2014 GIST Master Projects

December 11, 2014, UA SUMC, Level 4, Ventana

Alternative Build-Out Analysis and Land Use Designation for Hillside Preservation in Santa Cruz County, Arizona

Author: Deni Huffman, denihuffman@email.arizona.edu

This project develops an alternative build-out analysis and proposes a new Land Use (LU) designation for preservation of hillside open space that is within active private land parcels for Santa Cruz County, Arizona. This study analyzes Santa Cruz County’s current land use plan and discusses an alternative method of build-out analysis, following existing plans and regulations.  Santa Cruz County currently does not have a hillside ordinance to restrict building on lots with steep slopes.  A comparison to the standard that is currently used and the alternative method highlights the differences in future land use patterns and capacity of County build-out. A suitability analysis used the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), thus arriving at criteria that would be most useful. The criteria I used is the distance to a Conservation Area, Lot size, and Steepness of Slope to establish the suitability of parcels that should be placed in the new Hillside Preservation Area LU Code. The resulting analysis identifies areas that meet my criteria. Utilizing GIS as an alternative method to assessing the build-out demonstrates the need for adoption of a new hillside preservation ordinance and land use designation in Santa Cruz County, Arizona.

12/11/2014 - 6:20pm to 6:40pm

A Comparison of Remote Sensing Indices and Temporal Study of Cienegas at Cienega Creek from 1984 to 2011 Using Multispectral Satellite Imagery

Author: Natalie R. Wilson, nrwilson@usgs.gov

Desert wetlands, in particular those slow moving bodies of water known as cienegas, are important sites for biodiversity in arid landscapes and serve as indicators of hydrological functioning on the landscape-level. One of the most extensive systems of cienegas, historical or extant, in southeastern Arizona lies along Cienega Creek, located southeast of Tucson, Arizona. Satellite imagery analysis is heavily utilized to determine landscape-level trends, but cienegas present a challenge to traditional analysis methods. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), the classic measure of vegetation greenness, reacts counterintuitively to open water and is affected by open ground, both common occurrences in cienega habitats. Additional remote sensing indices have been developed that balance sensitivity to these environmental elements. This research explores these remote sensing indices at Cienega Creek applying one topographic index to current elevation data and five spectral indices to Thematic Mapper imagery from 1984 to 2011. Temporal trends were identified for all spectral indices and all indices were compared for suitability in cienega habitats. Temporal trends were analyzed for spatial clustering and spatial trends identified. The Normalized Difference Infrared Index utilizing Landsat Thematic Mapper band 5 outperformed other indices at differentiating between cienega, riparian, and upland habitats and is more suitable than NDVI for analyzing cienega habitats in such circumstances.

12/11/2014 - 6:40pm to 7:00pm

Southwest Wyoming Nineteenth Century Emigrant Trail Analysis

Author: Robert E. Davis, recdavis@gmail.com

This project examines and analyzes the mid-nineteenth century emigrant trails in southwest Wyoming; a wild area bounded by the Continental Divide to the east, the Bear River to the west, the Wind River Range to the north, and the Uinta Mountains to the south. Here, emigrants created almost one thousand miles of trails in an uncoordinated, collective effort to find the flattest and shortest trail that also provided the raw materials required by wagon travel, grass and water. Often, these requirements for wagon travel were at odds with the facts of geography: time, distance, and elevation. Given this competition, what are the trails and routes requiring the least effort to traverse while maximizing the availability of resources? To answer this, the project includes elevation profiles, network analysis of existing emigrant trails, least-cost path, and least-cost corridor analysis. Terrain is analyzed based on distance from major sources of water and animal feed; roughness; slope; and in some cases, the existence of established trails. These analyses show that, by and large with one significant exception, the emigrants did follow the least-cost paths, corridors, and networks. The exception is the Sublette Cutoff. While emigrants used the Sublette Cutoff extensively after 1849, this analysis identifies Hams Fork Cutoff (also used by emigrants), farther south, as the route requiring the least effort to traverse the study area. Along with some relevant photographs and other material, the results of the analysis are integrated into a website that can be used by the general public and historians.

12/11/2014 - 7:00pm to 7:20pm

Redefining and Analyzing Active versus Passive Recreational Opportunities for Children Ages Zero to Four in Eastern Pima County, Arizona

Author: Jessica Styron Abrahams, jabraha1@email.arizona.edu

In addressing overweight and obesity in children, many studies of accessibility to recreational opportunities use a half-mile standard as a basis of how accessible a park is, regardless of user age. Others solely differentiate between active and passive recreation. When analyzing recreational opportunities for very young children ages zero to four, a quarter-mile standard should be used to assess walkability, and the presence or absence of a playground should also be considered. To better analyze access to playgrounds for children ages zero to four in eastern Pima County, Arizona and determine where to place new playgrounds, this study produces a suitability analysis based on a seven-point model. This model considers: 1) population of children ages zero to four by 2010 Census Blockgroup, 2) median household income by 2010 Census Tract, 3) distance to playgrounds, 4) distance to major roads, 5) existing soil types and whether they can support a playground, 6) slope, and 7) existing zoning and land use codes. All factors were weighted equally in this suitability analysis, and used to produce a GIS map of high to low suitability of areas for new playground development within eastern Pima County. This suitability map was then paired with the 98 existing vacant parcels in eastern Pima County, Arizona to determine which would be best suited for conversion to new playgrounds. The seven-point model thus determines where new playgrounds should be placed and assesses accessibility to recreational opportunities for children ages zero to four. 

12/11/2014 - 7:35pm to 7:55pm

Using LiDAR for Urban Change Analysis: The University of Arizona 2005 and 2008

Author: David G. Perry, dgp@email.arizona.edu

This project uses Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data to assess and visualize change in an urban environment.  This is important in the identification of areas of growth and areas of decline.  Specifically, LiDAR data from the years 2005 and 2008 are utilized to quantify and visualize change in the buildings in and around The University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Arizona. After the study area is identified, the LiDAR data are filtered based on return type and then converted to rasters.  The resultant rasters are manipulated to obtain a new raster displaying the buildings present in 2005, and a similar raster illustrating the buildings present in 2008.  Using these rasters and Boolean algebra principles, the rasters are subtracted from one another.  The resultant change raster highlights the buildings that demonstrate positive or negative change over the three-year period.  Using this method several areas of change were identified and confirmed using orthophotographs.  For an area as small as The University of Arizona campus it is relatively easy to see the developmental change over time.  However, the real power of this method is realized when applied to large metropolitan areas. New buildings and demolished buildings can be identified with a minimum amount of effort.  Patterns of development can be easily seen. City planners and tax authorities will find this method and the information obtained invaluable in developing strategies for growth and revenue generation.

12/11/2014 - 7:55pm to 8:15pm

Using Classification and Regression Tree and Valley Bottom Modeling Techniques to Identify Riparian Vegetation in Pinal County, Arizona

Author: Ben Hickson, benjamin.hickson@gmail.com

The ecological value and functionality of riparian systems along ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial streams in the southwest has been well established.  In Pinal County, Arizona the existing dataset available to environmental managers and governing bodies drastically underestimates the extent and presence of riparian zones.  This study addresses this issue through the use of remote sensing land cover classification techniques.  Using high resolution remotely sensed imagery available from the National Agriculture and Imaging Program (NAIP) and Landsat 8 satellite, several derived vegetation indices, and supplementary topographic information, a classification and regression tree (CART) model is constructed.  Using training data, the CART model identifies and delineates basic land cover classes across the County.  Woody annual and perennial species are identified and associated to riparian zones using a valley bottom model developed by the United States Department of Agriculture.

