Data Bank Technical Advisory Committee Meeting
Monday, September 20, 1999
Minutes

Members Present: Chick, Kuzila, France, Slifer, Burling, and Hill

Members Not Present: Amack, Carlson, Daniel and McClurg

Public Notice
A notice of the meeting was published in the Lincoln Journal and Star on September 13, 1999.

Approval of Minutes
Chairperson Mark Kuzila asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the meeting held on April 7, 1999. Kuzila stated that the minutes were published over the web. Steve chick moved to approve the minutes. Michael Slifer seconded. Members Merlin Carlson and Jack Daniel joined in the meeting. The motion carried.

Aye: Chick, Kuzila, France, Slifer, Carlson, Daniel, Hill, and Burling

Nay: None

Informational Material
The following items of informational material were distributed during the course of the meeting and a copy of each is attached to the file copy of the Minutes.

Data Bank Accomplishments
Mahendra Bansal made a power point presentation of recent accomplishment of the Data Bank, including statewide production of DEMs and DOQs, digitization of SSURGO soils, development of MUIR database, and provided an overview of other activities.

The Digital Elevation Models were developed in cooperation with USGS. Production was completed as scheduled in a three year time period (from 1996 to 1999). The coverage consists of 30-meter interval, 7.5 minute, Level-2 DEMs mapped to 1:24,000 scale.

Digital Orthophoto Quadrangles were based on 1993 NAPP photography. As part of work-share, the NRC acquired GPS ground controls, and processed all DOQs. The USGS scanned the diapositives, and completed the aero-triangulation work. The coverage consists of 1-meter ground resolution, 3.75- minute quarter quadrangle digital maps mapped to 1:12,000 scale using NAD 83 horizontal controls and UTM projections.

The DEMs and compressed DOQs are available over the web at no cost to users. Full DOQs are available on a request basis due to their size consideration. Each DOQ is about 45 megabytes. The demand for these products is continually increasing. Recently, the University made a request for 1,700 plus DOQs. Steve Chick stated that no one ever imagined that NRC could complete the production of DEMs and DOQs in three years. He commended the NRC for this accomplishment. Susan France inquired if it was possible to get DOQs by section, township and range. Bansal stated that at this time technology is not available to extract a raster coverage over the Internet. However, efforts are underway.

The SSURGO Soils are developed in cooperation with CSD and NRCS. Currently, 36 counties are certified, additional two are in the process of certification, and another 4 counties are being worked on. This production is going pretty well as scheduled. Nathan McCaleb stated that Dawson County has just been certified, and Gage County has been authorized for publication in the year 2000.

 The NRC has recently developed a Soil Mapping Units Interpretative Records (MUIR) database and published it over the Internet. It provides numerous options to retrieve Soil Mapping Units data by counties and other database options. These options are different than what is available from the NRCS site. 

 Nebraska Map Interactive

Steve Rathje gave a demonstration of the Nebraska Map Interactive application available through the web. He showed how a GIS coverage, like the groundwater levels data, could be displayed, zoomed and panned over the Internet. The groundwater level changes for 1998 are now available over the web in the form of GIS coverage. This database is developed in cooperation with USGS and the CSD. The Interactive Map application uses zoom-in and zoom-out techniques for information display. Other database coverages can also be overlaid over the interactive map for interpretative purposes.

Rathje also demonstrated the over-night batch processing application that the Data Bank has developed. He stated that through a series of menus, users could choose the data coverage, and reformat and reprocess the same as needed. Larry Zink asked if DOQs could be requested in state plane coordinates using over-night batch processing. The answer was yes. However, Data Bank is encouraging people to re-project DOQs (available in UTM coordinates) themselves, as it can be efficiently done at their end. Williamson commented on the need to provide training for data access and over-night batch processing over the web.

