NEURISA Day 2018

Exhibitor and Poster set up time, and Registration

Exhibitor and Poster set up time, and Registration

Continental Breakfast

The Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS provides an organization a common operating picture to monitor and respond to day-to-day events. The Dashboard leverages responsive maps, dynamic (and static) data sources to create operation views that include charts, lists, gauges and indicators which update automatically as underlying data changes. It is designed to support a full spectrum of device platforms from the multi-monitor video walls found within an Operations Center to a touchscreen tablet (iPad, Android tablet) device. This session will provide an overview of operation dashboard used in different industries such as Transportation, Environment agencies and Emergency Management by decision makers.

The University of Massachusetts, Lowell has taken the application of GIS technology beyond the walls of Facilities Management. UMass will present on data collection, departmental collaboration, and return on investment.

Solving a problem like the opioid epidemic requires cooperation from several disparate agencies. What are the needs of these agencies, what are the public's expectations and how can WebGIS provide answers? This presentation covers recent examples of how state and local government are working to respond to the opioid crisis.

The proliferation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is rapidly changing the GIS landscape and is opening the broad field of remote data collection and processing to a wide audience. Continual improvements in airborne technology and the miniaturization of the requisite sensors has cultivated a nimble new branch of the industry that provides cost-effective data collection services on demand. This rapid evolution in spatial technology is also manifest in the accompanying software, with inexpensive, off-the-shelf applications now able to efficiently process and analyze large volumes of data. In this presentation we will explore one increasingly common software workflow for UAV operators, in which overlapping geotagged images are processed to create a high-density point cloud. Using the Pixels-to-Points tool in Global Mapper’s LiDAR Module, we will address the challenge of calculating landfill volumes in a surface model derived from a photogrammetrically-generated point cloud. This procedure involves the following steps:
- Visualization of the array of images as picture points on a base map to ensure optimal and consistent coverage of the landfill area
- Removal of erroneous or unrequired images
- Establishment of the parameters and settings that allow the output to be customized before initiating the point cloud generation procedure
- Identification and reclassification of ground or bare earth points in the finished point cloud
- Creation of a precise Digital Terrain Model (DTM) from which accurate volumetric calculations can be derived.

Exhibitor Visit in the 1st Floor Atrium

Morning Break - food located at the 2nd Floor Break Area

Robert Burns had it right with "The best laid schemes of mice and men, often go awry". The poet might have well been alluding to landmines in GIS data development and maintenance. The buffet of ESRI ArcGIS Online methods for data collection and querying, are predicated on thorough and efficient workflows and long-views to glean the most out of the technologies. The worst returns on time and resources invested in data come from incompletely visioned data schema and un-tested workflows.

This presentation will focus on soup-to-nuts workflows involving desktop data schema design, using Collector app for fieldwork and Web app builder/Operations dashboard. Workflows are aimed at creating data sets, maintaining them over time (including history) and developing end user products (maps, apps, reports etc) to leverage the data created. It will also touch on the tips in the training and support for different levels of users to best execute goals.

Case studies used to illustrate workflows derive from natural resource management. This includes: Streetlights, Rooftops, Playgrounds, Coastal vegetation, Storm Damage, Management Regions etc.

At the Dept. of Conservation & Recreation, we work continually on evolving new methodologies to serve all levels and types of users involved in managing the Commonwealths resources, both natural and human-made.

Why is data science becoming the new hipster of analysis? Can data science be a tool you can use for problem solving? How can you become a geospatial data scientist? Guido Stein will explore data science and how GIS professionals fit into the data science world. You will learn about current data science trends and tools. It's not rocket science, it's data science.

Vermont is the third most forested of the lower 48 states with approximately 4.6 million acres of forestland. Despite being so heavily forested, for the first time in over a century Vermont is actually losing forest cover due to parcelization, subdivision, land clearing and development.
When forestland is broken up into smaller parcels from parcelization and subdivision, the result is typically an increase in the number of parcels with housing and infrastructure such as roads, septic and utility lines. When this development occurs, it “fragments” the landscape and can negatively affect plant and animal species, wildlife habitat and water quality. It can also affect the contiguous ownership and management of forest parcels, and thus the viability of large tracts of forestland to contribute to Vermont’s working forest economy.
In order to minimize the effects of parcelization and subdivision, it is necessary to understand where it is occurring, the rate at which it is occurring, and how it can be managed to reduce its impacts. To respond to this need, this project developed a database to track parcelization and subdivision rates in Vermont on an annual basis at the town, county, regional planning commission (RPC), and statewide levels.
Project partners created a database of parcels of land by size class and analyzed trends, such as ownership, use category, use value appraisal (current use) program enrollment status and the degree to which large parcels of land are being converted to smaller parcels of land at the town, county, regional and state levels.

