GIS in local governments can span a wide variety of topics and use cases. These topics can involve subjects such as remote sensing, web GIS, collaborative mapping, open source, cartography, 3D modeling, etc. The list goes on and on. These mainstream topics of GIS can then trickle down into departments such as emergency services, irrigation districts, tax assessment, utilities, community development, and the health departments. This site will focus on tools and resources in the geospatial world that are being applied and developed on a local level with an emphasis on remote sensing, open source, and 3D visualization.
R. Olyazadeh, K. Sudmeier-Rieux, M. Jaboyedoff, M.H. Derron, and S. Devkota: An offline–online Web-GIS Android application for fast data acquisition of landslide hazard and risk, Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 549–561, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-549-2017, 2017.
A selected area of post-earthquake Nepal was used in a study to produce data of landslide hazard and risk with an offline-online web-GIS android application called ROOMA (Rapid Offline–Online Mapping Application). Landslide data can be difficult to acquire due to the remote locations and rugged terrain, and procurement of software can incur high costs. The study used satellite imagery, a collection of field data, and open source software to compile and present the data. A suite of open source software including Leaflet, Boundless Spatial, Mapbox, PostgreSQL, PostGIS, MySQL, UserCake, and Cordova was used in the study for data acquisition, visualization, analysis, mapping, and database management. Olyazadeh, R. et al produce results that reveal the combined use of these tools lead to an enhanced analysis, and economically capable dataset to protect vital resources and infrastructure. Web-GIS and satellite imagery proved to be an extremely effective data model for landslide hazard and risk assessment data procurement. The combination of tools and workflow can also be used for further resource and infrastructure protection from other natural disasters such as avalanches, and flooding.
A.C. Teodoro & L. Duarte (2013) Forest fire risk maps: a GIS open source application – a case study in Norwest of Portugal, International Journal of Geographical Information Science, 27:4, 699-720, DOI: 10.1080/13658816.2012.721554
It is well known in Central Oregon that forest fires are a cause of critical concern each season with increasing threat year after year. This concern is shared in other places of the world such as Portugal. The goal of the research was to create a forest fire risk map with open source GIS software for Portuguese municipalities. Three different open source tools were considered for the process, but QGIS was determined as the program of choice due to its ability to easily operate with plug-ins and the python programming language. Seven procedures were created through QGIS plug-ins into an application that included: TIN Creation, GRID, Rasterize, Terrain Analysis, Probability Map, Hazard Map, and Risk Map. Once the application was developed, the layers could be used to assess the vulnerability and economic values, and the potential of fire occurrence. A.C. Teodoro & L. Duarte also created a forest fire risk map with GIS proprietary solutions alongside the open source GIS software to compare time requirements and processing time. Overall, the proprietary solutions delivered a speedier completion solely due to the GRID feature developed. Without the GRID feature, the open source processing time decreased by 50%. The code created in the development of the forest fire risk map can be shared, improved, and modified for anyone’s desired use case which embodies the idea of open source.
A. Mobasheri, H. Mitasova, M. Neteler, A. Singleton, H. Ledoux, & M.A. Brovelli (2020). Highlighting recent trends in open source geospatial science and software. Transactions in GIS, 24(5), 1141–1146. https://doi.org/10.1111/tgis.12703
Open Source GIS (OS GIS) is gaining worldwide adoption at a rapid pace in governments, industries, and academia. The endorsement is being perpetuated by the access to open geospatial datasets, and dependable software packages leading to a variety of geospatial analyses in a diverse set of domains. Mobasheri et al was inspired by the popularity of recent open source trends to review several examples of geospatial use cases. Topics discussed in this article worth mentioning are OS GIS software and standards for 3D GIS, and earth remote sensing. 3D city models have recently gained traction in software development and demand. It wasn’t until 2018 that QGIS offered decent support for 3D city model visualization. With opportunities being available for advancement in 2020 the CityJSON loader was created by Vitalis, Arroyo Ohori, & Stoter (2020) to make 3D city models more accessible to academia and industry. A study by Quirós and Gagnon (2020) showcases the use of open source optical and radar satellite imagery to compare flood-prone areas. The study proves that freely distributed and publicly available data can be used effectively in the domain of earth remote sensing. The information in this article proved to be valuable to my work in Crook County as I’m currently seeking to develop a use case for 3D modeling with our partners in facilities management.
International City/County Management Association (2018). Defining Smart Communities: The Journey to a City of the Future. https://icma.org/sites/default/files/18-137%20GIS%20e-Primer%20Report_final.pdf
Moving from the information age to the innovation age. GIS can empower citizens of the community and drive the development of a local government’s geospatial program. Becoming a smart city involves automating systems, increasing access to real-time data in the field, and enabling citizens to interact with a public service through a government’s website.
A plan to develop a smart city should start with a goal to track metrics and establish milestones for your problems that are deemed worth solving. Examples of topics are prioritizing community engagement, tackling social inequities, and promoting prosperous communities. Evaluating geospatial data can increase our knowledge of the local environment and contribute value to our society. This report touches on many use cases (e.g., dashboards, web map, and web app services created through ArcGIS Online) that we are actively using at Crook County GIS to engage with the community and our partners.
govpilot. (n.d.). 5 Innovative Ways Municipalities Use GIS. Www.govpilot.com. Retrieved March 12, 2022, from https://www.govpilot.com/blog/5-innovative-ways-municipalities-use-gis
In the modern age, there are local municipalities that are leading by example in the integration of advanced spatial data and mobile/web mapping to create new connections with citizens. The applications involve public reporting, utilizing open data, collecting public input, engaging in community planning, and public safety information.
GIS can help morph textualized-based data that is hidden away in excel sheets into interactive and useful visualizations. Through public web app services, people of the communities can collect accurate parcel data, floodplain information, school zones, transportation, medical facilities, recreation, and local emergency services. 911 and emergency services are driving the local government’s GIS programs. With new technologies, people can report incidents linked with spatial data. Salt Lake City created a mobile data collection application to integrate public reporting for environmental and safety hazards. When a work order is requested through the app, photos and coordinates can be automatically sent to dispatch required services.
Jordan, Lawrie. “The new face of GIS: LiDAR and the intelligent 3-D map.” GEO World, vol. 26, no. 1, Jan. 2013, pp. 22+. Gale OneFile: Business, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A329302810/ITBC?u=s8405248&sid=bookmark-ITBC&xid=90093d1d. Accessed 11 Mar. 2022.
The world of LiDAR is innovating new techniques for analysis in multiple verticals. The capability of processing large datasets is becoming more mainstream and is being implemented in places like Crook County. LiDAR data is extremely beneficial for tax assessment to monitor change detection, forestry management to monitor vegetation density, and in 3D city modeling to create visualizations of infrastructure and facilities. Many of the articles discussed in this blog will discuss the use of LiDAR in their workflows.
F. Biljecki, J. Stoter, H. Ledoux, S. Zlatanova, & A. Coltekin (2015). Applications of 3D City Models: State of the Art Review. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 4(4), 2842–2889. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi4042842
This article set out to review the many use cases and applications for 3D city models that extend beyond just visualization. Through their criteria, they concluded that there are at least 29 use cases that are involved in more than 100 applications. I found this to be a great reference document when researching inspiration for LiDAR, and 3D building models. As mentioned in a previous annotation emergency service is a driving factor for local municipalities that provides an important resource for funding, and geospatial innovation. 3D geo-data can present helpful visualizations in a 911 response for efficient building entrances, and structural mapping. A valuable case for tax assessors is change detection. If a newly added extension has been placed on a home, the features will be picked up for reevaluation for assessment. Using remote sensing and 3D modeling can decrease the need for tax assessor staff to visit properties throughout the county cutting down on unnecessary cost and travel. My favorite use and 3D visualization created through point cloud data are for forestry management and fire risk protection plans. Although not a city model, the 3D visualization is quite stunning in detail. It provides answers to problems such as vegetation density, canopy height, forest navigation, and many others. Downsides that were encountered in the survey were fuzzy boundaries of use cases, ambiguous terminology, and a natural bias towards 3D data models when 2D is more efficient for a particular use case.
