GIS Tools for the Investigator

1. GIS Tools for the Investigator Carrie Middleton Environmental Scientist US EPA NEIC Field Branch Denver, CO middleton.carrie@epa.gov

2. Environmental Investigations • EPA Conducts Investigations Pertaining To Violations of: • Clean Water Act (CWA) • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) • Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984 • Clean Air Act (CAA) • Toxic Substances and Control Act (TSCA) • Others (Superfund/CERCLA, etc)

3. Prioritizing and Planning • Several requests for civil and criminal investigations require prioritization. • GIS can be a useful tool in setting case priorities. Many information resources can be used to develop a case-specific GIS project to meet the needs of the investigator!

4. GIS Tools for Prioritization • Demographics and other classifications • Current topology-based data • Up-to-date roadways and transportation information • Terrain and elevation • Determination of harm or threat • Critical features such as water supplies, schools, immediate environment • Features such as human populations, wildlife, flora/fauna

5. How GIS Can Help • GIS can be used to help plan, support, organize, and communicate field efforts. • GIS can also be used to illustrate important information in a spatial context. • Field observations • Sample locations and results

6. Project Specific GIS • Useful tool to organize the key elements of an environmental investigation • Location • History and current operations • Documentation and photographs • Analytical results of sampling events

7. Example Case

8. GIS Project Planning • Define objectives of investigation • Know what specific information is needed • Background raster files or shapefile import • Case-specific data dictionary of defined features • Know what information will need to be illustrated to make the case

9. Obtaining GIS Data • Federal, State, Local government • Commercial • Academic Make sure your data is in the desired format and meets project QC requirements.

10. Brief Mention of EPA Guidances • Refer to the following for more details on QC requirements: • Guidance for Geospatial Data Quality Assurance Project Plans EPA QA/G-5G EPA/240/R-03/003 • Global Positioning Systems Technical Implementation Guidance EPA/600/R-02/031

11. Trimble GeoXT Field GIS • GeoXT Field GIS – mapping grade GPS unit with ability to use raster background images and vector data • Pathfinder Office and ActiveSync allow easy uploading of raster and vector data to the GeoXT The Trimble TSCe used with ProXR/S also provides similar functionality.

12. GIS Data Used with GeoXT • Raster data • Often change detection can assist in geophysical investigations • Spilled or mishandled materials can sometimes be seen using background raster images • Vector data • Defined features such as wells, boundaries • Undefined features observed by the investigator

13. Example of Raster Data Use Georeferenced images such as these can be used with the GeoXT.

14. Example of Vector Data Use Spill Boundary • Existing feature locations • Monitoring wells • Spill boundaries • Raster image as background layer Monitoring Well Locations

15. Using GIS Data in the GeoXT • Using TerraSync Professional • Raster images are viewed as background layers • Vector data is viewed as .ssf import • Other applications such as ArcPad can be used to view GIS data layers on the GeoXT

16. Multi-media Field GIS Tools • Multi-media – audio, visual, movies, documents/objects – • GPS receiver records specific features of interest • Points • Lines • Polygons • GPS receiver such as the GeoXT can link multi-media objects to features

17. GeoXT as a Field Notebook F2 –Voice Recorder Record information about a feature. Use of data dictionary editor to create file attributes for features. This enables GPS features to be linked to: Analytical Results Documents Sample Information Images

18. Field GIS as a Notebook • Investigators can use the GeoXT as a field notebook • Voice-recordings, images, screening data, and other document objects are easily linked to features • Time and date record for GPS features

19. Export Formats • After uploading GPS data, post-process and QC • Export to desired format using Pathfinder Office export utility

20. View Feature Linkages in GIS Environment • ArcGIS – hyperlinked documents/objects • ArcView 3.x – hotlinked documents/objects • Other applications make use of tables or geodatabases

22. Example of GIS Document/Object Linkage Several areas were screened for RCRA metals on-site. The XRF screening locations and results were recorded using the functionality of the GeoXT and ArcGIS. Sample S001 06-08-2003 1415 2 8-oz for Total metals 2 8-oz for TCLP metals XRF Screened by Cmiddleton Reading 157 06-08-2003 1205

23. Example of Linking Feature to Images In ArcView 3.x - Hotlink In ArcGIS - Hyperlink

24. Other Field GIS Functions • Trimble GeoXT • Submeter accurate mapping • Can use laser offsets • Can use external sensors • Digitizing feature allows non-GPS features to be recorded (such as sampling inside a building)

25. Back at the Office • Product output • Digital maps and linked features • Paper maps and reports • Permanent record • Important case elements easily organized • Archived by project/case number

26. Putting It Together • Document/Object linking gives features more meaning than just a location • The efforts of many people can be viewed in a spatial context • Organizing important case elements becomes less tasking with GIS

27. Contact Information: Carrie Middleton Environmental Scientist US EPA NEIC Field Branch Building 25, Box 25227 Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 (303) 462-9270 middleton.carrie@epa.gov