Long Term Resource Monitoring Program

Program Report

95-P008

Standard Operating Procedures

for Spatial Data Processing

July 1995
Standard Operating Procedures

for Spatial Data Processing

by 

National Biological Service

Environmental Management Technical Center

575 Lester Avenue

Onalaska, Wisconsin 54650

July 1995
The Environmental Management Technical Center issues LTRMP Program Reports to

provide Long Term Resource Monitoring Program partners with programmatic documentation,

procedures manuals, training manuals, and geospatial applications.

National Biological Service

Environmental Management

Technical Center

CENTER DIRECTOR

Robert L. Delaney

SCIENCE ADVISOR

John W. Barko

INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY

SERVICES DIRECTOR

Norman W. Hildrum

GEOSPATIAL APPLICATIONS

DIRECTOR

Frank D'Erchia

INFORMATION TRANSFER AND MEDIA

SERVICES MANAGER

Terry D'Erchia

REPORT EDITOR

Madelon M. Wise

Cover graphic by Mi Ae Lipe-Butterbrodt

Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation

for use by the National Biological Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

The National Biological Service . . . gathering, analyzing,

and sharing the biological information necessary to support the wise

stewardship of the Nation's natural resources.

 Printed on recycled paper 
iii

Preface

The Long Term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP) was authorized under the

Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-662) as an element of the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Environmental Management Program. The LTRMP is

being implemented by the Environmental Management Technical Center, an office of the

National Biological Service, in cooperation with the five Upper Mississippi River

System (UMRS) States of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin, with

guidance and Program responsibility provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

The UMRS encompasses the commercially navigable reaches of the Upper Mississippi

River, as well as the Illinois River and navigable portions of the Kaskaskia, Black, St.

Croix, and Minnesota Rivers.

The mission of the LTRMP is to provide decision makers with information to

maintain the UMRS as a sustainable large river ecosystem given its multiple-use

character. The long-term goals of the Program are to understand the system, determine

resource trends and impacts, develop management alternatives, manage information, and

develop useful products.

This report supports Strategy 4.1.1, Develop and Update Information Management

Guidance Documents under Objective 4.1, Provide Direction for Automation Activities.

This report was developed with funding provided by the Long Term Resource

Monitoring Program.

Additional copies of this report may be obtained from the National Technical

Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161 (1-800-

553-6847 or 703-487-6847).

This report should be cited as:

National Biological Service. 1995. Standard Operating Procedures for spatial data

processing. National Biological Service, Environmental Management Technical

Center, Onalaska, Wisconsin, July 1995. LTRMP 95-P008.
v

Contents

Page

Preface ............................................................ iii

Contents .......................................................... v

Introduction ........................................................ vi

Standard Operating Procedures

Photointerpretation ........................................ 95-P008-1

Field Station Photointerpretation ............................. 95-P008-2

Production ARCEDIT Digitizing ............................. 95-P008-3

Automated Stereo Zoom Transfer Scope ....................... 95-P008-4

Manual Zoom Transfer Scope ............................... 95-P008-5

Aquatic Areas Database Production ........................... 95-P008-6

Quality Control For Cartographic Activities ..................... 95-P008-7
vi

Introduction

The development of spatial databases should follow standard guidelines to ensure

reliability of the end product. This document contains procedures for data entry

(digitizing), photo interpretation, operation of the zoom transfer scope, and development

of bathymetric databases. These standard operating procedures (SOPs) provide

instructions for processing data collected in the field, whether by airborne camera or

hydrographic survey equipment, and the use of the equipment associated with these

activities. The SOPs have been developed by Long Term Resource Monitoring Program

(LTRMP) staff who are responsible for these activities. In some cases, such as the

Digitizing SOP, the instructions are specific to software applications developed by

LTRMP staff. In most instances, the SOPs included in this document are the result of

years of experience and can serve as general guidelines for anyone involved in these

activities.

This document will be updated and added to as SOPs change and new SOPs are

developed for additional activities, such as the Global Positioning System.
The Long Term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP) for the Upper

Mississippi River System was authorized under the Water Resources

Development Act of 1986 as an element of the Environmental Management

Program. The mission of the LTRMP is to provide river managers with

information to maintain the Upper Mississippi River System as a sustainable

large river ecosystem given its multiple-use character. The LTRMP is a

cooperative effort by the National Biological Service, the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, and the States of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin.