It is a common misconception that an organization should use either ArcGIS Enterprise or ArcGIS Online, when in fact many organizations successfully use both. This session will cover how to choose the deployment that best fits your organizational needs. We will talk about the different forms of hybrid patterns that best take advantage of each environment’s unique strengths to build the best possible system and help you plan.

Organizations face challenges integrating all their data for discovery and advanced analysis. This session will introduce ArcGIS Knowledge, the knowledge graph and graph analysis capability option for ArcGIS Enterprise that makes it easy to create, discover, and explore connections in data. Learn how knowledge graphs work, discover how ArcGIS Knowledge empowers link analysis workflows, and explore new capabilities for working with connected data in link charts and maps in ArcGIS Pro, in the web and in python notebooks.

Tree canopy, urban canyons, building overhangs...these are some of the things that cause field crews trouble when collecting data using GPS/GNSS. We will discuss how Trimble technology can overcome some of these and make your field work more productive.

The City of Morgantown recently collected mobile LIDAR and 360 Imagery along their entire roadway network. To help better inform future decisions, we used parallel and redundant systems during collection and processing with varying levels of cost, complexity, and reliance on internal staff. We’re eager to share lessons learned and help you influence the right decision for your town should you be considering a similar undertaking. Come learn how accuracy, precision, and ease of use compares between current options - some of which are nearly free beyond staff time.

Requested to present briefly on the benefits of using a drone for mapping and surveying

Utilities rely on GIS to serve as the system of record for asset data, to support data maintenance, facilitate the sharing of information, and provide crucial data to other business systems. Many utilities have invested in the Esri ArcGIS suite and have been using traditional data structures to model their assets and to support key functions such as data visualization, network analytics, and modeling. Esri’s Utility Network (UN) solution provides more effective data modeling and visualization, improved field capabilities, and use of service-based GIS architecture. The transition to this solution represents a significant change for utilities with unique data schemas, custom tools, legacy applications, and established integrations. This presentation will provide best practices for those preparing to migrate from their legacy utility data models to the UN and will also discuss key considerations related to upgrading legacy GIS tools and workflows, as well as impacts to integrations.

Join Jeff for a discussion of the various types of vertical datums of the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS), targeted for the floodplain manager, but great for anyone who works with 3D data analysis. We will review terminology, some technical history of the superseded vertical datum NGVD29, how NAVD88 is different, and the forthcoming new datum NAPGD2022. Vertical datum transformations (aka conversions), and tools available from NGS to do that, will be explained.

The Census Bureau is modernizing the collection of data in geographic partnership programs with the latest version of the Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS) Web, which continues to utilize a flexible and cost-effective open source architecture but now takes full advantage of the scalability, flexibility, and security of a containerized cloud solution. GUPS Web evolves earlier versions of GUPS into a web application that will further streamline data collection for geographic partnership programs and enable new functionality not possible in a standalone application such as real time sharing of data with partners. This session will discuss how GUPS Web uses open source architecture in the first cloud native web application developed and deployed by the Census Bureau to provide license-free GIS tools that incorporate quality checks, business rules, and custom topology, which standardizes the data update process for 40,000 tribal, state, and local governments across the nation.

Across the years, many organizations have started to implement GIS within their workflows. GIS is being used in many industries address many problems across our communities. However, C-level Executives sometimes have a hard time understanding the power of GIS and how it can benefit them. This presentation will focus on how to evangelize GIS within your organization by addressing key problems that executives care about. At Esri, we want to empower GIS users to help address problems, but also for leadership to realize the power of the great work you do.

As the volume of geospatial data grows, so does the need for efficient data management and manipulation as a way to solve everyday business problems. In this session on data storage and derivative products, we will discuss best practices for shifting big data to the cloud—reliably, cost-effectively and at scale—as well as lessons learned from real-world experience. We will also touch on how artificial intelligence and deep learning can substitute for personal attention in the tedious analysis of large geographic areas, enabling human teams to focus on higher-level reasoning tasks. Finally, we will showcase the latest data products created through AI and DL, such as building footprints and impervious surface maps, to demonstrate how sound methodology can increase product accuracy while decreasing time spent on mundane analysis.

