We specialize in Geospatial Technologies

Esri Partner Logo Image

Dr. Johnstone's Publications, Conference Papers and Talks

Refereed Papers

  • Johnstone, W.M. and Lence, B.J. (2012). Use of flood, loss and evacuation models to assess exposure and improve a community tsunami response plan: Vancouver Island, ASCE Natural Hazards Review, 13(2), 162-171. Access Here
  • Johnstone, W.M. and Lence, B.J. (2011). Assessing the life safety performance of integrated emergency action plans, Association of Dam Safety Officials Journal of Dam Safety, 9(1), 29-37. Access Here
  • Becker, B.A., Johnstone, W.M., and Lence, B.J. (2011). Wood Frame Building Response to Rapid-Onset Flooding, ASCE Natural Hazards Review, 12(2), 85-95. Access Here
  • Lumbroso, D.M., D. Sakamoto, W.M. Johnstone, A.F. Tagg and B.J. Lence (2011). The development of a Life Safety Model to estimate the risk posed to people by dam failures and floods, Dams and Reservoirs Journal of the British Dam Society, 21(1), 31-43. Access Here
  • Johnstone, W.M. and B.J. Lence (2010). Assessing the value of mitigation strategies in reducing the impacts of rapid-onset, catastrophic floods, Journal of Flood Risk Management, 2(3), 209-221. Access Here

Refereed Conference Papers

  • Johnstone, W.M. and M. Garrett (2014). Return to Malpasset: Using the Life Safety Model to Assess the Effectiveness of Community Evacuation Plans, in the Proceedings of ASDSO Dam Safety 2014, Association of State Dam Safety Officials, San Diego, CA, Sep 21-24, 25 pgs. Access Here
  • Johnstone, W.M. and B.J. Lence (2010). Assessing the life safety performance of emergency action plans, in the Proceedings of ASDSO Dam Safety 2010, American Society of Dam Safety Officials, Seattle, WA, Sep 19-23, 20 pgs. Access Here
  • Becker, B.A., Johnstone, W.M., and Lence, B.J. (2011). Wood Frame Building Response to Rapid-Onset Flooding, ASCE Natural Hazards Review, 12(2), 85-95. Access Here
  • Johnstone, W.M. and B.J. Lence (2008). Assessing the value of mitigation strategies in reducing the impacts of rapid-onset, catastrophic floods, In the Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Flood Defense: Managing Flood Risk, Reliability and Vulnerability. Toronto, Ontario, May 6-8, 8 pgs. Access Here

