Data Bank Technical Advisory Committee Meeting

Monday, June 5, 2000
9:30 A.M.

NRC Conference Room, 4^th Floor
State Office Building, Lincoln, Nebraska

Call to Order
Chairperson Mark Kuzila called the meeting to order at 9:40 a.m. and requested a roll call. A quorum was present.

PublicNotice
A notice of the meeting was published in the Lincoln Journal and Star on May 26, 2000. The meeting agenda was also posted on the NRC Web site on May 11, 2000.

Public Comment: There were no public comments.

Approval of Minutes
Chairperson Mark Kuzila asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the meeting held on September 20, 1999. The minutes were also posted over the web. It was moved and seconded that the minutes be approved. The motion carried.

Aye: Koneya, Wickham, Peasley, Daniel, Kuzila, Yamamoto, Weakly, Thompson and Soenksen

Nay: None

Informational Material
The following items of informational material were handed out during the course of the meeting. A copy of each is attached to the file copy of the Minutes.

Tagged Vector Contours Database
Mahendra Bansal reported that the NRC has recently developed a statewide coverage of Tagged Vector Contour (TVC) data which is now available over the Internet through NRC's website. This is a vector coverage derived from 7.5 minute USGS hypsography map series and processed in NAD 83 and UTM projections. This coverage is a by-product of the process used in developing Digital Elevation Models. These TVCs are used for a variety of applications, including custom DEMs, terrain modeling and flood plain mapping. Hubl asked if this coverage was available by quadrangles. Menke replied that one could get up to 15 quadrangles of coverage through agency's overnight batch process. Rathje added that NRC is also considering developing other resolution TVCs like 20-foot or 50-foot contours, for dissemination of TVC data for larger regions over the Internet

SSURGO Soils
Bansal reported that soil digitization of 47 counties has been completed and the statewide coverage is targeted for completion by year 2002. Of these, 45 counties are SSURGO certified. Darcy Boellstorff said that the staff is currently working on Kimball County. Williamson commented on the cooperative nature of the endeavor, and that we are ahead of schedule. Bansal added that the SSURGO Soils database is available over the Internet through both the NRC and NRCS web sites. However, during working hours it is faster to access soils data through NRC site.

Overnight Batch Processing
Menke demonstrated an over-night batch processing application that the Data Bank has developed. Through a series of menus, users can choose a coverage and processing option in various combinations and process data in user-specified formats, such as:

1. Projection system such as UTM, Lambert, Geographic, State plane, Mercator or Albers.
2. Datum coordinates - NAD27 or NAD 83.
3. Output format - Arc Export or Shape file.
4. Selection of various data coverages and geographic regions.

Bansal stated that this information is processed during non-working hours because of ArcInfo license limitations, and the user is notified by email of data availability at its ftp site. Williamson asked how much this service is used. It was stated that this service was getting popular, and a great deal of information is processed over night. Menke mentioned that the DOQs were not currently available through this process, but would be accessible in the near future.

Well Logs Database
Menke passed a handout that showed the status of well-logs processed and made available as part of the NRC's well registration data base. Menke demonstrated how one could obtain well log data over the Internet. Kuzila mentioned that the GIS Steering Committee had asked for funds to finish this project and have utilized resources from other areas to support two students on this project. Williamson discussed the need to GPS survey all registered wells. Yamamoto inquired if it was possible for the NRDs to survey (GPS) wells when they are out there to read them. Williamson informed that many of the Platte River wells were already GPS surveyed as a result of the COHYST project. On inquiry about the elevation of wells, Bansal informed that the Land Surface Datum observation is available in the Groundwater Wells database. Lear commented that if there are "x" and "y" coordinates available, one could determine "z" value from the DEM/ TVC coverage.

Agency Merger Related Activities
Bansal reported that effective July 1, the NRC and DWR would merge into a Department of Natural Resources. There were several things to be accomplished by that time, including setting up a new domain server, new Home Page, Email accounts, ftp site, and providing PC support and network connections to all employees in their new office locations. He provided a hand out listing those activities, as well as of those activities that must be completed by the end of the calendar year.

Rob Gower reported that the e-mail accounts were pretty much setup. The NRC has still to setup a new domain server. He also discussed merging the two agencys' networks into a single LAN. Ken Huber mentioned the need to upgrade hardware and software at both agency levels, and future plans to migrate to a common Windows 2000 platform. Rathje talked about the committee that is working on the new agency's web site.

