Data Bank Technical Advisory Committee Meeting
Tuesday, August 21, 2001,
10:000 A.M.
Department of
Natural Resources Conference Room, 4th Floor
301 Centennial Mall South,
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509
Those present
were: (Voting Members *)
Glen Engel* U. S. Geological
Survey
Laura Hardesty * HHS-Regulations & Licensure
Mark Kuzila * Conservation
and Survey Division/UNL
Steve Scheinost * Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA
Paul Yamamoto * Department of Environmental Quality
Bobbie
Kriz-Wickham * Department of
Agriculture
Mele Koneya
* Game & Parks
Commission
Curt
Sorenson Farm
Service Agency, USDA
Jack
Daniel
HHS-Regulations & Licensure
Gabe
Robertson Nebraska
Association of Resources Districts
Wayne Vanek Natural Resources
Conservation Service, USDA
Eric Hubl Lancaster
County Assessor’s Office
Mahendra Bansal Department of Natural Resources
Robert Gower Department of Natural Resources
Gayle Follmer Department
of Natural Resources
Jeff Hogan Department
of Natural Resources
Ken Huber Department
of Natural Resources
Kim Menke Department
of Natural Resources
Steve Rathje Department
of Natural Resources
Call to
Order
Chairperson
Mark Kuzila called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. and a roll call was
taken. The quorum was present.
Public
Notice
A
public notice of the meeting was published in the Lincoln Journal and Star on
August 14, 2001. The meeting notice and
agenda were also posted on the DNR Web site on August 15, 2001.
Public
Comment
None
Approval of
Minutes
Chairperson
Kuzila asked for a motion to approve the May 2, 2001 meeting minutes. He
reminded that the minutes were mailed out to all participants, and were also
posted over the web. There being no
corrections, it was moved and seconded that the minutes be approved as
presented. Motion carried.
Informational
Material
The
following informational material was handed out during the course of the
meeting. A copy of each is attached to the file copy of the Minutes.
Selected Agenda Items Explanation Paper
Data
Bank Goals and Objectives (As adopted on May 2, 2001)
List of
Agency Forms for Automation
Summary
listing of Census 2000 Population by Natural Resources Districts
Summary
listing of Census 2000 Population by NRDs and Counties
List of
DNR Projects
List of
Data Bases managed by the Data Bank
Microsoft SMS Server Applications
DNR
Computer Network Firewall Configuration
DEMs
Status Map
DOQs
Status Map
SSURGO Soils Status Map
Bansal
shared the Data Bank’s Revised Goals and Objectives that the Committee had adopted
at its meeting on May 2, 2001. As recommended by the Committee, a statement has
been added to Long-Term Goals to provide for broader collaboration and dialogue
with NITC, CIO, and GIS Steering Committee for meeting common geo-spatial
needs. The collaboration would
facilitate review of projects that require substantial commitment of resources,
i.e. production of second generation of DEMs, DOQs, and NHDs statewide. Kuzila suggested that the Committee should
review the short and long-term goals one more time at the next meeting and
should provide guidance to the Data Bank in prioritizing its activities.
Bansal
handed out a list of current and proposed DNR projects. Out of 41 projects, the Data Bank is
actively involved in 27 projects.
Because of over commitment on the part of the Data Bank, it is difficult
to initiate projects like second generation DEMs and DOQs, or the generation of
statewide NHDs. In order to better
utilize Data Bank’s available resources, these projects are being prioritized. The
Data Bank looks forward to this Committee’s assistance and direction in
prioritizing those projects. Some
projects have deadlines to meet, such as on-line registration of groundwater
wells to be implemented by January 1, 2002.
Kuzila
asked about the projects that are funded from external sources, and must be on
priority listing. Bansal said that in addition to Digital Soil Surveys, the
ongoing projects like revision of DEMs and DOQs, on-line registration of
groundwater wells, and implementation of firewall, are also high priority. There was some discussion about, what
activities of Data Bank can either be shifted or dropped.
Rathje
indicated that we are trying to encourage NRDs and other agencies to get local
help for e-mail and websites, as many private options are now available. The consensus was that we don’t want to
completely stop assistance to NRDs and other state agencies, especially for
people who are just getting started.