Rob Gower reported that the Data Bank is replacing old DEC UNIX workstations with LINUX (PC) servers. These new LINUX machines are just another flavor of UNIX operating system and are Y2K compliant. Gower added that several agencies in the building are directly connected to NRC's local-area network. These agencies use the connection for Internet access and E-mail. Also, that several new printers and plotters have been added to its network. Bansal stated that the Data Bank also provides network support to NRDs connected to the NRC wide-area network. Currently, 7 NRDs have full-service connectivity to NRC's GIS network, and 13 NRDs have dial-up access to the wide-area network.

 Data Products and User Requests

Gayle Follmer made a power point presentation of variety of requests handled by the Data Bank. These requests include making compact disks of DEM and DOQ coverages, production of various interpretative maps, and printing demographic reports. She also helps with production of county soil surveys that meet SSURGO national standards. Steve Chick asked how many employees were actually involved in this production. It was reported that about 5 people are involved and two were full-time. Wayne Vanek is a liaison from NRCS, and Darcy Boellstorff from CSD, is stationed at NRC and both provide full time support. McCaleb mentioned that Francis Belohlavy from CSD is also working with Vanek on a half-time basis. Williamson said that the certification process was a bottleneck initially, but once this process is decentralized by NRCS, it is now making a good progress.

Ken Huber reported that the NRC is as Y2K compliant as it possibly can be. He said that the hardware Y2K problems are pretty straight- forward. They either work or they do not. In software, the Y2K problems are more ambiguous. The system patches provided by vendors have been fixed. Rathje added that the old DEC systems have been replaced with Linux machines that are Y2K compliant.

Aye: Chick, Kuzila, France, Slifer, Carlson, Daniel, Hill, and Burling

Nay: None

Bansal stated that the NRC, at the request of the GIS Steering Committee, has agreed to assist in the development of a hydrographic database for a test watershed at a scale of 1:24,000 that meet national standards. The hydrographic database has been designated a priority database by the GIS Steering Committee. The study includes developing a stream network, identify stream reaches and delineate watershed boundaries within the project area. The project will be undertaken in cooperation with USGS and other partners in the program including DWR, DEQ, DOR, NGPC, and NRCS. Recently, the Surface Water Database Advisory committee selected Logan Creek Watershed for this pilot project.

Bansal referred to the two handouts, one outlining the proposed database study and the other an ArcFlow schematic diagram. These are two methodologies that can be used to develop the hydrographic database. The first methodology requires development of intermediary vectorized stream coverage in the form of a Digital Line Graph or a DLG-3 database. This method is currently in use and adopted by the USGS. The second methodology requires use of ArcInfo version 8.0 GIS software being developed by ESRI for this application. The software is under development and is expected to be released soon. The method is, therefore, not yet tested but it is expected to be more economical and practical in the long run. For the test watershed, the USGS wants to employ the first methodology, and later would adopt the second methodology for developing the statewide database. Meanwhile, methodology one would identify work elements, determine processes, and estimate cost and work-share provisions with other partners in the program. Bansal asked the committee if the Data Bank should pursue development of this database. Williamson said that USGS has offered a week long training in Rolla for this activity, and would even provide additional training on-site. This should get us started on this project. Chick asked what would be the uses of this database. Bansal said that identification of streams segments is one use, and delineation of watersheds that meet national standards, is another use. France commented that DWR and DEQ both want this data for identification of stream reaches, surface water maps, and canal gages. She said that it would really help people out in the field. Zink said that this database was already developed at 1:100,000 scale but didn't provide enough accuracy for the state needs. Therefore, several agencies were developing data on stream reaches, but did not meet national standards and lacked universal identification process. The best stream database available was developed by NRC, but it didn't capture all the streams. Therefore, the DEQ has to track the remainder of streams. Initially, USGS thought to enhance the NRC hydrologic database but later decided to start it all over, as it was more cost effective. Williamson asked if anyone else would like to join in this project. Motion was made by Steve Chick and seconded by Susan France to go forward and develop the 1:24,000 hydrographic database for the test watershed. The motion carried.