This presentation explores the seamless integration of Trimble products in mapping wastewater systems and the subsequent utilization of collected data through Esri products. We'll delve into the advanced capabilities of Trimble solutions for precise data collection in wastewater infrastructure, emphasizing their efficiency in mapping and asset management. The integration with Esri products allows for a comprehensive analysis of the collected data, unlocking valuable insights for decision-makers. Attendees will gain insights into the synergy between Trimble and Esri, understanding how this collaboration enhances the entire lifecycle of wastewater systems—from mapping and data collection to informed decision-making and sustainable management practices.

This study leveraged data science and GIS for the West Virginia state-wide vulnerable road user (VRU) assessment to enhancing road safety for everyone. Recognizing the critical need for accurate data and tools to identify high-risk areas and devise effective interventions, our multifaceted approach led to the development of a comprehensive VRU risk model, integrating various data sources. Through statistical analysis, we identified key predictors of VRU crashes, resulting in a weighted risk scoring system for transportation network segments. This proactive, data-driven systemic analysis enables decision-makers to implement safety measures before crashes occur. Our presentation will highlight the application of GIS and data science in pinpointing high-risk areas and shaping strategies to protect VRUs in West Virginia.

Engineering firm The Thrasher Group completed a statewide broadband study for their client Regional Optical Communications that examined the need for internet access across West Virginia. This presentation will walk through the study process and how GIS was utilized to organize the vast amount of data involved. The WV Office of Broadband provided address data to begin the project, which was used to create multi-layer Esri maps for each county showing what level of broadband service, if any, existed at each address. Aerial imagery was then used to create preliminary routes to show how service could be extended along existing utility poles. In total, more than 105,000 addresses were examined and nearly 15,000 miles of routes were developed. KMZs and shapefiles of the maps were shared with every county to help them identify feasible broadband construction projects and assist them in securing future funding - a timely effort with the $1.2 billion of BEAD allocation coming to the state.

With a new datum comes a new SPCS. Yes, even if you only work in SPCS you will still need to embrace the new datums that will replace NAD83! In this session we will briefly review the changes coming with NATRF2022, then we'll go over the differences between the SPCS83 and the forthcoming SPCS2022 (to be published in 2025 along with new horizontal/geometric datums). We will conclude with looking at maps of the new SPCS2022 zone for West Virginia and some from around the country.

Consider these 30 minutes an “on-ramp” to the Surface Water Model Highway. As the practice of calculating and delineating surface water evolves, the body of information available is often too technical and/or too high-level for organizations to plan for its use. This presentation offers a “just right” collection of insights to those making decisions. We’ll highlight organizations that have taken advantage of new methodologies/technology (use of aerial lidar data and geomorphic indicators) and benefits to their programs. Join us for a judgement-free zone and leave equipped with practical steps for improving your hydrography data assets.

The West Virginia Real Time Network is a service that operates 34 continuously operating reference stations that provide RTK and post processed corrections for users. This network is managed and operated by the Information Technology Division of the WVDOT. To eliminate gaps in coverage areas of our network, we coordinate with neighboring states to provide our users the best coverage possible. This service can be used as a tool to obtain highly accurate GPS data for collection projects, surveying, and for all other uses. This past year, the WVRTN underwent an infrastructure upgrade that replaced the original GPS receivers at our sites with Trimble Alloys. This infrastructure upgrade has expanded the amount of GPS constellations the receivers can receive, improved remote management options, and updated the infrastructure of sites. The infrastructure upgrade to the WVRTN has allowed us to effectively operate this network to provide it to the public.

Funding distributed to the City of Morgantown from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was partially dedicated to provide “digital access to public services,” which initiated a search in early 2022 for technology to accomplish this goal. With the City’s GIS Implementation Plan calling for a geospatial asset management platform to be acquired, Cityworks AMS and PLL was selected as it brought both asset and permitting management in one platform. KCI Technologies helped work through many paper-based manual processes to build this streamlined and easy geospatially-enabled system for responding to requests, issuing work orders, processing digital permitting and licensing applications, along with providing citizens improved access and capabilities to submit information digitally. This presentation covers the story of the City’s journey in its digital transformation by illustrating the process of information gathering, configuration, stakeholder feedback, testing, training, and going live.

