Utilities Focused Asset Management &

Mapping for Parks

Penn State University - Masters in GIS Capstone Project

By: David G. Lautenschleger, P.S., GISP Surveying and Facilities GIS Coordinator

Advisor: Joseph A. Bishop, PhD

Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) Background

Largest watershed in Ohio (8,000 sq. miles / 20% of state)Established in 1933 for flood control after the Great Flood of 1913, Ohio's greatest natural disaster with nearly 500 deathsSystem of 16 dams and reservoirsProvided Public's Works projects during depression$8 Billion in flood damage preventedPark system started in 1960's

Atwood Lake ParkCharles Mill Lake ParkPleasant Hill Lake ParkSeneca Lake ParkTappan Lake Park

What is the problem?Parks are over 50 years old and have endured a variety of modificationsUnknown utility locationsExcavations can lead to “surprises”Poor record keeping - Information in variety of formats and locationsInterruption of utility serviceUnhappy campersUnsafe conditions to construction crewsNEW SYSTEM NEEDED!

Avoid Expensive ExcavationSimple projects turn into BIG problems!

Lack of utility knowledge creates additional expenses for future projects

Employee safety and Utility interruption

http://blog.level3.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/landownerfibercut.jpg http://hamptonroads.com/2011/04/incidents-gas-line-power-pole-tangle-va-beach-traffic

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Bayonne-Water-Main-Break-Avenue-E-52-Street-208420521.html

GoalsDevelop a system in which multiple departments can easily access utility dataMaintain data in one location and make available to all staff via the InternetIncrease the amount of sharing of data district-wideOnce the advantages of GIS are realized, a more sharing and open philosophy will be adoptedIncrease efficiency for Utilities and Construction CrewsMake the information not typically available to field staff by implementing tablets/handheld GPS units, allowing problems to be resolved faster and generating a self- sufficient environment

Current Location MethodsUtility Locator (metal only)Utility Camera

Ohio Utilities Protection Service (OUPS) Not for private utilitiesWalk project – compare and measure to existing structures

Existing Data

Historical data: hand drawings on linens and mylar (1960's-1980's)CAD design files from expansions (1980's- present)Misc. field survey data from in-house survey (2001)Existing in-house CAD engineering drawingsInstitutional knowledge - MEMORY

Where is the data?MWCD Engineering Department has majority of plans at Main Office in New Philadelphia, OhioConservation Department has limited amount of plans from easements and projects not directly affecting

parksParks keep miscellaneous maps and notes in Maintenance buildingsAdditional data stored

in off-site location

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How to get into GIS?

Scan historical drawings and aerials

Georeference & digitize historical data

Georeference past projects and surveys created during construction projects

NEW SURVEY!

Scanned historical documents

Existing CAD documents

Field survey of the current conditions

Locate ALL utility componentsManholes

Culverts

Water valves/boxes

Electrical boxes

Power Poles

Structures

Field survey environment

4 Day work week: 10 hr. days: Monday-Thursday to minimize disruption to visitors

Signage and safety gear (vests, cones)

Communication with Park Manager & Park Rangers

Field survey - QC/QA

Walk-through of entire project by surveyor with field

collected data

Walk-through of first set of deliverables by MWCD staff

Video of area provided for additional checks from office

Horizontal and Vertical Survey Control

Use standardized local system

Ohio State Plane System – North Zone (NAD83 US Survey Feet-FIPS 3401)

Elevation Datum (NGVD29)

Well monumented for future use

A CORDINATE SYSTEM IS NECCESSARY!!

Permanent MonumentationAll future surveys to utilize new control monuments on

Ohio State Plane Coordinate System

10” Diameter by 42” deep with aluminum cap and witness post.

12 placed throughout campground

Develop Database Standards and Schema

Review with end-users

EngineeringWater/Waste-water maintenancePark ManagersPark Maintenance staffRecreation Management

Database Standards and domains for consistency

Database also to include method of data collection for each entity to determine level of “trust” for each actual location. i.e. Survey Grade, Aerial, CAD, Handheld GPS, Scanned Document, etc.