R. Issa, & R. Liu (2012). 3D Visualization of Sub-Surface Pipelines in Connection with the Building Utilities: Integrating GIS and BIM for Facility Management. In Computing in Civil Engineering (2012) (pp. 341–348). https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784412343.0043
Facility maintenance and infrastructure are a vital part of the City of Prineville, and Crook County. I’m currently seeking a way to make 3D city modeling, and 3D utility mapping a part of our undertaking at the county. R. Liu and R.R.A. Issa present a workflow that integrates CAD data from Building Information Modeling (BIM) and GIS data to create an underground 3D pipeline model with a spatial component. There are four steps to the workflow: data collection, data processing, and model building, integrating the two platforms Revit and ArcMap, and finally cleaning up the visualization result. The article provides great results with the integration of data creating a workable 3D visualization of BIM and GIS data.
D.E. Andrianesi, & E. Dimopoulou (2020). AN INTEGRATED BIM-GIS PLATFORM FOR REPRESENTING AND VISUALIZING 3D CADASTRAL DATA. ISPRS Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, VI-4/W1-2020, 3–11. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-VI-4-W1-2020-3-2020
The integration of Building Information Models (BIMs) and GIS data is expected to play an important role in 3D city and cadastral modeling. Geographic information systems provide vital spatial components and attributes, while the BIMs contribute infrastructure, utility, and indoor components to the data model. Rapid urbanization is having a large negative impact on our environment. The advancement of 3D technology in land management can help play an integral role in reducing that impact by providing accurate boundaries and information. 3D visualization also helps solve the problem of a complex cadastral data set. The two software packages chosen for this project were ArcGIS Pro and Revit. ArcGIS was Pro was an important choice due to its ability to read Revit files. ArcGIS Online was selected for viewing the web scene, and the ArcGIS API for JavaScript was integrated to select widgets that would assist in the customization of the scene. The combination of BIM and GIS tools was a success in this article and Is a workflow I would like to attempt to improve our cadastral data model in Crook County.
D. Laksono, T. Aditya, & G. Riyadi (2019). INTERACTIVE 3D CITY VISUALIZATION FROM STRUCTURE MOTION DATA USING GAME ENGINE. International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences., XLII-4/W16, 737–740. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-4-W16-737-2019
D. Laksono et al took an alternative approach to create a 3D city model with LiDAR point cloud data and an open source game engine called 3dfier. The typical workflow of a 3D city model is point cloud classification, geoprocessing your data in a multipatch feature layer, and then refining the feature with imagery on the multipatch texture. The process can require costly licensing. In this article, they discuss the capabilities of the game engine to produce an LoD 1 city model as a cityGML file which can then be processed further in a 3D GIS environment. Which produces satisfying results and saves on cost substantially. D. Laksono et al are showcasing the value of open source technology, which is extremely necessary when working on 3D projects that aren’t always the bulk of your ordinary program.
A.D. Ashkezari, N. Hosseinzadeh, A. Chebli, & M. Albadi (2018). Development of an enterprise Geographic Information System (GIS) integrated with smart grid. Sustainable Energy, Grids and Networks, 14, 25–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.segan.2018.02.001
GIS is being introduced into the power grid to develop meticulous databases and improve energy management. The integration of GI systems into a smart grid leads to mutual interaction between the customers and the utility companies. Assimilating the enterprise system into a smart grid is very beneficial for improved monitoring, and asset management. Enterprise also gives you the capability to integrate public services to improve customer relations and communication. The Smart distribution grid is a concept of having an intelligent electric distribution system, which responds to specified requirements and communicates with electric customers directly. GI systems in the smart grid can contribute to the power of databases and spatial data to improve utility efficiency, customer service, and advance engineering analysis.
