Home > Research Projects > Project > 2007 Updates
I. GIS DATABASE DEVELOPMENT
This project will develop a geographic information systems (GIS) framework for linking water rights with water distribution networks and points of diversion for the Walker Basin. The resulting GIS database may be used to assess how water and land acquisitions will affect the entire Walker Basin system. The economic component of this project will develop a GIS database of properties, businesses and local demographics in close proximity to the Walker River and its tributaries.
Researchers:
From DRI: Tim Minor, (PI), Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences (DEES); Scott Bassett (PI), DEES; Judith Lancaster (Co-I), DEES; Chris Kratt (Co-I), DEES; and Jeremy Burke (Co-I), DEES
From UNR: Brian Bonnenfant (PI), NSBDC.
Update
2007: May | June | July | August | September | October | November| December
Current Year: 2008
May 2007:
Personnel made arrangements with the Nevada Division of Water Resources (NDWR) to secure a workspace and workstation at NDWR’s Carson City office for the purposes of collecting groundwater data and developing new data sets for permitted wells and Places of Use (POUs). DRI is now sending Project 1a personnel to the NDWR on a weekly basis to perform these tasks.
PDF map files displaying agricultural, commercial, residential, industrial, and vacant land use parcels (five separate maps) are nearly complete and will be available to the public via the Walker Basin Project website when finished.
June 2007:
Project personnel have been georeferencing scanned groundwater Place of Use (POU) maps provided by Nevada Division of Water Resources (NDWR), then digitizing the resultant data layers and integrating the data into a geodatabase. This geodatabase, when completed, will represent a digital, comprehensive representation of permitted and certificated groundwater rights in the Walker Basin.
The data and maps are being compiled to provide an economic and geographic review of the Basin. After an initial release of some data, it is being reviewed for consistency and accuracy against other data sources.
July 2007:
Project 1 personnel have continued georeferencing groundwater Place of Use and Points of Diversion maps at the Nevada Division of Water Resources. This has been an extremely successful collaboration, providing groundwater use information in an updated, digital format for both the Nevada Division of Water Resources and the Walker Basin Project. The Nevada Division of Water Resources, in particular Matt Dillon, has commented that Desert Research Institute’s efforts have significantly improved the quality of their groundwater databases.
August 2007:
The Water Rights GIS database team has continued georeferencing and digitizing groundwater Place of Use and Points of Diversion maps at the Nevada Division of Water Resources. Including permitted and change applications, the team has completed georeferencing and digitizing approximately 65 percent of the all the wells in Smith and Mason Valleys. Economic and demographic GIS database team is waiting on acquisition of 1-foot aerial photography to begin mapping and identification of crop types in order to estimate crop values. Began updating Census block-level demographics for Lyon County. Gave a presentation at the Walker Basin Stakeholders meeting.
September 2007:
Project personnel have continued georeferencing and digitizing groundwater Place of Use and Points of Diversion maps at the Nevada Division of Water Resources. Including permitted and change applications, the Institute has completed georeferencing and digitizing approximately 80% of the all the wells in Smith and Mason Valleys. Desert Research Institute just purchased one foot aerial photography for Lyon County acquired last April. These data will be shared with a number of other projects in the Walker Basin Project.
Updated selected Census block-level demographics for Lyon County using county assessor’s information. Updated attributes include population, households, housing units by type, tenure, age, race, sex, income, occupation, education, year built, and housing values.
October 2007:
Project personnel have continued georeferencing and digitizing groundwater Place of Use and Points of Diversion maps at the Nevada Division of Water Resources, and is nearing completion of the database for both Mason and Smith Valleys. All of the Places of Use and Points of Diversion for Mason Valley are completed, and Smith Valley is nearly completed (90%). This will be a significant milestone in Project 1a when completed, hopefully next month (November).
Desert Research Institute has been sharing recently acquired data with a number of other Walker Basin project team members, as well as outside collaborators. Project 1a personnel packaged up the one foot aerial photography it recently purchased for Brian Bonnenfant and John Snyder of the Project 1b team, as well Peter Weisburg of the Project 4 and 5 teams. This included a derivative mosaic of all of the one foot aerial tiles developed specifically for the project. Project 1a personnel also provided Project 4 and 5 team members with time-series Landsat satellite imagery of the study area, and other ancillary spatial data sets. Project 1a personnel provided Linda Wimberly of the Lyon County Geographic Information Systems Department with hypsography data (elevation contours), as well as copies of the one foot aerial photography mosaic recently created.
- Updated selected Census block-level demographics for Mineral County using county assessor’s information. Updated attributes include population, households, housing units by type, tenure, age, race, sex, income, occupation, education, and year built.
November 2007:
Project personnel have continued georeferencing and digitizing groundwater Place of Use and Points of Diversion maps at the Nevada Division of Water Resources, and is nearing completion of the database for both Mason and Smith Valleys. All of the Places of Use and Points of Diversion for both Mason Valley and Smith Valley have been digitized.
Project personnel met with representatives of the Nevada Department of Wildlife at the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area to show them some of the ditch and drain mapping we have done to date, and to ask for their input on ditch and drain systems for the wildlife management area. They provided excellent comments and suggestions. Project personnel agreed to provide NDOW personnel with a high resolution photomap of the Wildlife Management Area.
Field checked industry locations, names, and type provided by Department of Employment for specific use by the Center for Regional Studies (UNR) in order to verify accuracy of 2nd quarter 2006 database in Smith Valley.
December 2007:
Project personnel have completed georeferencing and digitizing groundwater Place of Use and Points of Diversion maps at the Nevada Division of Water Resources for both Mason and Smith Valleys. The completed data sets are presently being reviewed by Nevada Division of Water Resources staff. These staff members are providing feedback to DRI personnel in the form of quality control checks on the digitizing and attributing aspects of the Place of Use and Points of Diversion data sets.
Project personnel provided Nevada Division of Wildlife staff at the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area with a customized high resolution photomap of the Wildlife Management Area for planning and management purposes.
Acquired second quarter 2007 industry information from Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation in order to update firms, employment, and average wages by industry.