Conference Papers, Refereed by Abstract

  • Lence, B.J., W.M. Johnstone and A. Naghibi (2009). Impacts of hydropower-induced flows: estimation and mitigation of human and environmental risks, in the Proceedings of the 2009 Canadian Dam Association Annual Conference, Whistler, BC, Canada, Oct 3-8, 15-28.
  • Johnstone, W.M., B.J. Lence and D. Alexander (2006). Ucluelet tsunami preparedness study, in the Proceedings of the 19th Annual Emergency Preparedness Conference, Vancouver B.C., Oct 26, 4 pgs.
  • Johnstone, W.M., D. Sakamoto, H. Assaf and S. Bourban (2005). Architecture, Modelling Framework and Validation of BC Hydro's Virtual Reality Life Safety Model, in the Proceedings of ISSH 2005. Nijmegen, Netherlands, May 23-24, 8 pgs. Paper selected as one of two Keynote Presentations (see Keynote Addresses at Conferences).
  • Johnstone, W.M., H. Assaf, D. Sakamoto and D. Hartford (2003). Analysis of the Malpasset Dam failure Using GIS and engineering models, in the Proceedings of the GeoTec 2003 Symposium, Vancouver, B.C., Mar 16-19, 9 pgs.
  • Johnstone, W.M. and W.D. Thomas (1995). Enterprise Architecture Planning and GIS: Moving from a Project-Oriented Approach to Real Business Solutions, in the Proceedings of the GIS '95 Symposium, Vancouver, B.C., Mar 27-30, 5 pgs.
  • Johnstone, W.M. and L. McLachlan (1992). Development of a GIS implementation plan for the Vancouver Port Corporation, in the Proceedings of the GIS '92 Symposium, Vancouver, B.C., Feb 10-13, 9 pgs.
  • Johnstone, W.M., B. Hawkins and L. Crooks (1992). Analysis of user requirements within the Yukon Department of Renewable Resources using CASE tools, in the Proceedings of the GIS '92 Symposium, Vancouver, B.C., Feb 10-13, 5 pgs.
  • Herzer, W., W.M. Johnstone, R.L. MacDonald and C. Goodbrand (1991). Application of GIS to the planning and preliminary design of the Vancouver Island Highway, in the Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Conference on Civil Engineering Applications of Remote Sensing and GIS, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Washington, D.C., May 14-16, 19-28.
  • Johnstone, W.M., B. Hawkins and L. Crooks (1991). Development of a GIS implementation plan for the Yukon Department of Renewable Resources, in the Proceedings of the GIS '91 Symposium, Vancouver, B.C., Feb 12-15, 253-263.
  • MacDonald, R.L., C. Goodbrand and W.M. Johnstone (1991). Application of GIS to the planning and preliminary design of the Vancouver Island Highway, in the Proceedings of the GIS '91 Symposium, Vancouver, B.C., Feb 12-15, 303- 318.
  • Johnstone, W.M. and S.H. Paine (1989). Forestry, remote sensing and workstations: Present state and future trends, in the Proceedings of the GIS '89 Symposium, Vancouver, B.C., Mar 7-10, 111-113.
  • Johnstone, W.M., M.E. Jernigan (1984). Deriving Digital Terrain Models for LANDSAT data analysis, in the Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Pattern Recognition, Montreal, Jul 30 - Aug 2, 908-910.

Invited Presentations / Visiting Lecturer

  • Life Safety Modelling Framework and Performance Measures to Assess Community Protection Systems: Application to Tsunami Emergency Preparedness and Dam Safety Management (2014), Invited Presentation, University of Washington M9 Cascadia Megaquake Research Group, Seattle, WA, May 20.
  • Are We Prepared? Modelling Community Response to Dam Failures and Tsunami (2013). Invited Presentation, ESRI Canada User Conference: Transforming Our World, Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver, BC, Nov 13.
  • Use of Hazard, Loss and Evacuation Models to Support Communities Planning for Response to Tsunami (2011). Johnstone, W.M. and B.J. Lence. Invited Keynote Presentation at Internal Training Session, Emergency Management British Columbia PACIFICEX11 Educational Session, Victoria, BC, Mar 23.
  • Initial Assessment of Community Impacts from the March 11, 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake & Tsunami (2011). Johnstone, W.M. and B.J. Lence (2011). Invited Keynote Presentation at Internal Training Session, Emergency Management British Columbia PACIFICEX11 Educational Session, Victoria, BC, Mar 23.
  • Final Project Presentation: Ucluelet Tsunami Emergency Preparedness Study (2007). Lence, B.J., W.M. Johnstone, N. Hedley, D.E. Alexander, J.J. Clark, A. Becker and M. Kurowski. Invited Presentation, District of Ucluelet Emergency Management Facility, Ucluelet, BC, Jun 12.
  • Ucluelet Tsunami Emergency Preparedness Study (2006). Johnstone, W.M. and B.J. Lence. Invited Presentation, Cascadia Region Earthquake Workgroup (CREW) Meeting, Pacific Geoscience Centre, Victoria, BC, Oct 19.

Keynote Addresses at Conferences

  • Use of Hazard, Loss and Evacuation Models to Support Communities Planning for Response to Tsunami, W.M. Johnstone and B.J. Lence (2011). Invited Keynote Presentation, Presented at the Successes and Challenges of Tsunami Modeling Symposium, Waves 2011 Conference, Vancouver, BC, Jul 25.
  • Assessing the Life Safety Performance of Community Protection Systems and Emergency Action Plans, W.M. Johnstone and B.J. Lence (2010). Invited Keynote Presentation, Presented at the 23rd Annual Emergency Preparedness Conference 2010 - Decade for Change: Planning, Players and Politics, Vancouver, BC. Nov 23-26.
  • Using Geospatial Datasets to Support Risk Mitigation and Preparedness Planning for Tsunami Hazards on Vancouver Island, W.M. Johnstone, B.J. Lence and N. Hedley (2008). Invited Keynote Presentation, Presented at the 2008 Geomatics and Public Security, Public Safety, Emergency Preparedness Conference, Geomatics Industry Association of Canada, Vancouver, BC, Mar 30.
  • Johnstone, W.M., D. Sakamoto, H. Assaf and S. Bourban (2005). Architecture, Modelling Framework and Validation of BC Hydro's Virtual Reality Life Safety Model, Invited Keynote Presentation, Presented at ISSH 2005. Nijmegen, Netherlands, May 23-24.Approximately 250 attendees.

