When I went to make the second map, I realized I didn’t know how to do exclusisions.  My second map is going to have a graph of some sort that shows the casing depth of each well, the depth to the bedrock and the well depth.  I needed to do exclusions cause not all the wells had data for one or all three.  Most do, but I placed 99999 in the empty spaces and now I need to exclude them.  I emailed Dr. Krygier and asked a friend to help (Lindsey Hoffer).  I am hoping to get it working and finished by the end of the weekend. 

So, Hoffer and I just figured out to do the exclusions.  When you hit the exclusions tab, you select the first item you want to exclude, my first one is WellDepth, so you click on it, then hit = then 99999.  You don’t need to put spaces in, ArcMap will do this for you.  The first time we put and in between each item we wanted to exclude, and it worked for the wells that had 99999 for all 3 items, but I wanted to exclude every item that had the 99999.  So I put or instead of and and it worked!

Here is how it worked out: “WELLDEPTH” = 99999 AND “CASDEPTH” = 99999 AND “BEDDEPTH” = 99999

This was the semi-correct way, it worked but not the way I wanted it to.  This is what I changed it to make it work the way I needed the map to show: “WELLDEPTH” = 99999 OR “CASDEPTH” = 99999 OR “BEDDEPTH” = 99999

Now, the only problem I am having is getting the legend to no show this number 120, which I don’t even know what the 120 is there for, it showed up once we got the exclusions right.  But I will ask Dr. Krygier that tomorrow.  Until then, I will continue to get my maps working, have titles ready and north arrows. My maps will be complete, except for legends tomorrow morning.

I just finished maps 3-6.  What I did for each of these maps is I made a bar graph (not stacked) that compared the water depth in the wells after certain pumping stages.  So the third map had 2 bars that showed the water level prior to pumping and then after the first stage of pumping.  The fourth map shows the water level after stage 1 of pumping and also after stage 2 of pumping.  The fifth map shows the water level after stage two of pumping and after stage 3 of pumping.  The sixth map shows the water level after pumping stage 3 and after the pumping is over they go back to monitor the recovery of the well.  For each map I changed the exclusions to fit the items being graphed.  I use different colors for each map.  I also added a north arrow and title bar to each map.  For the way the legend is labeled, the items graphed are as they are in the attribute and you can’t edit them.  So I made a note at the bottom of each map so that whoever is looking at the map will know what each one means.  I am very pleased with how my project turns out and will talk to Dr. Krygier tomorrow about trying to fix what shows up in the legend. 

Here are the corrections:

1410 Buttermilk Hill = 1410 Buttermilk Hill Rd

1710 Buttermilk Hill = 1710 “                         ”

3919 23 US N = 3919 US Highway 23 N

1515 Buttermilk Hill = 1515 Buttermilk Hill Rd

4195 Buttermilk Hill = 4195 “                         “

4195 23 US = 4195 US Highway 23 N

2430 203 SR = 2430 OH-203

23 US N = US Highway 23 N

So I just changed my Manndata back into a xls document by saving it that way, then changed the addresses as needed, resaved as a dbf4 file and then put it into a new GIS document.  I geocoded the addresses just as before and all but one matched.  I attempted to figure out why this one wouldn’t match, but I couldn’t get it.  Since I need to move on with and finish the project I figured that 102 out of 103 wells was not bad.  The address that did not match was Mark A. Taylor 2430 OH-203 Radnor OH 43066.  I just hope that it won’t affect much with this one address not matching up, but I think it will be okay.  Now I can get started on the map.

 I combined the first two spreadsheets and had to 99999 for any empty spaces.  I also shortened the titles and got rid of the format that Dr.  Mann had used.  I had to copy and pasted each column into notepad and then copy and paste again into Excel to get rid of the formatting.  Overall it wasn’t difficult, just took a little while to make sure the data was ready for ArcMap. 