The CART model (kappa value of 0.76) found that 929 square-miles of annual vegetation and 651 square-miles of perennial vegetation are present across Pinal County.  In a post-classification accuracy assessment, a kappa value of 0.38 was derived from the image using thirty randomly stratified sampling points per class.  Riparian zones were determined to exist where the valley bottom model indicated 55 percent probability.

The results generated provide a sufficiently comprehensive dataset that gives County managers and environmental professionals improved insight as to the presence and distribution of important riparian habitats.

12/11/2014 - 8:15pm to 8:35pm

December 15, 2014, UA SUMC, Level 3, Catalina

Distribution of Sahara Mustard (Brassica tournifortii) at the Barry M. Goldwater Range

Author: Brett A. Stauffer, stauffer.brett@gmail.com

Since first appearing in the Coachella Valley of California in 1920, Sahara mustard (Brassica tournifortii) has spread throughout the Southwest adversely effecting desert ecosystems. Studies have shown that fire becomes more prevalent in desert ecosystems with Brassica present. From 2010 to 2013 at Barry M Goldwater West (BMGW), Dr. Jim Malusa collected information for over 600 releves (small vegetation plots) of which 205 have Brassica present. This study determines whether there is a correlation between the location of Brassica and vegetation communities as well as environmental variables. Chi-square analysis determines whether a spatial relationship existed with vegetation communities. Logistic regression determines correlation with environmental variables. Chi-square results for BMGW demonstrate there it is a very high likelihood that Brassica is associated with certain vegetation types. Logistic regression illustrates very little statistical significance for four variables: total relief, distance to wash, distance to road, and elevation. These results will help field crews decrease the amount of land needed to survey for Brassica and increase efficiency for native species restoration in the Southwest.

12/15/2014 - 6:00pm to 6:02pm

A Site Suitability Model for Photovoltaic Solar Panel Installation on Mine Tailings in Arizona

Author: Leanndra Arechederra-Romero, Lareromero@gmail.com

Solar energy is an unlimited renewable energy resource. This project explores how a GIS-based site suitability analysis identifies solar energy opportunities on traditionally unusable, contaminated, large, open-pit/surface mine tailings in seven Arizona Counties. In the analysis, a point ArcGIS Solar Radiation tool determines the amount of insolation or radiation for each mine tailing location, and an area tool determines the radiation for the counties. To calculate suitability for a site, the analysis uses the Weighted Overlay Tool. This tool uses several criteria Area Solar Radiation, Slope, Aspect, and Distance to Major Roads to produce an overlay of low, medium, and high suitability. The mine with the greatest amount of insolation or annual solar radiation for 2014 is the Morenci Mine. This analysis results in a suitability map that illustrates high suitable areas to place solar panels exist in all counties. This project serves to provide a baseline for site selection of solar panel installation on mine tailings in Arizona.

12/15/2014 - 6:20pm to 6:40pm

The Impact of Sea Level Rise and Subsidence on the Barrier Islands of Mississippi and Southeastern Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico

Author: Janice L. Mock, Jmock727@gmail.com

As atmospheric temperatures climb, glacial melt and thermal expansion are causing global ocean levels to rise significantly; recent climate change projections indicate that sea level will rise between one foot and six feet by the year 2100.  This phenomenon, combined with the rapid rate of subsidence along the central Gulf Coast, has led to a dramatic loss of land and habitat on the region’s barrier islands. These losses pose an increasing threat to the mainland coasts that the islands protect and to the wildlife that rely on the island habitats for survival.  In response, land managers have engaged in beach restoration and renourishment programs where feasible.  This study examines the rate of change in land surface area and habitat of the barrier islands of Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana between 1992 and 2014.  Using GIS applications and remotely sensed satellite data, the island systems were digitized, measured, and analyzed.  An Iso Cluster Classification tool was used to assess the habitat change for a single island that was representative of non-restored islands in the area.   The results demonstrate a cumulative loss of nearly seventeen square miles of surface area since 1992, along with the decrease of open sandy beach and dune habitat critical to wildlife.  The only islands that have not lost surface area are those that have had active beach restoration.   The study concludes that active island restoration and management is necessary for barrier island conservation.  Land managers will use this information to balance conservation priorities.

12/15/2014 - 6:40pm to 7:00pm

A Web-Based Evacuation Status Map System for Santa Cruz County, Arizona Emergency Management

Author: M. Gwynn Harlowe, harlowe@email.arizona.edu

Emergency events that necessitating building evacuation can easily turn chaotic and disorganized, resulting in a negative impact on public safety.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS) to provide an organizational framework for various agencies to work together seamlessly during an emergency situation.  This framework enables various departments and agencies from the federal, state, and local governments as well as nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to work together by describing the protocols that allow them to communicate with each other.  This communication depends on adherence to Common Operating Picture methodology.  A web-based evacuation status map created in this study greatly enhances the common operating picture of an incident.  This map provides the various agencies secured web-based access to the status of an evacuation zone, and provides detailed evacuation status of individual buildings within the zone.  Although this information is presented via the internet, access is restricted to emergency operation center personnel.  Providing an up to date picture of the evacuation status will allow for a more efficient evacuation resulting in lives saved.

12/15/2014 - 7:00pm to 7:20pm

Identifying Conflict Between Renewable Energy Opportunity and Conservation Goals in Pima County, Arizona

Author: Jamie L. Velkoverh, jamievelkoverh@email.arizona.edu

Arizona has one of the greatest photovoltaic resource potentials in the United States.  Identifying suitable sites to install solar facilities can be difficult, however, due to zoning restrictions and the presence of ecologically critical areas scattered throughout the state.  Using previously published complex suitability analysis, the renewable energy opportunity for solar facilities was incorporated into an ArcOnline web application.  The application interactively illustrates the results of the renewable energy opportunity analysis model. 

Critical habitat, ecologically important areas, and protected areas were identified for Pima County, Arizona using publically available data.  A multiple utility assignment (MUA) using a weighted sum combined all environmentally relevant data into one grid to identify areas in Pima County not suitable for renewable energy development.  These areas are considered conservation goals.

The Land-Use Conflict Identification Strategy (LUCIS) integrates environmental analysis with renewable energy development opportunity analysis to produce a conflict surface.  The result of the analysis assists solar developers, communities, and decision-makers to target suitable areas for renewable energy development while considering conservation goals and environmental concerns.

12/15/2014 - 7:35pm to 7:55pm

Web-Mapping Urban Transit in Valdivia, Chile

Author: Michael J. Levengood, mjlevengood@gmail.com

Urban public transportation systems are often difficult to represent on traditional static maps due to a large number of routes, many of which may overlap. This is particularly true for micro buses, the principal form of public/private transport in Chilean cities. The existing static map of micro bus lines in Valdivia, the capital of the Los Rios Region of Chile, is inadequate. This project creates an interactive online map of Valdivia’s micro bus routes to help users better visualize routes and plan transit trips. To determine the location of routes, the existing static map of micro bus routes in Valdivia, Chile, was consulted. To confirm routes, a separate website that describes routes by street was also consulted. Routes were digitized in ArcMap as a line feature class on top of ESRI’s street base map. Route number was assigned to the lines and direction was described for one-way sections. Digitized routes were then published via ArcGIS Server. ArcGIS API for JavaScript was used to upload the routes to a website and to incorporate other tools. A website was created that allows users to choose which routes they want to visualize, view information about these routes, and measure distances. The resulting interactive website allows users to better visualize routes, which will help residents and visitors more efficiently and accurately plan transit trips in Valdivia, Chile. This type of map could be created for other Chilean cities that lack high-quality interactive transit maps.

