The Evolution of Applied Geographic Information Systems for Oil Spill Response in California: Rapid Data Dissemination for Informed Decision Making
Authors: Muskat Judd 
Published: August 2014

Computing technology has advanced to the point where it is now standard practice to employ complex Geographic Information Systems (GIS) within the Incident Command Post (ICP). Simultaneously, field data collection has been migrating to mobile computing applications which output GIS files that are quickly displayed for real-time situational awareness. From the initial emergency response through clean-up and sign-off much data with a spatial component is generated and many disparate data sets are collected. More efficient data integration, management and visual analysis affords Incident Commanders and Section Chiefs the ability to make informed and timely planning, operational and strategic decisions.

Traditionally GIS maps were created in the ICP from field sketches, field notes and verbal reports. Processing of these data by the GIS Unit is very time consuming and prone to error. Preliminary efforts to streamline and automate field data collection by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW, formerly the California Department of Fish and Game), Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) utilized Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers to record waypoints and track lines. Since then more elegant electronic field data collection applications installed on small, handheld computers have been developed including those for “Wildlife Recovery and Transport”, “Resources at Risk” over flights, and the “Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Technique” (SCAT). Other recent advancements allow for real-time aerial remote sensing for oil slick detection and detailed mapping of its properties, and displaying the output from coastal High Frequency (HF) radar installations for real-time visualization of local ocean surface current fields. These field data collection applications are explained in more detail in the body of this paper.

Once these data are incorporated into the GIS a web-based Common Operational Picture (COP) is utilized for timely dissemination of relevant geospatial data. OSPR has worked closely with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) to develop “Southwest ERMA” (Environmental Response Management Application) as California's COP for web-based data dissemination and incident situational awareness.

At the Deepwater Horizon (MC-252) Incident Command Post (ICP) in Houma, Louisiana many responders were from outside of the region and unfamiliar with the local geography. Area base maps with a standardized coast line and place names were not readily available for several days which added unnecessary confusion to the mix. As a lesson learned and in order to avoid this situation for an oil spill response in California, OSPR and NOAA have pre-loaded Southwest ERMA with pertinent base maps, charts and spill response planning data from the three California Area Contingency Plans (ACPs). These data are deliberately made freely available to the general public via the Southwest ERMA web-viewer without any user login credentials required.