Port of Tacoma GIS Support

from portoftacoma.com

As a major West coast shipping terminal, the Port of Tacoma (Port) is a gateway for a variety of imports and exports from international and domestic markets, such as Asia, Australia, and Alaska. More than just ships, the Port also manages rail infrastructure and other shipping-related industries surrounding its four waterways. In such a complex and dynamic setting, effective decision-making requires quick access to timely, accurate information. The Port guides these decisions through an internal geographic information system (GIS) database to manage just about everything: real estate infrastructure and property maintenance, utilities, and environmental protection areas, just to name a few.

Aspect provides Enterprise Geodatabase and GIS data management support to the Port, organizing and updating spatial datasets—and the underlying functionality of the enterprise database—that keeps their business processes running efficiently. Our work on this enterprise geodatabase was and is supportive of a variety of business and operational functions, including an internal webmap application, connections to external databases, and mobile field data collection workflows through ArcGIS Collector. Our development and refinement of geodatabase functionality (such as topologies, flow-enabled geometric networks for stormwater utilities, and python-based data migration/ETL scripting) enhanced data performance, fidelity, and analysis capabilities. Through this effective and reliable geodatabase, the Port can efficiently manage its assets and operations across its properties and tenants—and keep business thriving.    

Bainbridge Island Critical Areas Geologic Hazard Assessment

The City of Bainbridge Island needed to improve its understanding of geologically hazardous areas throughout the island to meet the requirements of the Growth Management Act and update and improve its critical area delineations and codes. Aspect reviewed the best available science (BAS) for geologic hazards and related development impacts. Our review focused on areas with steep slopes, high erosion and fault hazards, and high potential for liquefaction. It involved analyzing new and relevant scientific information and then using this information to revise the geologic hazard maps and codes. We used GIS methods to assimilate new, high-resolution, LIDAR-generated topographic data with existing geologic maps to predict areas of high hazard potential and to propose changes to the geologic hazard maps and codes, making them more accurate and useful to both planners and permit applicants. Code revisions were recommended and adopted by the City. 

Groundwater & IDDE Data Management, City of Bainbridge Island

To support long term growth planning and development of the island, the City of Bainbridge Island (COBI) needed to collect physical and groundwater data for a groundwater model that would set the stage for urban planning efforts. COBI also required improved tracking of Illicit Discharge and Detection (IDDE) to meet a tight grant-funding deadline and be in compliance with its Phase II National Pollution Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
  
To meet data collection and management goals for the groundwater model, Aspect developed a custom database to collect field and electronic data in a single repository that allows holistic review, analysis, and reporting. COBI completed the hand off of all the required data to US Geological Survey for their modeling pursuits, as well as setting a new bar in reporting to citizens. To meet COBI’s NPDES requirements and the grant funding deadline, Aspect developed a custom database to track all of their cases digitally, allowing the city to quickly and accurately calculate the annual statistics required for government reporting.  COBI met the funding deadline now has the tools necessary to report on the cost, effort, quantity, and types of Illicit Discharges that occur on the island at any time.

Data Management and Mapping for Port of Bellingham GP West Site RI/FS

Aspect is conducting a RI/FS and planning for interim actions to support probable mixed-use redevelopment of the key property (GP West site) in the Port of Bellingham’s revitalized Waterfront District.  As a critical part of the work at this complex site, Aspect has developed and is currently maintaining custom environmental chemistry and GIS databases for the ongoing soil and groundwater data collection effort. Aside from storing, QA/QC-ing, analyzing and reporting data as part of the study, Aspect compiled and loaded vast amounts of historic data into the database from previous environmental work at the site. Aspect has developed these database tools and innovative, dynamic GIS figures to leverage complex query outputs into easy-to-use and readily-updatable map products. This project involves interfacing with labs, data validators, surveyors, field staff, regulators, and project managers to ensure that the demanding project data needs and reporting requirements are managed smoothly and efficiently.

Port of Seattle Stormwater Services

Aspect has assisted the Port of Seattle in complying with mapping, SWPPP, O&M, best management practices, and records-keeping requirements of their Phase I Municipal NPDES Permit.