The project culminated with the development of a website with interactive visualization tools allowing for the query, visualization, and mapping of the data. The interactive data report generator was developed using a combination of GIS tools, database tools, and Microsoft Power BI. This presentation will describe the process used to develop the database, website, and resulting interactive data visualization tools.

This presentation will demonstrate the ways that Dawood Engineering is uses Story Maps to give a competitive edge in communicating our projects to our clients. Dawood has replaced static Power Point presentations and service sheets with interactive Story Maps. In pitch meetings, we are pulling out tablets to demonstrate our company’s capabilities with live GIS-enabled elements. We are also following up with prospective clients using Story Map URL’s instead of PDF materials. Instead of attending meetings with large print maps, we now present interactive project summaries by embedding webmaps and datasets into Story Maps. We’ve recently received recognition from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and other clients on the format of our project reviews using Story Maps and Operations Dashboards.

Exhibitor Visit in the 1st Floor Atrium

Morning Break - food located at the 2nd Floor Break Area

Join Kathryn Brewer, NEURISA 2018 President, in welcoming attendees to NEURISA's Annual One-Day conference.   

• Thank our Corporate Sponsors
• Hear the highlights of NEURISA Accomplishments in 2018
• Learn about our participation in OneURISA 
• Welcome of URISA members as chapter members
• Introduce this year's Exhibitors

While all the conference attendees are gathered together, NEURISA would like to give each Exhibitor a few minutes to come on stage and give a "Shout Out" about their company.  This helps to promote the Exhibitors by connecting them with the NEURISA Day attendees.

Strategic Directions - Setting a Path from Vision to Action
In this keynote address URISA Immediate Past President will highlight her experiences as an entrepreneur starting growing her own business and as an active leader within URISA. Drawing from her experiences as a business owner and having served URISA in many capacities over the years, Teresa will discuss the state of the geospatial industry, the current climate for innovation and entrepreneurship, and how URISA and NEURISA are working together to support and advance members in their careers by staying on the leading edge of the industry and building together with OneURISA and other initiatives to create an even greater role of industry advocacy and leadership. She will share stories about the importance of strategic planning, an adaptive mindset and whole systems thinking to success for individuals and organizations to achieve their individual aspirations.

Please come to look at some cool poster work and vote for your favorite.  The first 5 students get free conference registration as sponsored by NEARC.  Winners receive $100!  

The Road Inventory Submission Application (RISA) is an interactive web portal designed to replace the process of updating road data by using archaic New Road Entry Forms. Previously, updates were sent via mail or email after a municipal employee completed a worksheet describing road characteristics, the generation and processing of which was reportedly counter-intuitive.

MassDOT GIS has identified and developed solutions for three primary workflows; adding a new road, updating existing road characteristics, and adjusting the layouts of existing road geometries. The online interface is compatible with Esri’s Roads & Highways product and the linear referencing structure of the MassDOT GIS road inventory.

Ask ten people what they think of when you say, “asset management” and you’re likely to get nine different answers and one confused look. When it comes to the world of capital expenditures and federal compliance initiatives, the temptation can be to fall toward a so called ‘solution provider’ (clever branding huh?) that offers a one stop shop for all your asset management needs. The truth is more nuanced than that. Asset management is not a software. It is a mindset. A view, strategic in scope and tactical in focus. Above all it is a plan. The good news then is that since you’re likely already planning for what to do with your assets at some point in the future, you’re already performing asset management. The real question managers need to ask is “How can I improve my plan?”. Or another way, “How can I plan my plan?” The goal should be a plan that is integrated, asset centric, conditions based and proactive. These four tenets should form the basis for any reasonable approach to asset management with or without special software. The integration pillar seeks to identify authoritative resources and centralize them for ease of reference amongst all stakeholders. The asset centricity of this approach looks to remove factors (political, financial, etc.) from at least directly influencing the use or misuse of an asset. Third, a conditions-based strategy ensures that new data, evolving data, and regular evaluations on an asset are being brought to bear on its management and, in keeping with the pillar one (integration), are near immediate in their availability. Finally, getting out ahead of an asset’s useful utilization and knowing when the right time to retire an asset arrives but not before allows for a maximum return on investment. These four interrelated strategies require honest evaluations to be made in order that a distillation of the information result in a value that is actionable.

