umpqua explorer web portal project (amendment to personal...

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Umpqua Explorer Web Portal Project

(Amendment to Personal Services Agreement for Umpqua Basin Explorer

OSU Index Number Y0202)

PHASE 3 COMPLETION REPORT TO THE

PARTNERSHIP FOR THE UMPQUA RIVERS

January 29, 2009

The Institute for Natural Resources (INR) at Oregon State University (OSU) and OSU Libraries

are pleased to submit this project completion report for the Umpqua Basin Explorer Phase 3.

The Umpqua Basin Explorer website is available online at http://www.umpquaexplorer.info.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The Umpqua Basin Explorer (UBE) project is an effort to integrate the extensive information

from the Umpqua Basin into a system which will provide access to information and tools to

assist local decision-makers, watershed groups, and landowners to improve their environment.

Extensive public and private investments have allowed OSU to begin to create natural resources

information portals elsewhere in Oregon. The UBE project leverages these investments to help

define critical environmental questions with the local community, to build a functional web

portal to answer these questions for the Umpqua Basin, and to assure that important natural

resource information remains preserved and available.

The Umpqua Basin Explorer is a website designed to provide citizens and policy makers with

information to help them make better decisions about managing and restoring fish populations

and water quality in the Umpqua Basin. The Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers (PUR)

contracted with Oregon State University—specifically the OSU Libraries (OSUL) and the

Institute for Natural Resources (INR)—to create the site, using funding provided previously by

the Roseburg RAC for development of an information repository. The initial application to the

RAC indicated that the site would be developed locally. However, the opportunity arose to

collaborate with OSUL and INR to create the Umpqua Explorer, modeled after two pilot

projects, the North Coast Explorer and the Willamette Basin Explorer. The team from OSUL

and INR have considerable expertise and an in-depth knowledge of Oregon natural resource

databases. Therefore, they were able to efficiently complete phase 1 of the Umpqua Basin

Explorer. Additional funds from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) for phase

2 of the Umpqua Basin Explorer enabled further refinements, including:

Improved access to Local and State-Wide Water Quality Databases, with the ability to build

reports, develop summary statistics, and improve the ability to display this information on

maps.

Improved ability to summarize and display information about restoration projects.

http://www.umpquaexplorer.info/

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Improved ability to summarize and display information about fish passage inventories

(culverts) collected by the Umpqua Basin Fish Access Team, the BLM, and the Forest

Service.

Improved basic functionality and appearance by enhancing the map-based navigation tools,

adding more feature stories, and upgrading the search tool, among other tasks.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES FOR PHASE 3 OF THE UMPQUA BASIN EXPORER

Phase 3 of the Umpqua Basin Explorer addresses new information needs and site improvements

as identified by the local partners (PUR). Specific UBE phase 3 objectives include:

A digital library of archival information about fish and water in the Umpqua Basin that is

found primarily in reports housed in disparate locations (e.g., offices of various State and

Federal agencies and local organizations). Tasks will include:

o Identifying the archiving team

o Scoping the sources which will be canvassed (primary sources likely include local

offices of state and Federal agencies and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

(ODFW) Umpqua Watershed District Office)

o Assembling candidate information relevant to Umpqua aquatic resources

o Summarizing the candidate information identified during the discovery process

o Circulating compiled list for review and prioritization by UBE executive team and

TAC

o Digitizing and cataloging priority documents (up to 10 scanned documents)

Further development of the site’s ability to visualize natural resources information, such as

o Addition of 1998-2006 IRDA data to the restoration visualization tool and the

advanced mapping tool

o Addition of USFS fish-passage inventory information for 2000-01 to the fish-passage

visualization tool

o Upload of the latest UBFAT data to the visualization and advanced mapping tools

o Exploration of ability to overlap other spatial coverages in visualization tools (e.g.,

presence/absence data for fish in the fish-passage visualization tool)

o Addition of E. coli calculator to Water Quality page

o Completion of project to upload restoration photos for use in the restoration

visualization tool

o Ability to superimpose multiple graphs on water-quality visualization tool

o Availability of UBFAT databases and shapefiles on UBE

o Addition of key data layers to UBE mapping tool, as they are available: 1) 6th field

watersheds, 2) 7th field watersheds, 3) NRCS soils, 4) historic vegetation, 5)

vegetation, 6) school districts

o Add an “In the News” section to Additional Resources section of UBE

A section dedicated to providing teachers and other educators with information that will

help them teach students about natural resources and their management in the Umpqua