12/15/2014 - 7:55pm to 8:15pm

A Vegetation Monitoring Program for Pima County, Arizona

Author: Jason B. Kennedy, jasonbkennedy@email.arizona.edu

The Endangered Species Act Section 10 permit requires municipalities to monitor temporal change in vegetation on land owned and administered by that particular municipality. Due to the most recent advancements in remote sensing technologies, Pima County, Arizona, would like to employ these technologies to remotely monitor vegetation change.  Traditional monitoring methods entail physical contact with study areas, resulting in less cost effective data collection.  This study investigates the following remote sensing technologies for vegetation monitoring in Pima County, Arizona:  Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), Stereo photogrammetry, multi and hyper-spectral imagery, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).  Each technology has intrinsic benefits when reviewed alone, but combining the different technologies provides the best option for complete understanding of vegetation change over time.  Given limited funding for municipalities, combining all of these technologies is impractical.  Therefore, finding one or two technologies that yield the best results while minimizing costs is essential.  This study concludes that UAVs and hyper-spectral imagery are not cost-effective or conducive to monitoring the 200,000+ acres of land Pima County owns and or operates.  The use of LiDAR and stereo photogrammetry, using a Semi-Global Matching (SGM) routine, is the most beneficial and cost-effective method for Pima County, Arizona to remotely monitor their vegetation.  A 2015 collection of LiDAR and orthophotography has already been planned, which will place Pima County in an excellent position to begin this monitoring program next year.

12/15/2014 - 8:15pm to 8:35pm

December 16, 2014, UA SUMC, Level 4, Ventana

Geographies of Mobility: Using GIS Tools to Deepen Understanding of Transit in Tucson, Arizona

Author: Elizabeth Burden, liz@participationink.com

In the 21st century, geographic regions that want to be economically viable, ecologically sustainable, and socially just must have quality public transit. However, the concept of quality varies from community to community; it is based on specific community values, goals, and priorities, which often differ from the industry-centric performance indicators on which transit agencies rely. Literature on social equity and transit often focuses on four rider-centric indicators—coverage, proximity, mobility, and accessibility. This study uses GIS tools to assess those indicators, in order to complement a recent comprehensive operational analysis completed by the City of Tucson Sun Tran bus system.  Different approaches were used to: (1) compare bus routes to travel demand corridors (so-called “desire lines”); (2) analyze and map proximity to transit stops; (3) measure ease in reaching desired destinations; (4) assess the range and type of destinations that can be reached via transit. The results indicate that for Tucson’s urban core, the bus system meets coverage and proximity needs but does not adequately fulfill mobility and accessibility needs. To be more viable, sustainable, and just, the latter two characteristics must be addressed as city leaders and residents re-examine current public transit policies and plans, and consider appropriate levels of public investment in Sun Tran.

12/16/2014 - 6:00pm to 6:20pm

Exploring Variability in Hydrologic Responses in the Bonita Creek Watershed

Author: Emilie Brill Duisberg, emilie@email.arizona.edu

Bonita Creek is a tributary of the Gila River and a primary source of potable water for the town of Safford, Arizona.  Bonita Creek’s watershed, which encompasses portions of the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation, Bureau of Land Management holdings, and Arizona State Trust lands, is home to some of the most significant riparian biodiversity remaining in the Southwest.  The lower 15 miles of the creek form a part of the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area.  Given the significance of this area, this project explores the potential impacts of changes in land cover and storm patterns on hydrological responses, with implications for the quantity and quality of Safford’s water supply, the integrity of its infrastructure, and the health of the natural systems within the watershed.  This analysis uses the kinematic runoff and erosion model KINEROS2, within the Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment (AGWA) tool, to examine the effects of riparian vegetation loss, upland vegetation loss, and high soil saturation resulting from successive high-intensity storms on runoff, peak flow, and sediment yield in Bonita Creek and its watershed.  Based on model outputs, the strongest driver of increases in runoff, peak flow, and sediment yield over the watershed as a whole is high soil saturation, followed by upland devegetation, followed by riparian devegetation.  Fire, invasive species, increasingly common high-intensity storms attributed to climate change, or other disturbances in the watershed have important hydrological impacts and ramifications for Safford and the natural areas which rely on Bonita Creek.

12/16/2014 - 6:20pm to 6:40pm

Probability Study of Landslides in the Seattle Area

Author: Rachel Feuerbach, rc4bach@email.arizona.edu

The city of Seattle, Washington and the surrounding metro area is located in a seismically active deep topographic basin which has experienced many landslides during the current historical period as well as in prehistoric times. Sediments deposited during and since the Fraser glaciation, particularly the Lawton Clay and Esperance Sand, are the primary units involved in landslides in the study area. Numerous slides have resulted from earthquakes on the multistrand Seattle Fault and smaller local faults, but the most common cause of landslides is rain and melting snow saturating sediment layers. The greatest numbers of landslides have been recorded during periods of rainfall accumulation greater than one inch in a one to two day period. Sediments sitting atop the impermeable Lawton Clay on over-steepened hillsides fail along the boundary of the clay or pre-Fraser sediment layers. Landslides can also be caused by human activities such as building on unstable slopes, building with insufficient drainage, or the failure to build strong retaining walls. In order to mitigate landslide damages, new geologic maps and a slope stability model are used to produce a model of the most likely areas to experience landslides. This model is then combined with census and housing data to determine population and damage costs resulting from future slides. This analysis will help the public and the Seattle government to determine areas where new construction should not occur or where hazard mitigation should be attempted.

12/16/2014 - 6:40pm to 7:00pm

Tracing the Hand of Łeetso: Exposure to Uranium Mines on the Navajo Nation

Author: Cliantha V. Yasenchack, cyasench@email.arizona.edu

The historical impact of uranium mining on the Navajo Nation, located predominately in northwestern Arizona, has left the region pockmarked with unreclaimed uranium mines contaminating the surrounding area with radon decay products. This analysis creates an exposure map to radon decay products by utilizing standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency and to test the significance of their impact via the cancer rate of the area. A model is utilized to count overlapping fifty-mile exposure buffers placed around unreclaimed uranium mines and to calculate increased environmental exposure rates. This is followed by a Linear Regression using Ordinary Least Squares and Geographically Weighted Regression.  Spatial Autocorrelation is used to analyze cancer rates for Coconino, Navajo, and Apache counties in Arizona. The dependent variable is cancer rate while the independent variables are total population, white population, Native American population, and degrees of exposure. The successful completion of the model revealed large areas of the Navajo Nation covered by relatively low exposure rates while areas with large populations had higher exposure rates. Nevertheless, rather than providing a definitive answer towards determining if there is a relationship between cancer rates by county and exposure, the Linear Regression acted as a preliminary process on a topic not previously studied and provided crucial information on how these processes require individualized tuning. This, in addition to the previously stated method, provides the Navajo Nation with a baseline for data requirements and applying federal and state data to appropriately understand their toxic and changing environment.

