ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department Streamlining Environmental Assessment through GIS 2 September, 2003
ARKANSAS STATE HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION GIS UNIT HISTORY AHTD Environmental Division GIS Unit was initiated November 2000 Fully Operational January 2001 Section Status as of July 2003 GIS Section Team: GIS Section Head Robert Fuhler * Senior GIS Coordinator (July, 2001) * GPS Coordinator (January, 2002) Robert Reed Environmental GIS/GPS Analyst (June, 2003) Max Farrell GIS Analyst (June, 2003) Bart Dudley GIS Graphics Technician (Forever) Elaine Sullivan Intern Scott Alsbrook March, 2004
INFORMATION GATHERING AND EXCHANGE Arkansas Hwy & Trans Dept Federal Agencies Planning & Research Division FHWA Surveys Division EPA Roadway Design Division FEMA Computer Services US Fish & Wildlife Service Bridge Division US Forest Service Materials Division NRCS Universities and Schools University of Arkansas Fayetteville Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies (CAST) Soils Physics Lab GeoStor University of Arkansas Monticello Spatial Analysis Lab (SAL) University of Central Arkansas Conway Intern Program Geography Department Intern Program Biology Department (pending) EAST Program Consultants Corp of Engineers State/Local Agencies Arkansas Dept of Information Svcs Arkansas Dept of Environmental Quality Ark ansas Dept of Health Office of Emergency Svcs Arkansas Game and Fish Commission State Historic Preservation Office Arkansas Archaeological Survey Municipal Government County Government State Land Commissioner s Office 211 September, March, 2004 2003
IN-HOUSE AND ACQUIRED DATA In-House Data Acquired Hazardous Waste consolidation General Land Office Digital Data Historic Bridges Select Prime Farmlands Noise Analysis Land Cover Land Use Aerial Imagery Survey Arkansas Base Data (Mapping Section, P&R) FEMA GNIS-USGS National Hydrography Units for Arkansas EPA Data Environmentally Sensitive Rivers Scenic and Historic Rivers National Forests (USFS) Public Water Wellheads (DOH) Landfills (ADEQ) National Wetlands Inventory SSURGO Certified Soils by County USACE Arkansas Districts AHPP Historic Districts 211 September, March, 2004 2003
Universities and Schools Data and Personnel Resources University of Arkansas Fayetteville Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies (CAST) Soils Physics Lab (works with NRCS) GeoStor Development University of Arkansas Monticello Spatial Analysis Lab (SAL) University of Central Arkansas Conway Intern Program Geography Department Intern Program Biology Department (pending) Environmental & Spatial Technology (EAST) Consortium Established since 1997 200 Schools in 7 states (AL, AR,CA, HA, IL, LA, MS) Over 20,000 Students currently enrolled 211 September, March, 2004 2003
STATE AND MUNICIPAL AGENCIES Arkansas Geographic Information Office (AGIO) GeoStor Access through this Office Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Landfills (Legal/Illegal; open/closed) Industrial Facilities Storage Tanks (Under and Above Ground) Hazardous Waste Notifier Arkansas Department of Health (ADOH) Water Sources Wellhead Protection Areas Arkansas Game and Fish Commission State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Historic Structures and Sites Arkansas Archeological Survey (UA, Fayetteville) Archeological Reports Sensitive Archeological Locations Municipal and County Government Land Plats, City Limits State Land Commissioner s Office General Land Office Plats (scanned tifs) Wildlife Management Area Boundaries Endangered & Threatened Species 211 September, March, 2004 2003
DEVELOP AND/OR HOST USERS GROUPS AHTD GIS Users Group In force since 1998 Primarily discusses methodology and database design Group training involves CADD techniques as well Location of various data in other Divisions is also discussed by their own representatives. Arkansas GIS Users Forum State-wide GIS Users Group Makes coordination much easier Host Various Federal/State/Local Groups Data dispersal and education on other databases and designs Cooperative efforts much easier when meetings are hosted face-to-face 211 September, March, 2004 2003
ONGOING PROJECT EXAMPLES MAX FARRELL ENVIRONMENTAL GIS ANALYST 11 March, 2004
GIS AND LOW-STRENGTH SOILS
LOW STRENGTH SOILS/GENERAL HWY MAP AND QUADRANGLE