Conference Presentations

  • Johnstone, W.M. and B.J. Lence (2008). Use of hazard and community simulation models to assess mitigations for tsunami and lahars, Presented at the UBC/University of Washington 2008 Hydrology & Water Resources Symposium, Seattle, WA, Sep 26.
  • Lence, B.J., W.M. Johnstone, A. Naghibi and A. Becker (2007). Impacts of hydropower-induced extreme flows: estimation and mitigation of human and environmental risks, Presented at the International Scientific Workshop on Flood Emergency Analysis, BC Hydro Campus, Burnaby, BC, Nov 27-28.
  • Johnstone, W.M. and B.J. Lence (2007). Assessing the value of flood loss interventions, Presented at the International Scientific Workshop on Flood Emergency Analysis, BC Hydro Campus, Burnaby, BC, Nov 27-28.
  • Johnstone, W.M. and B.J. Lence (2007). Tsunami case study, Presented at the International Scientific Workshop on Flood Emergency Analysis, BC Hydro Campus, Burnaby, BC, Nov 27-28.
  • Johnstone, W.M., D. Sakamoto and B.J. Lence (2007). Developing flood loss reduction scenarios using analytical and simulation techniques, Presented at the 4th Annual Canadian Risk and Hazards Network Symposium, Richmond, BC, Nov 4-6.
  • Johnstone, W.M., B.J. Lence, N. Hedley, A. Becker and M. Kurowski (2007). Ucluelet tsunami preparedness study, Presented at the 9th GEOIDE Annual Scientific Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia: GEOIDE, Jun 6-9.

Posters

  • Sakamoto, D., W.M. Johnstone and B.J. Lence (2009). Use of a Simulation-Based Behaviour Model to Assess and Improve Flood Evacuation Plans, presented at Flood & Coastal Risk Management 2009 - Poster Session, The International Centre, Telford, UK, Jun 20 - Jul 2, Awarded First Prize in Poster Competition.
  • Johnstone, W.M. and B.J. Lence (2007). Ucluelet Tsunami Life Safety Study: Loss Estimation and Emergency Planning, presented at 9th GEOIDE Annual Scientific Conference - Poster Session. Halifax, Nova Scotia: GEOIDE, Jun 6-9.

Other Invited Presentations

  • Ucluelet Tsunami Preparedness Study. W.M. Johnstone (2013). Seminars on the Cascadia Subduction Zone Tsunami Preparedness Study presented to the Districts of Tofino and Ucluelet at their town hall and community hall, respectively, Jun 11.
  • Modelling tsunami hazard, loss and evacuation: a Vancouver Island case study. W.M. Johnstone (2012). Seminar presented to the UBC Natural Hazards and Disaster Reduction Discussion Group, University of British Columbia, Jan 20.
  • Use of hazard, loss and evacuation models to support communities planning for response to tsunami. W.M. Johnstone and B.J. Lence (2011). Part 1 of a seminar presented to the Structures Research Group, Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, Mar 31.
  • Performance of Community Protection Systems: Initial assessment of community impacts of the Great Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. W.M. Johnstone and B.J. Lence (2011). Part 2 of a seminar presented to the Structures Research Group, Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, Mar 31.
  • Assessing the life safety performance of Community Protection Systems and Emergency Action Plans. W.M. Johnstone and B.J. Lence (2011). Seminar presented to the Hydrotechnical Research Group, Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, Jan 27.
  • Using geospatial datasets to support risk mitigation, preparedness and response for tsunami hazards on Vancouver Island. W.M. Johnstone, B.J. Lence, N. Hedley and M. Kurowski (2009). Presented at the Geomatics and Public Security, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Workshop, Geomatics Industry Association of Canada (GIAC), SFU Harbour Centre, Vancouver, BC, Mar 30.
  • GIS Certification, K. Stewart, T. Smith and W.M. Johnstone (2006). Panel discussion at the Vancouver GIS User's Group meeting, BC Hydro, Dunsmuir Street Building, Mar 9.
  • Architecture, structural submodels and validation of BC Hydro's Virtual Reality Life Safety Model. W.M. Johnstone (2005). Seminar presented to the Structures Research Group, Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, Nov 3.
  • Transportation model concepts within BC Hydro's virtual reality Life Safety Model (LSM). W.M. Johnstone (2005). Seminar presented to the Transportation Research Group, Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, Feb 10.
  • Technical trends in the use of GIS for planning and transportation, W.M. Johnstone (2004). Presented at the URISA British Columbia Meeting, Richmond, BC, Dec 13.
  • Enterprise Architecture Design, W.M. Johnstone (1998). Presented at the Smallworld-GeoData User's Conference held in Denver, Colorado, Sep 30.
  • BC Forest Roads Management System (FRMS), W.M. Johnstone (1996). Presented at the Forest Information Systems Workshop FISW'96, SFU Downtown Campus. Dec 12.
  • What's new in GIS?, W.M. Johnstone (1995). Presented at the International Right-of-Way Association's Western Regional Conference, Mar 27.
  • An introduction to GIS concepts, W.M. Johnstone (1994). Presented at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Continuing Education Sessions, BC Tel Building, Burnaby, BC, Mar 16.

BC Provincial Handbooks and Standards

  • An Introduction to the British Columbia Watershed Atlas. (1996) Revision 2.1 (19 pages plus colour inserts).
  • Physical Data Model of the British Columbia Watershed Atlas. (1996) Revision 2.1 (95 pages).
  • An User's Guide to the British Columbia Watershed / Waterbody Identifier System. (1996) Revision 1.0 (11 pages).
  • User Guide For The British Columbia TRIM HOL (Height-of-Land) Database - Release 0 (March 1999), Geographic Data BC, Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks.
  • User Guide For The British Columbia TRIM HOL (Height-of-Land) Database - Release 1 (June 2001), Geographic Data BC, Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks.

Manuals and Handbooks

  • Introduction to Spatial Data Standards. British Columbia Hydro - Enterprise GIS Working Group (1995) Revision 5.2 (12 pages).
  • Spatial Data Standards Abstracts. British Columbia Hydro - Enterprise GIS Working Group (1995) Revision 6.1 (14 pages).
  • An Introduction to the Sewerage and Drainage GIS for the Greater Vancouver Regional District, Sewerage and Drainage Department, (1996) Revision 1.0 (18 pages plus colour inserts).
  • Physical Data Model of the Sewerage and Drainage GIS for the Greater Vancouver Regional District, Sewerage and Drainage Department, (1996) Revision 1.1 (37 pages).

Other Presentations

In response to the March 11, 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, Dr. Lence's research group was approached to provide expert observations regarding the likelihood of losses in BC due to a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and tsunami. These interviews resulted in the following publications:
  • Radio interview: All Points West, CBC Victoria, Mar 12, 2011.
  • Print interview: Experts Hope Japan 'Eye-opener' for BC, Tamsyn Burgmann, Canadian Press, Mar 14, 2011.
  • Radio interview with B.J. Lence and W.M. Johnstone: The Early Edition with Rick Cluff, CBC Vancouver, Mar 18, 2011.
  • TV interview with B.J. Lence and W.M. Johnstone: Global News Vancouver, Aaron McArthur. Broadcast province-wide on News Hour, Mar 21.
  • Print interview with W.M. Johnstone: Island Towns Could See Tsunami 10 Minutes After Earthquake, Sandra McCulloch, Victoria Times Colonist, Mar 20. Available online at the Times Colonist website.

Review of Journal Papers

Since 2011, Dr. Johnstone has reviewed approximately two papers per year for the Journal of Flood Risk Management.