as well as in other locations throughout the southeastern United States. The narrow range of habitat characteristics for areas in which harperella has been found makes locating potential occurrence sites difficult and attempts at reintroduction of the plant relatively unsucAuthorsJessica D. DeWitt, Kelsey L. O'Pry, Peter G. Chirico, John A. YoungEvaluating elevation change thresholds between structure-from-motion DEMs derived from historical aerial photos and 3DEP LiDAR data
This study created digital terrain models (DTMs) from historical aerial images using Structure from Motion (SfM) for a variety of image dates, resolutions, and photo scales. Accuracy assessments were performed on the SfM DTMs, and they were compared to the United States Geological Survey’s three-dimensional digital elevation program (3DEP) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) DTMs to evaluate geomoAuthorsPeter G. Chirico, Jessica D. DeWitt, Sarah E. BergstresserThe Central African Republic Diamond Database—A geodatabase of archival diamond occurrences and areas of recent artisanal and small-scale diamond mining
The alluvial diamond deposits of the Central African Republic (CAR) are mined almost exclusively by way of informal artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) methods. ASM sites range in diameter from a few meters to 30 meters or more, and are typically excavated by crews of diggers using hand tools, sieves, and jigs. CAR’s reported annual production has ranged from 300,000 to 470,000 carats over theAuthorsJessica D. DeWitt, Peter G. Chirico, Sarah E. Bergstresser, Inga E. ClarkMulti-scale 46-year remote sensing change detection of diamond mining and land cover in a conflict and post-conflict setting
The town of Tortiya was created in the rural northern region of Côte d′Ivoire in the late 1940s to house workers for a new diamond mine. Nearly three decades later, the closure of the industrial-scale diamond mine in 1975 did not diminish the importance of diamond profits to the region's economy, and resulted in the growth of artisanal and small-scale diamond mining (ASM) within the abandoned induAuthorsJessica D. Dewitt, Peter G. Chirico, Sarah E. Bergstresser, Timothy A. WarnerMapping informal small-scale mining features in a data-sparse tropical environment with a small UAS
This study evaluates the use of a small unmanned aerial system (UAS) to collect imagery over artisanal mining sites in West Africa. The purpose of this study is to consider how very high-resolution imagery and digital surface models (DSMs) derived from structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetric techniques from a small UAS can fill the gap in geospatial data collection between satellite imagery anAuthorsPeter G. Chirico, Jessica D. DewittCreating high-resolution bare-earth digital elevation models (DEMs) from stereo imagery in an area of densely vegetated deciduous forest using combinations of procedures designed for lidar point cloud filtering
For areas of the world that do not have access to lidar, fine-scale digital elevation models (DEMs) can be photogrammetrically created using globally available high-spatial resolution stereo satellite imagery. The resultant DEM is best termed a digital surface model (DSM) because it includes heights of surface features. In densely vegetated conditions, this inclusion can limit its usefulness in apAuthorsJessica D. DeWitt, Timothy A. Warner, Peter G. Chirico, Sarah E. BergstresserTopographic and Hydrographic GIS Datasets for the Afghanistan Geological Survey and U.S. Geological Survey 2014 Mineral Areas of Interest
Mineral extraction and associated industries play an important role in the Afghan economy, particularly in the “transitional era” of declining foreign aid and withdrawal of foreign troops post 2014. In addition to providing a substantial source of government revenue, other potential benefits of natural resource development include boosted exports, employment opportunities, and strengthened industrAuthorsJessica D. DeWitt, Peter G. Chirico, Katherine C. MalpeliNon-USGS Publications**
DeWitt, J., Warner, T., and Conley, J., 2015, Comparison of DEMs derived from USGS DLG, SRTM, a statewide photogrammetry program, ASTER GDEM and LiDAR: implications for change detection, GIScience and Remote Sensing, v. 52, no. 2, p.179-197, https://doi.org/10.1080/15481603.2015.1019708**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.