Basin, such as:

o New website architectural features that support providing educational information

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o Place-based information about education sites in the Umpqua Basin (i.e. BLM’s

North Bank Ranch, the Alder Creek Children’s Forest, Hinkle Creek Paired

Watershed Study, and the Mildred Kanipe Ranch)

o Descriptions of educational activities and the related standards/benchmarks being

met by these

o Example curricula and student products resulting from such projects

o Compilation of teacher resources such as websites, organizations, etc. related to

natural resources education

o Pre-made maps highlighting specific education sites at a fine resolution (e.g., 7th field

watersheds)

An agreed upon governance document agreed to by PUR, INR, and OSUL leadership.

Another run of UBE bookmarks for use in marketing the website.

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OVERVIEW OF PHASE 3 IMPROVEMENTS

Figure 1. Umpqua Basin Explorer homepage (1-27-09)

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The portion of the site which recognizes PUR’s contribution to Phase 3 development is shown

below.

Figure 2. “About This Site” section of Umpqua Basin Explorer that acknowledges PUR’s contribution to

the project

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Products of Phase 3 development are described in the following paragraphs. The descriptions

are divided into six sections: 1) digital library of archival information about fish and water, 2)

teachers and educators section, 3) restoration project visualization tool, 4) water quality

information, and 5) UBE site-wide improvements, and 6) governance document

1) Digital library of archival information about fish and water - The library can be accessed at

http://umpquaexplorer.info/publications/publications.aspx?Res=21632 and is linked from

various pages within the Umpqua Basin Explorer.

At the outset of scoping for Phase 3 of the UBE project, PUR partners and staff discussed the

limitations in accessing to reports housed in disparate locations (e.g., offices of various State and

Federal agencies and local organizations).

In order to increase the access to information about fish and water, the UBE Phase 3 archiving

team canvassed multiple sources, including the PUR Library and the ODFW Umpqua

Watershed District Office, and assembled candidate information relevant to Umpqua aquatic

resources. The candidate information is summarized in a comprehensive bibliography which

can be accessed at: http://umpquaexplorer.info/publications/publications.aspx?Res=21580

The OSU archiving team built a web survey to facilitate prioritizing the candidate list. The

compiled bibliography/web survey was circulated to the UBE executive team and Technical

Advisory Committee for prioritization. After the 10 priority documents were finalized, the

documents were obtained, cataloged, digitized, and added to the digital library.

http://umpquaexplorer.info/publications/publications.aspx?Res=21632

http://umpquaexplorer.info/publications/publications.aspx?Res=21580

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Figure 3. Archival information about fish and water on the Umpqua Basin Explorer

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2) Teachers and Educators section - The section can be accessed at

http://umpquaexplorer.info/watersheds/WShedStory.aspx?Res=21586 and is linked from

various pages within the Umpqua Basin Explorer.

During early scoping for Phase 3 of the Umpqua Basin Explorer, it became evident that there

was interest to include a section dedicated to providing teachers and other educators with

information that will help them teach students about natural resources and their management

in the Umpqua Basin.

An Educational Resources group met on June 19, 2008 with representation from Roseburg BLM,

City of Roseburg Parks Division, AmeriCorps VISTA, Lewis and Clark College and Alder Creek

Children’s Forest. Outcomes from this session helped to refine the design criteria for this

section. We expanded our original list of four sites to include two more sites, the Umpqua

Discovery Center and the Wildlife Safari. We created an interactive map of all six sites on our

new Learning Locations page.

Figure 4. “Learning Location” section of Umpqua Basin Explorer

http://umpquaexplorer.info/watersheds/WShedStory.aspx?Res=21586

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See Figure 5 below for an example of an Educational Site page.

Figure 5. “Educational” site page of Umpqua Basin Explorer

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3) Restoration Project Visualization Tool - The tool can be accessed at

http://oregonexplorer.info/RestorationVisTool and is linked from various pages within the

Umpqua Basin Explorer.

We further developed the site’s ability to visualize natural resources information by adding the

1998-2006 IRDA data and the latest UBFAT data, by adding the ability to overlap fish

distribution data, and by adding the ability to upload restoration photos to the restoration tool.

