Blog Post 2 - Finding and Projecting Data

Gathering data and creating the map.

I have gathered data from the NYS GIS Clearinghouse website and projected the data in the same coordinate system. Fortunately, I found the projected pipeline route online and was able to convert the KML file to a layer so I could use it for my map. Before, I was planning on georeferencing a picture of the proposed route and projecting it onto my map. The NYS lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds shapefile contained water-bodies with classifications varying from AA to D, so I only selected AA and A classified water-bodies and projected that layer. So far, I have all the layers projected on the map and have been playing around with them. I am thinking of putting a few different maps on my final poster with different layers activated for each one.

All the layers are activated for this picture

(cities, counties, watersheds, water-bodies, locations of rare animal, plant, and ecological communities)

Next I plan to go county by county and examine where the pipeline intersects various watersheds, bodies of water, and rare wildlife locations. Luckily, the data were readily available and I did not experience any roadblocks, so I am a little ahead of schedule.