SPECIAL STUDIES SECTION Significant protection of wetlands as integral and essential parts of the nation s water. Section 404 of the Clean Water Act GIS Technology is helpful in this process in many ways: - Wetland Mitigation - Wetland Delineation - Endangered Species Protection - Historic Water Evaluation - Soils
ASSESSMENT SECTION Prime Farmland -(Farm Protection Policy Act) Federal Programs which contribute to the unnecessary and irreversible conversion of farmland to nonagricultural uses will be minimized -Soils: Query Certain Type of Soils and Calculate Acreage Water Quality -Redline Data -Public Water Supply -Wellhead Protection Areas ALESTINE FORREST CITY MADISON WIDE»Use to GIS Buffer From Each Public Water Supply Wellhead. These Buffers Then Become Wellhead Protection Areas. Layer Used to Mitigate, Minimize and Avoid These Areas During Projects. 261 70 50 334 Wellhead Protection Special Provision 38 211 September, March, 2004 2003
CULTURAL RESOURCE SECTION Archeology - GLOS - Recording sites and see if impacted by proposed job - Modeling potential sites - Locate new Sites and incorporate into GIS Historic Structures Historic Bridge Management System 211 September, March, 2004 2003
GLO PROJECT A Brief History Need For GLO Database Applications GIS Methodology Caveats Work in Progress 211 September, March, 2004 2003
A BRIEF HISTORY Land Ordinance of 1785 Rectangular Survey System Survey Team Usually Consisted of 5 Men Gunter s Chain Plat sketched and labeled in a field book
NEED FOR GLO DIGITAL DATABASE Digitally Document the Cultural and Natural Features Noted on the GLO Plats A Quick and Efficient Method for Staff Archeologists to Access GLO Plat Information A New Way to Model and Predict Potential Historically Valuable Sites An Easy Way to Query Cultural, Commercial, Historic and Historic Water Data Facilitate New Studies into Such Areas as Historic Transportation Networks, Historic Wetlands, Historic Watersheds and Native American Lands 211 September, March, 2004 2003
METHODOLOGY 1) Acquire GLO Plats from State Land Office CD ROM 2) Search for Plat in Alchemy Search Engine 211 September, March, 2004 2003
METHODOLOGY CONTINUED 3) Name and Save Plat as TIFF 4) Import Plat into IRAS-C for Geo- Referencing 211 September, March, 2004 2003
METHODOLOGY CONTINUED 5) Geo-Reference to AHTD Mapping Section s Township Coverage File 211 September, March, 2004 2003
METHODOLOGY CONTINUED 6) Bring Geo-Referenced Image into GeoMedia Professional 4.0 to be digitized 211 September, March, 2004 2003
METHODOLOGY CONTINUED 7) After the Feature is Digitized it is then Assigned Attributes 211 September, March, 2004 2003
METHODOLOGY CONTINUED 8) Attribute Table 211 September, March, 2004 2003
GLO PLAT CAVEATS Precision Not as Accurate as Present Day Surveys. Gunter s Chain Observations and Descriptions Influenced by Cultural and Educational Backgrounds 211 September, March, 2004 2003
DIGITAL GLO DATA CAVEATS Data Collection Occurred Over a Long Period of Time Inconsistencies Among Surveyors Data Collection Obstacles Potential Errors Because of the Digitizing Process Edge Matching 211 September, March, 2004 2003
EDGE MATCHING 211 September, March, 2004 2003
EDGE MATCHING 15 N 32 W 1833 14 M 32 W 1834
OVERALL ACCURACY
Mangers Woodrow farm spring State House Rapleys store ferry Memphis road river crossing house Mrs. Trapmalls street street Col.? road Cap.? Killian's; Watkins: JR Reans street Watkins house field Arsenal grounds College grounds cemetery street Dr.? Mrs. Fultons road
IMAGERY USGS Quadrangle Digital Ortho Quarter Quad (DOQQ) 211 September, March, 2004 2003
Archeologists APPLICATIONS Has Someone Been There Historically? Movement of People Historic Waters Transportation Corridors Native American Lands Historians Information is Historic Document and Study Historic Transportation Networks Historic Wetlands Historic Watersheds Native American Lands 11 March, 2004
Grassy Lake 1848 GLO Plat Grassy Lake 1983 USGS Topographic Map Crooked Lake 1848 GLO Plat Campbell s Oldfield Lake 1848 GLO Plat
Grassy Lake 1848 GLO Plat Crooked Lake 1848 GLO Plat Campbell s Oldfield Lake 1848 GLO Plat
WORK IN PROGRESS Over 2500 GLO Plats to Process Approximately?? Percent Have Been Geo- Referenced 211 September, March, 2004 2003
QUESTIONS Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments at Max.Farrell@ahtd.state.ar.us THANK YOU!! 211 September, March, 2004 2003
ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department Streamlining Environmental Assessment through GIS 2 September, 2003