New York State Office of Cyber Security
Geographic Information Systems Clearinghouse
GIS Partnership Summary
Interactive
Mapping Gateway
Statewide Digital Orthophotography Application
Partnership Purpose and Goal
A partnership was developed in order to provide internet mapping access to the State's digital orthoimagery data set. The partnership was needed to produce an enhanced orthophotography data set suitable for use in disaster preparedness and delivery over the internet, to design and develop the necessary internet software application, and to provide a host web site.
Participants and Resource Contributions
Federal- USDA NRCS - Syracuse field office provided access to the federal digital ortho quarter quad data set needed for reprocessing
- Department of State - coordinated reprocessing imagery and web application development, led interface design development, provided significant facilities and staff, contractual services with MapInfo Corporation, and the internet application software license.
- MapInfo Corporation - provided technical service for web application development.
- Department of Health - provided continuing coordination of development of the web application and manages use of the application.
- State Education - provided initial server hardware resources, HTML support, participated in web application interface design, and oversight of content consistency and appearance.
- Office for Technology - provided partial funding for reprocessing imagery, participated in web application interface design, and first line critique of all facets of the application.
- Department of Environmental Conservation - provided original digital ortho quarter quad data unavailable from the USDA NRCS collection.
- University at Albany - Department of Geography and Planning, provided professional staff for reprocessing the state digital ortho data set and developing HTML interfaces.
- University at Albany - Computer Science Department, provided expertise in developing automated imagery reprocessing methods.
- Department of Transportation - provided extensive second-tier quality control for the enhanced orthoimagery product.
- GIS Coordination Program - Digital Ortho Workgroup, Coordinating Body: both groups provided feedback on the internet application prior to its live debut.
Time Frame
Date Partnership
Began: July, 1999
Completion Date: On-going
Deliverables
Deliverables include: (1) a revised statewide ortho data set featuring enhanced image quality and compressed file formats; (2) an advanced internet mapping capability centered around accessing digital ortho imagery with a substantial level of geographic guidance and, (3) a sound internet application that can be transferred to other public entities in order to significantly reduce start up costs associated with developing inter- or intranet mapping capability.
Brief Summary of Partnership
This partnership has been very successful in meeting the objectives of providing a large block of digital imagery in a user-friendly internet application. Users have noted a substantial improvement in the quality of the imagery, the ease of use of the web application and the responsiveness of the software/hardware combination.
At the heart of the partnership was a core of technically proficient remote-sensing and GIS staff who completed enhancement of the 430-Gigabyte statewide digital data set in a remarkably short period of time from July to December 1999. Success capitalized on a unique partnership between the University at Albany and the Department of State. This time period included acquisition of original data sources, development of image processing methodologies, radiometric correction of the imagery, reformatting and file compression, and production of stable archival data copies. Concurrently, the internet application was under development in anticipation of hosting the data set. Development of the application required translation of a creative vision into a working product that was accomplished among Department of State, State Education, Office for Technology and MapInfo Corporation.
Functional aspects of getting an operational system fell largely with the State Education Department and Department of State. Subsequent responsibilities were met by Office for Technology for hardware and Department of Health and Department of State for transfer of the application to the Office for Technology.
The goal of the project was definitely met. In addition, the benefits of the effort exceeded expectations by several measures. For example, USDA NRCS has been able to use the internet application to meet many of its field mapping needs. This has avoided the need for establishing independent GIS platforms in field offices with savings in hardware, software, and most importantly, staff time. The ability to easily use the application for any GIS data presentation either at the same physical location or by transfer of the application to other sites has the potential to reap substantial unexpected savings. Finally, the construct of the site allows for access to the statewide digital ortho data set for direct data downloads and potential data warehouse linkages to other applications that are under consideration.
Finally, the application now in place was intended as a phase 1 product. A phase 2 product featuring many significant enhancements is scheduled for its debut by September 2000.
Contact Information
Research Scientist
NYS Department of Health
Center for Environmental Health
Flanigan Square
547 River Street
Troy, New York
Phone: (518) 402-7650
Fax: (518) 402-7599
E-mail: tfh01@health.state.ny.us
Information last updated: September 2000