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Greetings!
As the year comes to a close, we thought you'd enjoy seeing what Stone has been up to in 2012 in the world of spatial analysis, web GIS applications, environmental modeling, and GIS mapping. Perhaps it spurs an idea for that project you've been working on?
Although some of the creative projects you will read about below began internally in our constant quest for expanding the realm of the possible, much of the credit for this great work also goes to our clients, who's creative vision was a key driver. As always, we are proud to be your partners.
Sincerely,
David Healy
Vice President, Applied Information Management
dhealy@stone-env.com |
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YEAR IN REVIEW
The latest
in Applied
Information,
Spatial Analysis
& Mapping,
and Web GIS |
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| Putting California Pesticide Data on the Map |
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Developed for: Stone Baseline Capabilities
The Stone team recognized the California Pesticide Use Reporting database data as an incredibly valuable resource, but one that was difficult to work with in pure data form. Stone has created a web-GIS tool to present 11 years of pesticide use (2000-2010) from California's Pesticide Use Reporting (PUR) program data. It contains data on 1,278 chemicals on 280 crop uses.
Current functionality includes: visual animation of pesticide use over time using year slider; dynamic legend, click on section for bar chart of 11 year history; optimized responsiveness; options for filter (chemical, units, sites, and year).
Customization and added functionality may be available for your project.
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| Spatial Analysis for Primary Care Service Areas |
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Developed for: Onpoint Health Data for the Green Mountain Care Board
A key factor to developing a better health care system is understanding how people use what is available to them today. The Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) commissioned this study to understand the patterns of primary care utilization in the State of Vermont, with the goal of developing Primary Care Service Area (PCSA) definitions for the State. The analyses will help the state identify primary care needs and conduct health services planning.
Vermont's all payer claims database, the Vermont Healthcare Claims Uniform Reporting and Evaluation System (VHCURES), was the basis of this study. Geographical data were matched with claims data to analyze visits and flows of expenditures for primary care. The zip code based analyses identified areas where patients tend to travel to primary care providers by determining the the preference locations of the majority of patients.
In addition, a number of spider analyses were completed to visualize the flow of expenditures from one PCSA to other PCSAs.
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Telling the Election Story Visually
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Developed for: Vermont Secretary of State Division of Elections
For Vermont's 2012 Primary and Final Elections, Stone geocoded Vermont's Registered Voters, assigned district ID's based on new reapportionment maps, and extracted town and district voting results.
With this information, Stone created interactive storymaps for Presidential, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, and Auditor elections.
The resulting maps are both interesting and informative.
VIEW THE ELECTION MAPS (click here)
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| Essex Junction and Winooski Areawide Assessments |
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Developed for: Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
Researching past uses of a site is an often laborious - but critical - step on the path toward new development.
Stone designed and built an MS Access database application that enabled the client to store and review 120 years of historic Manning's directory and Sanborn Fire Insurance data and identify potentially contaminated areas. The design of the database allowed the client to link all use data and supporting files to every historic and existing structure of interest. The database provides the following functions: facilitate data collection and entry; provide easy access to all data; store use related data from multiple sources; spatially display use & contaminant data; and enable use and contamination analysis and summaries.
Stone also created a movie showing the change in building use and potential contaminants over the entire period.
VIEW THE MOVIE HERE
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Endangered Species Analysis & Modeling |
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Developed for: Confidential Client
Good product stewardship means continued analysis and modeling of your impact on the environment.
Stone is conducting spatial analyses and watershed modeling of the potential impact from exposure of pesticides on a number of California endangered species.
The data compiled for the project includes the pesticide use data by amount, year, and location from California's Pesticide Use Database; NatureServe species database; USFWS Critical Habitat databases; multiple years of USDA NASS Cropland Data analysis; historic weather information. The spatial analyses included calculating the areas within or in proximity to cropland where the chemical of interest might be applied and running SWAT and PRZM/EXAMS models to determine the impact on the aquatic endangered species.
The analyses will be submitted to US EPA by the client in support of their chemical registration process.
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| Vermont Blueprint for Health Web Application |
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Developed for: Vermont Blueprint for Health
Good health care relies on a complex network of professionals and administrators using a common database.
Stone has designed and is building a prototype web database that converts a large, multiple workbook spreadsheet into a form driven web application. The application required creation of multiple user roles, translating the various spreadsheet workbooks into appropriate relational database tables and developing drop down data entry/edit form fields for Vermont's Blueprint for Health program participants. This database has over 150 primary care practices, 1,500 primary health care providers, and 14 community health teams.
When fully completed, each appropriate-level user will be able to maintain their own data and all database changes can be tracked to insure the integrity of all information submitted on all Medicaid claims.
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| Missisquoi Basin Phosphorus Critical Source Areas Web Storymap |
Developed for: The Lake Champlain Basin Program, Vermont
When environmental Best Management Practices are concerned, all stakeholders are interested in getting the most "bang for the buck."
Stone has developed a Critical Source Area storymap using Esri's ArcGIS Online template. The web site allows the user to zoom into any land area and understand the amount of predicted long-term phosphorus loss from the landscape (based on the modeled output from using the Soil Water Assessment Tool); the soil information; and the land area.
