Final Project - Bobwhite Manatee

Hello fellow Argonauts.   Here are the links for my final project concerning the Bobwhite-Manatee project proposed by FPL.

This was a time consuming yet rewarding project.   It really felt like "real world" type of work.   I really enjoyed the process.

Here is the Presentation: Bobwhite-Manatee Presentation

And the Slide by Slide Documentation: Slide-By-Slide Documentation

Hope everyone else did well on this assignment and I'll see you next semester !

Loose Ends Lab

Loose Ends Lab

Process Summary

By: David Jenness

Part 1:

Task 1:  Examine the different areas of the Order, Source, Visibility, and Selection.  Important to note which ones let you change the order and see non-spatial data such as tables.   Answered Question 1 and 2.

Task 2:  Create layer groupings (which really come in handy during tasks at my job).

Task 3: Look at graphing, which was something I haven’t done much with personally, so it is good to see how to view this data.  Answered Question 3.

Task 4: Understand purpose of Raster Pyramids (Which I use for several things at work in relation to our Imagery)

Task 5: Work with map templates.   This was very useful to view as it can really save a lot of time when creating new maps.   At work sometimes I know we have to repair the “normal.mxt” file.   Answered question 4.

Task 6:  Using the Dynamic text features (especially in conjunction with the map templates) should really help save me some time in future assignments.   Answered Question 5.

Part 2:

Task 1: Really found the breakdown of the various Geodatabase types helpful.  In particular, the difference between the “File” and “Personal” database description helped me answer a question of a coworker.   Answered Question 1.

Task2: As a database guy, it was really helpful to see the difference between the ObjectID, FID, and OID which I have seen all of during various projects.   Also got to get the clarification to not use them in joins.  Answered Question 2.

Task 3: Attribute field types are pretty familiar to me, but great to get the clarification on how ArcGIS does it.  Answered Question 3.

Task 4: Feature types (vs. Feature Dataset) is an important aspect of ArcGIS I always seem a little fuzzy on.   This section helped clarify that someone.   Answered Question 4.

Task 5: Map delivery is another topic that comes up at work pretty regularly, so it was good to see it addressed in this lab.

Task 6 :  Glad to see that ESRI really understands the concept of “portability” of their creations within ArcMap.    Answered Question 5.

Task 7: Path Names and Data sources come up at work whenever we do a server improvement (like a few weeks ago to our SDE server moving from Oracle to Microsoft SQL).   Great that they covered how to repair the data source.   Answered Question 6.

Task 8: Data Driven test pages seem like a great concept for further getting the information in the hands of the people that need it.   Answered Question 7.

Task 9:   The Map Page Size is a VERY important concept especially when working with the various plotters we have available at my office.

Task 10: Geocoding can be a real great way to augment a project to really provide useful information to the end users.

Georeferencing Rasters

Here is my Map for this week's assignment.

Process Summary

1.      Read entire lab
2.      Task 1 – Read the article at the link provided.
3.      Watched the video.  This looks like it will be a very powerful tool.
4.      Added this week’s  ZIP data from the repository to my S: Drive
5.      Opened ArcMap and added the Buildings and Roads shapefiles
6.      Added uwf_n.jpg file by dragging it from ArcCatalog
7.      It shows up nowhere near the shapefiles (which is to be expected)
8.      Opened the Georeferencing Toolbar
9.      Did a “Fit to Display” from the georeferencing toolbar to get the imagery to show around the general area that the shapefiles are located
10.  Set my 5 Control Points
11.  Expanded this to include 10 control points
12.  Answered Questions 1 and 2.
13.  Completed the “Update Georeferencing” command
14.  Verified that the uwf_n.jgw file exists and looked at the layer properties and saw the spatial reference as 1983 HARN State Plane
15.  Added the uwf_s1.jpg to my map and used the “Fit to Display” command
16.  Added my six control points
17.  Added additional control points (for a total of 12) to experiment with the different levels and their effect on the RMSE error.   You can see Question 3 and Question 4 for more information on these steps.
18.  Updated the Georeferencing on the south imagery
19.  Removed the Background color from the south map
20.  Moved the North file about the south file.   Unfortunately I see I have a gap in between my north and south values so I may have done something wrong.   I went back and tried doing it with the 2^nd order polynomial and this gave me a MUCH better looking result
21.  Used the Editing toolbar to trace the gym and give it the attributes such as building number and height.
22.  Used the editing toolbar to add the road.   Always have to be sure that I “finish sketch” before saving.   Set my Attributes to show “Campus Ln” and a suffix of Ln and Description of “Lane” similar to the other roads.
23.  Opened up ArcScene
24.  Added all of the layers as listed in the lab.
25.  Set each layer’s properties to float on top of the UWF_DEM
26.  Set the Extrusion levels to give the buildings their height
27.  Set the Scene Exaggeration to 5
28.  Positioned the scene the way I wanted to see it
29.  Exported this out to a 2 dimensional JPEG
30.  Used ArcGIS to add my standard map necessities (legend, neatline, title, etc…)
31.  Filled out my metadata.
32.  Submitted my map to the dropbox and posted to blog

