GIS MAPPING

The Council uses a Geographic Information System (GIS) to produce various types of maps under a variety of Federal, State and local government contracts. Land use and zoning maps for local governments, as well as informational maps representing map topics such as hurricane surge zones, soils classifications and flood plain areas are examples of maps produced by the Council using the GIS.

About GIS

A GIS is a computer based system consisting of software, hardware, a database and an operator. The majority of data maintained by government and other public agencies is geo-based, or related to a point on the earth's surface. Using the geographically referenced information (X,Y coordinates) in a database or data set, the GIS allows for the manipulation, analysis, storing and display of large amounts of information in a variety of ways. In a GIS, features on the earth's surface are represented as points, arcs and polygons containing a single coordinate or a series of coordinates when displayed or printed. A map showing the locations of well sites or telephone poles would be an example of a point feature, each having a single X,Y coordinate. Arcs represent linear features (lines or curved lines) made up of a series of X,Y coordinates and could be used to show streets, rivers or water lines on a map. Polygons represent an area on a map and are made up of a series of arcs which define its border. Lakes, city limit boundaries, parcels or school districts are examples of polygon map features. In a GIS, map features are classified as spatial data and have associated attributes that are stored in a relational database containing descriptive information about the feature. An example would be a map feature represented by a point indicating a well site, having associated attributes identifying the size (diameter) of the well, depth of the well and date it was dug. Map features are usually organized and stored in layers, with each layer usually containing a single type of feature. Most maps produced using GIS will contain several layers. The major feature of a GIS is its ability to store attribute data along with the spatial data. The primary function of a GIS is the ability to analyze and manage large amounts of spatial information.

GIS Staff

The GIS staff's primary function is to assist the Council's professional planning staff by preparing display or document maps and to help in the acquisition of various digital data as needed by staff to complete contractual work projects.

Software

The Council's primary software is the desktop mapping program, MapInfo for Windows running on a PC. The Council also utilizes the ESRI desktop mapping software, ArcView for Windows.

Data Requests

All requests for GIS digital data are handled by the GIS staff on a technical assistance basis. To request data please contact the Council GIS staff person listed below by letter, phone, e-mail or fax. Data received by the Council's GIS department from various Federal, State and local government agencies is maintained in the original coordinate system and file format and is distributed accordingly (i.e., Lat/Lon, UTM, State Plane and .e00, .shp, .tab, etc.). Data will be sent on CD or 3.5" floppy diskette along with a documentation file. The Council GIS staff cannot fulfill 'customized' data requests, data is provided on an 'as is' basis.

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