Callie's GIS Blog

  ArcGIS Pro Overview This assignment is a basic, how to, exercise to gain familiarity with using ArcGIS Pro at the beginner level. The assignment starts off by learning navigation steps to gain access to data, creating your own file paths, and creating a new project in ArcGIS Pro. Explanations were given on how to understand basic navigation of the ArcGIS Pro interface such as, but not limited to, ribbon, tabs, pane, explore tools, map extent, and active view. The final map created for this assignment used sample data containing cities and world countries. The base I chose for this map is USGS Topo (USGS National Map). 

For this week’s modules we learned how to covert ArcGIS maps (or layers) to KML files for use in Google Earth Pro. The KML file I converted; I open in Google Earth Pro for representation of our project data. KML files used for our project were dot density (population), surface waters (lake or pond, stream, marsh, wetland, swamp, or bog), and county lines (parcel layer). Once we had all the information displayed on our map of South Florida, we then did a recorded tour in Google Earth Pro of South Florida's major cities. Once the recorded tour was complete, I saved as a KML file for submission and sharing purposes. The cities and stops chosen for our project are Miami metropolitan area, Downtown Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa Bay Area, St. Petersburg, and Downtown Tampa.  Tips and steps to complete this exercise and map: To covert an ArcGIS map to a KML file I used the "Layer to KML" geoprocessing tool, and then saved the new KML to my working folder. From there I was ab...

In this week's lesson we covered topics about flow maps, and isarithmic mapping. To show our understanding and expertise of this topic we are to create a map depicted with continuous tones, hypsometric tints, hill shade effect(s), and contours. Students are with data to create an isarithmic map of precipitation data for Washington State during the time frame of 1981 - 2010. The data used for this project was prepared using the PRISM interpolation method  from the PRISM Group at Oregon State University.  First, I created a map using continuous tones to show the average rainfall data, without contours and hillshade effect. We can see the smooth, continuous flow of change for the data. Continuous Tones Next, I used the same data to create a hypsometric map, with the hillshade effect, to display the same average precipitation data. This map shows more clear, defining changes in data verses the continuous tones map. Hypsometric Tints Last, I added a contour layer on top of my ...

This weeks module topic covers choropleth and proportional symbol mapping. A choropleth map displays normalized data as shaded points, lines or areas.  Students were asked to create a choropleth map showing the overall population densities in European countries and then tie in the amount of wine consumption and overlay using proportional or graduated symbols. A few steps I used to create my map were:  I chose to use the yellow-red-brown (continuous) color scheme. I chose this scheme because it is friendly to the color visually impaired person for easy determination. With the freedom to choose the data classification of our choice, I chose the Natural Breaks method for population density, and graduated symbols for the amount of wine consumption. Selected a symbol of my choice for graduated symbols layer as a .SVG file.  Use an inset map to clarify congested map areas that are tough to determine. 

Our module this week covers diverse types of data classification and introduces the basic procedures used to classify data. Provided with census data for Dade County, Miami, Florida students created (4) maps using four different classification methods: Natural Breaks, Equal Interval, Quantile, and Standard Deviation. The deliverables included two separate map compilations. One asks for the results of the percentage of the population above the age of 65 ( Map A ) and the population count above 65 per square mile ( Map B ).  Map A Map B  Four different classification methods:   Natural Breaks:   The natural break classification is based on the natural grouping of the features from the data. Also known as the manual method. This method groups together values that are similar, and features created by divided classes where boundaries are set due to significant differences in the data value.   Equal Interval:   The equal interval classification method divid...