Final Project

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Semester Finished!  Whew!

Final Project

Google Maps

I had a tough time selecting a location for my wind farm because I got sidetracked and drawn into reading about the politics of constructing them, but this is really outside the scope of the lab.


Wind Speed:
The location I picked is offshore, about 6 miles North of Rogers City, Michigan on Lake Huron.  Wind speed ranges between 6.5-7 m/s, which is sufficient.  I picked an offshore location because wind speeds are more constant there than on land.


Ornithology:
I had trouble assessing this factor in particular when picking my site.  I believe the major cause for concern in this location is migration of ducks, but there is a great deal of bird migration over the Great Lakes in general.  With the information I could readily access (and understand...), I can't say I know enough to be able to really analyze my chosen site in regard to the ornithology.


Noise:
The British Wind Energy Association (http://www.bwea.com) reported that the sound from a wind farm 350 meters away (a typical setback distance) was less than that of an automobile moving at 65 km/h a hundred meters away. Noise should not be a problem for communities on land.


Shadow Flicker:
The wind mills shouldn't cast a shadow on land, making this a non-issue for humans.


Shipping Impact:
Depending on the size of the farm (number of wind mills), it should be outside of major shipping paths.


Landscape and Visual Impact:
Lake Huron is on the more shallow end of the Great Lakes spectrum, making constructing a farm more monetarily feasible here than in the other lakes.  Also, at 6 miles distance from the nearest large city, the wind farm should not be visible or just barely visible.  I opted to locate the farm offshore, but closer to habitation areas so the infrastructure to carry the energy produced could be readily and economically constructed and utilized, and also so public opposition to wind farms near protected nature areas like State Parks could be minimized.

Geodatabases and Modeling Tools

Exercise 1: Creating a Project Database

1.    Opened ArcCatalog, and looked through the data included in the Organize folder from LearnArcGIS10.exe.

2.    Right clicked the Organize folder in ArcCatalog, clicked New -> File Geodatabase.

3.    Replaced the default name for the geodatabase with Flood.gdb.

4.    Checked environment settings.

a.     Output Coordinates: Same as Input

b.    Processing Extent: Default

c.     Geodatabase Advanced: Output XY Domain is Same as Input

5.    In Catalog tree, right clicked Flood.gdb. Import -> Feature Class (multiple)

6.    Navigated through folders and added: CountyBoundary.shp, MajorRoads.shp, SB_Floodzones.shp, and CityLimits and Schools feature classes.

7.    Right clicked Flood.gdb. Import -> Feature Class (single).

8.    Added CensusBlocks.shp, and entered Demographics for the Output Feature Class name.

9.    In the Field Map tree, deleted MALES (long), FEMALES (long), and MED_AGE (double) fields.  Clicked to add the Demographics feature class to Flood.gdb.

10. Right clicked Flood.gdb. New -> Feature Dataset.

11. Named the dataset Municipal.

12. Imported coordinate system from Parcels feature class. Import -> Organize\City.gdb -> Parcels -> Add. Accepted default value for XY Tolerance.

13. Right clicked the Municipal feature dataset. Import -> Feature Class (multiple).

14. Added Parcels, landuse, and polygon feature class.

15. Right clicked Flood.gdb. New -> Feature Class.

16. Named new feature class Emergency. Alias: Emergency Facilities.

17. Specified geometry type as point feature class.

18. Imported coordinate system from FireDepts.shp.

19. Created attribute fields in new Emergency feature class to match the attribute fields of the data.

20. Right clicked Emergency. Load -> Load Data.

21. Added FireDepts.shp, Hospitals.shp, and PoliceDepts.shp.

22. “Load all of the source data” is selected.

23. Right clicked Flood.gdb. Import -> Table (single.) Added SchoolBuildings table.

24. In Catalog tree, expanded City.gdb. Right clicked PlaceNames and copied. Right clicked Flood.gdb, and pasted file.

25. Right clicked Flood.gdb. Import -> Raster Datasets. Added raster_aerial.tif.

26. Created thumbnails. Took screenshot of thumbnails for lab.

27. Closed ArcCatalog.

STEP 11b:

Exercise 2: Assess Fire Damage

1.    Opened Assessement.mxd from LearnArcGIS10\Model\Fireassessment folder.

2.    Set default geodatabase to Fire.gdb.

3.    Geoprocessing menu -> Search for Tools -> buffer

4.    Clicked on Buffer (Analysis)

a.     Input Features: Creeks

b.    Output Feature Class: Fire.gdb

c.     Name: Creeks_Buffer

d.    Distance: 200

e.    Distance units: Meters

5.    Creeks_Buffer layer appears.

6.    Search for Tools -> clip

7.    Parameters:

a.     Input Features: Creeks_Buffer

b.    Clip Features: FirePerimeter

c.     Output Feature Class: Fire.gdb\Creeks_Buffer_Clip

8.    Opened attribute table.  Right clicked the Shape_Area field -> Statistics.  Examined Sum under Statistics for the total area of burned riparian areas.

