IRICC Meeting Notes

February 26, 2002

Attendees:

Bill Bogue                        US EPA

Stan Allen                       PSMFC

Nancy Tubbs                   USGS

Dan Avery                       USF&WS

George Mayfield              USF&WS

Stephen Bown                  Forest Service

Bruce Bingham                 Forest Service, Monitoring Team

Duane Dippon                  BLM

Dale Guenther                  REO

 

Next Meeting Dates:

April 9, May 21

 

Next Meeting Topics:

Bruce Bingham – Monitoring team data update.

Stan – Calfish ArcIMS demo.

 

Monitoring Team Information Requirements

Bruce Bingham – Has been working with each of the monitoring modules to development information needs for their analysis and reporting.  These needs have been categorized by research and monitoring.  

 

80 data sources have been identified.  Annual summaries and interpretive reports are the 2 primary data requirements.  For the 2004 report the critical data elements have been identified. 

 

IRICC is a very important component in meeting data needs for the PNW.  The goal for today is for IRICC to gain an understanding of the spreadsheet sent out, and the data needs it represents.  In addition to the data needed, attribute information, or metadata, is needed.  Resolution and content standards.

 

What data standards have been agreed upon by the agencies through IRICC:

 

The issue then is how Bruce’s effort will link with these existing standards, and then integrate additional data standard requirements.

 

The monitoring web site will provide a source for these products.  This site will go online March 1.   www.reo.gov/monitoring is the web site.  This site is STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION.  It will provide you with background information on the team goals, scope, charter, team members, etc.

 

Bruce has hired 2 GIS analysts, as well as a contractor to develop tools.  

 

What will the agencies see in return on these efforts?  Compiled data sets of agency information, analysis processes and the tools to perform these analysis.  Old growth for example.

 

The group then reviewed each of the data elements in Bruce’s.  Agencies provided input to data sources now available, and possible methods for compiling or developing datasets.

 

 

Agency Updates:

 

Duane – Hydro is biggest emphasis item.  Moving to Arc 8 is the other.  BLM field user group (GIS) meeting this week to work on this move.  IVMP is moving well through W. Washington.  Probably another year to get to the SW Oregon Province.  BLM does fly joint industry contracts.  Eugene has available online higher resolution data.

 

Stephen – Inventorying core GIS layers, what information is now available, which meet these national standards. 

 

George – Dealing with Lynx issue, developing maps.  Developing Bull trout critical habitat map for the Columbia Basin.  Working on the owl ‘take’ database.  Determining measure is difficult to agree on.

 

Dan – New regional data administrator.  Developing a needs analysis for the region then look to develop regional datasets.  Will look to partner with other agencies at that point.  Role covers all aspects of F&WS needs.

 

Nancy – Budget still has not been established.  Homeland security is #1 priority.  Dealing with 3 metro areas, Portland, Seattle and Spokane.  Remote sensed data availability is big issue now.  National map initiative is 2nd priority.  Piloting the integration of available data.  DOI high priority meeting outcome, list developed but funding is a question.  Proposal will be developed, not submitted.  High res imagery from Bonneville dam to the mouth was identified.  LIDAR may be the choice.  2nd is high res in Lake Rosevelt area.  Olympics is 3rd.  2nd priority for Oregon is NHD along 4 HUCS if Or-Idaho border.  IGDC meeting is postponed until 6/5, which will determine funding.

 

Stan – StreamNet is developing an ArcIMS application to display fish distribution and info.  Working on getting a similar program for California.  NMFS, Cal F&G and Cal DOT are interested.  Fish data is primary interest.  Habitat restoration data for California has been developed.  Working to link with the basic data found in the UC Davis system.  Looking to link with national F&W Foundation.  Annual meeting of Fish information managers is in Baltimore, November.  Stan is the President.

 

Bill – Rains is available.  Bluesky.gov???  (note: I tried all combinations of this with no luck, Bill?) Under development, looking for folks to test and review.  Also looking for remote secure access for EPA data. 

 

Dale – The draft watersheds have all been delivered.  Agency hydrologists are now reviewing these.  Reply due for this review is 2/28.  REO will compile all responses, and on 3/14 the agency hydrologists will meet to review these for consistency and quality.  This final set of changes will go to the contractor to develop the final product.  April 26 the initial set of agreed watersheds will be released.  ESRI is developing the extension to the existing Hydrography Framework Clearinghouse to include the management of watersheds.  Agencies will check out hydrography and watersheds, update the corporate coverage, and check it back in.  Clearinghouse implementation is also expected April 26.  California continues to hold workshops to develop watershed boundaries.  The March workshop will finish up the central valley.

          ESRI is also refining the Hydrography Clearinghouse based on beta test results.  This work will be complete 3/22.  The clearinghouse will then be available for production work.  An ArcIMS website is available to establish stewards for this data on a watershed basis.  http://hydro.reo.gov

          The rapid hydrography integration effort is now moving to schedule workshops.  The protocol paper has been drafted and is available, which defines how the various hydrography datasets will be integrated, both from a programmatic and technical standpoint.  The workshops will invite the hydrologists in to determine, on a watershed basis, what hydrography will be used for the final integrated dataset.  A contractor will then take this product and compile the data to the Framework standards, as well as develop an integrated NHD product.

          REO is now working to compile 2001 restoration data for completed projects.  A memo has gone out to the agency executives, and data is being compiled from BLM, Park Service, US F&WS, FS and states.  A final data set will be available from the ArcIMS server in May.

          The team dealing with updates to the Land Use Allocations will meet 3/19.  Their goal here is to finalize a draft guidelines paper.  This paper will cover updated definitions, the extent of data to be updated, and criteria which determine what updates constitute RIEC (Executive) review.

          Developing the Monitoring team website, and redesigning the REO web site.  Will finish those up by the end of February.