The titles I used are as follows:

index number = Well#
Owner Name = Name
Owner Address = Address
City = City
Zip Code = Zip
Well Depth = WellDepth
Casing Depth = CasDepth
Depth to Bedrock = BedDepth
Monitoring Conduced = MonCon
Reported Water Quality Comments = RWQC
Estimated Top of Casing Elevation = ETCE
Approximate Distance from Well TW-5 = ADW_TW-5
UTM Easting = UTM_East
UTM Northing = UTM_North
Pilot Test Static Depth = PTSD
Water Depth (Prior to Pumping) 4/16-4/18/01 = WD_PP
Water Depth (End of First Pumping Stage) 4/24-4/25/01 = WD_P1
Net Water Level Change (End of First Pumping Stage) 4/24-4/25/01 = NWLC1
Water Depth (End of Second Pumping Stage) 5/5-5/6/01 = WD_P2
Net Water Level Change (End of Second Pumping Stage) 5/5-5/6/01 = NWLC2
Water Depth (End of Third Pumping Stage) 5/15-5/16/01 = WD_P3
Net Water Level Change (End of Third Pumping Stage) 5/15-5/16/01 = NWLC3
Water Depth (Recovery Monitoring) 6/11-6/15/01 = WD_RM
Net Water Level Change (Recovery Monitoring) 6/11-6/15/01 = NWLC4

Once I had the data ready, I saved as a database4 file and named the file MannData.  I opened up GIS and added the master shape.  I then added the MannData file.  I had to geocode addresses using my address locator I created for the midterm maps.  All but 8 addresses matched up.  I am currently working on “interactively” matching the addresses individually, at least this is how GIS put it.  I will try and get them all to match up, but if I can’t I will just use the ones that have.  I plan on making a general map of the wells adding other layers to correlate the location with Delaware County.  I also plan on doing bar type graphs to show a map of the well depth, casing depth, and depth to bedrock.  For my other 4 maps I plan on doing another bar type graph to show the net water level change after each pumping stage and the recovery.  That is all for now, I will updating soon.

   Making a map that’s accurate, informative, and nice to look at usually takes time.  Sometimes, however, you have to make a professional-quality map on short notice.  ArcMap comes with a number of templates to help you do this.  In a template, the map elements you need are already in place.  All you do is add data and the map is ready to print.

   In 18a you open a template when you first start up ArcMap, and choose a template instead of new or preexisting map.  You can use the layout toolbar to zoom in to certain areas or zoom out.  You can change basic data, add or remove anything you won’t need.  In 18b you can add x,y data to the map by clicking the add data button and navigating to what you want to add.  You can display the data before you add it, to make sure it is what you need, and click ok in the dialog.  The points should appear in the tutorial, of course mine don’t.  I find one point, by using the Tools Toolbar pan, and panning to a point SW of the Phillipines.  I then leave the map on the point and the Phillipines so both can be see, this is what I save it as.  In 18c, you can add graphics to the map, the points that should have shown up in part b, are already displayed in exercise c.  You can add a curve to the “line” of typhoons using the Draw toolbar and the new curve tool.  Just like all the other drawing tools, you click on each point you want to add on the curve and then double click on the last to end the curve.  You can change the color of the symbols or curve line to match eachother.  You can then add text to the first point on the curve using the new text tool in the Draw toolbar.

Ch. 19  Making maps for presentation

   A good map should inform, reveal, clarify, or convince.  The elements for accomplishing these purposes include carefully prepared and symbolized data, a legend to explain the symbols, a descriptive title, projection information, and a source statement.  A north arrow and scale bar often help to orient the map reader.

In 19a, you lay out the page by moving the different layers and resizing them using the layout toolbar and tools toobar.  In 19b you add a title, in insert menu.  You can change font, size and even whether the title will be horizontal or vertical, based on whether you want it on the side or along the top or bottom.  In 19c, you add a north arrow, a scale bar, and a legend, all in insert menu.  You can change color and resize to fit in the map well.  Finally in 19d, you add final touches before you print.  You can add pictures or photos.  You go to print preview, change from portrait to lanscape, and preview the map page before you print.