Kuzila asked about the anticipated potential policy changes as a result of the merger. Williamson said that the attempt is to make things better and eliminate duplicative efforts. He believes that the merger should make the coordination and administration process more efficient.

Enhancement of Databases
Rathje reported that DWR currently manages surface water rights database on the main frame and they would like to move the database to a PC platform. The NRC plans on doing this in the next few months. The Data Bank will probably write an interface in Microsoft Access and process data through the SQL Server. He then provided a demonstration of accessing database over the Internet. Bansal added that the front-end data management would be accomplished through the ACCESS Database Management System, and the backend processing through the SQL Server. Using this technique, the public would be able to access a real time database over the Internet. Williamson asked if this would be cost efficient. The answer was yes, that is the idea.

Thompson said that DWR is working with Irrigation Districts to digitize surface water right irrigation areas, and interface map elements to the tabular database.

Menke reported that the registered wells database would eventually be managed through the ACCESS 2000 system and the database would be updated at the end of each business day.

Revision of DEMs and DOQs for the Pilot Project
Bansal reported that the Data Bank has completed production of 10-meter Level-2 DEMs, and 1-meter resolution DOQs for the Lancaster County project. The DEMs are developed from TVCs data derived in the 1950s, and the DOQs are revised using 1999 NAPP imagery acquired through the U. S. Geological Survey. As recommended by this Advisory Committee, the DOQs are produced both in the UTM and the State Plane coordinate system. However, the USGS certifies DOQs in the UTM coordinates only.

Hubl asked how people feel about not having certified DOQs for the State Plane. Zink said that you could, however, order DOQs in the State Plane from the USGS. It was stated that those DOQs differ. The NRC produces DOQs from base data, and the USGS re-projects them from the UTM to the state plane. There could be some precision difference. Jeff Hogan demonstrated the difference between 10-meter and 30-meter DEMs, and the difference between the UTM and the State Plane DOQs. It was reported that there is no difference in manpower resources producing 10-meter or 30-meter DEMs, except that the storage requirement is 9-times for 10-meter DEMs. However, the 10-meter DEMs should produce better quality DOQs in areas with steep terrain. Zink said that Lancaster County probably wasn't the best Pilot Project to determine if we use 10 or 30-meter DEMs. Hubl responded that these DOQs are used by the Assessor's Office on a daily basis. Williamson stressed the need to get the second generation DOQs done.

Bansal stated that IKONOS imagery is available worldwide in a color infra-red form, and the Space Imaging source claims that they can produce DOQs at a resolution of 1:2,400. Therefore, exploring alternative means and costs would be a good project. This vendor is working in partnership with ESRI. Hubl said that various weather events could effect the satellite imagery, the terms must be negotiated with IKONOS. This IKONOS imagery may be good for a case such as the Platte River flooding for getting some quick images. Koneya doubted that if you could share IKONOS DOQ product with other users as it would be proprietary.

Bansal asked the Advisory Committee if Data Bank should continue producing statewide DEMs and DOQs using current resources and methodology. Williamson said that NRC should get the DOQs done soon with the 1999 imagery. Hubl asked for a report on the Lancaster Pilot Project. It was moved by Kuzila to proceed with second generation of DEMs and DOQs for the entire state based on methodology determined by this pilot project study. The motion carried.

Ayes: Koneya, Peasley, Daniel, Yamamoto, Weakley, Thompson, and Kuzila

Abstain: Wickham and Soenksen

National Hydrographic Database - Pilot Project
Bansal reported that per recommendations of this Advisory Committee, the NRC is producing high resolution NHD database for the Logan Creek watershed on a test basis. The development process essentially consists of three parts.

1. Pre-conflation stage - Development of stream network based on existing 24k DLGs and DOQs.
2. Conflation stage - Attribution of hydrographic features based on available 100k EPA NHD database conflated to 24k.
3. Post-Conflation stage - Identification and attribution of missing stream reaches in the above 24k high-resolution network.

Processing of Logan Creek Watershed at the pre-conflation stage is in progress now.

