Applications for utilities, stormwater, and custom tools in …kaitlinfinan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Internship... · 2016-12-28 · Applying GIS to local government: Applications

Applying GIS to local government: Applications for utilities, stormwater, and custom tools in

Mooresville, North Carolina

Kaitlin Finan

Graduate Student Internship Presentation

Appalachian State University

Image from visitmooresvillenc.com

Background

• Mooresville is located in Iredell County in the piedmont region of North Carolina • 25 miles north of Charlotte, NC

• Originally incorporated in 1873 as a mill town

• Population surge in the 1990s

• Use GIS to monitor, inventory, and manage new development

Mooresville

Main Job Duties • Worked in the Development Services Department

• Job title: “Development Services Intern”

• The department is made up of four engineers, one stormwater specialist, one transportation engineer, and three inspectors

• Added to, edited, and updated the Town’s GIS

• Edit and update existing utility data

• Add as-built data to, update CCTV data, date water system, add to water main tracing layer

• Collect GPS utility points

• Water valves, hydrants, meters, manholes, and stormwater features.

Field work

• TopCon GPS • Collected utility points

• Created new jobs, added items to the dictionary

• Ensured horizontal precision

• Collected over 1,500 points • Verified points on map and

found new points to add

Field work • iPad for stormwater data

• Used ArcGIS online

• Edited attributes in the field, took photos

• Measured invert depths with tape measurer

• Reconciled map on desktop computer to update with iPad

• Published web maps to use in the field

• Takeaway: field work does not usually work out as planned, flexibility is important.

Office work

• Edit utility layers • Created features and attributes • Calculate pipe slope

• Reference as-builts to add to the utility network

• Add to water main tracing layer • Identifies valves to turn off in the

case of a main break, and customers that will be out of service

• Takeaway: even though editing tasks can be very repetitive, it is essential to pay attention to detail to ensure data integrity.

Office work

• Custom toolset for street department

• Asset management project

• Main signs, pavement markings, sign support, and stop signs only

• Takeaway: data is not useful if users are not educated on how to use it.

Fire Department Audit

• Need to show proof of hydrant inspection

• Learned how to add field domains, add layers to SDE database

• Takeaway: GIS can be a valuable tool for all departments, not just utilities.

Reflection • Skills learned

• Using TopCon GPS in the field

• Troubleshooting problems

• Editing in ArcMap versioning

• ArcGIS online

• Customizing tools with model builder and Python

• Using GIS in a professional setting

Questions?

Thank you