BTAA-GIN Blog

By Jay Bowen This interview is part of our Data Provider Series, which highlights local governments and institutions that offer open GIS data. In each interview, providers tell us about their missions and data resources. We hope this will be a great way for readers to learn more about local GIS developments and new initiatives. Name : Casey James Kohrt Title: Geospatial Administrator Division/Department: Iowa Department of Natural Resources, GIS Department Website: https://geodata.iowa.gov How long has the Iowa DNR created or maintained geospatial data? The Iowa DNR has been creating geospatial data dating to the late 1980s. It was created out of the Groundwater Protection Act, where they were to develop a map of groundwater vulnerabilities. Many datasets came out of that project, including PLSS, soils, and geology, mostly from digitizing paper maps on a digitizing table. Many projects continued, and we had a nice ‘library’ of data. We called it the NRGIS Library. In the Flood of 19

By Melinda Kernik A scan of the 6 x 6 foot hand-drawn Composite Intrinsic Suitability map and derived GIS data. View Featured Item: Shapefile of the 1968 Ecological Study for the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area: Composite Intrinsic Suitability What is the item? In 1968, Ian McHarg created a series of maps showing the climate, geology, and environment of the Twin Cities in Minnesota . These maps were commissioned by the Metropolitan Council, a first-of-its-kind regional governing body concerned about the impact of poorly managed urban development on natural spaces. The maps and report sought to determine the most suitable land uses for the region using an "ecology-first" lens. A 6 x 6 foot, hand-drawn copy of McHarg’s Composite Intrinsic Suitability map is currently kept at the Borchert Map Library . Excitingly, it is now available as digitized vector data as well! This new format makes it easier for researchers to examine land use change and the impacts of regional planning.

By Milan Budhathoki This interview is part of our Data Provider Series, which highlights local governments and institutions that offer open GIS data. In each interview, providers tell us about their missions and data resources. We hope this will be a great way for readers to learn more about local GIS developments and new initiatives. Name: Julia Fischer Title: Director, Data Services and the Maryland Geographic Information Officer (GIO) Division/Department: Maryland Department of Information Technology (DoIT) Website: https://imap.maryland.gov Please briefly describe your role and what is the mission of your agency? Julia: As the Maryland Geographic Information Officer (GIO) and the Director, Data Services within the Maryland Department of Information Technology (DoIT), I am responsible for leading, advancing and promoting the data services program. This program consists of three main technologies: Business Intelligence (BI), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Open Data (OD)