Thompson reviewed the pre-conflation stage of NHD database for the Logan Creek watershed. He said that the Logan Creek has had a lot of channelization since the DLGs were created. There is a significant difference between the DLGs of 1950s and the DOQs of 1993 imagery. The decision needs to be made as to what kind of up-date we want, and how much detail NRC/DWR wants to capture. Bansal reminded that the USGS charges $600 without update and $2,475 with limited update for NHD development for a quadrangle. Updating of a DLG from associated DOQ must take considerable time and efforts. Thompson said that to get into a statewide NHD project, they would like to establish some database standards and methodology for this pilot project study. He told that the limited update for USGS is really a very minimal update. Lear demonstrated what a DLG map with DOQ background looks like. The DLG line work doesn't always line up with the DOQ streams. There are tributaries and drains that don't show up on the DLG and we have to decide what to add. He intends to use the SSURGO soils coverage for drawing water bodies in a DLG update. He pointed out that these DOQs are from 1993 imagery which was a wet year, and maybe we should use 1999 DOQs. Zink mentioned about the Surface Water Database Advisory Committee meeting on Friday, June 9^th. They intend to discuss as to what and how to do these updates, and we would really have to figure the amount of time required for the process. Would we need extra manpower to finish this project. Gaul stated that he could set aside maybe 1 to 2 staff for this. Kuzila asked if the best way to do the conflation was to use DOQs, and recommended seeking guidance from the Surface Water Advisory Group.

Kuzila made a motion for the Data Bank to continue working on this NHD pilot project study and report its findings to this Committee. The motion carried.

Aye: Koneya, Peasley, Daniel, Kuzila, Yamamoto, Weakly, and Thompson

Abstain: Wickham and Soenksen

Data Bank Fee Schedule
Bansal stated that the Data Bank is proposing changes in its Fee Schedule based on past data requests as outlined in the Action Item report. The changes proposed are mostly in formatting a source file, scanning a map, or processing the DOQs. These changes are highlighted in the proposed Fee Schedule. Zink suggested that the Data Bank should further explain the source file in the Data Bank Fee Schedule. Kuzila made a motion to recommend approval of proposed changes in the Data Bank Fee Schedule. The motion carried.

Aye: Koneya, Peasley, Daniel, Kuzila, Yamamoto, Weakly, and Thompson

Abstain: Wickham and Soenksen

E-Commerce Well Registration - GTCF Grant Application
Bansal stated that the NRC had submitted a grant application to the State Resources Council for e-commerce of well registration. The well registrations done through DWR are now handled through postal mail. With this grant, the well registration will also be done over the Internet. The Nebraska Online has expressed its interest to assisting in this process and collect well registration fees over the Internet. Williamson clarified that the grant application didn't include Nebraska Online's commitment (which though expected). The grant application is for the agency to develop this e-commerce process through some outside consulting assistance. Kuzila asked if this should be brought up at the NITC proposal hearing.

Coordination with CIO and the Technical Panel to NITC
Bansal commented that under 1998 law (Sec 86-1509), it is the role of the Data Bank Technical Advisory Committee to advise and assist the Chief Information Officer and theTechnical Panel to NITC on technical issues. In that regard, the committee could come up with a formal proposal and identify areas where it can provide that technical assistance. Bansal said that the Data Bank's strength lies in publishing information over the Internet, and sharing information with other entities. This Advisory Committee meets only twice a year, and that needs to be revisited if we want to be proactive. Otherwise we will continue to assist when asked. Kuzila said we are covered concerning the NITC.

Cost Recovery of Digital Databases
Bansal stated that the future development of DEM/DOQ and NHD databases would provide some information on the recovery costs relating to these databases. Williamson reminded that this is a legislative request to recover cost of producing digital databases by the state.

IT Position Opening
Bansal reported one IT position remains open as a result of the merger. Williamson said that DNR will be reevaluating the need to fill this position and will review total agency needs.

Other Discussions
Bansal reported that the NRC was recently recognized at the Mid-America GIS Consortium. It will also be recognized later this month in San Diego at the ESRI 2000 Users Conference for its special achievement in GIS technologies. The Committee members and participants commended the Data Bank.

Next Meeting Date
Members will be notified by e-mail for the next meeting date. This meeting is usually held every six months. There being no other discussions, the meeting adjourned at 11:30 A.M.