A plan that takes into consideration only those things that rightly influence the use and management of the asset is an essential guide to ensuring defensible operations of the system. Developing the plan starts with a good inventory of authoritative data. Governing principals that balance the pool of stakeholder concerns is principal to the plan. Objective condition assessment allows for prioritization of future actions that ensure longevity of the system and a maximization of return on investments. Case studies will be presented highlighting the evolution of utilities in their asset management journeys providing valuable insight to developing a plan that works. 

Exhibitor Visit in the 1st Floor Atrium

Afternoon Break - food located at the 2nd Floor Break Area

• Please come to look at some cool posters and web apps.  

Wastewater treatment systems are frequently tasked with identifying and quantifying sources of infiltration and inflow within the system. From data collection to analysis and reporting, this entire process can be drastically enhanced by integrating tools such as Collector, Survey123, and Operations Dashboard. The City of Boston, through the Boston Water & Sewer Commission (BWSC) has invested significant time and money in the separation of its combined sewer system. Some separated segments of the system, such as tributary to the Dorchester Interceptor, continue to experience significant wet weather flow increases, and periodic sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). In the past ten years, BWSC has completed several studies focused on infiltration and inflow reduction. Current work now utilizes conventional sewer system evaluation survey components such as building inspections, smoke testing, flow isolation, sewer main and lateral cleaning and CCTV, as well as dye testing and flooding. Managing this data collection is simply and efficiently accomplished by incorporating tools within ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Desktop.

Over the past several years, the functionality of drone technology has rapidly improved. Applications fit into many industries and the GIS world is no different. High resolution, georeferenced orthomosaics easily insert into GIS and drone data can be processed to provide planimetric and topographic data that is both accurate and current. This data can be quickly captured and produced. While the general outputs are often known, sometimes real world, practical applications are not as easy to pinpoint. This presentation explores how the use of drones can enhance actual GIS projects through several case studies. Gone are the days of waiting for another manned aircraft flyover to update base mapping after new developments or capital projects are complete. Drone technology is another tool in the tool belt for GIS professionals to accurately manage and present information about in-the-moment conditions.

During the summer of 2018 at Fitchburg State University, a group of students worked with several professors and researched on the health of the Nashua River and its tributaries. This was the second year of a three-year research grant program. Two of the projects conducted in the program involved using GIS technology.
Samuel Gallagher worked on analyzing land use and land cover changes throughout the Nashua River Watershed. State and national datasets covering a time span of four decades were collected, investigated, and contrasted at both watershed and sub-watershed scales. Particular characteristics of the watershed such as imperviousness were also studied.
Caroline Anderson focused on simulating Nashua River flooding in Fitchburg. Three levels of flooding scenarios (minor, intermediate, and major) were simulated in ArcScene. The impacts of the simulated floods, particularly on urban area, number of buildings, and building square footage were calculated.

Municipalities have historically relied on physical file cabinets to store hard copy documents, and each year the quantity of plans, deeds, and records has grown. With this accumulation comes an increased need and challenge to track, manage, and search for documents to respond to public requests. Digital document management has been embraced by many communities but it can still be challenging to organize documents in a way that makes them easy to discover.

Many documents contain information regarding a spatial location. Utility record plans display sewer connectivity on a specific street, ward files define property boundaries, and zoning bylaws propose changes in residential neighborhoods. Instead of storing, and searching for documents in file folders marked A to Z, what if documents could be stored and searched for online by their spatial location?

In this presentation, attendees will learn how local GIS managers have spatially enabled their digital document management, allowing their colleagues and the public to search for information using a map. This discussion will present strategies, workflows and the lessons the managers learned along the way.

Mappy Hour Social, Poster Winners, Raffles, Vendor Visiits

Annual Membership meeting to discuss the following:

• Thank you to everyone who made NEURISA Day 2018 a success
• Answer any questions about the OneURISA unified membership initiative
• 2019 Board of Directors Election