Using GIS to avoid an Aberfan disaster in the County of Somerset
In October 1966 a mine waste tip collapsed into the village of Aberfan resulting in the loss of 144 lives. The enquiry blamed the quarry operation and led a change in the law which required all mine and quarry operations to have their waste tips properly designed and monitored. Before these Acts were introduced spoil tips were not monitored or recorded. As a consequence the location of these potentially hazardous tips is unknown. It is therefore the aim of this study to identify and record the presence of disused tips within the County of Somerset and to assess the risk they pose to the public. And if necessary highlight the areas where remedial works are required to make the sites safe. By recording a quarry or tip location from historical archives it was possible to identify the sites that could contain substantial spoil tips. Aerial photographs of these sites were examined and the presence of spoil tips was recorded. These locations were confirmed by a site visit from a geotechnical engineer who was able to record the exact location of the tips and the risks they pose to the public. The use of this method highlighted the problems associated with tip identification from aerial photos alone, as their locations were not always correctly identified. It was proposed that a semi automated method utilising satellite imagery that records the reflectance of energy across the visible, infrared and near infrared wavebands could increase the speed of tip identification. By identifying unique spectral signatures it is possible to use this information to map the locations of potential tips. These locations can then be used to investigate the risk they pose to the public and reduce the chance of another Aberfan disaster happening in the county of Somerset.
How big is the smorgasbord? Estimating range-wide prey distributions for Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in Alaska
Prey habitat suitability and available biomass distributions were created for Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska, in June and July of 2000-2004. A combination of modelled oceanographic data, remotely sensed data and bathymetry was correlated with samples of fish species, walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) and Atka mackerel (Pleurogrammus monopterygius), within each region. Geographic Information Systems were used to prepare data for analysis using Generalized Linear Models, and to predict the distribution of each species. These predictions allowed for quantitative measures of Steller sea loin prey availability, and have located ‘hot spots’ within regions that may represent reliable concentrations of specific prey species important for increased diet diversity. The Steller sea lions in the eastern Aleutian Islands are likely taking advantage of one such hot spot predicted through the summer on the mid to outer shelf of the Bering Sea. Steller sea lions located in the central Aleutian Islands also likely have a reliable source of Pacific cod which was predicted through the summer on Bowers Bank. Hypotheses regarding the role of temperature on the biomass hot spots, comparing the cold year (2001) with the warm year (2003) are presented for the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. The temporal and spatial scales of the quantitative fish distributions presented here for the entire Alaskan Steller sea lion range add to the available information on the prey distribution and availability for Steller sea lions.
Mapping The Success Of Restocking Programs Of Migratory Game Fish In The Napanee River
The Success of Restocking Programs of Migratory Game Fish, specifically Walleye and Rainbow Trout, was Mapped utilizing Ministry of Natural Resources, MNR, as well as Independent Agencies release rates. This data, along with MNR Creel surveys, results from local fishing derbies and the basic biological habits of each species was used in the determination process. Changes within the MNR’s geographical boundaries as well as to the fishing regulations were also addressed. This information can potentially impact the MNR’s views on both Walleye and Rainbow Trout restocking methods as well as shedding some light onto the overall status of the fish populations. As it stands right now, the MNR’s ability to monitor fish populations and restocking programs is for the most part, non- existent.
Location Services: Adding value to incident management
The Dutch Directorate for Public Works and Water Management (RWS) as highway authority is committed to implementing Incident Management (IM+) measures on the national Dutch motorway network. The aim of these IM+ measures is to ensure the safe and rapid handling of incidents so that the traffic flow restrictions caused by an incident are lifted as quickly as possible. In practice, this means some technical measures and co-operation between the RWS and professional emergency services. For these cooperative partners the availability of reliable and up-to-date Spatial information plays an important role in handling incident calls. To make the required information accessible in the field a new Information technology that take your geographic location into consideration, called Location Services, is planned to become available for the RWS. But with all their duties are the Dutch Road inspectors of RWS willing to adopt this new technology?