Figure 6. Improved Oregon Watershed Restoration Tool

4) Water Quality Information

We further developed the site’s ability to visualize natural resources information by adding the

ability to superimpose multiple graphs on the water-quality visualization tool

http://www.oregonexplorer.info/pnwwqxReport/.

http://oregonexplorer.info/RestorationVisTool

http://www.oregonexplorer.info/pnwwqxReport/

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Figure 7. Improved Water Quality Visualization Tool

In addition we added PUR’s E. coli calculator to the Water Quality page.

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Figure 8. Improved Water Quality page

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Figure 9. Web-enabled MPN Calculator

5) UBE Site-wide Improvements

At the initiation of this project, the OSU team and PUR members identified several refinements

that would improve usability of the UBE. Examples of the site-wide improvements that have

been implemented in this phase are:

Refined architecture that is consistent with all sites in the Explorer series, such as a list of

other Explorer Sites under the Help section

Inclusion of new spatial datasets such as 1998-2006 IRDA data to the advanced mapping

tool

Addition of an “In the News” section to the Additional Resources section of UBE

6) Governance document

As the UBE evolves, critical decisions are required for INR and OSUL to meet the needs and

wants of the audience they serve. While INR, OSUL and PUR via Bob Kinyon and an ad hoc

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steering committee have been able to establish goals and objectives without conflict to date,

there remains a gap or uncertainty about decision making and ownership authority of the UBE.

The INR, OSUL, and PUR would like to resolve this uncertainty by formalizing the process for

oversight, development, and maintenance of the site. Thus, an agreed upon governance

document has been created.

Please see Appendix C for a copy of the governance document.

PROJECT EVALUATION

In order to measure the success of the UBE, the OSU team created an online survey that is

linked from the UBE homepage. For Phase III, we have replaced the generic Oregon Explorer

User Survey with a survey specific to the Umpqua Basin Explorer.

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Figure 10. Questions from the new online survey to evaluate the benefit of the Umpqua Basin Explorer

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To date we have received one response about the UBE via the survey. The user is a scientist

who found the site useful and would continue to use the site. In addition the scientist

commented that the Umpqua Basin Explorer “…is a great resource.” Three areas of concern

were navigation, searching, and using a photo for a publication. We will address these

concerns and continue to compile survey responses as they are submitted and provide this

feedback to OWEB on an annual basis.

Please see Appendix B for a copy of the survey response.

To help evaluate the use of the Umpqua Basin Explorer Web site, OSU employs Urchin 5

software from Google Analytics. This software analyzes traffic for Web sites and provides

accurate and easy-to-understand reports about usage.

Following is a sampling of the statistics for UBE use.

Statistics for UBE site visits*

Visits in 2006 = 11,082

Visits in 2007 = 25,327

Visits in 2008 = 84,196

* A visit is a sequence of requests, all made from the same IP address, ending when the browser is closed

or shut down, or when there is a gap between requests of more than 30 minutes.

Figure 11. Number of visits each year from 2006 to 2008. The Umpqua Basin Explorer was made public

in March of 2006.

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OSU will continue to use Urchin 5 Software to track use of the UBE in the coming months and

report to OWEB about use statistics on an annual basis. This valuable tool will enable PUR and

OSU to continue to evaluate use of the site (including popular content and tools) and inform

future decisions about enhancements to and expansion of the site based on user feedback.

PUBLIC AWARENESS ACTIVITIES

Training sessions are coordinated by OSU Libraries’ staff and focus on online visualization,

mapping, and reporting tools. Janine Salwasser gave a training session at TreeSchool Umpqua

during the course of phase 3 development. This training event was attended by eight people

and provided potential users with an excellent orientation to the integrated data, tools, and

information that are readily accessible on the Internet through the Umpqua Basin Explorer.

Please see Appendix D for a copy of the training document offered at Tree School Umpqua on

June 19, 2008 in Roseburg, Oregon by Janine Salwasser, OSU Libraries.

OSU staff will continue to provide demos and trainings of the functionality available thanks to

the UBE Phase 3 development work. In addition, revised bookmarks for the Umpqua Basin

Explorer have been printed for distribution at public outreach events.

Please see Appendix A for a copy of the UBE bookmark produced by OSU Libraries.