H. Tashakkori, A. Rajabifard, M. Kalantari. A new 3D indoor/outdoor spatial model for indoor emergency response facilitation, Building and Environment, Volume 89, 2015, Pages 170-182, ISSN 0360-1323, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2015.02.036.
Indoor spatial data can reduce response time when crews are attempting to respond to an incident in a complex building. New trends are taking place in the geospatial industry. Building Information Models (BIMs) and Industry Foundation Classes (IFCs) now can be absorbed by GI systems. This is leading to new solutions and powerful complex datasets. H. Tashakkori et al developed a 3D Indoor Emergency Spatial Models (IESM) that can reduce the complexity of indoor data and benefit the first responders that will be consuming the information. The data model focuses on mission-critical information and proves to be an efficient method of indoor navigation and decision making. Emergency management is one of Crook County GIS’s largest stakeholders, and developing indoor navigation tools could be facilitated in the near future.
J.R. Parent, C. Witharana, & M. Bradley (2021). MAPPING BUILDING INTERIORS WITH LIDAR: CLASSIFYING THE POINT CLOUD WITH ARCGIS. International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences., XLIV-M-3-2021, 133–137. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIV-M-3-2021-133-2021
This article is a fascinating project that involves indoor mapping with LiDAR point cloud data. With the use of handheld LiDAR sensors, J.R. Parent et al was able to classify 29 features of interest that could be used for various indoor modeling and navigation. The process was able to classify features as small as a sprinkler head. The LiDAR scanners are also equipped with RGB cameras to collect imagery simultaneously to lay over the 3D modeling. The research was found to be highly effective and demonstrated to be very useful for first responders, and indoor navigation.
G. Jia, & K. Liao (2017). 3D modeling based on CityEngine. AIP Conference Proceedings, 1820(1). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4977305
This article takes us through the basic steps of implementing 3D city models in ArcGIS CityEngine. This new development from ESRI produces realistic 3D renderings that display complex building data promptly. CityEngine processing begins with remote sensing data to establish the ground-up elevation model. Vector data and measurements are then collected from remote sensing measurement tools, and building information is downloaded from AutoCAD. Once the buildings have been extruded and intricate features have been imported, a variety of imagery collection methods can be used for the exterior. Imagery from cameras, drones, and aircraft can supply the necessary detail required. The most important step in the process is the Computer-Generated Architecture (CGA) implementation which is a set of rules in developing the 3D structure. CityEngine is another tool ESRI has created to give urban planners, and community developers a specialized program for their needs.
E. Tsiliakou, T. Labropoulos, & E. Dimopoulou (2013). TRANSFORMING 2D CADASTRAL DATA INTO A DYNAMIC SMART 3D MODEL. International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences., XL-2/W2, 105–111. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprsarchives-XL-2-W2-105-2013
E. Tsiliakou et al present the limitations of 2D cadastral data and the benefits of 3D use cases in complex urban environments. When property ownership is stacked vertically, it becomes difficult to intuitively discern in 2D. Advancements in 3D modeling are rapidly evolving to facilitate the upkeep of swift urban development. Parcel data also has more attributes than just ownership, It has Rights, Restrictions, and Responsibilities (RRRs). ESRI’s powerful CityEngine is used in this article research and reveals the benefits of 3D cadastral modeling. E. Tsiliakou et al discuss perfect examples when 3D cadastral data is imperative. For example, the “building within a building” concept in New York, and special construction projects above and below freeways. E. Tsiliakou et al use a is a very similar workflow to G. Jia, & K. Liao (2017) in 3D city modeling. The developments of 3D modeling in the spatial analysis are creating new challenges and opportunities for GIS departments in local government. I look forward to working with CityEngine to approach new problems that are developing in Crook County.
Email suggestions to Jack Colpitt: colpittj@oregonstate.edu