Our work has included the following:

• Developing and maintaining a geodatabase mapping the stormwater conveyance system for all Seaport facilities. Coordinated initial mapping of stormwater system. Updated GIS system as new information is learned or system is modified by construction.
• Coordinating development of a web mapping application to share stormwater mapping data within the Port.
• Custom database application development to track Port leases to determine relevance to stormwater management.
• Planning and design of a temporary stormwater collection and treatment system.
• Participating in development of Operation and Maintenance Manual for stormwater system. Updated O&M manual to include new City of Seattle requirements in 2010.
• Developing and maintaining a stormwater records keeping data base.
• Developing SWPPPs for all Seaport operated facilities. Developed SWPPP template for use by Port tenants. Assisted a few port tenants in completing SWPPP template.
• Overhauling recreational and commercial vessel BMPs.
• Managed laboratory and field water quality monitoring data and submitted final data to Ecology’s database EIM.
• Conducting a planning exercise for Industrial Stormwater General Permit.
• Assisting with outfall inspections.

WRIA 16/14b Rivers & Streams Impairment Analysis, Mason & Jefferson Counties

Aspect completed an analysis of river and stream impairment, identifying and prioritizing areas of concern for potential impacts of future groundwater withdrawals on streamflows within WRIA 16/14b (along the west and south shores of Hood Canal).

As a key part of this analysis, Aspect developed sophisticated database and GIS analysis toolsets to perform population-based (census data) and source-based (wells, water rights, and public water systems) water use assessments – for both current and buildout conditions in the basin. Beyond helping the WRIA 16 Planning Unit understand and plan for projected water use in the WRIA 16 subbasins, Aspect’s analysis helped identify 13 public waters systems with probable water right shortfalls at full buildout. Additionally, Aspect implemented a GIS-based predictive model to identify sites with a high likelihood for stream sediment aggradation (a critical issue in the WRIA) – evaluating these sites based on stream transport capacity, upstream, in-channel and local sediment supply, and barriers to sediment transport. The software solutions developed as a part of this project allow WRIA stakeholders to execute updated analyses as data inputs (or model assumptions) change or are improved over time. Further, Aspect was responsible for a large cartographic effort on the project, designing over 50 maps and figures for the final report. 

Environmental Database/Web Map Integration

Aspect provided technical assistance to the Port of Seattle’s Aviation Environmental Department with the integration of two mission-critical databases into the Port’s GeoCortex web-mapping application. Aspect worked with Port Project Managers and Data Managers to develop automatically-updated, concise snapshots of environmental chemistry data that can be viewed and queried in the web map user interface. Aspect also integrated site-level narrative information to produce beautifully-formatted, easy-to-use PDF site summary reports with clickable, hyperlinked bibliographies that are immediately available to web map users. The map interface provides the Aviation Environmental department with the ability to easily explore huge amounts of current and historic environmental site information, vastly improving the access to these valuable databases.

Instream Flow Reservation Tracking and Forecasting System

To meet its growth management planning goals, the Methow Watershed Council (MWC) needed a clear understanding of current and potential future water use in the Methow River Basin (WRIA 48). Each of the Basin’s seven stream reaches is bound by an instream flow rule that specifies the water available for future, consumptive, single domestic or stockwater use. Developing an accurately picture of current and future water use – a significant challenge in Okanagan County, where parcel-level water source data is not readily available – required a sophisticated tracking and analysis system.
 
Aspect integrated GIS and database tools to build an instream flow reservation tracking and forecasting database with a tailored user interface. This system produced a highly refined estimate of current water use at the parcel level by leveraging a number of geospatial and database inputs. The input data comes from a wide array of sources – including parcels, zoning, public water systems, water rights, well logs, conservation easements, hydrography, building permits, and irrigation analyses – to provide the MWC with tools and information to refine and update the water use estimate. Additionally, the system delivered to MWC allows for nuanced, parcel-level buildout scenarios to be run, providing insight into future water availability given current (or proposed) land use planning.

Read the report here:

http://www.methowwatershed.com/documents/WRIA48IFRDatabaseReportDRAFTrev105-24-11.pdf