FISCAL AND ACCOUNTING INFORMATION

The total project cost is $29,215.95 which is $97.95 over the original budget of $29,118.

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APPENDIX A: UMPQUA BASIN EXPLORER BOOKMARK

This page includes a copy of the revised Umpqua Explorer Bookmark.

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APPENDIX B: WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID

This page includes the response from the On-Line User Survey.

Time Taken: 11/1/07 8:30 AM

User Type: Scientist

Site Usefulness: Agree

Navigation ease: Disagree

Repeated use: Agree

Q5. : Stream clearance photos.

Q6. : This is a great resource.

Q7. : Three concerns:

First, I found that locating the Woody Holderman stream clearance photos was not that easy. His

photos are under "Oregon State collections." When you put "Holderman" in the search bar you

get nothing. A direct search from Google of "Umpqua Holderman" works much better.

Second, navigating within the Umpqua Explorer takes you to places outside the Umpqua

Explorer, even out of the Oregon Explorer.

Third, if a person wanted to use Explorer photos for a publication, what is the route to obtain the

photo?

Q8. : See #7

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APPENDIX C: GOVERNANCE DOCUMENT

Umpqua Basin Explorer Governance

January 2009

Background:

Need: Umpqua Basin Explorer (UBE) needs a decision making body responsible for

administering contracts, coordinating content and data, and acting as responsible party for this

site (www.umpquaexplorer.info)

History: The genesis of the UBE stems from the desire of the Partnership of the Umpqua Rivers

(PUR) to develop a data repository for watershed restoration activities within the Umpqua Basin.

The UBE has extended beyond simply a warehouse of information to a tool capable of

integrating data with geographic tools and mapping displays. The Umpqua Basin Explorer is

capable of assisting in data analysis; providing resources for on-line education opportunities;

serving as a repository for historical records, reports, and essays—the list of possibilities is

seemingly endless.

PUR contracted with the Institute of Natural Resources (INR) at OSU to develop a web-based

data repository system. The UBE was developed as a basin portal of the Oregon Explorer.

Oregon State University Libraries (OSUL) and INR jointly manage and maintain the Oregon

Explorer and all associated portals. The UBE is jointly managed and maintained by OSUL, INR,

and PUR.

Current Situation: We are in the third of multiple stages of development of the UBE. As the UBE

evolves, critical decisions are required for INR and OSUL to meet the needs and wants of the

audience they serve.

The UBE can and should cover the entire Umpqua Basin irrespective of political

lines/jurisdictions within the watershed. To be the most exhaustive source of watershed

restoration and watershed related information, the UBE must incorporate data from the Soil and

Water Conservation Districts, watershed councils, federal and state agencies, and other entities

involved in watershed management.

While INR, OSUL and PUR via Bob Kinyon and an ad hoc steering committee have been able to

establish goals and objectives without conflict to date, there remains a gap or uncertainty about

decision making and ownership authority of the UBE. The INR, OSUL, and PUR would like to

resolve this uncertainty by formalizing the process for oversight, development, and maintenance

of the site.

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Umpqua Basin Explorer Key Issues and Proposals to Address Them:

1. Who contributes to the content of the site, and who vets it?

A Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers committee (PUR), INR and OSUL will provide

guidance and oversight for the content of the Umpqua Basin Explorer. Each group will vet

the content it contributes. OSUL will vet the final records in order to meet the standards of

the OSUL repositories. The PUR will convene a committee consisting of representatives

from key user groups in the Basin. The PUR, which has funded and directed the

development of the site to date, will have the most representation on the committee. In

addition, the PUR Board of Directors will have final authority over recommendations made

by the committee. All members of the committee will formalize their participation by

signing on to a Memorandum of Understanding that defines roles and responsibilities. The

following organizations would be invited to participate on the committee (they could choose

to decline the invite):

PUR 2 members; at least

one of whom is staff

Elk Creek Watershed Council 1 member

Smith River Watershed Council 1 member

Douglas Soil and Water Conservation District 1 member

Umpqua Soil and Water Conservation District 1 member

BLM 1 member

USFS 1 member

ODFW 1 member

DEQ 1 member

Tribes 2 members

Public at Large 3 members

The committee will meet as needed (but at least annually) and will be responsible for

approving new features or other substantive changes to the web site. Working groups, such

as the education committee, could update existing information but would seek approval for

proposing new types of content or features on the Umpqua Basin Explorer from the

committee.