Ch. 20 Creating models

  GIS is often defined as a computerized system for the creation, management, query, analysis, and display of spatial data.  The organization of this book reflects that task-oriented definition.  But GIS  is also defined as a decision support system, in which computer software is used to model spatial process and to solve problems analytically. 

  In 20a you set a model using the toolbox created in a previous chapter and ModelBuilder.  You combine tools from other toolboxes and connect them in the ModelBuilder, to create a model (20b).  There is no real limit to how many processes you add to the model.  The one in 20b had 3-4 different processes, added together.  In 20c you enhance a model, which is done by adding tools, and creating processes.  The final model created in 20c has 5-6 processes.

Overall I had very few trouble with the tutorials, I just hope that I have the same amount or few when creating my coarse project.

   Much of the vector spatial data used in a GIS has been digitized from paper maps and aerial or satellite photographs.  Digitizing data involves placing a map or photo on a digitizing tablet and tracing features with a puck, which is a device similar to a mouse.  In a variation called heads-up-digitizing, features are drawn with a mouse directly on the computer screen by tracing an aerial photo, a scanned map, or other spatial data.

   In 15a you draw features using the drawing tool.  You must start editing, click on a point and then click on a new point, once the last point needed is reached you double click, and to finish make sure to click stop editing.  In 15b you use feature construction tools, once again start editing.  Click snapping, check box for parcels layer and close snapping window.  Use auto complete polygon, and sketch, when done double click and click stop editing.

Ch. 16 Editing features and attributes

  Creating features is one part of maintaining a geodatabase.  Another part, equally important, is making changes to existing features.  Features can be edited in several ways.  They can be deleted, moved, split, merged, resized, reshaped, or buffered.  In addition to the tasks on the Editor toolbar, there are commands on the Editor menu for changing features.

  In 16a you delete and modify features using the editor toolbar.  If you double click on a feature and highlight the boundaries you can delete them.  You can also modify the boundaries or stretch them using the editor toolbar.  In 16b you split and merge features, once again using the Editor toolbar.  You can click on a point in a boundary of an already drawn polygon and make a new boundary to split the polygon into two separate polygons.  To merge two polygons you select both and click merge in the Editor Toolbar menu.  In 16c  you edit features using attribute values by opening the attribute table and add fields to them to edit the appearrance on the map.

Ch. 17 Geocoding addresses

   You can create spatial data–specifically point features–from information that describes or names a location.  The most common kind of information that does this is an address.  The process of creating map features from addresses, place-names, or similar information is called geocoding.

  In 17a, I originally had trouble because when I opend ArcCatalog and couldn’t find address locator in the table of contents.  I clicked File, new and click address locator to create a new one and placed it in my personal file.   To create a new address locator I used the directions in the book.  This was the first time I had problems working with the tutorials.  In 17b you match the addresses using the address locator you created in part a.  In the tools menu, point to geocoding, click address locator manager.  Click add, and then double-click Address Locators.  Click to add the address locator created in part a.  Now use the find feature in the Tools Toolbar and type in an address which will be found and then added to the map.  In 17c you rematch the addresses by once again using the address locator created in part a.  I also had problems with this.  In step 8, when the Interactive Review dialog is open, at the top you should have three addresses, and mine did not, I tried it multiple times, but failed to correct it.  I tried to go through the steps the best I could without this data, just to get a feel of how to do it.

  Most of the problems you solve with GIS involve comparing spatial relationships among features–in one layer or in different layers–and drawing conclusions.  Problem solving in GIS is called spatial analysis, and it can include everything from measuring the distance between points to modeling the behavior of ecosystems.

In this chapter you buffer features using the buffer tool, in ArcToobox and then overlaying data using what was previously buffered.  Then you calculate attribute values from the buffered and overlayed data.