12/16/2014 - 7:15pm to 7:35pm

Evaluation of the Potential Impact of Energy Development Projects on the Size and Distribution of Vertebrate Species in Arizona

Author: Pankaj Jamwal, panjamwal@gmail.com

Extinction of vertebrate species due to habitat fragmentation is a major focus among wildlife biologists and is a worldwide problem. Conservation planning for these vertebrate species requires information regarding species population status and distribution. Geographic information systems (GIS) technology and its application in conservation biology opens doors to exciting new synthetic analyses. GIS technology assembles and analyzes diverse biodiversity data and develops robust and reliable predictions of species geographic distributions. In this study 380 species listed as occurring in the state of Arizona are used in a conservation assessment focused on renewable energy development. This includes 21 Amphibians, 183 Birds, 86 Mammals and 90 Reptiles species. The study determines the size of vertebrate and other species distributions in Arizona that are identified as high priority evaluation species. This project evaluates the potential for habitat impact from development for species and also determines areas that are more vulnerable to potential habitat impact than others. The vertebrate species models are acquired from the Gap Analysis Program ‎and Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project website. All the vertebrate models are reprojected, analyzed, and processed using ArcGIS software. The total size of distribution for each vertebrate species and the area that could be impacted is determined in square kilometers. Overall, the methods and design of the study could be a stepping stone for conservation planning, particularly in determining the size of species and the areas that could be impacted from development projects in different states.           

12/16/2014 - 7:35pm to 7:55pm

December 17, 2014, UA SUMC, Level 4, Ventana

Designing Web-Based Maps

Author: William Beaver, wjbeaver@gmail.com

Application design is a broad concept that uses design at three levels: layout and style; user interface and experience; and code design patterns. In this paper the author describes these design concepts with respect to web applications, in particular web mapping applications. Web mapping design concepts are used to develop the application called SeepApp for the Springs Stewardship Institute. SeepApp allows a user to verify existing springs and to add newly found springs to a map. The application includes the ability to annotate photos and video and to upload spatial tracks associated with the springs and/or the video. The application reads jpeg image metadata (EXIF data) from the photos to capture UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) date/time, GPS coordinates, and orientation of the camera. The photos are tiled and a drawing program allows for markup of large resolution photos.  The project accomplishes the following tasks:  development of a working web application; a template which others can use; and a body of working knowledge which can be applied to future projects. All source code for this project is available at https://github.com/wjbeaver/Hide-Seep. The application currently resides at http://overtexplorations.com/seepApp.html.

12/17/2014 - 6:00pm to 6:20pm

Using Phenometrics to Locate Hot Spots of the Yellow-Billed Cuckoo Over a Decade in the State of Arizona

Author: Daniel P. Guaderrama, dguaderrama@email.arizona.edu

The yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccycus americanus occidentalis) has suffered breeding range and habitat losses primarily due to human activities and associated water demands. These activities result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of hectares of riparian habitat and drastic decline in population throughout the western United States. As of October 3, 2014, the cuckoo is now a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The objective of this project is to locate hot spots of the yellow-billed cuckoo through phenometrics over a decade using a model and developing an open-source web map application for disseminating results. Phenometrics are derived from Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data using eight-day Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery from 2002 through 2013. Additionally, this model uses Fourier harmonics to analyze the waveform of the annual NDVI profile at each pixel.  Results of the model using eight-day MODIS-NDVI imagery support the model and display hot spots in three stratified categories: always, sometime, and never. These findings may assist in protecting the endangered cuckoo in the State of Arizona. Results are disseminated through a publicly accessible open-source web map.

12/17/2014 - 6:20pm to 6:40pm

Utilizing ArcGIS Desktop and Online Tools to Dynamically Evaluate and Share Conservation Projects

Author: Jessica Fraver, fraverj@gmail.com

As the need for land and water conservation dollars will always outweigh available funds, land trusts must be able to quickly and creatively respond to new information to be successful. Land trusts play an important role in conservation as land and water transaction specialists and success depends on the ability to build strategic partnerships between funders, supporters and clients. Land trusts commonly use GIS to identify high priority regions within larger focus areas – an exercise that requires costly review and processing of existing data into ranked conservation criteria based on specified priorities of the trust. Results of these mapping efforts are often static, only marginally used to evaluate potential projects and do not allow for options to match potential projects with diverse requirements of different funders. This study develops a Project Evaluation System (PES) that addresses the need for flexibility in project identification and prioritization based on the diverse and changing priorities of funding opportunities for conservation in southeast Arizona.  The PES Python script enables easy updates to potential projects and conservation variable inputs without the need to modify the script itself. The script provides options to compare overall conservation scores between projects and highlight specific values that contribute to the overall conservation score of an individual project. The script generates intermediate data and an option to create a new overlay of particular conservation values for further investigation or cartographic display. The resulting ArcGIS Online feature service also addresses the need for an interactive mapping platform to enhance planning efforts.

12/17/2014 - 6:40pm to 7:00pm

Urban Fire: An Exploration of Brushfire Incidents from 2000 to 2013 in Tucson, Arizona.

Author: Nathan R. Wasserman, nrw1@email.arizona.edu

Brushfires are a health and safety hazard to the citizens Tucson, Arizona. Brushfires can cause ecological and plant community change in the fire-sensitive Sonoran Desert, damage property, and potentially lead to loss of life. This study examines the spatial distribution of brushfires within Tucson city limits by US Census tract. Tucson Fire Department recorded all brushfires from January 2000 to December 2013. All years of brushfire records, as well as brushfires within 500 feet of washes, are illustrated utilizing choropleth mapping. This study shows intriguing trends involving brushfire locations. Because most brushfires occurred in northern Tucson, it might appear that areas with greater population and number of housing units would show a higher frequency of brushfires. However, a geographically-weighted regression (GWR) and a Global Moran’s I Spatial Autocorrelation report show no significant pattern between areas that had greater population and a greater number of housing units when compared to the number of bushfires by census tract in Tucson in 2000 and 2010.

12/17/2014 - 7:00pm to 7:20pm

Exploratory Analysis of Violent Crime Using Spatial Statistics

Author: Manny Lizarraga, mannylizarraga@gmail.com

Violent crime is a hazard to public safety.  The application of spatial statistics is useful for making informed decisions and allocating resources such as police presence.  Spatial statistics can also be a tool for intelligently recommending and applying strategies for remediation, such as community based programs for preventing violent crime in areas of need. This project explores the spatial patterns and distribution of violent crime in Tucson, Arizona during January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2013.  It tracks the mean center of incidents per year to show that the center concentration moves south, then northeast over the period of the study. This analysis uses the Average Nearest Neighbor statistic to determine that the global distribution of incidents is clustered, but also that the intensity of clustering is steadily decreasing.  Additionally, this analysis examines local distributions to identify areas of statistically significant clustering and dispersion of violent crime, violent crime in proportion to all crime, and violent crime in proportion to population.

12/17/2014 - 7:35pm to 7:55pm

Vegetation Cover Change Detection in Saguaro National Park, 1987 and 2010

Author: Shane T. Clark, hopper@email.arizona.edu

Saguaro National Park is located in the Sonoran Desert. Key factors influencing vegetative cover change on a landscape include precipitation, temperature, and land use change. In the desert, vegetation growth is primarily limited by water availability. Vegetative cover change across the landscape is a troublesome and costly management problem due to the logistical, temporal and manual control efforts involved.   Efficient land and water management makes use of spatial data to assess and develop best management practices to mitigate vegetative cover changes. Comparative GIS mapping of the changing landscape is a powerful tool that managers can utilize for decision-making.  This project analyzes changes in vegetative cover within the Tucson Mountain and Rincon Mountain districts of Saguaro National Park in 1987 and 2010. Landsat 5 TM images were processed using the Layer Stack, and Image Differencing tools of ERDAS Imagine. The Image Analysis and NDVI creation tools were employed using ArcMap 10.2.  Results indicate that in 2010 there was an overall decrease of vegetative cover on the landscape than was present in 1987 within both districts of Saguaro National Park.  This study identifies specific areas of vegetative change for Saguaro National Park.  Land managers can use this information to make informed future landscape management decisions.