INR and OSUL will select, contribute and vet content relevant to the Umpqua Basin and

Oregon’s natural resources, such as archival materials, photos, documents and other types of

scholarly content through OSUL’s ScholarsArchive and other external collections.

K-12 educational content and features on the Oregon Explorers moodle site will be

determined by a partnership of natural resource educators and program leaders.

2. Who is responsible for maintaining the site?

The Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers (PUR) in collaboration with OSU Libraries and INR

will maintain the site. The PUR will have lead responsibility for maintaining the content—

ensuring that it is up to date and accurate. Needed data updates will be discussed and

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addressed annually. OSUL agrees to maintain the functioning of the portal as a component of

the Oregon Explorer. This includes ensuring that the UBE tools and services (e.g., decision-

making tools, mapping and reporting tools, searching tools) continue to be operational. This

would also include assuring that tools developed for new portals (e.g., the Land Use Explorer

or the Wetlands Explorer) are made available on the UBE, if they are of interest to the PUR

committee. However, any commitments are subject to available funding.

In addition, OSUL has responsibility for the management and archiving of content in the

ScholarsArchive. The INR will provide fiscal and project management support when new

grants are brought in to develop new UBE tools and services.

The committee would not need to review standard updates or changes. It would only weigh

in on new types of information or features on the site.

The K-12 educational content on the site will be maintained through a separate partnership

between OSUL, INR, the Alder Creek Children’s Forest, and the Oregon Virtual School

District. K-12 educational content (e.g., lesson plans and activities, events) and tools will be

made accessible through the Oregon Explorers Moodle site.

3. Who can edit the site?

The Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers, the Institute for Natural Resources and OSU

Libraries will have full edit rights to the site. Others can upload information to certain parts

of the site (via ScholarsArchive or Oregon Explorers Moodle site).

4. What are the guiding principles for content?

In collaboration, INR, PUR, and OSUL will create a critical mass of material that provides

broad coverage of natural resource topics especially as they relate to the Umpqua Basin

region. Primary content will likely focus on environmental, economic, political and societal

aspects related to natural resources, but not to the exclusion of materials that complement or

add context, particularly historical or current context, to the primary content (i.e photo of a

logger to demonstrate historical use in a region).

The intent of the Oregon Explorer is to distribute UBE content broadly in support of

informed natural resource decision-making. Partners will encourage broad participation in

the pursuit of relevant content, seeking to add content that reflects a diversity of materials

and viewpoints in order to help people understand the many sides of a controversial issue and

make their own informed decision(s). Partners recognize that digitally accessible materials

support reuse or repurpose so the UBE and the OE will strive to respect the intellectual

property of content creators.

The development of UBE’s content will emphasize usefulness for funders and stakeholders

and the primary constituents they serve. However, content that promotes usefulness aimed at

a wider audience, such as K-12, ought to be considered advantageous.

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Partners will attempt to make multiple categories of materials available--text, image, audio,

video multimedia files as well as data and data sets. Though efforts might focus on born

digital resources, germane analog material should be digitized and added. Priority for

inclusion should be given to resources that are at risk of loss or obsolescence.

5. How will needed changes in governance be addressed?

We anticipate that this governance document will be reviewed on an annual basis. Any

changes to the governance of the site will be incorporated based on the annual review.

However, the partners can request an update to the governance agreement at any time. OSU

Libraries, INR and PUR will plan to meet on an annual basis to review the site and discuss

needs, such as shared long-term maintenance costs of the site.

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APPENDIX D: OREGON/UMPQUA EXPLORER: WHAT IT IS AND HOW CAN IT

WORK FOR YOU

The following pages include the training document offered at Tree School Umpqua on June 19,

2008 in Roseburg, Oregon by Janine Salwasser, OSU Libraries.

Oregon Explorer Training Document

Training offered at Tree School Umpqua on June 19, 2008 in Roseburg, Oregon by Janine Salwasser, OSU Libraries, [email protected] 1

www.oregonexplorer.info

www.umpquaexplorer.info

Training session objectives: 1. Explain to someone what the Oregon Explorer & the Umpqua Basin Explorer are about; 2. Comfortably navigate around the Explorer home pages; 3. Access archived documents; 4. Make a custom map for an area of interest in Umpqua Basin; and 5. Generate a report for areas of interest in Umpqua Basin

Background: The Oregon Explorer is a natural resources digital library co-managed by Oregon State University Libraries (OSU Libraries) and the Oregon University System Institute for Natural Resources (INR).