This project was really a lot of fun with the 3D aspect of it.

Lab 10 - Data Editing in ArcGIS

Here is the map and Process Summary for this week's assignment.

Process Summary:
1.       Read entire lab summary
2.      Answered Q1
3.      Opened ArcCatalog
4.      Created a Shapefile and played with the properties to see what can be done to it after creation
5.      Opened ArcMap
6.      Added the GulfCounty_Roads and GulfCounty_Parcels to my MXD
7.      Made sure the editor toolbar is active
8.      Answered Q2
9.      Started an Edit Session
10.  Did my select by Attribute to locate and zoom to the two parcels
11.  Performed the Merge
12.  Edited the Attributes of the newly merged parcel
13.  Saved my Edits and Stopped Editing
14.  Selected based on the Owner Name Attribute being equal to Gulf County
15.  Exported this selection out to a Shapefile and added it to the MXD
16.  Opened the attributes for the new shapefile
17.  Added a new field called “Acres” as type double to the attributes
18.  Answered Q3
19.  Used the “Calculate Geometry” tool to add the Acres to the shapefile
20.  Used the field calculator to set the rounding.
21.  Used the Definition Query tab of the properties to filter out parcels over 20 acres
22.  Answered Q4
23.  Added the map table VICD.dbf to the MXD
24.  Created the Join based on the Parcel ID with the County owned layer.
25.  Did a select by attribute to show the vacant parcels (two)
26.  Exported this out as a SuitableParcels shapefile
27.  Started an editing session and chose the Roads Layer to edit
28.  Selected the road by its FID attribute and zoomed to the feature
29.  Edited the road that was out of place.   Experimented with the various snapping tools.
30.  Answered Q5
31.  Saved my edits
32.  Added the new road for the subdivision using the Create Features button.
33.  Set the attributes for the new road.
34.  Saved the edits and stopped editing
35.  Edited the Metadata
36.  Started preparing the map for the deliverable
37.  Added an inset map to show general location
38.  Submitted work to dropbox and the blog

Vector Analysis II

Here is my map and process summary for this week's assignment.    It was nice to fire up Python since the programming aspect of GIS is where I think my career path will eventually take me.

PART III: Process Summary Details
1.      Read entire lab (found this to be very helpful)

2.      Copied the data from the R: drive to my S: drive

3.      Started ArcGIS

4.      Added the “roads” data layer

5.      Opened up the Toolbox -> Analysis -> Proximity to find the Buffer tool

6.      Set my Output Feature class to be S:\IntroGIS\Week 9 -Vector Analysis II\Roads_Buffer.shp

7.      Added the Water shapefile to my MXD

8.      Added the “buffdiff” field to the attributes

9.      Selected all the lakes by the TYPE attribute and set the buffdist to 150

10.  Switched selection to lakes and set the buffdist to 500

11.  Cleared all selected features

12.  Created my next buffer and set to be saved as S:\IntroGIS\Week 9 -Vector Analysis II\Water_Buffer.shp

13.  Turned on the Roads and Roads_Buffer layers to see it all at once.

14.  Opened the ArcPy window

15.  Answered Q1

16.  Set up my command and ran it

17. Saved my work

18.  Answered Q2

19.  Added the fields to the Buffer layers and set them to equal 1

20.  Set the union tool parameters

21. Ran the tool

22.  Answered Q3

23.  Completed my union then set up the “Select By Attributes” to select the features where both of the inside buffers = 1.

24.  Exported the selection then added this back to the map.

25.  Turned off all layers except Roads, Water, and Buffer_Union_Export

26.  Answered Q4

27.  Added the conservation_areas to the project.

28.  Answered Q5

29.  I ran the Multipart to SinglePart tool

30.  Added the area column and noticed that the units are in square meters.

31.  Answered Q6

32.  Prepared the MAP jpeg and Process summary to turn in.



Intro to GIS - Vector 1 Lab

Here is my Process Summary for this lab:

Process Summary:

1.        Copied my Zip file over from R: to my S:\IntroGIS\Week 8 - Spatial Analysis Vector 1 directory
2.       Start ArcMap and open up the MXD
3.       When I saw the queries that they wanted (within 2000 feet of a school, etc…) I decided to test myself and see if I could do the query by myself.    I determined my answer for Q1, then I went back through this section step by step to see if my numbers matched.   Nope, I made a big mistake in my calculations because I was Adding my selection to the existing selection rather than selecting from within the results.
4.       Answered Q1
5.       Next created a Layer of the selection and renamed it to “Parcels Nearby” and hid it
6.       Next did the Enterprise Zone Query
7.       Answered Q2
8.       Next displayed the superact_risk_features layer
9.       Preformed the query.   Answered Q3
10.   Displayed the Flood Zones
11.   Cleared my Selected features
12.   Set up the query to see which parcels intersected the flood zones
13.   Performed the search by attributes and verified that there are 666 parcels in the flood zone.
14.   Pulled up the statistics to generate the Q4 answer
15.   Next, opened up all the layers under water.
16.   Performed a JOIN and saved it to the Lab7Data.gdb as JOIN_OUTPUT
17.   Did the Summary on the BASIN information
18.   Answered Q5
19.   Next worked on the spatial join to find the name and location of the nearest risk features to each of the water wells
20.   Answered Q6
21.   Worked on MetaData
22.   I found this lab to be a great introduction to some of the power that is available to the ArcGIS Analyst.    As a database guy myself, I still find myself saying “wow” when I think of the possibilities of integrating this power into my tabular systems.

Week 7 - GIS Data Search Lab

Hi fellow Argonauts.   I had a good week GIS-wise this week.   I really enjoyed both lab assignments.  I'm even starting to feel a bit more comfortable in Adobe Illustrator (Not comfortable enough to use it without being required to though.....) 

Here are my maps for this week's assignment.   I really wanted to get all the required elements into 2 maps instead of three, but I couldn't pull it off.   So here are the 3 maps:

And here is my Process Summary for this lab:

1.       Read the Lab Instructions through

2.       I see that my assignment is Jefferson County (the neighboring county to the one I live in)

3.       Reviewed the Process Summary questions as instructed

4.       Copied over the data from the R: drive to my folder on s:

5.       Opened ArcMap

6.       I noticed that the data wasn’t called “ClipPractice” or a file called ClipData so I grabbed the Datasearch.zip file and will see if it is the right one.

7.       Enabled the “Spatial Analyst” extension

8.       In the lab notes I see we are to add FL_railroads and Flager_County layers, but I see Flagler_county and rails_2008.   Again I am going to assume these are the proper files.

9.       Yes, it looks like the data matches the lab instructions.

10.   Opened my ArcToolbox

11.   Opened the search window and used the search tool to find and open “Clip (Analysis)”

12.   I selected rails_2008 as my input feature

13.   For “Clip Features” I chose Flagler_county

14.   I set my Output feature class at S:\IntroGIS\Week 7 - GIS Data Search\Flagler_railroads.shp

15.   I clicked OK to run the tool

16.   Answered Question 1

17.   Answered Question 2

18.   I used the search tool to find the “Extract By Mask”

19.   Started Part 2 of the assignment to collect the necessary data as it relates to Jefferson County

20.   Started by getting the County boundary layer from last weeks assignment as suggested on Page 5 of the lab instructions

21.   Started a new MXD and added this data

22.   Did a Select By Attributes function to highlight Jefferson County

23.   Created a Layer from Selected Features of Jefferson County

24.   Exported the data out to a JeffersonCounty shapefile

25.   Removed the original cntband layer

26.   Removed the selection layer

27.   Zoomed to extent

28.   Visited FGDL to see what data I might find there

29.   Filled out the Metadata for CITIES

30.   Used the “Clip” tool to exclude non-Jefferson Points and saved the results here: S:\IntroGIS\Week 7 - GIS Data Search\MainProject\JeffersonCities.shp

31.   Removed the cities_feb04 data

32.   For Public Lands I found the “FLORIDA PARCEL DATA BY COUNTY – 2010” data and downloaded it for Jefferson.   It had info on ALL parcels so I thought it was too much but then looked at the data and saw that there was a PUBLICLND field that had several codes in it.   I selected by attribute to chose all the one that had a non blank value in this field and then researched the metadata

33.   I created a layer from the selected features and then exported it out as JeffersonPublic (I like to have the source data all in Shapefile form).   I removed unnecessary layers from the map.

