|
|
|
Application of GIS technology for Coastal Zone Management: a hydrographer perspective
Example: A map with country boundaries v/s the same map with country names have a spatial dimension to them, and in many cases this spatial component can be harnessed as the common factor, which unites the disparate data elements into a coherent and integrated structure.
| SEABED |
INFRASTRUCTURE |
RESTRICTED ZONES |
Bathymetry
< 2 m
< 5 m
< 10 m
Inter tidal
Spoil dump
Others
All
Bottom Type
Sand
Hard clay
Rock, mud shell
Coral reefs
Others
All
Benthic Flora
Sea grass
Seaweed
Coral
All
|
Residential
Industrial
Commercial
Recreational
Ports
Harbours
Marinas
Mooring
Boat ramps
Intakes
Outfalls
Fresh water
Power generation
Hinterland
Education
Medical facilities
All
|
National Parks
Terrestrial
Marine
Cultural features
Sacred sites
Risk to personnel
Navigation
Military
Zoning
Ecologically sensitive area
Breeding & spawning ground
Historical areas
Heritage area
All
|
| RECREATION |
FISHERIES |
POLLUTION |
Beaches
Tourist facility
Harbours
Marinas
Fishing
Diving
Moorings
Boat ramps
All |
Commercial
Recreational
Aquaculture
Leases
Fishing Ports
Spawning ground
All |
Oil spills
Typical oil characteristics
Oil treatment
Dispersant use
Disposal sites
Domestic sewage
Industrial waste
Eutrophication
All
|
Classification of Coastal Information Data: Thus, many coastal databases will, in potential or in reality, display many classic characteristics of databases found in GIS. As with any other GIS application, the data involved in creating a coastal GIS database fall into a number of distinct categories. Depending on the method of classification used, these include:
- Basic Geodetic or Planimetric Data: It establishes the geographic referencing system against which coastal entities or processes of interest may be placed.
- Topographic Data: It records the location and distribution of natural and cultural features(beaches, cliffs, dunes, roads, settlements, harbours, etc)within the landscape;
- Qualitative and Quantitative Attribute Data: It provides further information about the properties(size of sediments on a each, morphodynamic indices, tidal range, value of coastal properties, amount of shipping visiting selected ports, etc) of coastal entities and phenomena.
- Time series data: It allows temporal databases to be compiled(Langran,1990), and information to be gleaned about the variability of coastal entities , attributes and relationships in both space and time; and
- Metadata: It allows estimations to be made of currency, completeness, history, ownership, and reliability of information, derived from the system.
Sources of Coastal Information Data: As identified above , two types of data are input into a GIS, spatial and attribute. A wide variety of data sources exist for both spatial and attribute data.
Sources of Spatial Data:
The most common general sources for spatial data are:
- Hard copy maps
- Aerial photographs
- Remotely-sensed imagery
- Point data samples from surveys
- Existing digital data files
- Existing hard copy maps. Sometimes referred to as analogue maps, provide the most popular source for any GIS project. Potential users should be aware that while there are many private sector firms specialising in providing digital data, central and state government agencies are an excellent source of data. Because of the large costs associated with data capture and input, government departments are often the only agencies with financial resources and manpower funding to invest in data compilation. State agencies are also often a good source for base map information.
- An inherent advantage of digital data from government agencies is its cost. It is typically inexpensive. However, this is often offset by the data’s accuracy and quality. Thematic coverage’s are often not up to date.
- Indian Air Force, The Air Survey Company, DumDum, Kolkata, and the National Remote Sensing Agency(NRSA) Hyderabad carryout the flying operations for aerial photography
- Point data samples are collected by actually carrying out survey in the area of interest. This is generally done not only to collect the missing information in the available data but also to validate and authenticate the same.
- Existing digital files with various government and non-government organizations are an important source of information for creating any GIS database. These include central and state ministries, organisations like National Institute of Oceanography ,Survey of India.
- National Hydrographic Office, National Remote Sensing Agency and various private firms like Roalta, Elcome Surveys, Decca Surveys etc.
Sources of Attribute data
Attribute data has an even wider variety of data sources. Any textual or tabular data than can be referenced to geographic features, e.g. a point, line, or area, can be input into a GIS. Attribute data is usually input by manual keying or via a bulk loading utility of the Data Base Management System (DBMS) software. ASCII format is a de facto standard for the transfer and conversion of attribute information.
|
|
|