HEADWATERS OF TECHNOLOGY Integrating a GPS mobile workforce

“HEADWATERS OF TECHNOLOGY” Integrating a GPS mobile workforce with GIS data collection and management By Jeffrey Mihalik GIS Department Manager Wallace & Pancher, Inc.

INTRODUCTION • Background • The Project – Two Types of Monitoring • SCM (Stream Condition) and Flow • • Tools & Equipment Base Mapping Custom Forms Mobile Workforce Deployment Data Storage, Processing, and Delivery to the Client Advantages and Client usage Supporting Projects

Background • Coal Operators required by PADEP Monitor (and if necessary, Mitigate) stream flow losses and/or pooling due to full extraction underground mining • No. 563 -2000 -655 “Surface Water Protection – Underground Bituminous Coal Mining Operations” effective Oct. 8, 2005. Known as “TGD” • Dramatically increased number of streams that needed monitored (to include all streams that contain at least two biological taxa) • Dramatic increase in frequency of monitoring

Types of Monitoring Stream Condition Monitoring (SCM) - the process of identifying the various states of flow or “condition” of stream segments. SCM involves traversing a stream from its downstream confluence to its headwaters Determine the starting and end point (distance) Various stream flow regimes such as flow, puddle, pool, dry, and non-continuous flow.

Stream Condition Monitoring FLOWING POOL DRY PUDDLE NON-CONTINUOUS FLOW

Types of Monitoring Flow Monitoring - development of a discharge value at an established point for use as a hydrological baseline. Direct Flow Measurements are taken at specific locations along each stream Location based on access, proximity to mining operations, and stream characteristics. Flow measurements are currently being gathered at over 800 locations.

Equipment HONEY DIPPERS for Well and Pizometer HACH/Marsh Mc. Birney Flow. Mates NOMAND GPS units installed with ESRI Arc. Pad with GPS Correct and Custom Data Forms

Base Mapping • Networked hydrological layer (National Hydrography Dataset) • 2, 000 individual stream segments (over 500 miles of stream) • Individually labeled in Arc. Map using an established five digit coding by PADEP and modified by WPI for smaller unnamed segments • Planimetric layers: Contours, structures, roads, tree lines • CADD Stationing every twenty feet and annotation • All layers exported to shapefile format for upload to GPS units

Base Mapping 19 Miles

Base Mapping Document the relative location of various stream conditions as streams are traversed

Custom Forms • Developed in Arc. Pad Studio (7. 1. 1) as. apl files • Calculations for the 4 flow measurements methods • Small Stream Velocity-Area • Large Stream Velocity-Area • Volumetric • Float • CFS and GPM derived in the field • Build From/To tables for dynamic segmetation for SCM data • Table relationship links table to stream data • Also tracks date, time, crew, comments, and domain dropdown menus

Custom Forms Flow Monitoring

Custom Forms SCM Monitoring

Mobile Workforce Implementation • Tight schedule allowed for only one month of field testing • Staff for field data collection and GIS analysis • Location of field office in close proximity to field work • Rigorous training in use of field equipment • Data strategy to deliver collected information within 48 hours (everything works well on paper)

Data Storage, Processing, and Delivery • Distributed SDE Geodatabase in SQLExpress • Arc. Pad Data Manager (in Arc. Map) used to “Check out” data to. axf file for upload to Nomad GPS units • Custom forms linked as. apl files during “Check out” • After flow and SCM data collected, . axf files from each GPS unit are “Checked in” (Transactional Database)

Data Storage, Processing, and Delivery

Data Storage, Processing, and Delivery • GIS staff conducts QAQC using hardcopy field reconnaissance forms • Flow data used for updating geodatabase, then replica database (Production Database) synchronized • Replica tied to Geodata and Map Services in Arc. Server • Client has replicate database • Nightly synchronization using python scripting, model builder, and windows task manager • SCM data used for creating route event tables (From – To) • From – To tables used for dynamic segmentation to visualize stream conditions

Data Storage, Processing, and Delivery

Data Storage, Processing, and Delivery Stream Conditioning Monitoring Limitations of Map Presentation • Exaggerated lengths of various stream conditions • Overlapping lines • Unreadable text

Data Storage, Processing, and Delivery Stream Conditioning Monitoring Map Presentation Solution (Especially for daily and weekly mapping) Using straight line representations of stream this eliminates overlapping lines and increases scalability

Client Usage and Advantages • Client utilizes an internal Arc. GIS Service • Replicate database of Flow Monitoring Points displays field collected data within 24 hours of collection • Previously, data was not available often for 3 or 4 weeks was hand entered into database • Almost instantaneous access to data allows client ability to foresee issues before they arise (Change Detection) • Have current geo-spatial data inhand to answer complex questions • Assess environmental concerns in almost real time