The Oregon Explorer was developed to specifically address the information needs of natural resource decision-makers and practitioners; however, we also want the site to be useful to researchers and scientists, educators and students, and interested citizens wanting to learn about and engage in natural resource issues at a variety of geographic scales.

The Umpqua Basin Explorer was developed as a basin portal of the Oregon Explorer. The site is a result of collaboration between OSU Libraries, INR, and the Partnership for Umpqua Rivers (PUR). Funding for this portal was provided by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board and BLM.

Whether at the statewide level or the local basin level, much of this information can be difficult for non-experts to access, manipulate and use. The mapping and reporting tools of the Explorer sites are designed to address this problem by providing a user-friendly, interactive way to view the information in map or table form. Stories and annotations are also provided as an additional way to learn about our natural resources.

We want this to be your best source of natural resources information in Oregon and in the Umpqua Basin. New information and tools will continue to enhance the Oregon Explorer with the development of new basin and topic portals, much like the way new collections are continuously added to traditional libraries. The Oregon Explorer (phase 1) was launched to the public in June 2007. The Umpqua Basin Explorer was initially launched to the public in March 2006 and is now in it’s third phase of development. By Fall (September 2008), we expect improvements to the Umpqua Basin Explorer restoration, water quality and fish passage tools to be made, and a new K-12 educational resource section will be added. A comprehensive bibliography and access to a broader selection of digitally archived documents will also be made available.



Oregon Explorer home page (www.oregonexplorer.info) as of April 16, 2008:



Umpqua Basin Explorer home page (www.umpquaexplorer.info) as of 6/2/08:



1. Getting comfortable with the Oregon Explorer (and Umpqua Basin Explorer) home

page:

• Oregon Explorer Feature story: watershed restoration

The feature story will change over time as new stories are created. Note: The Umpqua

Basin Explorer currently does not have a multi-media feature story.

• “Learn about” section: providing context

All of the Explorer sites are now using a consistent template for the “Learn about” and Tools section, with the exception of the topic portals which will be customized for each topic.

• “Tools” section: accessing content



• Oregon Explorer “Tout boxes”: touting new content, tools & user input

Touts will change as new information and tools are made available.

• Umpqua Basin Explorer “Tout Boxes”: touting new tools



2. Navigating around the Oregon Explorer and the Umpqua Basin Explorer:

• Using the search box

From the Oregon Explorer home page or from secondary pages and other Explorer portals • Accessing mapping and reporting tools – Maps

Various map options are offered for different user needs.

Charts and Tables

You can use this tool to create your own acreage reports and bar charts using our collection of Geographic Information System (GIS) data layers (a subset of data featured in the mapping tools) and other databases • Browsing available data – Data Collections

Creation and use of a distributed data portal is the long-term vision for accessing spatial data and databases—until then, relevant natural resource data sets have

been identified, organized and linked within this section.

• Finding photographs or streaming videos – Photos and Videos Access a directory of photo collections or videos that relate to images of Oregon’s places and people.

• Accessing reports, documents, articles – Reports and Publications



These are all documents that have been archived in Scholar’s Archive (Oregon State University Libraries institutional repository). In the future, the documents retrieved will be from other accessible repositories with collections pertaining to Oregon.

• Knowing who to contact if you have a question or idea –Expertise and Contacts

These are all contacts that tend to be statewide in nature. Use the basin portals or topic portals to access specific expertise for a particular topic or location, such as a particular county extension agent, local watershed council or soil and water conservation district.

• Accessing natural resource press releases or websites– Additional Resources

• Returning to the home page – Home 3. Accessing archived documents:

Browse or Search generally or for specific documents



Here is copy of the title page from 224 pages of the archived Umpqua River Basin 1958 Water Resources Board report. In ScholarsArchive, all pages can be viewed, copied and pasted, and printed in full text. Each document in the archive also has a permanent URL which will preserve it over the long-term. In this example, the URL is http://hdl.handle.net/1957/3780.