12/17/2014 - 7:55pm to 8:15pm

Does the United States Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) Consider Diné Cultural Values and Intervisability in the Placement of Communication Towers?

Author: Judy Begay-Taylor, jbegay@email.arizona.edu

The impacts of cultural assets in the siting of visual infrastructure, such as communication towers, on tribal landscapes has not been extensively addressed in federal environmental policy. Examples of this infrastructure include cell towers, lattice towers, monopole towers, guyed towers, and stealth towers. The National Environmental Policy Act’s (NEPA) cultural policies differ from those of the tribal community’s interpretation of the implicit and explicit definition of “cultural”. Specifically, the Navajo Nation Policy to Protect Cultural Properties includes the NEPA definition of culture, however, it also defines how the Diné value the landscape. This study uses the concept of intervisibility to understand the possible conflict between the siting of cell towers and its effect on traditional Dine cultural values and the landscape. Using the location of towers, Dine culturally significant features, hogans, significant landscapes, and sacred mountains and rivers a viewshed analysis was performed on the entire Najavo reservation.  The analysis illustrated that eighteen cell towers impede visual communication of three primary Diné traditional cultural properties and significant landscapes. This project demonstrates how basic GIS analysis can be used as a tool in understanding the impacts of communications siting with policy and cultural values.

12/17/2014 - 8:15pm to 8:35pm

Does the United States Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) Consider Diné Cultural Values and Intervisability in the Placement of Communication Towers?

Author: Judy Begay-Taylor, jbegay@email.arizona.edu

The impacts of cultural assets in the siting of visual infrastructure, such as communication towers, on tribal landscapes has not been extensively addressed in federal environmental policy. Examples of this infrastructure include cell towers, lattice towers, monopole towers, guyed towers, and stealth towers. The National Environmental Policy Act’s (NEPA) cultural policies differ from those of the tribal community’s interpretation of the implicit and explicit definition of “cultural”. Specifically, the Navajo Nation Policy to Protect Cultural Properties includes the NEPA definition of culture, however, it also defines how the Diné value the landscape. This study uses the concept of intervisibility to understand the possible conflict between the siting of cell towers and its effect on traditional Dine cultural values and the landscape. Using the location of towers, Dine culturally significant features, hogans, significant landscapes, and sacred mountains and rivers a viewshed analysis was performed on the entire Najavo reservation.  The analysis illustrated that eighteen cell towers impede visual communication of three primary Diné traditional cultural properties and significant landscapes. This project demonstrates how basic GIS analysis can be used as a tool in understanding the impacts of communications siting with policy and cultural values.

12/17/2014 - 8:15pm to 8:35pm
December 11, 2014
Projects Date and timesort descending

Alternative Build-Out Analysis and Land Use Designation for Hillside Preservation in Santa Cruz County, Arizona


Author: Deni Huffman, denihuffman@email.arizona.edu
Hillside preservation; build-out analysis; suitability analysis; development; Santa Cruz County; Arizona

This project develops an alternative build-out analysis and proposes a new Land Use (LU) designation for preservation of hillside open space that is within active private land parcels for Santa Cruz County, Arizona. This study analyzes Santa Cruz County’s current land use plan and discusses an alternative method of build-out analysis, following existing plans and regulations.  Santa Cruz County currently does not have a hillside ordinance to restrict building on lots with steep slopes.  A comparison to the standard that is currently used and the alternative method highlights the differences in future land use patterns and capacity of County build-out. A suitability analysis used the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), thus arriving at criteria that would be most useful. The criteria I used is the distance to a Conservation Area, Lot size, and Steepness of Slope to establish the suitability of parcels that should be placed in the new Hillside Preservation Area LU Code. The resulting analysis identifies areas that meet my criteria. Utilizing GIS as an alternative method to assessing the build-out demonstrates the need for adoption of a new hillside preservation ordinance and land use designation in Santa Cruz County, Arizona.

12/11/2014 - 6:20pm to 6:40pm

A Comparison of Remote Sensing Indices and Temporal Study of Cienegas at Cienega Creek from 1984 to 2011 Using Multispectral Satellite Imagery


Author: Natalie R. Wilson, nrwilson@usgs.gov
cienegas; arid region wetlands; Cienega Creek; Landsat Thematic Mapper; remote sensing indices

Desert wetlands, in particular those slow moving bodies of water known as cienegas, are important sites for biodiversity in arid landscapes and serve as indicators of hydrological functioning on the landscape-level. One of the most extensive systems of cienegas, historical or extant, in southeastern Arizona lies along Cienega Creek, located southeast of Tucson, Arizona. Satellite imagery analysis is heavily utilized to determine landscape-level trends, but cienegas present a challenge to traditional analysis methods. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), the classic measure of vegetation greenness, reacts counterintuitively to open water and is affected by open ground, both common occurrences in cienega habitats. Additional remote sensing indices have been developed that balance sensitivity to these environmental elements. This research explores these remote sensing indices at Cienega Creek applying one topographic index to current elevation data and five spectral indices to Thematic Mapper imagery from 1984 to 2011. Temporal trends were identified for all spectral indices and all indices were compared for suitability in cienega habitats. Temporal trends were analyzed for spatial clustering and spatial trends identified. The Normalized Difference Infrared Index utilizing Landsat Thematic Mapper band 5 outperformed other indices at differentiating between cienega, riparian, and upland habitats and is more suitable than NDVI for analyzing cienega habitats in such circumstances.

12/11/2014 - 6:40pm to 7:00pm

Southwest Wyoming Nineteenth Century Emigrant Trail Analysis


Author: Robert E. Davis, recdavis@gmail.com
Nineteenth century emigration; Emigration; National Historic Trails; Wyoming; Oregon-California Trails; Sublette Cutoff

This project examines and analyzes the mid-nineteenth century emigrant trails in southwest Wyoming; a wild area bounded by the Continental Divide to the east, the Bear River to the west, the Wind River Range to the north, and the Uinta Mountains to the south. Here, emigrants created almost one thousand miles of trails in an uncoordinated, collective effort to find the flattest and shortest trail that also provided the raw materials required by wagon travel, grass and water. Often, these requirements for wagon travel were at odds with the facts of geography: time, distance, and elevation. Given this competition, what are the trails and routes requiring the least effort to traverse while maximizing the availability of resources? To answer this, the project includes elevation profiles, network analysis of existing emigrant trails, least-cost path, and least-cost corridor analysis. Terrain is analyzed based on distance from major sources of water and animal feed; roughness; slope; and in some cases, the existence of established trails. These analyses show that, by and large with one significant exception, the emigrants did follow the least-cost paths, corridors, and networks. The exception is the Sublette Cutoff. While emigrants used the Sublette Cutoff extensively after 1849, this analysis identifies Hams Fork Cutoff (also used by emigrants), farther south, as the route requiring the least effort to traverse the study area. Along with some relevant photographs and other material, the results of the analysis are integrated into a website that can be used by the general public and historians.