However, setting a time limit on Data Bank services should be considered
so that Data Bank continue to assist those NRDs who have little or no e-mail
and/or web presence, and let technologically capable NRDs manage themselves.
Processing of Census 2000
Population Data:
Bansal
stated that as part of the FSCPE program, the Data Bank has processed Census
2000 Population data, and reorganized it by NRDs. In this effort, it created
three kinds of output products: pre-processed maps and tables, dynamic
dissemination of Data over the Internet, and an Internet Map Server application. This information is available through DNR
website over the Internet. The NRDs and
sub-units of government are already using this information for sub-districting
purposes. Hogan provided a computer
demonstration of dynamic dissemination of Census 2000 data over the web, and
the county population data could be processed to the block level. Bansal stated that by combining the Census
data with the TIGER data, we could have all this data in GIS form. Follmer demonstrated the PDF maps created
for NRDs and Cities over 5,000 population.
The PDF files were created with voting districts and census tracts. The NRD maps are created at approximately
1:126,720 scale, and the city maps are created at 1:30,000 scale in order to
produce large size maps. These maps are
plotted by the Data Bank upon request.
Rathje demonstrated the Internet Map Server application for the Census
2000 population data reorganized by counties and NRDs. It provides GIS capabilities like select
themes/layers, and pan and zoom population data for any geographic region. Kuzila asked if the Data Bank gets paid to
do this. Hubl asked how many people are aware of this application. It was stated that the Data Bank gets dozens
of inquiries about the application.
Revision of DEMs
and DOQs:
Bansal discussed the status of revision of DEMs and DOQs. The 10-Meter DEMs are about 50 percent complete and the 1999 DOQs about 20 percent. The DOQs are produced in two coordinate systems: the UTM and the State Plane. Because of limited resources, the USGS is taking little longer in reviewing the DEMs. Hubl commended the Data Bank by stating that the 1999 DOQs were a good product with enhanced contrast compared to 1993 DOQs. In response to a question from Kuzila, it was stated that the Data Bank does not fully recover the processing costs.
Bansal
informed that the digitization of soil surveys of 67 counties is completed, and
3 counties are in progress. Vanek said
that 61 counties were SSURGO certified, and the other 6 are cleaned up and
ready to be put on-line. The database
management of digitized soil surveys has changed to a new system called NASS,
which is causing delays at Fort Worth.
The statewide coverage, however, is expected to be completed by the year
2003 as targeted.
Well
Registration Data
Bansal reported that the updating process of well
registration database has been automated. The database is theism updated every
evening, and is published over the web.
Previously, it was updated quarterly.
Soon we will add more functionalities (to the automated database) like
generation of summary tables, GIS and Internet Map Server applications. Hogan provided a demonstration of automated
well registration database over the web.
Hubl asked if you could narrow down the summary to a geographic
area. Hogan said not at this time.
However, it is real time data. Kuzila
said that the CSD is considering to have100 wells across the state with real
time data dissemination capabilities using cell phone link up, provided funding
can be identified.
Rathje said that the surface water rights database
is still updated from the mainframe.
The Data Bank has added a few more search parameters, and the data on
the web is used to print closing and regulatory notices.
Bansal
reported that the agricultural crop data is updated almost every year. Wickham enquired if the data came from
NAS. The Data Bank got it from the
Statistics Division of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (through Scott
Keller). Rathje demonstrated how crop
data is published and disseminated over the Web. The Data Bank plans to add
more color, pie charts, statistics and other options to data dissemination like
various GIS and IMS applications, if resources permit.
