The U.S. Geological Survey will showcase its latest high-resolution geospatial data and state-of-the-art mapping technology at the annual ESRI Users Conference in San Diego, California, July 12 – 16, at the San Diego Convention Center.

Technical presentations will describe applications of USGS geospatial data to such complex issues as monitoring a dam’s affect on aquatic habitat, restoring ecosystems, and mapping across international borders. The extensive USGS conference participation takes place in multiple venues: the Map Gallery, Technical Sessions, and the Exhibit Pavilion.

Below are highlights of USGS participation in the conference.

Map Gallery:

USGS maps and posters will be on display in the Map Gallery beginning Monday, July 12 at 3:30 p.m. and will be on display throughout the conference. (Sail Area, 2^nd floor, San Diego Convention Center) Sample of some USGS titles are below:

• The National Hydrography Dataset
• Partners in Stewardship of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure
• The Development of a Fisheries GIS Resource Database
• A Window to the National Geologic Map Database Map Catalog via ArcGIS Image Server National Water-Quality Assessment Toolbox
• Quaternary Fault Mapping on the Web Using ArcGIS Server
• Applying GIS to Monitor Native and Endangered Fish Species in the Little Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona
• Land Cover of the United States
• Harmonization of Binational U.S./Mexico Watershed Boundaries and Hydrography Network
• The Hydrographic Setting for Mercury Sampling
• Streamflow Estimates with Divergences – Modified for Trans-continental Divide Divergence
• Seismicity of the Earth 1900-2007
• GIS-Based Analysis of Secondary Craters as Stratigraphic Markers, Mars
• Seismic Design Maps for the International Building Code
• The Status of Mountain Lion Research in the southwestern United States
• Applications of GPS and high-accuracy positioning in GIS for monitoring the Colorado River ecosystem, Grand Canyon, Arizona
• Lunar Mapping and Modeling Geospatial Infrastructure

Exhibit Pavilion:

On the ground floor of the Convention Center, the USGS has a large exhibit booth in the Federal Showcase area of the Exhibition Hall, Tuesday through Thursday, during the conference. Please stop by Booth F 2747 for demonstrations, displays, and for answers to any questions.

Technical Sessions:

Introduction to the Hydrography Event Management (HEM) tools

The Hydrography Event Management Tools are a set of shared components to allow for creation and management of scientific data that is referenced to the National Hydrography Dataset. The current version of the tools can create, update, copy, and delete events, import features, measure linear distance, and more. The HEM tools were developed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to help link biologic or water use data to the NHD. These agencies along with the USGS and U.S. EPA are now involved in ongoing collaboration to further develop and support the HEM tools and HEM user community. The presentation will elaborate on the uses of the tools and review real world examples, as well as discuss the importance of hydrography events and the availability of resources to receive training in HEM tools.

Ariel Bates, Tue, July 13, 8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m., San Diego Convention Center Room 25 C

Diversion structures in the National Hydrography Dataset

The National Hydrography Dataset provides a comprehensive representation of the surface water of the United States. These data largely represent the natural flow of water on the landscape using streams, rivers, and lakes. However, most of the engineered diversion features are not properly incorporated into the network. Although the typical diversion conduits of canals, ditches, pipelines, and tunnels are normally present in the NHD, an explicit identification point is needed to identify where an engineered diversion or confluence occurs. Such points also need a linear referencing address. Network analysis can then use these points to more accurately model flow. Most state water agencies have extensive diversion databases and the goal is to incorporate the pertinent structures into the NHD to assemble standardized information useful to land managers and other data users.

Jeffrey Simley, Tue, July 13, 8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m., San Diego Convention Center Room 25 C

WBD/NHD integration – A new opportunity for Geographic Information Systems

The National Hydrography Dataset and Watershed Boundary Dataset are popular GIS components in water resources. Integrating them into a common data model will unleash even more capabilities for analysis. A highly functional data design taking advantage of geodatabase technology means an advanced dataset that will serve sophisticated analysis while at the same time remain simple and easy to use so users at all levels of expertise have the ability to apply the data. Developing the new dataset has demonstrated a strong inter-agency collaboration at all levels. The result of this inter-agency collaboration is a new GIS dataset that is well on its way to providing useful new data to scientists and users for years to come. Examples of national, regional, and local applications showing how WBD improves management, exchange, and analysis of hydrologic data demonstrate the usefulness of the new integrated database.

Stephen Daw, Tue, July 13, 8:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m., San Diego Convention Center Room 25 C

Improving stream flow estimates in NHDPlus

NHDPlus Version 1 included mean annual stream flow estimates using the Unit Runoff Method. There are three plans proposed to improve the stream flow estimates in the NHDPlus Version 02. The first improvements are based on the lessons learned from the UROM V01 stream flow estimates and opportunities to expand the stream flow estimates to include mean monthly and 7Q10 flows. The second method is the development of Regional Regressions. Regression equations would be developed and used to compute the flow estimates. The third flow estimation technique proposed is to use the Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes, or SPARROW model. One major aspect of the proposed effort is the establishment of the selected set of stream flow gages upon which to base stream flow estimation. This gage database will provide an extremely valuable resource for other modeling efforts.