4. Making a map: the basic and advanced mapping tools are a main feature of all Explorer sites and accommodate the needs of novices and experts alike. The mapping tools are accessible from the Maps selection on the home page of each portal. The mapping tools have been designed to help you create GIS applications and online maps for the entire state, as well as many local geographic areas. A mapping tutorial has also been developed and is available online from the introductory page associated with the Maps selection from each portal’s homepage.

Three versions of the mapping tool (basic, advanced and ready-made maps) will be demonstrated.

A. Making Basic Maps demonstration using Oregon Explorer

For the novice user, the “Making Basic Maps” option requires three easy steps. You must first click on the “basic mapping tool” text. Before you get started, resize the map to fit your screen. There are 3 options for changing map size. These are noted in the top right hand part of the Basic Mapping tool opening page. Change the map size by clicking on the different sized icons.

Once you have either resized the map or the window size, you are ready to begin. When the basic mapping tool has opened, the first step is to select what to map. A drop-down menu of different map types is available in step 1. Remember to click on the after you have selected a map type. Second, choose the place you want to map. You can enter a place name or view all of Oregon. Once you have selected what and where to map, you get a “live” map. With the “live” map, you can zoom in & out, turn on & off map layers, and identify map features.



Using the Basic Mapping Tool from the Umpqua Basin Explorer, I selected “Water Quality” as the selected map type (Step 1). Tip: remember to click “next”.

The second step is to pick where to map.

Next (step 2), I selected the option to “Find place name” and typed “douglas county”. From the Umpqua Basin Explorer basic mapping tool, you have the option to view the entire Umpqua Basin. There are currently fewer map types and data layers to choose from using the Umpqua Basin Explorer.



The last step (step 3) is to “View map” and select different map overlays for your final map.

For this map, I added the data layer “watersheds 7th field”. These are the smallest drainage units (in light blue) mapped for this area. The lines in yellow represent 303d listed streams.

You can select identify map features in the dark blue bar at the top and click on an item of interest on the map to find out more information for a particular place. Multiple sites can be identified by clicking different locations.



In this example, I selected “Canyonville” for the location to map (step 2). After viewing the map (step 3), I identified (click “Identify Map Features” in blue bar) a stream location near the Canyonville *. The results for the selected location indicate this stream was listed due to temperature conditions during the spawning season.

B. Making Advanced Maps Demonstration

Use the “Making Advanced Maps” tool if you feel comfortable using basic GIS mapping techniques and choosing from an expansive list of map layers (GIS datasets). You will be able to create maps using all available data layers and make use of the advanced tool set.

Umpqua Basin Explorer view Oregon Explorer view from advanced mapping tool

For any available map layer, you can access the metadata by clicking on the title of the data layer’s name and clicking on the Detailed Metadata link (in blue text) to open up a file with the FGDC (Federal Geographic Data Committee) Metadata Content Standards information.



All of the Maps (geospatial data layers) are organized into folders that match the Oregon Explorer (and Umpqua Basin Explorer) high level topics in the “learn about topics” section of the site. Yellow folders can be opened or closed to reveal all of the map layers available for use.

Tip: If you are using dial-up access, then un-click the box labeled “Automatically Refresh Map.”

Boxes that are checked indicate the active map layers on the map. You can turn on and off data layers by clicking the box associated with each map. You can also access the metadata (or “data about the data”) by right clicking on a particular data layer.

You can also download an active data layer for the geographic area represented in the map viewing area (just click on Download and follow instructions). This is only available for vector GIS coverages.

There is also a Help section for each standard and advanced map tab that lists all the descriptions for each icon shown in the tool bar (dark blue bar) in the order that they appear. Advanced map tool and buttons include the ability to set map scale, print, email, save session, drill down identify, identify, identify radius, select, buffer, measure distance, measure area, display location, and place a point, line, rectangle, polygon, text, grid on your map, as well as erase or clear these markers.

Example of Help feature for “Set Scale” tool:

Advanced Mapping Tool list of map layers in Oregon Explorer. The Umpqua Basin Explorer features a subset of these data layers. Over time, all data layers will be accessible from any of the Explorer portals.