This presentation highlights the research conducted to understand the relationship between landscape characteristics and public preferences carried out in a proposed Appalachian Geopark (pAGP) project in southern West Virginia, United States. The study utilizes a descriptive research approach, with qualitative and quantitative data. The study leverages the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyze a large amount of visual data obtained through crowd-sourced contributions as indirect method. In addition, two sets of surveys including photograph ratings and questionnaires were administered as a semi direct approach with the purpose of assessing visual elicitation and cognitive exercises. At the time that this research was conducted, the COVID pandemic made it impossible to conduct in- person interviews and surveys. The research captures a wide range of perspectives and opinions on the landscape characteristics within the proposed pAGP region.

Overview of how the Huntington District US Army Corps of Engineers uses GIS in combination with outreach and data management to provide flood risk information to private citizens and mitigation managers. The program started in the early 2000’s with the earlies record dated from May 2006. It originated in the Planning Branch through outreach efforts with the states WV NFIP coordinator and is actively maintained in coordination with multiple state agencies and programs. The effort developed alongside the WV Floodplain Managers Association and the Corps Silver Jackets program. Initially supporting the calculation of BFE’s in Zone A’s, the GIS process has become a method of evaluating single property flood risk mapping requests in the state as well as answering general questions with the knowledge of GIS data resources and federal references. The presentation will present the program in its current form and how GIS components used.

This presentation examines health disparities in Appalachia, WV, and their interplay with societal and cultural dynamics. It explores how socio-cultural factors, including education, employment, and environment, impact health outcomes in a region grappling with chronic diseases, limited healthcare, and an opioid crisis. The talk emphasizes preserving Appalachian culture and society while addressing public health challenges. Case studies highlight issues like opioid addiction and respiratory diseases, showcasing the region's cultural resilience. Public health initiatives and GIS analysis of health disparities focus on culturally sensitive solutions. Strategies such as telemedicine and community health programs are proposed, respecting Appalachian cultural values. The presentation concludes with a call for efforts to foster a healthier, culturally preserved Appalachia.

Documenting and processing refuse violations is a time consuming task that requires a lot of resources in its current state. Once the city is alerted, then a city employee will do 1) a site visit, 2) take notes and pictures, 3) come back to the office and try to find property owner information, 4) create a Notice or Violation letter, 5) Print 2 letters for hand delivery to physical property and another by mail. This where the process loses momentum because there is not an efficient method to maintain and follow up on violations and gather metrics. For example, are these repeat offenders? Are there areas within the City that has more violations than other areas? With the use of Esri products, we have developed a workflow using their products in the ArcGIS Enterprise environment. We developed a Survey123 app for data collection. This also pulls in owner information behind the scenes. Webhooks then pull data for Violation Letter creation and a Web App for managing the violations.

The world and culture of work for Geospatial professionals has changed forever. Increasingly, as we work from home more effectively, we are loosing close contact with our business leadership and not surprisingly our relationships with our colleagues at work can be a struggle. Many of us and our friends in this industry desire to have more control over our careers as well as have access to solutions which enable richer and more rewarding personal relationships. Would it surprise you if I told you that cultivating a personal brand on social media, could provide both more career control and a basis for better interpersonal relationships? In this presentation my aim is to show Geospatial professionals how to think about the way they brand themselves, and how best to put that brand out into the world in a way they are comfortable with. Attendees to this presentation will leave with renewed energy and excitement about personal branding and more effective networking.

The purpose of this research is to develop and demonstrate the process of using sUAS-based remote sensing tools to detect and treat Elaeagnus umbellata on reclaimed mine lands. This project is based on similar principles used in precision agriculture, by implementing machine learning we will be able to identify and map Elaeagnus umbellata invasions; as well as employ the use of an UAS system configured for herbicide applications. The use of machine learning, specifically convolutional neural networks, are allowing researchers to handle problems that previously may have been too complex for traditional machine learning. Using a neural network, defining features and traits can be recognized through a computer program rather than known ecological or visual features. In this p

Airport Park, a 36-acre unzoned urban forest in Morgantown, WV, directly adjacent to the Morgantown airport, was donated to the West Virginia Land Trust in 2022 with no usage restrictions. Despite partial surface mining, 28 acres form a maturing hardwood forest of quality and rapid growth, presenting an opportunity for enrollment into the voluntary carbon market. Under the auspices of the non-profit carbon registry, City Forest Credits, the project will focus on the conservation of urban forest carbon and ecosystem services. To assess this, aerial imagery, lidar-based models, and field methods were required to make an accurate and precise estimation of said services. A detailed assessment highlighted the differences in three stands regarding species, age, structure, and growth potential. These important measures of stand productivity allowed for the estimation of current and future contributions to carbon sequestration, runoff reduction, air quality improvement, and energy savings.

