Geography 292: Geospatial Analysis with Web GIS

Hey guys, I’m Alex Bzdafka, a biology and environmental science double major. I’m a junior, I’m on the track team as well as a member of the student board and a department manager. 

 

I started out the week by reading the syllabus and taking the quiz. I already have an Arc account from 291, so I did not need to do any poking around. 

 

Introduction to ArcGIS online: Overall Arc online is a web based version of Arc that uses cloud access to store information, this is great because it means you can work on a map from anywhere that has internet. It also makes it easy to get data from others. Arc online is also useful because it is possible to work collaboratively on the same map with a team. Because Arc online is cloud based it saves internal storage on whatever device it is that you are using. Arc online is also a useful field tool as it can be accessed via a phone, allowing you to use the tools in a remote location. It is also helpful because you can add a point where you are (corresponding with your point in the field). 

 

• Scene viewer: a more intuitive way to visualize spatial data, both 2-D and 3-D, and is exclusive to online. 

• Notebook: Another feature unique to the online version of Arc. It allows you to work with data, and it helps with workflow. It combines coding, maps, and data tools. 

• Apps: A way to control how users can interact with maps 

 

After skimming through the website I moved on to the ArcGIS online basics. 

• Arc has 3 account types which induce: Organization, personal, and social. Organizations allow for data to be shared easily within the organization. This makes it easy for collaboration to occur. Individual accounts are free, but have limited usage. Social accounts can access maps, but cannot do much else. 
• Web GIS has similar functions like layers and 2D maps like desktop, however it also has scenes which are 3D maps. It also includes apps which can help control how users interact with maps. 
• The layers on top of the base map are known as operational layers. 

 

The tutorial had me do an exercise with data about the Sierra Nevada mountains. 

• To add data from the web click add layers, then select GIS online or wherever you want the data to come from, and then you can search for and add layers. 
• You can search for bookmarks or for data points by using the search tool (magnifying glass) on the right side of the screen. 

 

To create a quick and easy web app

• Expand the right portion of the screen and click create app then instant app. You can preview what the app will look like by selecting preview. 

For a paper using WebGIS, I found one that tracked production of CO2 during 2019 vs. 2020.

I found another tutorial that looked interested in is titled: Reveal lake shrinkage due to severe drought. 

Web map showing amount of CO2 produced in 2019 compared to 2020 

Hi my name is Faith Fox and I am a sophomore majoring in Environmental Science and Pre-Law. For this week, I took the quiz and scheduled my meeting for both week 2 and 3.

I did all of the other requirements and the ArcGIS stuff for this week back in GEOG 291!

Hi I’m Lexi Stratton, and I’m a sophomore. I’m an Environmental science major and a French minor.

For this week I took the quiz, and signed up for the meetings. All the ArcGIS online stuff I did for GEOG 291.

Hello all, my name is Sophie. I am a sophomore in the environmental science program at the moment. I am from Pleasant City, Ohio, and I’m really passionate about developing various types of maps. I discovered this passion by taking the class Geog 291 earlier this semester.  I also major in Zoology at  Ohio Wesleyan University .I also partake in a number of other pursuits that keep me occupied and amused. I am a member of the Ohio Wesleyan University rugby team. I like to watch anime when I’m not playing. In addition, I compete with other gamers as a member of the esports team. Lastly, I enjoy riding my bike around campus because it allows me to stay active while taking in the stunning surroundings.

One of my interests that using ArcGIS Online may assist with is protecting wildlife. There are many ways that using ArcGIS Online can help via conservation efforts in this field. For example, it can be used to follow animals, which helps scientists learn more about how they move and act over time. It also helps keep track of species inventories, which are essential for keeping an eye on population changes and checking on the health of different species. ArcGIS Online can also be very helpful for numerous studies because it has tools for visualizing and analyzing data. Lastly, it lets scientists and conservationists map biodiversity, which helps them learn more about where different ecosystems are located around the world.

ArcGIS Online is by having workers use their GIS skills to keep track of and arrange cultural and natural assets. Technology is crucial for preserving such assets at every stage of leisure development and maintenance. GIS can help find sensitive areas that need extra care before growth can happen. To protect these assets, employees can keep an eye on operations while the building is going on. Even after the recreational projects are finished, GIS is still essential because it provides tools for managing and preserving biodiversity and cultural assets over the long term. In this way, GIS ensures the preservation of cultural and environmental resources while also assisting in the process of making well-informed decisions.

Final Two Apps

For the app based on Chapters 1-4 I created a survey that took a look at the various right of way points in neighborhoods in Delaware.  I think this survey could be used to see which areas in Delaware require thing put in place to make a right of way stop easier to navigate such as better crosswalk line visibility.

Link

For the app based on Chapters 5-7 I created a simple web scene of the various acres of land in Delaware using the Parcel data from the Delaware Data.  This 3D map just shows which parcels have a bigger acreage.