Aye: Chick, Kuzila, France, Slifer, Carlson, Daniel, Hill, and Burling

Nay: None

Bansal reminded the group that under 1998 law (Sec 86-1509), the Data Bank Technical Advisory Committee is authorized to advise and assist the Chief Information Officer and the Technical Panel to NITC on technical issues. In that regard, the committee should come up with a formal proposal and identify areas where it can provide technical assistance. Bansal said that the Data Bank's strength lies in publishing information over the Internet, setting standards and guidelines, and sharing information with other government agencies and the public; and asked if the committee would like to convey this message to the CIO and the NITC. Kuzila asked what other advisory bodies were doing. Zink said that the GIS Steering Committee has drafted a charter for NITC consideration. The NITC wants to work with various advisory groups to assist them in developing a statewide technology plan. Bansal offered that the Data Bank could draft a resolution on behalf of the committee and come up with technical areas where this advisory committee can provide assistance to CIO and NITC. Williamson said Governor Johanns wants the agencies to remove silos and this is a good silo to remove through a cooperative effort. Kuzila suggested tabling this matter to the next meeting. Zink said, if there was a specific recommendation for the NITC, he had the format to how the recommendation should be submitted.

Williamson reported that he appeared before the Appropriation Committee last year and the issue for the cost recovery of electronic databases was raised. The NRC's philosophy has been to make as much data available as possible with minimal cost to users, and to make it directly accessible over the Internet. Bansal asked if the Data Bank should continue with the fee structure that they now have in place, or should this be revised to recover the production cost of electronic databases like DEMs and DOQs. Currently, the DEMs and compressed DOQs (known as COQs) are available at no cost to users over the Internet, and the regular DOQs are charged $20 per CD that stores fourteen DOQs. Zink mentioned that the Steering Committee is looking at the model that New York State has adopted. It consists of state, local and federal agencies forming a cooperative that acquires data free. This model does prohibit the agencies from selling the data. Bansal added that the USGS also manages DEM and DOQ databases, and charges $1 per DEM and $7.50 per DOQ. Williamson said that since the Data Bank had made data available over the Internet, it has resulted in increased staff efficiency. The users can now obtain data without staff intervention. Kuzila suggested holding off this issue until GIS Steering Committee makes some recommendation.

Bansal stated that the SSURGO Soils are available over the Internet through the NRCS web site from Fort Worth. During peak business hours, the time to download data is much longer than if it were made available through NRC's site. McCaleb said that if the Data Bank were to take this approach, the federal agencies would require that the Data Bank do not charge for this data. Bansal responded that the Data Bank would only charge for the material and processing costs if user requested data onto CDs. Also, to insure most up-to-date data, the Data Bank would check and update SSURGO county coverages on a regular basis. Motion was made by Mark Kuzila and seconded by Dennis Burling, for NRC to obtain a copy of SSURGO soil surveys from NRCS and make it available at NRC's website for ease of dissemination of data over the Internet. The motion carried.

Aye: Chick, Kuzila, France, Slifer, Carlson, Daniel, Hill, Burling and McCaleb

Nay: None

Bansal stated that there are requests for multitudes of coverages (or CDs) at a time. Currently, Data Bank charges a rate of $20 per CD irrespective of the number of CDs requested. The users have expressed a need for a bulk rate. Kuzila asked if it would cost less to produce bulk number of CDs. It was reported that it takes same amount of time proportionately since each CD is processed for different coverages. Kuzila suggested no change in fee structure for the time being. Chick asked if we could outsource duplication of CDs. Rathje mentioned that these CDs are generally not duplicated, and each one requires different DOQs or coverages to be processed.

Williamson informed the Committee about the Legislative Resolution 108. An interim study is looking into the possible merger of DWR and NRC. He said that the initial legislation included merger of two additional agencies, DEQ and DOR. No final recommendation has been made.

Also, the Legislative Resolution 233 is looking into the operations of NRC's Planning and Review process, including its data base functions and availability of GIS (coverages) over the Internet.

Bansal would send out an e-mail to determine the next meeting date. It will be held sometimes in March - April 2000. The meeting was adjourned at 11:30 A.M.