Lab II: Downloading GIS Data

Goal:The goal of this lab is to learn how to download and map data from the U.S Census Bureau.

Objectives
1. Download 2010 Census data (total population) from the US Census Bureau.
2. Download a shapefile of the 2010 Census boundaries from the US Census Bureau.
3. Join the downloaded data to the Census shapefile.
4. Map the data.
5. Download and map a variable of your choice.
6. Build a layout with both maps.
7. Build a web map with one of the variables.

Introduction:

The purpose of this lab was learning how to download data from online servers like the US Census Bureau.  The data downloaded from here then needed to be changed into a form that I could use with the software.  It also included all of the MAG skills that I have learned up to this point.

The goal at the end up this lab was to understand how to download data, take that data and turn it into usable information with ArcGIS, and produce a working map with it. Being able to do this will help with future projects.  We were then tasked at creating two maps, the first one we all are supposed to create the same where as the second one came as a choice. Another goal of this lab was to learn how to upload a map to ArcGIS online.

Methods:

In creating this map I had to utilize multiple skills that I have learned such as downloaded data from an outside source, using table features inside ArcGIS, which taught me how to join tables together by a common feature, and working on my cartography skills.  Another method I learned in this lab was how to upload and share a map to the cloud, which I was able to share the second map that I created as a webmap online.  While creating the webmap I learned how to configure the popup window for the webmap by controlling the attributes assigned to it, which made it turn into a dynamic map showing different content based on the location of the mouse on screen.

Results:

The Results are shown in the picture below, which are two maps of Wisconsin showing the Counties. The one on the left is the total population by county whereas the one on the right in the percent of Vacant homes out of total homes per county.  Some of the patterns that I noticed was That the higher populated counties of Wisconsin are the areas that are also found to have the highest vacant home percentage per total number of homes.  Especially in the counties that have larger cities like Milwaukee, Madison, La Crosse, and Eau Claire.   

Webmap

Click this link to find my Webmap that was created to show the number of vacant homes vs total homes.

Sources:

US Census Bureau 2010
Esri, HERE, DeLorme, MapmyIndia, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community

Lab 1: Base Data

Goal and Background:

In the spring of 2012 Clear Vision Eau Claire announced a public-private partnership between local developers, UW - Eau Claire and the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center that is developing new construction at the confluence of the Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers in the heart of downtown Eau Claire.  This plan is called the "Confluence Project." The Goal is to develop a new community arts center/university student housing and commercial retail complex in downtown EAu Claire.  It is to start in 2014. The goals of this lab is to:

1.  Explore various datasets for the City and County of Eau Claire.
2. Digitize the Size of the Confluence Project
3. Understand the Public land survey system
4. Create a brief legal description of the two parcels
5. Build a layout with each of the major thematic features classes

Methods:
 The method I used was by reading up on all of the different terminologies that are being used in the lab.  This helped a ton when I came to understanding all of the different steps or questions being asked of me as the lab went on.

Objective 1:

Objective 1 was to become familiar with the information about the Confluence Project.  This was obtained by using data available in the city and County of Eau Claire websites.  These websites were used to provide us with the information also.

Objective 2:

For these objective I had to digitize the site for the confluence project.  This included two building southeast of where the confluence of the Eau Claire and Chippewa river are.  To be able to do this I had to create a New Geodatabase named "ec_confluence" To digitize I had to open up the digitizing tool bar and create nodes of the edges of the building.

Objective 3:

 In this objective I had to learn about the Public Land Survey System.  I had to create to add a basemap to a new data frame and add the feature dataset PLSS_Township from each geodatabase. These helped to teach me what township Eau Claire is part of along with understanding how the Quarter-Quarter system works.

Objective 4:

I had to create a legal description of the proposed site. I had to use the identify tool to do this because I need to find the parcel ID along with the owner of the property and other information given in the attribute system.

Objective 5:

This objective was the most fun because of how interactive it became with putting all of the information together into one exciting 6-part map.  I had to create maps showing the Civil divisions, Census Boundaries, PLSS Features, Eau Claire Parcel Data, zoning, and Voter Districts.

Sources:

City and County of Eau Claire 2013 geodatabases.

Eau Claire Regional Arts Center. Confluence Projected Site Plan. Retrieved from:
http://www.uwec.edu/alumni/confluence.