12/11/2014 - 7:00pm to 7:20pm

Redefining and Analyzing Active versus Passive Recreational Opportunities for Children Ages Zero to Four in Eastern Pima County, Arizona


Author: Jessica Styron Abrahams, jabraha1@email.arizona.edu
suitability analysis; LUCIS; playgrounds; recreation; Pima County

In addressing overweight and obesity in children, many studies of accessibility to recreational opportunities use a half-mile standard as a basis of how accessible a park is, regardless of user age. Others solely differentiate between active and passive recreation. When analyzing recreational opportunities for very young children ages zero to four, a quarter-mile standard should be used to assess walkability, and the presence or absence of a playground should also be considered. To better analyze access to playgrounds for children ages zero to four in eastern Pima County, Arizona and determine where to place new playgrounds, this study produces a suitability analysis based on a seven-point model. This model considers: 1) population of children ages zero to four by 2010 Census Blockgroup, 2) median household income by 2010 Census Tract, 3) distance to playgrounds, 4) distance to major roads, 5) existing soil types and whether they can support a playground, 6) slope, and 7) existing zoning and land use codes. All factors were weighted equally in this suitability analysis, and used to produce a GIS map of high to low suitability of areas for new playground development within eastern Pima County. This suitability map was then paired with the 98 existing vacant parcels in eastern Pima County, Arizona to determine which would be best suited for conversion to new playgrounds. The seven-point model thus determines where new playgrounds should be placed and assesses accessibility to recreational opportunities for children ages zero to four. 

12/11/2014 - 7:35pm to 7:55pm

Using LiDAR for Urban Change Analysis: The University of Arizona 2005 and 2008


Author: David G. Perry, dgp@email.arizona.edu
LiDAR; Urban change; Boolean algebra; City planning; Tax assessment

This project uses Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data to assess and visualize change in an urban environment.  This is important in the identification of areas of growth and areas of decline.  Specifically, LiDAR data from the years 2005 and 2008 are utilized to quantify and visualize change in the buildings in and around The University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Arizona. After the study area is identified, the LiDAR data are filtered based on return type and then converted to rasters.  The resultant rasters are manipulated to obtain a new raster displaying the buildings present in 2005, and a similar raster illustrating the buildings present in 2008.  Using these rasters and Boolean algebra principles, the rasters are subtracted from one another.  The resultant change raster highlights the buildings that demonstrate positive or negative change over the three-year period.  Using this method several areas of change were identified and confirmed using orthophotographs.  For an area as small as The University of Arizona campus it is relatively easy to see the developmental change over time.  However, the real power of this method is realized when applied to large metropolitan areas. New buildings and demolished buildings can be identified with a minimum amount of effort.  Patterns of development can be easily seen. City planners and tax authorities will find this method and the information obtained invaluable in developing strategies for growth and revenue generation.

12/11/2014 - 7:55pm to 8:15pm

Using Classification and Regression Tree and Valley Bottom Modeling Techniques to Identify Riparian Vegetation in Pinal County, Arizona


Author: Ben Hickson, benjamin.hickson@gmail.com
Pinal County; riparian; vegetation; classification and regression tree (CART); valley bottom model (VBM)

The ecological value and functionality of riparian systems along ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial streams in the southwest has been well established.  In Pinal County, Arizona the existing dataset available to environmental managers and governing bodies drastically underestimates the extent and presence of riparian zones.  This study addresses this issue through the use of remote sensing land cover classification techniques.  Using high resolution remotely sensed imagery available from the National Agriculture and Imaging Program (NAIP) and Landsat 8 satellite, several derived vegetation indices, and supplementary topographic information, a classification and regression tree (CART) model is constructed.  Using training data, the CART model identifies and delineates basic land cover classes across the County.  Woody annual and perennial species are identified and associated to riparian zones using a valley bottom model developed by the United States Department of Agriculture.

The CART model (kappa value of 0.76) found that 929 square-miles of annual vegetation and 651 square-miles of perennial vegetation are present across Pinal County.  In a post-classification accuracy assessment, a kappa value of 0.38 was derived from the image using thirty randomly stratified sampling points per class.  Riparian zones were determined to exist where the valley bottom model indicated 55 percent probability.

The results generated provide a sufficiently comprehensive dataset that gives County managers and environmental professionals improved insight as to the presence and distribution of important riparian habitats.

12/11/2014 - 8:15pm to 8:35pm
December 15, 2014
Projects Date and timesort descending

Distribution of Sahara Mustard (Brassica tournifortii) at the Barry M. Goldwater Range


Author: Brett A. Stauffer, stauffer.brett@gmail.com
Barry M. Goldwater (BMGW); chi-square; logistic regression; releve; invasive species

Since first appearing in the Coachella Valley of California in 1920, Sahara mustard (Brassica tournifortii) has spread throughout the Southwest adversely effecting desert ecosystems. Studies have shown that fire becomes more prevalent in desert ecosystems with Brassica present. From 2010 to 2013 at Barry M Goldwater West (BMGW), Dr. Jim Malusa collected information for over 600 releves (small vegetation plots) of which 205 have Brassica present. This study determines whether there is a correlation between the location of Brassica and vegetation communities as well as environmental variables. Chi-square analysis determines whether a spatial relationship existed with vegetation communities. Logistic regression determines correlation with environmental variables. Chi-square results for BMGW demonstrate there it is a very high likelihood that Brassica is associated with certain vegetation types. Logistic regression illustrates very little statistical significance for four variables: total relief, distance to wash, distance to road, and elevation. These results will help field crews decrease the amount of land needed to survey for Brassica and increase efficiency for native species restoration in the Southwest.

12/15/2014 - 6:00pm to 6:02pm

A Site Suitability Model for Photovoltaic Solar Panel Installation on Mine Tailings in Arizona


Author: Leanndra Arechederra-Romero, Lareromero@gmail.com
surface mines; mine tailings; suitability analysis; Solar Radiation Tools; renewable energy

Solar energy is an unlimited renewable energy resource. This project explores how a GIS-based site suitability analysis identifies solar energy opportunities on traditionally unusable, contaminated, large, open-pit/surface mine tailings in seven Arizona Counties. In the analysis, a point ArcGIS Solar Radiation tool determines the amount of insolation or radiation for each mine tailing location, and an area tool determines the radiation for the counties. To calculate suitability for a site, the analysis uses the Weighted Overlay Tool. This tool uses several criteria Area Solar Radiation, Slope, Aspect, and Distance to Major Roads to produce an overlay of low, medium, and high suitability. The mine with the greatest amount of insolation or annual solar radiation for 2014 is the Morenci Mine. This analysis results in a suitability map that illustrates high suitable areas to place solar panels exist in all counties. This project serves to provide a baseline for site selection of solar panel installation on mine tailings in Arizona.

12/15/2014 - 6:20pm to 6:40pm

The Impact of Sea Level Rise and Subsidence on the Barrier Islands of Mississippi and Southeastern Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico


Author: Janice L. Mock, Jmock727@gmail.com
sea level rise; subsidence; barrier islands; Gulf Islands National Seashore; beach restoration

As atmospheric temperatures climb, glacial melt and thermal expansion are causing global ocean levels to rise significantly; recent climate change projections indicate that sea level will rise between one foot and six feet by the year 2100.  This phenomenon, combined with the rapid rate of subsidence along the central Gulf Coast, has led to a dramatic loss of land and habitat on the region’s barrier islands. These losses pose an increasing threat to the mainland coasts that the islands protect and to the wildlife that rely on the island habitats for survival.  In response, land managers have engaged in beach restoration and renourishment programs where feasible.  This study examines the rate of change in land surface area and habitat of the barrier islands of Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana between 1992 and 2014.  Using GIS applications and remotely sensed satellite data, the island systems were digitized, measured, and analyzed.  An Iso Cluster Classification tool was used to assess the habitat change for a single island that was representative of non-restored islands in the area.   The results demonstrate a cumulative loss of nearly seventeen square miles of surface area since 1992, along with the decrease of open sandy beach and dune habitat critical to wildlife.  The only islands that have not lost surface area are those that have had active beach restoration.   The study concludes that active island restoration and management is necessary for barrier island conservation.  Land managers will use this information to balance conservation priorities.

