Graduation Year

2005

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.S.E.S.

Degree Granting Department

Engineering Science

Major Professor

Mark Ross, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Kaushal Chari, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Kenneth Trout, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Paul Zandbergen, Ph.D.

Keywords

ArcIMS, Access Database, J2EE Technologies, Linear Correlation, Web GIS, XML

Abstract

The objective of the research is to develop a user friendly framework for an internet GIS (Geographic Information Systems) application. The study aims at providing a map with GIS capabilities without requiring the clients (users of the website) having to install ArcGIS (a product of ESRI) software on their personal computers along with the facility to download hydrological data. It also aims at providing a methodology to synthesize data in case of data gaps. High resolution data was collected in a small watershed in west Central Florida to measure hydrologic storages and fluxes during 2001-2004. Meteorological, surface and groundwater data were collected at 5 to 10 minute intervals. A watershed database was constructed using Microsoft Access and was normalized to 3NF (third Normalization Form) for easy update. The databases available do not involve user-friendly tools to map data collection locations or to facilitate interactive delivery of data. In many fields like hydrology, it is important to provide spatial location of the data points with the data. In addition there is also a need for one platform wherein various user communities (students, planners, hydrologists etc) can be served. Thus there is a need for an online user-friendly environment, which allows for interactive delivery of data along with mapping and spatial analysis. To address this need an ArcIMS website was constructed. It includes ortho-photography of the site, which can be overlaid with the shapefile of the data locations thus giving the user reference orientation of the data locations. The user is allowed to download data in the form of text files based on the required temporal resolution and date ranges. Furthermore, users are provided with valuable data sets to parameterize or test hydrologic models applied to west-central Florida conditions. The website has a feature to generate synthetic data using linear correlation in cases where data are unavailable for the requested period of time. The website also serves the dual role of providing accessible surface and groundwater information to the public. It can also be used as a desktop geographic work tool for engineers, planners and developers, to help better understand the surface water, vadose zone and groundwater interaction. Hence this website is useful not only for professional hydrologists but also for graduate research.

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