This research project explores the acceptance and usage behavior factors of the Dutch Road inspectors of Location Services (LS) with Incident Management (IM+). By using the Technology Acceptance Model of Fred Davis (Davis, 1989) the understanding of their acceptance processes is improved, providing theoretical insight into the successful implementation and adoption of LS with IM+. The results of this research project show that the Dutch Road inspectors seem willing to adopt LS with IM+. The gained knowledge of the independent variables of the Dutch Road inspectors will enable the management of the RWS to evaluate proposed Location Services prior to the implementation and with that provide useful information about the likelihood of success of adoption.
Planners, Plans and GIS
This research intends to ascertain the potential of GIS in planning. This is directed by specific objectives aimed at establishing what planners do and how they do it and how GIS could be used to improve planning at the City of Windhoek.
In Windhoek, four planning tools are recognised as playing a major role in spatial decision making, these are (1) Windhoek Environmental Structure Plan, (2) Windhoek Structure Plan, (3) Windhoek Town Planning Scheme, and (4) Development and Upgrading Strategy. The four mentioned planning tools features prominently in this research; this is so because one of the objectives of this research is explore ways on how to improve the implementation of the four planning tools through the use of GIS.
After a series of explanations and examples presented throughout the research, it was confirmed that GIS holds greater potential in planning and therefore, if implemented will improve the integration and usefulness of the four planning tools used at the City of Windhoek, and at the same time make the work of planners the most interesting.
However, this will require skills in the use of GIS, availability of finance to acquire the necessary software and hardware, acceptance of GIS technology by planners themselves and the support of the project by top management.
Assessment of geographic data in a Geographical Information System to detect short term landscape quality change in protected landscapes
This study assesses the suitability of readily available geographic data for monitoring landscape quality in protected landscapes over short time periods. Review of the literature on landscape perception and landscape characterisation suggest that it is possible to define landscape quality in terms of variables that can be analysed in a GIS. Such variables should provide information about vegetation, the built environment, other impacts of human activity, and complexity and diversity in the landscape.
A variety of data sources have been used for GIS based landscape analysis, including aerial photography, topographic databases, census data and digital elevation models. Aerial photography, topographic and address databases were identified as those data sources likely to reveal landscape quality change in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in the United Kingdom, and these were assessed for reliability and ease of use in a landscape quality monitoring model. Automated classification of aerial photography was found to yield disappointing results in terms of the reliability with which land cover was determined. Topographic and address databases showed more potential, as relevant elements in the data were easily extracted, and change identified. However, investigation of the changes indicated revealed that many were artefacts of quality improvement in the source data. This suggests that though the data may be useful quality should be carefully assessed prior to use.
How does the lack of “open access” to quality geocoded addressing affect GIS users
Although the concept of a single National Spatial Address Infrastructure has been recognised by Central Government since 1972, when it published a Department of the Environment report ‘Report of the Gazetteer Working Party’, to date, some thirty five years later no such single database exists.
In June 2005, a failed intervention by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; which investigated the transfer of ownership of the National Land and Property Gazetteer to the Ordnance Survey to create a National Spatial Address Infrastructure, fuelled conflict in the geocoded address database market.
The conflict in the geocoded address database arena, between the owners of the National Land and Property Gazetteer, Intelligent Addressing and Address Layer 2 gazetteer, which was created by the Ordnance Survey after the failed Office of the Deputy Prime Minister negotiations, has further compounded the issues, as both organisations believe they have the basis for a ‘quality’ single National Spatial Address Infrastructure.
The Office of Fair Trade, Postcomm and Office of Public Sector Information have all taken an interest in the current geocoded address database debate. Furthermore, they have all commented in relation to the ‘accessibility’ of geocoded address products and how this affects commerce in the UK.
This research investigates which of the two geocoded address databases introduced earlier is the ‘best’ geocoded address database product? Quantifiable measurements are used to identify the ‘completeness’ of the two geocoded address databases used in marketing exercises. In particular this research will focus on investigating the ‘spatial accuracy’ of those databases, through the use of geocoded Local Authority Council Tax references; which are common in both of these geocoded address databases.
The results of this research, although focused on one particular Local Authority, will enable existing and potential geocoded address database users to make an informed decision regarding which product is ‘best’ for them in terms of ‘spatial accuracy’.
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