Merge historical plans by using the new survey data

End Users - Office StaffArcGIS Desktop for Survey / GIS staff for updates and maintenanceArcGIS ONLINE for non-technical staff in Recreation and Conservation DepartmentsEmbed in MWCD website for construction updatesCreate web applications for MWCD staff as needed

End Users - Field StaffSmart Phone (Android or iOS)Mobile options for quick reference of utility locationsHandheld GPS (Trimble GeoExplorer or Juno) with ArcPAD IMAGE: http://www.trimble.com/mappingGIS/geo-7-series.aspx

Survey crew to stake-out locations prior to excavation similar to Ohio Utilities Protection Service (OUPS)

Future Maintenance

Future projects and utility installs documentedWork-flow document be createdUtility planning (Project Engineer)Construction (Const. & Utility Crews)As-built survey (Survey Technician)GIS updates (GIS Specialist)MWCD Engineering Dept. consists of Survey and GIS staff to fulfill this need

Benefits of GIS in Park Management

Limit duplication of data capture and maintenance

Consistency with multiple parks

Education/transfer of knowledge

Managing Facilities with current information

Lessons Learned

Consultant Communication: Survey staff needs to have understanding of final product

Internal Communication: Maintain constant communication with end-users (primarily park staff)

Project Schedule: Perform fieldwork in off season with less traffic and obstructions

Project Time-line

Presentation Information

2014 Ohio Parks and Recreation Association (OPRA) Conference and Trade Show

Kalahari Conference Center

Sandusky, Ohio

February 2-5, 2014

www.opraonline.org

ReferencesPublications

Buckley, A. (2012 Summer) Designing Great Web Maps. ArcUser, vol. 15, p.50

Jenkins, H. (1976) A Valley Renewed, The History of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District. The Kent State University Press

Saine, A. (2012, Fall) Town Sharpens Proactive Sewer System Management. ArcNews, vol. 34, p. 37

Internal MWCD documents

Burke, T. (2000) Needs Assessment and Feasibility Study for Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, Peak Geo-Design, Inc.

Schreiner, B. 1997-2004 GIS Group files, former Docks and Marinas Coordinator – MWCD, Retired 2011.

Websites Diethorn, B. (2005) Coordinating National Park Management with GIS. Retrieved Sept. 2, 2013 from http://www.nps.gov/gis/odyssey/2006/thursday.html

Turner, T. (2008-9) Mapping and Managing Potable Water Infrastructure Assets. ArcNews Retrieved Oct. 15, 2013 from http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/winter0809articles/mapping-and-managing.html

Minami, M. (2011) ARCGIS ONLINES VS ARCGIS EXPLORER ONLINE, ArcGIS Resources Retrieved Nov. 18, 2013 from http://forums.arcgis.com/threads/36353-ARCGIS-ONLINES-VS-ARCGIS-EXPLORER-ONLINE

Mayo, M. (n.d.) Enhancing Water Department Efficiency - Using GIS and GPS to produce quality maps of rural water system features. ArcUser Retrieved Oct. 15, 2013 from http://www.esri.com/news/arcuser/0408/bamah2o.html

Hamil, D. (n.d.) Your Mission, Should You Choose To Accept It: Project Management Excellence. GeoCommunity Retrieved Oct. 15, 2013 from http://spatialnews.geocomm.com/features/mesa1/

Projects 2009 - GPS/GIS Asset Inventory Chippewa Subdistrict – Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District Retrieved Oct. 10, 2013 from http://chippewa.mwcd.org/html/at_work/2009_cap_inv_GIS.htm

GIS Program – Role & Function. National Park Service – U.S. Department of the Interior. Retrieved Oct. 10, 2013 from http://www.nps.gov/gis/gis_program/role.html

AcknowledgementsJoseph Bishop, PhD, PSU Advisor

Beth King, PSU Assistant Program Manager

Boris Slogar, P.E., M.P.M., MWCD Chief Engineer

Doug Little, P.E., Project Engineer

Michael Kobilarcsik, MWCD Survey Technician

Jeremy Hoffer, MWCD Tappan Lake Park Manager

Mary Burley, MWCD Human Resources

Bodo & Associates, Inc., Surveying & Mapping

and of course, an extremely patient family

Questions?