Link

Chapter 7

Chapter 7 looked at 3D web scenes and other basic 3D elements of GIS along with some mentions of VR.  I found this week to be pretty easy to follow through as in the previous section of this class we took this semester we had done a little bit of 3D work in ARCGIS pro.  I really enjoyed creating a web since using feature layers and 3D object symbols and found it overall to be pretty cool.  Creating the layout of the park reminded me a lot of the sims which was fun.  I feel like this chapter was very similar and familiar to something we had done in GEOG 291 and I found this overall to be very easy to go over.

 

Final two applications

1.For my first application I was inspired by the chapter 4 tutorial on Survey123. As I’ve walked around campus, I have noticed that wildlife is abundant in this area. This made me want to create a survey where users could select the wildlife they spotted and put the exact location where it was seen. Users could also select the date it was spotted and even add pictures with their response.  This would allow for easier reporting of animals and understanding where they frequent the most.  This could be helpful for people who may want to avoid areas with skunks or areas where deer populations are higher, prompting more caution when driving.

https://arcg.is/0zSuzO

2.

This first application leads me into the second, where I’m applying the data from the survey and making it easier for the public to view. Rather than just keeping data for myself, I wanted to create an interface where people could see the real-time data. I used information from chapter 6 tutorials to create a comprehensive dashboard that uses data from my Wildlife Reporting survey. I created data from the survey into a feature layer by making it into a map scene. I then opened up a dashboard and almost exactly followed the tutorials from the book. I ran into a few problems but was able to move past them, creating an informative dashboard. The dashboard includes a gauge to show the number of wild animal sightings in the last 10 days, the 10 most recent sightings and what they were,  the frequency of what animals have been spotted over the last month, and also a map with pinpoints of exactly locations. The survey and the dashboard will be published so that everyone can collaborate on it whether or not they’re in our organization.

https://owugis.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=9a3aaab2f19843edbca04647a2da2220

Data used:

Topographic map  of Delaware County from ArcOnline

“Fake” data from the Survey in order to show how the dashboard would look/function

For my final project, I used ArcGIS to look at how easy it is for people in Delaware County, Ohio to get to a public park. I wanted to find out how many houses are close enough to a park to walk there, using a half-mile distance. I used data from the Delaware County GIS website and tools from Chapters 1 to 4 to do this.

Data I Used:

• A map of public parks in Delaware County
• A map of roads in the county
• A list of address points (homes)
• Zoning or land use maps if needed

Steps I Took and Tools I Used:

1. Adding the Data and Styling It:
   • I downloaded the data from the Delaware County GIS Hub and added it to ArcGIS Pro.
   • I colored the parks green and added roads and house points on top so everything was easy to see.
2. Making Buffers Around Parks:
   • I made a buffer around each park that was 0.5 miles wide to show where people could walk to.
3. Selecting Homes Inside the Buffers:
   • I used the Select by Location tool to find out which homes were inside the buffer areas.
4. Using Attribute Queries and Joins:
   • I filtered the data to look at just residential homes.
   • Then I used a spatial join to count how many homes were within walking distance of a park.
5. Making the Final Map:
   • I created a final map that included a title, legend, north arrow, and scale bar.
   • I made sure the colors and labels were clear and easy to read.

What I Found Out: I found that a lot of homes in central and southern Delaware County are within walking distance to a park. But some of the rural areas up north don’t have as many nearby parks. This could be helpful for planning where new parks should go.

Conclusion: This project helped me understand how GIS can be used to solve real-world problems. By using buffers, joins, and queries, I was able to find out who has access to parks in the county. In the future, it would be cool to add more info like population or public transport to see how that changes the results.

 

Building upon the insights gained from Chapters 5–7 , I developed the Delaware Environmental Justice Explorer, an application designed to identify and visualize areas in Delaware where environmental burdens intersect with vulnerable populations. This tool aims to assist policymakers, researchers, and community members in understanding and addressing environmental justice concerns within the state.

 Application Features

• Interactive Mapping Interface: Users can explore various layers, including locations of industrial facilities, waste sites, air and water quality metrics, and demographic data such as income levels and racial/ethnic composition.

• Analytical Tools: The application provides tools to identify areas where high pollution levels coincide with vulnerable populations, enabling targeted interventions.

• Community Engagement: Users can submit observations or concerns about environmental issues in their communities, fostering community involvement and data accuracy.

 Technical Implementation

• Data Sources: The application utilizes data from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Environmental Protection Agency’s EJScreen tool.

• ArcGIS Online Capabilities:
  • Smart Mapping: To dynamically symbolize data based on attribute values, enhancing visual interpretation.

  • Web AppBuilder: For creating a user-friendly interface with customizable widgets.

  • Analysis Tools: Spatial analysis to identify overlap between environmental hazards and vulnerable populations.

  • Story Maps: To provide narratives explaining the significance of the data and findings.

 Use Case Scenario

A policymaker interested in addressing environmental justice can use this application to identify communities in Delaware that are disproportionately affected by environmental hazards. By analyzing the overlap between pollution sources and socioeconomic data, the policymaker can prioritize areas for intervention and allocate resources effectively.