12/15/2014 - 6:40pm to 7:00pm

A Web-Based Evacuation Status Map System for Santa Cruz County, Arizona Emergency Management


Author: M. Gwynn Harlowe, harlowe@email.arizona.edu
emergency management; evacuation; National Incident Management System; Incident Command System; Common Operating Picture

Emergency events that necessitating building evacuation can easily turn chaotic and disorganized, resulting in a negative impact on public safety.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS) to provide an organizational framework for various agencies to work together seamlessly during an emergency situation.  This framework enables various departments and agencies from the federal, state, and local governments as well as nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to work together by describing the protocols that allow them to communicate with each other.  This communication depends on adherence to Common Operating Picture methodology.  A web-based evacuation status map created in this study greatly enhances the common operating picture of an incident.  This map provides the various agencies secured web-based access to the status of an evacuation zone, and provides detailed evacuation status of individual buildings within the zone.  Although this information is presented via the internet, access is restricted to emergency operation center personnel.  Providing an up to date picture of the evacuation status will allow for a more efficient evacuation resulting in lives saved.

12/15/2014 - 7:00pm to 7:20pm

Identifying Conflict Between Renewable Energy Opportunity and Conservation Goals in Pima County, Arizona


Author: Jamie L. Velkoverh, jamievelkoverh@email.arizona.edu

Arizona has one of the greatest photovoltaic resource potentials in the United States.  Identifying suitable sites to install solar facilities can be difficult, however, due to zoning restrictions and the presence of ecologically critical areas scattered throughout the state.  Using previously published complex suitability analysis, the renewable energy opportunity for solar facilities was incorporated into an ArcOnline web application.  The application interactively illustrates the results of the renewable energy opportunity analysis model. 

Critical habitat, ecologically important areas, and protected areas were identified for Pima County, Arizona using publically available data.  A multiple utility assignment (MUA) using a weighted sum combined all environmentally relevant data into one grid to identify areas in Pima County not suitable for renewable energy development.  These areas are considered conservation goals.

The Land-Use Conflict Identification Strategy (LUCIS) integrates environmental analysis with renewable energy development opportunity analysis to produce a conflict surface.  The result of the analysis assists solar developers, communities, and decision-makers to target suitable areas for renewable energy development while considering conservation goals and environmental concerns.

12/15/2014 - 7:35pm to 7:55pm

Web-Mapping Urban Transit in Valdivia, Chile


Author: Michael J. Levengood, mjlevengood@gmail.com
public transportation; Chile; online mapping; ArcGIS API for JavaScript

Urban public transportation systems are often difficult to represent on traditional static maps due to a large number of routes, many of which may overlap. This is particularly true for micro buses, the principal form of public/private transport in Chilean cities. The existing static map of micro bus lines in Valdivia, the capital of the Los Rios Region of Chile, is inadequate. This project creates an interactive online map of Valdivia’s micro bus routes to help users better visualize routes and plan transit trips. To determine the location of routes, the existing static map of micro bus routes in Valdivia, Chile, was consulted. To confirm routes, a separate website that describes routes by street was also consulted. Routes were digitized in ArcMap as a line feature class on top of ESRI’s street base map. Route number was assigned to the lines and direction was described for one-way sections. Digitized routes were then published via ArcGIS Server. ArcGIS API for JavaScript was used to upload the routes to a website and to incorporate other tools. A website was created that allows users to choose which routes they want to visualize, view information about these routes, and measure distances. The resulting interactive website allows users to better visualize routes, which will help residents and visitors more efficiently and accurately plan transit trips in Valdivia, Chile. This type of map could be created for other Chilean cities that lack high-quality interactive transit maps.

12/15/2014 - 7:55pm to 8:15pm

A Vegetation Monitoring Program for Pima County, Arizona


Author: Jason B. Kennedy, jasonbkennedy@email.arizona.edu
Endangered Species Act; Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR); Remote Sensing; Vegetation Monitoring; and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs); Semi-Global Matching (SGM)

The Endangered Species Act Section 10 permit requires municipalities to monitor temporal change in vegetation on land owned and administered by that particular municipality. Due to the most recent advancements in remote sensing technologies, Pima County, Arizona, would like to employ these technologies to remotely monitor vegetation change.  Traditional monitoring methods entail physical contact with study areas, resulting in less cost effective data collection.  This study investigates the following remote sensing technologies for vegetation monitoring in Pima County, Arizona:  Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), Stereo photogrammetry, multi and hyper-spectral imagery, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).  Each technology has intrinsic benefits when reviewed alone, but combining the different technologies provides the best option for complete understanding of vegetation change over time.  Given limited funding for municipalities, combining all of these technologies is impractical.  Therefore, finding one or two technologies that yield the best results while minimizing costs is essential.  This study concludes that UAVs and hyper-spectral imagery are not cost-effective or conducive to monitoring the 200,000+ acres of land Pima County owns and or operates.  The use of LiDAR and stereo photogrammetry, using a Semi-Global Matching (SGM) routine, is the most beneficial and cost-effective method for Pima County, Arizona to remotely monitor their vegetation.  A 2015 collection of LiDAR and orthophotography has already been planned, which will place Pima County in an excellent position to begin this monitoring program next year.

12/15/2014 - 8:15pm to 8:35pm
December 16, 2014
Projects Date and timesort descending

Geographies of Mobility: Using GIS Tools to Deepen Understanding of Transit in Tucson, Arizona


Author: Elizabeth Burden, liz@participationink.com
public transit; urban transportation; network design; mobility; social equity

In the 21st century, geographic regions that want to be economically viable, ecologically sustainable, and socially just must have quality public transit. However, the concept of quality varies from community to community; it is based on specific community values, goals, and priorities, which often differ from the industry-centric performance indicators on which transit agencies rely. Literature on social equity and transit often focuses on four rider-centric indicators—coverage, proximity, mobility, and accessibility. This study uses GIS tools to assess those indicators, in order to complement a recent comprehensive operational analysis completed by the City of Tucson Sun Tran bus system.  Different approaches were used to: (1) compare bus routes to travel demand corridors (so-called “desire lines”); (2) analyze and map proximity to transit stops; (3) measure ease in reaching desired destinations; (4) assess the range and type of destinations that can be reached via transit. The results indicate that for Tucson’s urban core, the bus system meets coverage and proximity needs but does not adequately fulfill mobility and accessibility needs. To be more viable, sustainable, and just, the latter two characteristics must be addressed as city leaders and residents re-examine current public transit policies and plans, and consider appropriate levels of public investment in Sun Tran.