Ch. 13  Projecting data in ArcMap

   Locations on the earth’s surface are defined with reference to lines of latitude and longitude.  Latitude lines, or parallels, run parallel to the equator and measure how far north or south you are of the equator.  Longitude lines, or meridians, run from pole to pole and measure how far east or west you are of the prime meridian. 

  In the first exercise you project data on the fly.  First you have to choose the US equal albers conic and apply it to the lower 48 map, alask map and hawaii map.  Then you separately apply the alaska equal albers conic grid system and then the hawaii equal albers conic grid system and each will appear as they would on the map, even though the alaska and hawaii are zoomed in and placed differently.

In 13b you define a projection using the define projection tool in ArcToolbox.

Ch. 14 Building Geodatabases

   Spatial data comes in a variety of formats that can be managed in ArcCatalog and added as layers to ArcMap.  Many of these features, including shapefiles, coverages, CAD files, and geodatabases, organize spatial data into feature classes.  A feature class is a group of points, lines, or polygons representing geographic objects of the same kind, like countries or rivers.

  In 14a you create a personal geodatabase in the ArcCatalog by navigating to chapter 14, MyData and clicking on Personal Geodatabases.  In 14b, you convert data into your geodatabases using ArcGIS, not ArcCatalog.  In 14c  you add two fields to a feature class you created in the previous exercies.

   GIS analysis projects usually begin with several data sets and the plans to process them to get a result.  When you perform an operation on spatial data that creates a new data set, you are doing geoprocessing.  Geoprocessing tasks are accomplished with ArcToolbox, a collection of tools that you add to the ArcMap or ArcCatalog interface from the Standard toolbar.

In Ex. 11a you dissolve separate features into a single feature or attribute.   Specifically the forest stands are dissolved into the lease areas and their harvestable values are summed.

In Ex.  11b you create present the harvestable values in a graph and the graph is added to a map layout.

In Ex. 11c you clip a layer of streams to the boundary of a specific lease F, even though the logging is prohibited near streams and goshawk nests in all the leases.

In Ex. 11d you export a selected set of goshawk nests from lease F using the Select By Location feature.

    In this chapter, you’ll select features by location– that is, according to their spatial relationship to other features, whether in another layer or in the same layer.  The four types of spatial relationships that can be used are distance, containment, intersection, and adjacency.

Using location queries Ex. 10a

   In this exercise you use the selection menu and select by location to create a new selected set.  In the scrolling box of layers, scroll down and check Neighborhoods.  In the list of spatial relationships, click the drop-down arrow and click “are within a distance of.”  In the drop-down list of layers, click the drop-down arrow and click Freeways.  Replace the current distance value with 0.5.  Click the distance units drop-down arrow and click Miles.  Click apply or ok.

Combining attribute and location queries  Ex. 10b

   In this exercise you do an attribute query to select census tracts you need.  Then you create a location query to select the neighborhoods that substantially overlap the census tracts from the attribute query.   You then add zoning and building data to help choose a specific location for a new store.

   Layer attribute tables contain descriptive of features, and they also contain spatial information, which is what enables ArcMap to draw a town, a house, or a flight path in the right place on a map.  Spatial information, stored in the Shape field, specifies the type of features in a layer and defines the location of each individual feature.

Joining tables

Ex. 9a

   In this exercise you join data from two different attribute tables.  To do this you right click on the layer you want to add data to, point to joins and relates, then click join.  In the Join dialog, make sure the “join attributes from a table” is selected.  In drop-down list number 1, click the drop-down arrow and click IDNUMBER.   This specifies IDNUMBER as the common attribute in the Pits_75 table.  In drop-down list number 2, click Remedial_actions.  In number 3, click IDNUMBER.  Click OK and check the attribute table under the Pits_75 layer, and the data should be joined.

Relating Tables Ex. 9b

   In this exercise you look at metals in some pit sites to see if the water has been exposed and polluted.