An introduction to data sources and possible projects. Marc Albrecht Marc Albrecht University of Nebraska at Kearney University of Nebraska at Kearney Department of Biology Department of Biology

GIS Projects: An Overview n Large companies and institutions are undertaking huge, complex GIS projects all the time. You have run across some examples. The purpose here is to show you some of data sources available to you, and some project ideas that might be feasible in the classroom.

OK, Ready to get started? n Part III: Data sources: –I use many Nebraska sources in this presentation because it is the state where I currently live. Therefore I am most familiar with it resources. Most states now have similar resources, as you find them, please share with us! –Keep in mind the good part: most data from state and Federal sources are FREE (maybe cost of duplication). n Its not really free of course, but it does make you feel like your tax dollars are working for you!

To Start a Project you need: 1. GIS software:  ArcExplorer or other free GIS viewer 2. Basemaps:  Examples coming up! 3. Your data:  If you have some, and can input it – that’s great! 4. Training:  If you can find attend a class - or do it online, it helps!

Data Sources n Some base maps that are available (many for free!). –1. Topographic maps for Nebraska have been digitized by the Nebraska Conservation and Survey Division Service Conservation and Survey Division Service Conservation and Survey Division Service –Other maps are available from state agencies or through the USGS map download area USGS map download areaUSGS map download area

2. Aerial Photos n National Aerial Photography Program (NAPP) –Cycle 1 ended 1991 –Cycle 2 started in –Resolution is about 2 meters! –One file like this is about 25 Mb in size –But also available as JPEGs at about 2.5 Mb each –note: the next slide may take a moment to load! n Publicly available through the USGS site and, for Nebraska, through the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) USGS siteDNR USGS siteDNR

n These images are georeferenced and corrected for the Earth’s curvature. n Make great basemaps n Can be used imported into ArcExplorer (the free viewer that you have)!

This type of corrected aerial photo is more properly called a Digital Orthographic Image n These images can be overlaid with other data layers. –On-screen digitizing can be done – you trace areas on the basemap you want to demarcate. –Area and perimeter are given by the GIS software as you draw lines or polygons. This feature can help explore habitat fragments for example.

3. TIGER Files: Topologically Integrated Encoding and Referencing System n TIGER files are created by the Census Bureau –Very detailed –Lots of information –Can use specific layers (road types, railroads, hydrography, street and highway names, lengths and types). n Downloadable from Nebraska NRC (next slide), ESRI, and the Census Bureau. ESRI Census BureauESRI Census Bureau

4. Other Base Maps n The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources has many base maps to download! Nebraska Department of Natural Resources Nebraska Department of Natural Resources –Soil type (2 acre resolution), Land use (8 acre resolution) –Erosion maps, Section lines/points, contours (30 m res) –NRD, hydrologic, and political boundaries and more! –How to get there? Go to their site - select ‘Subjects A-Z’, then ‘D’ (for Data Bank), then ‘Spatial/GIS databases’ n Look for ‘GIS databases request site’ n You just request a map type and location and give your , they you a ftp address when the job is processed!

Part IV: Ongoing Projects and other Software n USGS GAP Analysis USGS GAP Analysis USGS GAP Analysis –33 States and 200 agencies involved –Digital mapping of vegetation and vertebrate animal distributions in the USA –invertebrates too maybe! A Geographic Approach to Planning for Biological Diversity

Software Examples n Example: Animal Movement Tools –a set of tools published by the Alaska USGS office to work with ESRI’s ArcView application –These tools aid in determining home ranges, population sizes, and paths of movement. This moves GIS from being mapping to doing analysis! –FREE

Example outputs

This tool lets you select points on a digital photo and it gives back the exact location!

Water Resources Example n Hydrology Tools –Some tools are included with ArcView application –Other tools are available through third party vendors –Operations such as determining watershed boundaries, flows, flood-prone areas can be done

What Other Software is out there? n n EPA “BASINS” (this is a hyperlink) EPA “BASINS” – –500 Mb database per state – –Free – –hooks into ArcView (required) – –3.0 is current and very useful version – –useful for researchers to citizens groups!

n Spatially Distributed Data in BASINS –Land use/land cover  Urbanized areas  Populated place locations  Reach File, version 1 (RF1) and RF3 Alpha Streams  Soils (STATSGO)  Elevation (Digital Elevation Models)  Major roads  USGS hydrologic unit boundaries (accounting unit, cataloging unit)  Drinking water supply sites  Dam sites  EPA regional, state, and county boundaries  Federal and Indian Lands  Ecoregions

n Environmental Monitoring Data in BASINS  Water quality monitoring station summaries  Water quality observation data  Bacteria monitoring station summaries  Weather station sites (and years of data!)  USGS gauging stations  Fish and wildlife advisories  National sediment inventory (NSI)  Shellfish classified areas  Clean Water Needs Survey

n BASIN Point Source Data  Permit Compliance System (PCS) sites and computed loadings  Industrial Facilities Discharge (IFD) sites  Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) sites  Superfund National Priority List (NPL) sites  Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) sites  Mineral Industry Locations

Examples of BASINS Output

BASINS Nonpoint Pollution Model

Part V: Example Projects n Project Steps –1. Specify Goals –2. Obtain best base maps possible –3. Acquire remote sensing imagery (e.g. aerial photos) –4. Add your data –5. Analyze the data, manipulate the themes, add to or change the data.

Site Characterization n A. If a site needs to be ‘shown off’, GIS is a great way to do it. n B. Aerial photos and line overlays are an effective way of familiarizing people with an area (e.g. part of Buffalo County, NE to the right)

Same Image – closer and different color scheme (click to see it on the web!) (click to see it on the web!)(click to see it on the web!)

Example: Fort Robinson, NE n Fort Robinson, NE is a historical site with over 100 years of active service. We are: –Trail mapping –Verifying boundaries –Possible future projects include n Vegetation mapping n Game animal management n Range quality use and management planning

Aerial photo with roads and points (copy and zoom in on this image – lots of detail!)

Contours Overlaying Aerial Photo

Aerial photo and interpolated surface from contours

Possible GIS Projects n n 1. Endangered Species Conservation – –A. field research and literature search to quantify the environmental requirements of a species – –B. Use GIS database to identify areas that fulfill all requirements (layers, queries, buffers) for the species – –C. Overlay known distributions of the species to identify areas under threat and to locate any uninhabited but candidate locations possible introduction of new populations Dusky seaside sparrow (1987)

n 2. Site Selection –A. Determine the requirements of the building, the conservation reserve, or housing development as specifically as possible n Land parcel of a certain size n Within certain distance of features, such as railroad, power lines, highway –B. Assemble base maps containing data on the criteria parameters –C. Query map layers to identify areas that fit the criteria from step A –D. Framing the criteria and assembling the correct data is the challenge here. This process can be automated and this speeds up government and business action.

Thanks for viewing this presentation. If you want to learn more about doing your own GIS projects, and more capabilities of GIS please me. Images in this presentation are from the ESRI website, the Nebraska DNR, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Geological Service. Please visit their sites to learn more! Thanks. 11/99. ESRI websiteNebraska DNREnvironmental Protection AgencyU.S. Geological ServiceESRI websiteNebraska DNREnvironmental Protection AgencyU.S. Geological Service