Kernell Ries and Richard Moore, Tue, July 13, 10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., San Diego Convention Center Room 25 C

An ArcInfo programming odyssey – AML to Python Script conversion

In 1999 the Snow Cover Comparison Tool, an AML (ARC Macro Language) geoprocessing script, was developed to process and visualize snow cover from both observed and synthetic, or modeled, data using the ArcInfo Workstation module. Ten years later, the underlying GIS software and data models have changed significantly. This has led to the need for updating and converting the AML script to a Python script. This was not as straightforward or easy as first assumed due to increased functionality in some areas (raster processing) and decreased functionality in others (cartographic output). Another difficulty was the need to convert a script written for a procedural programming language to an object-oriented language. This talk will discuss the solutions to these problems and how ArcGIS 9.4 may resolve the inability of ARCGIS 9.3 to create cartographic output through Python scripting.

Donna Knifong, Tue, July 13, 1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m., San Diego Convention Center Room 28 D

Building a Water-Resources Geodatabase for the Rio Grande Basin

Water-resources data in the Rio Grande Basin from San Acacia, New Mexico to Fort Quitman, Texas have been collected for a variety of purposes over several decades by numerous agencies, researchers, and organizations. However, these data have not been integrated or thoroughly evaluated to enhance usability. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, has built a geospatial water-resources database, or geodatabase, to meet this need for an integrated and comprehensive data compendium, which will aid in the understanding of spatial and temporal trends in water quality and quantity. The end-product of this effort is a water-resources geodatabase that enables the visualization of primary collection sites and associated data for surface-water discharges, groundwater elevations, and water-quality for the Rio Grande Basin in an environmental context.

Thomas Burley, Tue, July 13, 3:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., San Diego Convention Center Room 25 C

Linking fish-population characteristics with habitat structure using GIS

Completion of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963 significantly altered the physical processes and environments of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. This affected the aquatic food web and the native and non-native fish communities. As the designated science provider to the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program, the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center is investigating habitat requirements of native fishes and how dam operations have influenced these habitats. In this session, preliminary results are presented showing relationships between the physical characteristics of native-fish populations and their spatial distributions in respect to the geometry of the habitats that they occupy. These results are based on several large fish-sampling expeditions where samples were stratified based on automated classifications of shoreline habitat derived from digital, airborne imagery within a GIS environment.

Michael Breedlove and Michael Yard, Tue, July 13, 3:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., San Diego Convention Center Room 30 E

Creating the U.S. Topo – A process discussion

In 2009 the U.S. Geological Survey began production of the “Digital Map – Beta”. The “Digital Map – Beta” was the first step toward a new generation of digital topographic maps delivered by the U.S. Geological Survey. The “Digital Map – Beta” set the stage for the next step – the production of the U.S. Topo. These maps are built from The National Map data, which are integrated from local, state, and federal agencies, along with other sources. Production processes and a variety of software have been implemented to streamline production methods and product delivery. This presentation will discuss the overall U.S. Topo production process and its use of ESRI software products, including ArcGIS Server, Job Tracking Extension, Production Line Tool Set, ArcGIS Desktop, and ArcGIS Image Server, which were used throughout the production cycle.

Larry Davis and Helmut Lestinsky, Tue, July 14, 10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., San Diego Convention Center Room 23 B

The National Atlas of the United States 1:1,000,000-Scale Hydrography Dataset

The National Atlas of the United States produced a 1:1,000,000-scale (1:1M) hydrography dataset that consists of streams, waterbodies, and coastlines of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Hydrographic features were selected, generalized, and refined from the National Hydrography Dataset at 1:100,000-scale to create regional networked geodatabases and nationwide shapefile data that can serve multiple cartographic and scientific purposes. The hydrographic features are vertically integrated with other 1:1M National Atlas cartographic frameworks such as transportation features and national boundaries. The harmonization of U.S. hydrographic data with 1:1M streams and waterbodies from Canada and Mexico supports mapping at continental and global scales through the North American Atlas and the Global Map.

Florence Thompson, Tue, July 14, 10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., San Diego Convention Center Room 23 B

The Geospatial Platform

President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget includes direction to the National States Geographic Information Council to create a new Geospatial Platform that will enable government agencies and their partners to access geospatial capabilities to meet mission needs, ensure transparency and accountability, and geo-enable the business of government. The Platform will serve as a vehicle to leverage the expertise and experience of federal geospatial agencies, and the tools they have developed, to assist in meeting the needs of partners. These tools include data, services, and applications that can be built once and used many times, resulting in greater efficiency, savings, and enhanced geospatial capacity and utilization. The Federal Geographic Data Committee is developing a Modernization Roadmap for the design and implementation of the Geospatial Platform. The Roadmap will describe a future-state technology architecture that leverages industry standards and best practices, identifies the processes and organizational elements needed to ensure success, and outlines a strategic path forward to implement the Platform vision. This session will provide an overview of the Roadmap activities to date, with reactions and perspectives from stakeholders and questions and comments to follow.