Here is a map I created using the advanced map tool. I typed “roseburg” in the “Place Name:” search box (it is not case sensitive). After opening the “water and air” maps folder, I selected “water quality-303d streams” and “rivers 1:100k” as my two map overlays. The “standard” tab simply lets you zoom in and out, pan, and identify multiple map attributes.,

At the top of the map, I then clicked on the tab “advanced” to see all of the mapping tool options

(in the dark blue tool bar).Select the by clicking on it, and you can then identify multiple map attributes based on the layers you have displayed (e.g., water quality attribute information is displayed in this example). I like to use the advanced mapping tool to select from all the different layers, toggle on and off, make annotations, zoom and pan, and finally print or email the final map.



C. Ready-made Maps demonstration “Ready-made maps” are another available Maps option. These are maps that have already been created and should be ready for immediate printing, but offer the flexibility to turn on and off the individual map layers using the basic or advanced mapping tool options described above.

5. Generating a report: Click on the “Making charts and tables” from the Charts and Tables

button on the home page. From here, you can select from a variety of reports at state and basin scales.

Much like the basic mapping tool, there are 3 steps to generate a report. The first step is to pick a statistic.

In this example, I selected the “overall fire risk rating” report.



The second step is to pick where to report. You can select more than one place to evaluate. In this example, I selected the counties of Douglas and Lane.

Two reports can then be viewed: table or bar chart. The examples that follow show both views.

B. Viewing statistic as a table

A. Viewing statistics as a bar chart



Final Remarks: Now it’s time to go out and explore Oregon’s natural resources information on your own!

Please share your experiences (good and bad) with the Oregon Explorer or any of the basin or topic portals using the tout box online user survey on the home page.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about the content and tools featured on the Oregon Explorer and the related sites. You can access the other Explorer portals by selecting from the “more” drop-down list. We expect new basin and topic portals to be added in the future.


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Descriptions of Other Oregon Explorer Sites Basin Portals Willamette Basin Explorer (www.willametteexplorer.info) Provides access to information to help local citizens and policymakers make better decisions about land and water use in Oregon’s Willamette River Basin. A focus area is the spatial data developed by the Pacific Northwest Ecosystem Research Consortium for creation of the Willamette River Basin Planning Atlas. North Coast Explorer (www.northcoastexplorer.info) Provides access to information to help local citizens and policymakers make better decisions about natural resources, including salmon and watersheds in Oregon’s North Coast region. A focus area is the information supporting the Coastal Coho Assessment. Umpqua Basin Explorer (www.umpquaexplorer.info) Provides access to information to help local citizens and policymakers make better decisions about natural resources, including watersheds and fish populations, in Oregon’s Umpqua Basin. A focus area is the information supporting the Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers restoration activities. Topic Portals Wildfire Risk Explorer (www.oregonexplorer.info/wildfire) Provides access to information to help Oregon citizens, communities and land management agencies prioritize resources and reduce wildfire risk. A focus area is the Community at Risk spatial data developed for the State of Oregon by the Oregon Dept. of Forestry. It also provides access to archived community wildfire protection plans. Imagery Explorer (www.oregonexplorer.info/imagery) Provides access to high resolution (.5 m) color photography for the entire State of Oregon by agency staff and the general public. Users are able to view, clip, and download the imagery for areas of interest. Land Use Explorer (www.oregonexplorer.info/landuse) Provides access to information to help local citizens, policymakers, and community groups learn about Oregon’s past, current and future land use and enable more informed land use decisions. A focus area is the Portland State University’s Measure 37 claims database accessible through a Measure 37 Viewer. Wildlife Explorer (www.oregonexplorer.info/wildlife) Provides access to information to help local citizens, educators, students, landowners learn about Oregon’s wildlife and habitats. A focus area is the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Strategy information. New Portals in Development Rural Communities Explorer Will provide access to information to help local citizens and policymakers make better decisions about rural issues including vitality and change in Oregon’s rural communities, especially for the places in which the live. A focus area will be the documents and data (demographic and community indicators) developed by the OSU Rural Studies Program. Wetlands Explorer Will provide access to information to help local citizens, landowners, and agency staff learn about Oregon’s wetlands. A focus area will be the development and application of a wetland permit streamlining tool. Spatial Data Explorer Will provide access to spatial GIS data for the entire State of Oregon by agency staff and the general public. Users will be able to view, clip, and download the spatial data for areas of interest.

umpqua explorer web portal project (amendment to personal...

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