9.    Geoprocessing Menu -> Intersect

10. Input features: FirePerimeter, and Vegetation. Named output FirePerimeter_Intersect.

11. FirePerimeter_Intersect layer is added to map.

12. Selection menu -> Select by Attributes.

13. In FirePerimeter_Intersect layer, BurnDay = 1 AND Type = Forest

14. Right click the SHAPE_Area field in FirePerimeter_Intersect attribute table. Statistics -> get SUM.

15. Repeat process for features burned on Day 2.

16. Layer Properties for FirePerimeter_Intersect -> Symbology tab -> Import

17. Choose Vegetation from drop-down box.  Selected Type in the Value field. 

18. Under Display tab in Layer Properties, entered 35 for transparency value.

19. Saved work, exited ArcMap.

STEP 9c:

Exercise 3: Build and Use a Simple Model

1.    Opened Assessment2.mxd from Model\FireAssessment2 folder.

2.    Displayed catalog window. Set the default geodatabase to Fire.gdb.

3.    Scrolled down the tree and expanded Toolboxes.  Right clicked My Toolboxes. New -> Toolbox.  Name: FireTools.

4.    Right clicked FireTools toolbox. New -> Model.

5.    Model menu -> Model Properties.

6.    Replaced text in Label field with Assessment.  Added description to Description box.

7.    Checked box next to “Store relative path names (instead of absolute paths)”.

8.    Dragged Buffer tool into Model Builder window.  Double clicked Buffer tool, and entered parameters

a.     Input features: Creeks

b.    Output feature class: Output1

c.     Distance: Linear Unit =200 meters

9.    Dragged Clip tool into Model Builder.  Drew connecting arrow from Output1 element to Clip tool.

10. Double clicked the Clip tool.  Entered parameters:

a.     Input features: Output1

b.    Clip features: FirePerimeter

c.     Output feature class: Output1_Clip

11. Clicked AutoLayout button.  Clicked the select tool and clicked in the white space in the Model Builder to deselect any elements.

12. Clicked the Run button.  Dragged Output1 and Output1_Clip into map display area.

13. Saved and exited ArcMap.

STEP 9:

Exercise 4: Work with an Existing Model           

1.    Opened Timber.mxd from Model\LeasesCD folder.

2.    Turned on LeaseC and LeaseD layers, and zoomed to extent of StandsCD layer.

3.    Made Tongass.gdb the default geodatabase.

4.    Expanded the LeaseTools toolbox in the catalog window.  Right clicked TimberCD model and chose Edit.

5.    Reset paths to output elements in model.

6.    Zoomed in on the last process in the model.  Right clicked the final element and choose Add to Display.  Double clicked the Clip tool, and changed the output feature class name to FinalC.

7.    Ran the model.  FinalC layer was added to map.

8.    Returned to the model.  Edited the final process by double clicking on the Clip tool.  Changed Clip Features to LeaseD, and changed name of output feature class to FinalD. 

9.    Deleted disconnected LeaseC element from model.  Clicked AutoLayout button.

10. Ran only the last process in the model.  FinalD layer was added to map.

11. Selection menu -> Select by Attributes. In FinalC layer, selected features with N_Distance AND S_Distance = 0.

12. Opened FinalC attribute table. Clicked Show Selected Records button.  Right clicked the StandValue field name -> Field Calculator.

13. In Field Calculator, entered expression:

a.     [ValuePerMeter]*[Shape_Area]/1000000

14. Right clicked the StandValue field -> Statistics.

15. Repeated process for FinalD.

16. Opened model builder window again.  Model menu -> Delete Intermediate Data.

17. Saved model, closed window.  Saved map, closed ArcMap.

STEP 13:

Geocoding Process Summary

EXERCISE 1

Opened ArcCatalog.

Examined attributes of RedStreets.shp and RedRestaurants table.

Right-clicked Redlands in table of contents.

Selected style “US Address – Dual Ranges” with the Redlands Streets layer as the reference and named locator.

Opened ArcMap and the Gourmetmap.mxd.

Right-clicked RedRestuarants in table of contents and picked ‘Geocode Addresses’.

Added Redlands Locator and named output: GeocodedRestuarants.shp.

EXERCISE 2

Opened ArcMap and added Redstreets.shp.

Selected ‘Find’ tool and selected “locations” tab.

Chose 10.0 US Streets Geocode Service (ArcGIS Online) (Not 9.3.1)

Entered

380 New York Street, Redlands CA 92373

Right-clicked the top result and added labeled point.

Selected Graphic & Text and selected text and changed to ESRI Café.

Repeated this process with the RedlandsLocator.

EXERCISE 3

Opened Customers.mxd in ArcMap

Opened attribute table for “Customers” and added address text field.

Right-clicked [Address] field and selected Field Calculator.                 

Used Field Calculator to concatenate address fields.

Opened ArcToolbox > Geocoding Tools > Standardize Addresses.

Saved file and closed ArcMap.

EXERCISE 4

Opened ArcCatalog.

Right clicked on Atlanta.gdb  and selected New Address Locator.

Chose US Address – Dual Ranges for the style and Streets.shp for the reference.

Named new locator AtlantaLocator. Adjusted locator properties.

Opened ArcMap and added Streets.shp and Customers table.

Added the just created AtlantaLocator.

Set output to Atlanta.gdb and saved as AtlantaCustomers.shp. Geocoded addresses.

Reviewed results.

Opened Streets_Addresses attribute table  and summarized the street name field.

Opened the summarized table and adjusted similar street names to eliminate unmatched addressed.

Saved document and closed ArcMap.

Raw Data

Process summary:

Opened blank map document in ArcMap.

Added Gulf_Pin shapefile.

Joined shapefile to raw tax roll data in provided .csv file.

Created new shapefile from original layer joined to .csv information.

Opened attributes table for this new layer, and used Calculate Geometry on the acres field.

Generated table with owner names, number of parcels, and total parcel acreage.

Exported this table to Excel to view top 4 landowners in the county.

Back in ArcMap, created an attribute query to select the parcels of the top 4 parcel owners.

Created new layer from this selection.

Under symbolization options, symbolized each landowner by unique values.

Added essential map elements, exported to JPG.