Ivan DeLoatch (USGS), Karen Siderelis (DOI),Tony LaVoi (DOI) Tue, July 14, 10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., San Diego Convention Center Room 28 D

Designing USGS topographic mapping for multiscale online use

Federal topographic map production has moved to digital delivery. Design work for multi-scale mapping to improve The National Map will be discussed. This effort complements USGS’ work on orthophoto-based GeoPDFs (Digital Map – Beta) and Maps-on-Demand. Designs are prepared using automated geoprocessing to produce generalized hydrography for scale change with stream categories and hierarchies symbolized. In addition, we automate labeling; display transportation and boundary line features; represent point locations for populated place, cultural, and emergency-response features; and combine contours and hillshading with selected land cover and land use symbols. Categories and hierarchies of symbols are structured using hue, lightness, and size. Map displays change systematically as scale is reduced through feature weighting, symbol-level drawing, elimination, and symbol change.

E. Usery, Tue, July 14, 1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m., San Diego Convention Center Room 23 B

Albuquerque Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works and Restoration website

The Rio Grande Civil Works and Restoration Projects Web Application (http://txpub.usgs.gov/USACE), developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Albuquerque District, is designed to provide publicly available information through the Internet about civil works and restoration projects in the Rio Grande Basin. Since 1942, USACE Albuquerque District responsibilities have included such projects as flood protection, supplying water for power and public recreation, participating in fire remediation, and protecting and restoring wetlands. In the process of conducting this vast array of engineering work, a need arose for easily tracking the locations of and providing information about projects to stakeholders and the public. The Website and Web mapping application were developed using ArcGIS Server, ASP.NET and Flex to enable users to visualize locations and search for information about USACE projects throughout the Rio Grande Basin in southern Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.

Christy-Ann Archuleta, Tue, July 14, 1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m., San Diego Convention Center Room 24 B

Mobile mapping of fish movements in the Lower Missouri River

Multidisciplinary research is being conducted to investigate sturgeon spawning movement and habitat use in the Lower Missouri River. An extensive telemetry effort using two sturgeon species (pallid and shovelnose sturgeon) relies on a customized ArcPad application to record sturgeon relocation events and search efforts. Customized forms streamline data entry by prompting users to collect data for each telemetry location event or search effort. The custom electronic forms reduce errors by automatically verifying data entered by field crews. Interactive drop-down lists are used to expedite data entry and further reduce entry errors. By electronically capturing information at the time of collection, the forms within ArcPad eliminate data entry by office personnel. Data for sturgeon relocations and search efforts are uploaded to a secure server on a daily basis using a secure internet webpage, ensuring near real-time data delivery and reporting.

Kim Chojnacki and Aaron DeLonay, Tue, July 14, 3:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., San Diego Convention Center Room 30 B

Using ESRI software for 3-dimensional mapping of geochemical data

Geochemical data may include many element concentrations, multivariate factors, sample media types, analytical tests, and measurement units. Traditional 2-dimensional mapping of more than a few of those data layers on a single map is often ineffective. Visualization can be improved using 3-dimensional symbolization. ESRI ArcInfo, Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst extensions, ArcGIS Server, and ArcExplorer are software modules that allow 3-dimensional arrangement without obscuring any data. Resulting map documents can be published to the web, enabling the spatial exploration of various element suites and multivariate factors by non-GIS professionals. Advantages of using these techniques include the reduction of printed materials, and the capability of creating a variety of high quality, information-dense digital map products tailored to various types of audiences and users.

Stuart Giles, Tue, July 15, 10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., San Diego Convention Center Room 28 E

Completion of the Binational U.S.-Mexico watershed boundaries and hydrography network

Water availability and water quality are critical issues for the U.S.-Mexico border region. To facilitate hydrologic analysis applications, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Mexican Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía collaborated to harmonize shared hydrologic drainage areas along the U.S. – Mexico border and build a connected hydrographic network of surface water features for the binational region. The harmonization process included participatory meetings at the national level between team leaders for the U.S. Watershed Boundaries Database, the U.S. National Hydrography Dataset, and Mexico’s Red Hidrográfica and Cuencas Oficiales to agree on standards, content, connectivity, and binational cross walk attribution tables from each country. Each country will be free to distribute these binational datasets agreed to in the USGS and INEGI Project Annex VI agreement. This presentation will discuss the harmonization process, status, and final results.

[Source: USGS press release]