Menke
demonstrated the on-line registration of water wells over the Internet. The on-line form is organized in twelve
parts. The Data Bank reviews and determines the accuracy of the information
provided by the well contractor. If there is an obvious error or incorrect
information entered on the Form, the DNR will generate a letter informing the
applicant and the well contractor about the information that needs to be
corrected or verified. The NOL is also
notified of the status of well and it will make the Registration Application
available for the well contractor to edit and correct over the Internet. When everything is completed, the DNR will
issue the well registration over the Internet, ask the NOL to collect required
registration fee, and notify the well owner and contractor that the
registration is completed. The completed information will then be added to the
automated well registration database for release over the web. Bansal mentioned that the Nebraska Statutes,
LB 667, require water well registration over the Internet beginning January 1,
2002. The DNR is working in collaboration with NOL to accomplish this task. A
handout was provided that lists the roles and responsibilities of the two
organizations. Kuzila enquired if the
DNR would continue to use NOL services, and if well contractor could submit a
paper copy. It was stated that the DNR will continue to accept paper copies,
and that the NOL is authorized to collect well registration fee if the well is registered
over the Internet. .
E-Government
Initiative
Bansal
shared an inventory of DNR Business Forms that requires to be automated for
electronic access over the Internet.
These forms are available as a PDF file over the Internet. The next step is to make them
interactive. Kuzila asked how much work
it would take to make all forms interactive.
Menke explained that the first step would be to get the databases off
the mainframe into the Access DBMS to automatically enter data, which is very
labor intensive. Kuzila asked if there
was any deadline by NITC for interactive forms. The only requirement at this time is to provide Forms in PDF
format, and that is already completed.
Internet
Map Server Applications
There
are two kinds of IMS applications that the Data Bank is utilizing today, one
using Map Objects programming, and the other executing ESRI’s IMS software
application. Since Map Object programming is an older technology, the Data Bank
plans to move all its applications to ESRI’s IMS software system. Recently, an Interactive Map of Census 2000
population data was developed using ESRI’s IMS application. Rathje told that
another application would be Flood Prone Area mapping. He provided a demonstration of interactive
registered wells through the older Internet Map Server technology. Bansal commented that the new technology is
more automated. The Data Bank will be developing several other IMS applications
including dissemination of COQs, SSURGO soils, DEMs etc. These applications
will be taken up as resources would permit.
Hubl expressed his agreement to move to newer IMS technology.
Firewall and Network
Security Measures
Gower
briefed the Committee about the Firewall, Demilitarized Zone, and Network
Security measures. There will be eight
servers in the DMZ, which is the least restricted part of the network. The plans are to integrate several of these
servers like Linux1, Linux 3 and NT3.
The firewall is the most restricted area of the network and presently
only one server, DNRSUN4, is actually behind the firewall. He stated that there is still a fair amount
of work to be done. During next couple
of months we will have all the desktop PCs behind the firewall, then we can
develop a backup strategy. Gower would
like to add some security to the router.
Also, all traffic coming into the network would have to pass through the
router. Hubl asked if you could
identify any hackers. It was generally
not since they could worm through other countries and servers.
Integrated
Back Up System
Huber talked about the PCs backup strategy. The plan is to install tape drives on new
Servers and have a network backup server system for all other PCs. He explained the implementation of Microsoft
Systems Management Server that would lighten the workload by managing the
system information more efficiently.
The MSM software is customizable, it keeps track of diagnostics tools,
software licenses on an actual PC, and monitors the network.
Other
Business
Kuzila
asked for comments on the Data Bank Goals and Objectives and for specific
agenda items for the next meeting. The
Committee could concentrate more on goals and objectives and spend an hour on
IT discussion. Gower reiterated that a
lot of his time is consumed helping other agencies, and not be able to focus on
Department’s projects. Hardesty said
that security and firewall for DNR network should be a priority. Kuzila suggested that in the next meeting,
the Committee should focus on operations instead of databases to get a better
feel for IT activities and resources.
Hardesty asked if everyone agreed that there should be a limit placed on
Data Bank resources.
Engel
reported that USGS is working on the backlog of groundwater wells that have not
been released. This being a long
process, it is taking more time but should be released in the next 4 months.
Rathje said that there were 3000 to 4000 wells that had location problems and
other errors, which caused delays in the release of the data. Bansal asked if the Data Bank could get
streamflow data from USGS directly instead of procuring it from a vendor. Engel would check to see if it is available
by state on the web.
Next
Meeting Date
Kuzila
suggested to have the next meeting in about 6 months. The Data Bank will schedule the meeting. The proposed agenda items for the next
meeting may be sent to Bansal. The
meeting adjourned at 11:45 A.M.