12/16/2014 - 6:00pm to 6:20pm

Exploring Variability in Hydrologic Responses in the Bonita Creek Watershed


Author: Emilie Brill Duisberg, emilie@email.arizona.edu
KINEROS; AGWA; Bonita Creek; riparian; hydrology

Bonita Creek is a tributary of the Gila River and a primary source of potable water for the town of Safford, Arizona.  Bonita Creek’s watershed, which encompasses portions of the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation, Bureau of Land Management holdings, and Arizona State Trust lands, is home to some of the most significant riparian biodiversity remaining in the Southwest.  The lower 15 miles of the creek form a part of the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area.  Given the significance of this area, this project explores the potential impacts of changes in land cover and storm patterns on hydrological responses, with implications for the quantity and quality of Safford’s water supply, the integrity of its infrastructure, and the health of the natural systems within the watershed.  This analysis uses the kinematic runoff and erosion model KINEROS2, within the Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment (AGWA) tool, to examine the effects of riparian vegetation loss, upland vegetation loss, and high soil saturation resulting from successive high-intensity storms on runoff, peak flow, and sediment yield in Bonita Creek and its watershed.  Based on model outputs, the strongest driver of increases in runoff, peak flow, and sediment yield over the watershed as a whole is high soil saturation, followed by upland devegetation, followed by riparian devegetation.  Fire, invasive species, increasingly common high-intensity storms attributed to climate change, or other disturbances in the watershed have important hydrological impacts and ramifications for Safford and the natural areas which rely on Bonita Creek.

12/16/2014 - 6:20pm to 6:40pm

Probability Study of Landslides in the Seattle Area


Author: Rachel Feuerbach, rc4bach@email.arizona.edu
Seattle, Washington; Fraser glaciation; landslides; slope stability; sediments; rainfall accumulation; hazard mitigation

The city of Seattle, Washington and the surrounding metro area is located in a seismically active deep topographic basin which has experienced many landslides during the current historical period as well as in prehistoric times. Sediments deposited during and since the Fraser glaciation, particularly the Lawton Clay and Esperance Sand, are the primary units involved in landslides in the study area. Numerous slides have resulted from earthquakes on the multistrand Seattle Fault and smaller local faults, but the most common cause of landslides is rain and melting snow saturating sediment layers. The greatest numbers of landslides have been recorded during periods of rainfall accumulation greater than one inch in a one to two day period. Sediments sitting atop the impermeable Lawton Clay on over-steepened hillsides fail along the boundary of the clay or pre-Fraser sediment layers. Landslides can also be caused by human activities such as building on unstable slopes, building with insufficient drainage, or the failure to build strong retaining walls. In order to mitigate landslide damages, new geologic maps and a slope stability model are used to produce a model of the most likely areas to experience landslides. This model is then combined with census and housing data to determine population and damage costs resulting from future slides. This analysis will help the public and the Seattle government to determine areas where new construction should not occur or where hazard mitigation should be attempted.

12/16/2014 - 6:40pm to 7:00pm

Tracing the Hand of Łeetso: Exposure to Uranium Mines on the Navajo Nation


Author: Cliantha V. Yasenchack, cyasench@email.arizona.edu
Uranium; Navajo Nation; exposure; cancer; Linear Regression

The historical impact of uranium mining on the Navajo Nation, located predominately in northwestern Arizona, has left the region pockmarked with unreclaimed uranium mines contaminating the surrounding area with radon decay products. This analysis creates an exposure map to radon decay products by utilizing standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency and to test the significance of their impact via the cancer rate of the area. A model is utilized to count overlapping fifty-mile exposure buffers placed around unreclaimed uranium mines and to calculate increased environmental exposure rates. This is followed by a Linear Regression using Ordinary Least Squares and Geographically Weighted Regression.  Spatial Autocorrelation is used to analyze cancer rates for Coconino, Navajo, and Apache counties in Arizona. The dependent variable is cancer rate while the independent variables are total population, white population, Native American population, and degrees of exposure. The successful completion of the model revealed large areas of the Navajo Nation covered by relatively low exposure rates while areas with large populations had higher exposure rates. Nevertheless, rather than providing a definitive answer towards determining if there is a relationship between cancer rates by county and exposure, the Linear Regression acted as a preliminary process on a topic not previously studied and provided crucial information on how these processes require individualized tuning. This, in addition to the previously stated method, provides the Navajo Nation with a baseline for data requirements and applying federal and state data to appropriately understand their toxic and changing environment.

12/16/2014 - 7:15pm to 7:35pm

Evaluation of the Potential Impact of Energy Development Projects on the Size and Distribution of Vertebrate Species in Arizona


Author: Pankaj Jamwal, panjamwal@gmail.com
Vertebrate species; potential habitat impact; Amphibians; Birds; Mammals; Reptiles; biodiversity; Arizona

Extinction of vertebrate species due to habitat fragmentation is a major focus among wildlife biologists and is a worldwide problem. Conservation planning for these vertebrate species requires information regarding species population status and distribution. Geographic information systems (GIS) technology and its application in conservation biology opens doors to exciting new synthetic analyses. GIS technology assembles and analyzes diverse biodiversity data and develops robust and reliable predictions of species geographic distributions. In this study 380 species listed as occurring in the state of Arizona are used in a conservation assessment focused on renewable energy development. This includes 21 Amphibians, 183 Birds, 86 Mammals and 90 Reptiles species. The study determines the size of vertebrate and other species distributions in Arizona that are identified as high priority evaluation species. This project evaluates the potential for habitat impact from development for species and also determines areas that are more vulnerable to potential habitat impact than others. The vertebrate species models are acquired from the Gap Analysis Program ‎and Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project website. All the vertebrate models are reprojected, analyzed, and processed using ArcGIS software. The total size of distribution for each vertebrate species and the area that could be impacted is determined in square kilometers. Overall, the methods and design of the study could be a stepping stone for conservation planning, particularly in determining the size of species and the areas that could be impacted from development projects in different states.           

12/16/2014 - 7:35pm to 7:55pm
December 17, 2014
Projects Date and timesort descending

Designing Web-Based Maps


Author: William Beaver, wjbeaver@gmail.com
web mapping; springs research; design patterns; annotation; Springs Stewardship Institute

Application design is a broad concept that uses design at three levels: layout and style; user interface and experience; and code design patterns. In this paper the author describes these design concepts with respect to web applications, in particular web mapping applications. Web mapping design concepts are used to develop the application called SeepApp for the Springs Stewardship Institute. SeepApp allows a user to verify existing springs and to add newly found springs to a map. The application includes the ability to annotate photos and video and to upload spatial tracks associated with the springs and/or the video. The application reads jpeg image metadata (EXIF data) from the photos to capture UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) date/time, GPS coordinates, and orientation of the camera. The photos are tiled and a drawing program allows for markup of large resolution photos.  The project accomplishes the following tasks:  development of a working web application; a template which others can use; and a body of working knowledge which can be applied to future projects. All source code for this project is available at https://github.com/wjbeaver/Hide-Seep. The application currently resides at http://overtexplorations.com/seepApp.html.

12/17/2014 - 6:00pm to 6:20pm

Using Phenometrics to Locate Hot Spots of the Yellow-Billed Cuckoo Over a Decade in the State of Arizona


Author: Daniel P. Guaderrama, dguaderrama@email.arizona.edu
remote sensing; phenometrics; yellow-billed cuckoo; NDVI; suitability

The yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccycus americanus occidentalis) has suffered breeding range and habitat losses primarily due to human activities and associated water demands. These activities result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of hectares of riparian habitat and drastic decline in population throughout the western United States. As of October 3, 2014, the cuckoo is now a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The objective of this project is to locate hot spots of the yellow-billed cuckoo through phenometrics over a decade using a model and developing an open-source web map application for disseminating results. Phenometrics are derived from Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data using eight-day Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery from 2002 through 2013. Additionally, this model uses Fourier harmonics to analyze the waveform of the annual NDVI profile at each pixel.  Results of the model using eight-day MODIS-NDVI imagery support the model and display hot spots in three stratified categories: always, sometime, and never. These findings may assist in protecting the endangered cuckoo in the State of Arizona. Results are disseminated through a publicly accessible open-source web map.

12/17/2014 - 6:20pm to 6:40pm

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