This storymap has been embraced by farmers and USDA NRCS conservation staff in pinpointing where Best Management Practices can be most effectively deployed.
VIEW THE STORYMAP (click here)
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| Endangered Species Web Tool for Growers |
Developed for: Confidential Client
Stone has developed a web-based GIS tool that enables growers to understand whether a field where they intend to apply a pesticide is far enough away from engangered species habitat in order to protect the species.
The tool allows the user to specify the type of endangered species, enter the target setback distance, and draw a polygon representing the area for proposed application.
When run, the application will inform the user whether or not it is safe to apply pesticide to their field, and if not, indicate where along the field boundary that pesticide use should be restricted.
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| Environmental Visualizations for a Contaminated Site |
Developed for: Confidential Client
When it comes to underground contamination, one of the keys to understanding and fixing complex problems is being able to "see" them.
Using C Tech's Environmental Visualization System (EVS) software, Stone has created a number of finite difference and finite element modeling grid generation images; 3D fence diagrams; multiple analyte data analysis; arbitrary slicing & cutting of a contaminated site using the output from Stone's Investigations and Remediation Group's onsite characterization and laboratory efforts.
The results have helped the client and EPA understand the distribution and location of the contamination. |
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| STONE INFRASTRUCTURE EXPANSION |
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Stone's ArcGIS Server 10.1 in the Amazon Cloud
Stone has now purchased an ASP ArcGIS Server License in the Amazon Cloud to host its GIS applications for clients.
Check out our publically hosted applications such as:
Hosted Private Sites Include:
- USAID Liberia Program Mapper, The Mitchell Group/USAID Monrovia
- Endangered Species Proximity Analysis Tool, Private Client
- Turning Earth Web Tool, Turning Earth, LLC
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| STAFF NEWS, PRESENTATIONS, AND AWARDS |
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STAFF ADDITIONS:
The Applied Information Management Team (AIM) has recently added two new environmental modelers. Their addition will significantly expand our environmental modeling and spatial analysis capabilities.
- Lauren Padilla recently earned her Ph.D from Princeton in Mechanical Engineering and Atmospheric Sciences. Her dissertation is Application of Empirical and Dynamical Closure Methods to Simple Climate Models.
- Gloria Perez-Falcon is a recent graduate from the University of Florida where she earned a Masters in Agricultural and Biological Engineering with a research topic of Modelling Landscape Processes to Explore Water as a Limiting Factor in Savanna Ecosystems.
CERTIFICATIONS AND TRAINING:
- Alan Hammersmith achieved 2 more ESRI Technical Certifications. He is now an Enterprise System Design Associate and an Enterprise Geodatabase Management Professional. He previously held the Geodatabase Management Associate certification, which has now been upgraded to the Professional Level. Coupled with his Web Application Developer Associate Certification, this exemplifies Stone's expertise for building large and small scale Enterprise GIS Solutions from end-to-end.
- Nick Floersch has completed a three-day intensive Agile training class as part of Stone's commitment to streamlining its software development methodologies.
RECENT PRESENTATIONS:
- SETAC, Long Beach, CA: Mike Winchell presented Development and Validation of an Approach for Modeling Pyrethroid Residues in Urban Streams (Nov 12, 2012)
- American Chemical Society, Philadelphia, PA: Mike Winchell presented Refined Application of the SWAT Model for Endangered Species Effects Determination (Aug 21, 2012)
- American Chemical Society, Philadelphia, PA: Mike Winchell presented Evaluation of an Approach for Modeling Transport of Residential Pyrethroid Applications (Aug 23, 2012)
- Northeast Arc Users Conference, Rockland, ME: Charlie Hofmann presented Mining History: Historical GIS for Area Wide Assessment and Redevelopment (Nov 12, 2012)
- Northeast Arc Users Conference, Rockland, ME: Alan Hammersmith presented USAID Liberia Program Mapper Web and Californina Pesticide Use Reporting Tool Applications. (Nov 12, 2012)
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Do you have a question about one of the projects above? Got an idea of your own?
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About Stone Environmental |
Stone Environmental provides scientific tools, information, and anlyses to help clients solve environmental challenges. Clients rely on us because of our integrity, expertise, and innovation. Stone works with clients around the globe and employs over 50 scientists, engineers, modelers, programmers, and project managers in Montpelier, Vermont.
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Stone Environmental, Inc. Capabilities |
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Decentralized wastewater planning,
Stormwater retrofits and low impact development, Agricultural stewardship, Applied water resource research, TMDL and Clean Water Act compliance support.
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Spacial Analysis and Mapping, Web GIS Applications, Database Applications, Data Discovery and Development, Environmental Modeling. |
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Site investigation and remediation services, analytical chemistry & MobiLab services, Membrane Interface Probe (MIP) technology, Waterloo APS Advanced Profiling System, Environmental Drilling, CORE DFN data analysis and visualization. |
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PRZM/EXAMS modeling, Product Stewardship data acquisition and Field Studies, EPA Certification field studies and modelling. |
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