34.   I looked at the metadata to see what the PUBLICLND codes were and found the following (To use for my Symbology)

Value	Description
F	Federal
S	State
C	County
M	Municipal, City, Town
D	Special Taxint District
W	Water Management Districts
P	Other Public

35.   Gathered my metadata for this layer

36.    Next I researched Roads and found the FDOT Major Roads in Florida layer and downloaded

37.   Use the clip tool to get the data into S:\IntroGIS\Week 7 - GIS Data Search\MainProject\JeffersonRoads.shp

38.   Cleaned up unneeded layers from the map.

39.   Filled out Roads Metadata

40.   I’ll want to come back to do the road symbology.

41.   For the Hydrography I found the “USGS 1:24,000 HYDROGRAPHY – POLYGON” and downloaded the proper one for Jefferson county.   Looking at the symbology to only get the major features

42.   Filled out metadata for Surface Water

43.   For my first Environmental layer I found a good one on Invasive Plants called - FLORIDA INVASIVE PLANTS - JUNE 2010 by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory

44.   Filled out the metadata on this

45.   Clipped the data and saved it here: S:\IntroGIS\Week 7 - GIS Data Search\MainProject\JeffersonPlants.shp

46.   Cleaned up map

47.   Next I looked at the Strategic Habitat Conservation areas and found the INTEGRATED WILDLIFE HABITAT RANKING SYSTEM (IWHRS) FOR FLORIDA – 2009 from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

48.   I used the “Extract by Mask” tool to create S:\IntroGIS\Week 7 - GIS Data Search\MainProject\JefHabitats

49.   metadata on this layer

50.   Next I downloaded my DOQQ info

51.   I did this by going to the LABINS web site and determining the number of the quad I wanted to get around the Monticello area.   Mine was 5132

52.   Downloaded all of the associated files for the 5132to this location: S:\IntroGIS\Week 7 - GIS Data Search\DownloadedData\DOQQ

53.   Tried to add it but saw that I will need to reproject first.   Dug up my lab notes from last week

54.   Opened ArcCatalog

55.   Verified that the Spatial Reference was undefined on the DOQQ’s

56.   Modified the Spatial Reference on all the images to be NAD 1983 HARN Florida GDL Albers (Meters)

57.   Verified visually that the DOQQ was lining up with the layers now.

58.   Now I am reading the instructions on how to get my DEM

59.   I found I needed to use Google Chrome to get to the site rather than IE

60.   Zoomed into my county

61.   Chose the area to download

62.   Clicked the Download button

63.   Unzipped all my data here S:\IntroGIS\Week 7 - GIS Data Search\DownloadedData\DEM\NED_38365443

64.   I added the DEM to the project and built the pyramids

65.   Made sure that Spatial Analyst was enabled and used the Extract by Mask Tool. And moved the data out to:   S:\IntroGIS\Week 7 - GIS Data Search\MainProject\JefDEM

66.   Followed the directions to reproject the DEM.   The bottom part of my DEM is very dark, so curious if this is supposed to be this way or not.  

67.   I went and looked at the Seamless viewer again and indeed this is the case.   There is a big drop-off where the land gets very low and flat

68.   Answered questions 3, 4, and 5

69.   Now that I have all my data, I need to figure out the best way to lay it out.   I want to minimize the number of maps used while not sacrificing any information.

70.   First I want to determine what my “Base” layers will be.  This will help me determine how many maps to make

71.   I have sketched out on a piece of paper my vision of my design.  

72.   After a few hours of work I have 3 maps that incorporate all of the elements of this assignment.   I really tried to get it down to two maps, but couldn’t do it without making the maps unreadable

73.   Verified all of my metadata

74.   Turned in my assignment to Dropbox and Blog.