Mini Term Project

Goal and Background: The goal of this project is to understand how GIS can be used to solve problems. The project requirements involved creating a spatial problem that can be solved using data and other methods in ArcGIS that we learned throughout the semester.

Methods:

I started the process using the Select by Attributes in the WI_Counties layer to creak a feature layer of the 3 counties of study area. From there I used ArcGIS Online to get US Rivers and Streams. Minimized the area by narrowing it down to Wisconsin Rivers and Streams. I was then able to just get the Fox River when I created a layer from the selected attributes. I used a query again to Select by Attributes to get Lake Winnebago, Lake Butte des Mortes, and Lake Poygan. I included all three of the lakes to make the map more aesthetically pleasing and the lakes also connect the two halves of the Fox River.

After, I downloaded the data from Geospatial Data Gateway to get National Landcover Dataset. Then I used the reclassify tool to reclassify the tiff to only Cultivated Crops. From there, I dissolved County Study Area so I could raster clip the Cultivated Crops to fit Study Area. I had to convert data from Raster to vector data so I could work with it in the map. I used Select by attributes to select all of the land that was not part of the cultivated crops (agriculture). Then I erased the non-Agriculture land from the Landover to only get Agriculture left in its own shapefile.

The next step included creating a multiple ring buffer around the Fox River. The intersect tool was used to put the multiple ring buffer only in the mix of land with agriculture. Erase the non-Ag land that was in the buffer. So the three rings were only shown in land that had crops.

In new data frame, WI counties and Study Area was added to act as a reference map for where the study area counties were located in Wisconsin. 

 Results:

The results of this map showed three buffer rings around the Fox River. The first one being 1.2 miles, second is 2.4 miles, and the third is 3.6 miles away from the River. The Buffer was intersected only with the Agriculture area to focus on what particular farmland was most susceptible to pollution. The first blue ring is agriculture land that produces high pollution for the river, the second pink ring is moderately hazardous, and the orange outer ring his low pollution risk to the river.

Sources:
Price Marbeth, 2016, Mastering ArcGIS, 7th Edition Data

Geospatial Data Gateway. (2016). National Landcover Dataset for Wisconsin. 

GIS I Lab 5

Goal and Background: The goal in this last lab is prove the capability of applying vector geoprocessing tools that we have learned throughout this semester and learn the how these tools work through scripting in python for ArcGIS. The objectives that need to be met include: map an excel file with GPS data; using GPS locations of black bears to determine forest types where black bears are found in Marquette County, Michigan; find bears in relation to streams habitats based on criteria; getting rid areas on that map near built up or urban land; create a model that shows the procedure used to find the bear habitat; and work with basic geoprocessing operations using python scripting

Methods:
Part 1: Bear habitat suitability modeling

Having the data model explained, you first need to create a shapefile out of the bear_locations_geog$ data in the spreadsheet. Then you intersect the bear_locations with landcover to create the bear_cover shapefile.
After that you take the streams shapefile and create a 500 m buffer around it. Then from the landcover make a layer out of the suitable_landcover. Intersect the stream_buffer and the suitable_landcover to make the suitable_habitat for the bears.
Add the DNR_mgmt shapefile to show the areas that the DNR focuses on in the county. Clip the shapefile to only get the DNG_mgmt in the study area. Dissolve the new layer to get ride of the gird areas and just have the general areas visible.
After that Use the landcover again to create a layer with Urban or Built Up Areas. Intersect the buffer around the urban areas with the DNR_mgmt that was clipped and dissolved. Then erase new shapefile with the urban buffer to create the bear management area that is within the DNR management and is also away from the Urban areas.

Part 2: Scenario 1 - Finding suitable areas for the development of tourist resorts

The model above is the data flow model of how to create the map. To find an area that is a lake that is above 5 square miles in area and also not more than 10 miles from a city. To complete the action, use the Python code that is provided in the Python box below.

Part 2: Scenario 2 -  Modeling air pollution impact zones

First, create a buffer around the interstates by typing in the Python code listed in the box below. 

When the multiple ring buffer is complete, in the symbology change the 6 names of the rings ranging from Very High to Low in distinct colors do show the 1 mile buffer zones.

Results:

This is a map of a study area that is located in Marquette County, Michigan. It includes the sustainable habitats for bears to potentially live in based on two criteria: the top three types of land, and a buffer around the streams. It shows the locations of bears and DNR management areas that are away from Urban living.

The map include the counties in which Wisconsin that have lakes that are qualified for tourist resorts. These lakes had to be greater than 5 square miles. 

In the state of Wisconsin, areas are being looked within six miles of an interstate to account for air pollution problems, suggesting that the pollution higher the closer you get to the interstate. The buffer shows six zones of potential air quality problems at one mile interval.

Sources:

Environmental Systems Research Institute. (2016).

Michigan Department of Natural Resources. (2016). Marquette County, Michigan GPS Location of Black Bears.

Price, M. (2016). Mastering ArcGIS. 7th Edition data. McGraw Hill.

Wilson, C. (2012). A comprehensive Lake features for Wisconsin. Unplublished Data.