GIS5100 Module 5: Suitability & Least Cost Analysis - Part 1

-
We're starting the last Module 5 on Suitability and Least Cost analysis, where we walk through several hypothetical situations to identify the best-suited conditions for construction as well as to identify conservation zones. I started these last labs with high hopes of finishing at a decent time, so I wouldn't be juggling work, classes, and traveling -- but alas, this colossal titan of a final lab separated into 4 parts/scenarios got to me and has followed me out of state. Haha!
For this first half of the lab, we created two maps: equal-weighting and slope-priority, which offer different perspectives for potential construction in Jackson County, Oregon. We reclassified several rasters: landcover, soils, slope, roads, and rivers. We then used the Weighted Overlay tool to set values in a range from 1-5, with all 5 layers weighted equally at 20% each for the equal-weighted map. Afterward, we applied alternative weight values to each of the previous 5 layers, which were more slope-focused (40% shift). Immediately, you can see how the amount of each value changes as you redistribute the weight, with suitability for a 5 value increasing noticeably when it became slope-focused. You can compare the results below.
Land Development Suitability in Jackson County, Oregon. Suitability is ranked from least to most likely suitable for construction in this mountainous area.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

GIS5050 Final Project: The Bobwhite-Manatee Transmission Line

-
Image
The time has come for the final project to be completed and the class done! It's a bit wild for me to think that much time has passed where my first GIS grad course is over. Throughout the entire final project, I had a lot of fun actually creating these maps -- maybe too much since I ended up losing sleep some days because I was so in a flow state, so into just constantly trying and tweaking ideas of how the basemap should be or how the insets should look, etc. I think the biggest takeaway I have from my first grad course in a long time is that I'm way too much of a perfectionist. I even chuckled at myself how frequently I wanted to redo the recordings of my final presentation just because I didn't like how I said something, stuttered, or so on. At this point, no amount of minor editing will change my grade that drastically -- it's not worth it to mull over to no end. Ultimately, I'm still very proud of the map deliverables I created and are maps I would be content ...
Read more

GIS5007 Module 3: Cartographic Design

-
Image
I'm back from vacation and was itching to start on my layout for this module, because this week's lab is on Cartographic Design. With Cartographic Design, we were heavily advised to keep Gestalt Design Principles in mind, including visual hierarchy, contrast, figure-ground, and visual balance. If one doesn't keep these principles at the core of map-making, then there's a high chance the message you're trying to send will be lost or misinterpreted. Ward 7's Public Schools. We focused on the elementary, middle, and high schools in Washington, D.C.'s Ward 7, with other environmental features, like parks, waterways, and roads, accentuating it. As you can see from the map above, we had to create a map of the public schools located in Ward 7. Due to the awkward shape of Ward 7's polygon/boundary, it was a testament to my confidence when placing my map elements. I moved my elements around so much, slightly tweaking them here and there, that I resorted to scribb...
Read more

GIS5007 Module 2: Typography

-
Image
I'm coming to the realization that I'm becoming more of a GIS/map nerd than I thought I'd ever be. I think a large part of it comes down to my perfectionism, to a fault; however, I also want to believe it's because I long for a creative outlet, especially when I'm stuck making a certain type of map at work. They're not bad maps by any means, but there's a certain formula and structure to them that doesn't allow for much experimentation, which speaking of experimentation... It was so nice to finally get my grubby GIS hands on more creative map-making again! This week's module focused on typography, which made us consider the importance of labels and how we stylize, set, and size them can affect the legibility of features. The lab walked us through the process of building a solid foundation for a map layout that focuses on the major features throughout Florida. These features were rivers, swamps/marshes, cities, and counties. One of my first assignment...
Read more