For producing the definitive Canadian Ice Atlas, an essential aid in Northern development, Bill Markham, director of AES Ice Branch was  given a Merit Award in Downsview on May 13, 1982  ADM Jim Bruce commended Mr. Markham for his excellent work. He has also received a letter from deputy minister Blair Seaborn, praising him for meritorious service and stating that his innovative approach to ice climatology had resulted in a publication "of significant importance both nationally and internationally." 

The full title of the book is "Ice Atlas, Canadian Arctic Waterways."  It contains 198 colored ice maps and is available from bookstores and the Department of Supply and Services, Ottawa.  Mr. Markham first advocated preparation of the Atlas in the early seventies, based on weekly ice charts he had helped to prepare as one of the first forecasters on Canadian icebreakers in the fifties.  When most of his time was taken up by administrative duties, Mr. Markham continued work on the Atlas by switching to evenings and weekends at home.  Over a period of several years he abstracted all necessary parameters, developed a digital method for their recording and designed a grid system for data abstraction, examined some 330,000 punch cards used to verify the abstractions done by students, and finally ran all information into a computer programmed to plot maps for the Ice Atlas.

The award nomination described the Atlas as "a totally new perspective on ice climatology" and added: "Appearance of this unique Canadian publication is timely in view of the likelihood of oil-and-gas production late in this decade."