The Cheat Canyon is a Conservation Focus Area identified in the DNR's Statewide Wildlife Action Plan. Located in the lower Cheat basin, the canyon is a steep, narrow gorge of mixed-mesophytic forest, cliffs, talus slopes, and small streams, while the adjacent plateau is a mix of forest, agriculture, and rural development. Some of these cover types provide outstanding habitat for many native plant and animal species., and the canyon will also facilitate species migration as the climate and habitats change. Several mapping efforts will be discussed in the context of how private land ownership creates opportunities to partner in conservation. The West Virginia Land Trust’s holdings in the canyon are highlighted, especially as they relate to how the protected habitat in these small but critically placed properties help to connect ownerships, facilities ecological research, and offer excellent educational and outreach opportunity because of their geographic character and high public use.

Statement of the problem Podostemum ceratophyllum, is an important aquatic plant that is diminishing in natural habitats (Wood et al., 2017). P. ceratophyllum, is a key habitat for Darters as well as being part of the diet for various crayfish and macrophytes. The crayfish as well as other macroinvertebrates offer a foundational role in ecology. One of the greatest threats to P. ceratophyllum is sediment. Sediment suffocates the plant. An important but missing part of studies could be erosion occurring upstream from habits. This is where historical climate data could be applied along with satellite photos that may indicate erosion. The crayfish and other macrophytes still offer many opportunities for investigation. The crayfish as well as other macroinvertebrates offer a foundational role in ecology. Not much academic research has employed the use of GIS and crayfish habitat.

Community science, also known as citizen or crowd-sourced science, invites members of the public to help scientists conduct research projects. In 2020–2021, the WV Division of Natural Resources administered a community science project using ArcGIS Survey123 focused on collecting locational data for Eastern Box Turtles with an emphasis on understanding habitat distribution and road interactions. The mobile application was a successful approach to encouraging public participation while maintaining structured data entry and storage design and allowing for real time data access, geospatial storage of data, and photo submission. Over 8,000 observations reported across the state inform a bias-corrected random forest model that predicts habitat suitability based on the observed relationship with environmental characteristics, and a road crossing risk analysis that identifies areas where wildlife-crossing structures may most benefit turtles at risk of vehicle collisions.

The WVDNR WRS centralizes data through its Enterprise GIS, Biotics 5, Hunting & Fishing Map, Electronic Licensing & Game Check System, and Office of Land & Streams (OLS) map tool. Ongoing and future plans include Enterprise GIS upgrades; building a Conservation Assessment Tool; a custom online database application; and a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) accomplishment tracking map application. I will present a new internal Data Systems site, share connections between the various systems, and a demonstration of the OLS map tool. The OLS map tool is a valuable ArcGIS online map application bringing together multiple geospatial data into one accessible tool. WRS GIS provides some of the data directly from ArcGIS Online, while the WV GIS Tech Center built the online map, manages the application, and majority of the data. From the WRS side, it is useful for WMA Management (leases, gas wells, land ownership, internal tract boundaries, etc.) and Fish Management (water withdrawal locations).

Rural communities, grappling with traditional agriculture and natural resource industry decline and increasing rural visitation due to post-pandemic realizations of the benefits of nature and the outdoors, are turning to recreation and tourism for economic growth. Those with complementary amenities to their natural resource base are best situated to benefit from new development, but often lack resources and capacity to effectively develop and implement plans for sustainable recreation economies. This project focuses on the Monongahela National Forest region within WV, compiling spatial and descriptive inventories of recreation and tourism assets/amenities. The goal is to create interactive dashboards that can facilitate informed decision-making, marketing, and development planning, and serve as vital tools for local stakeholders by aiding them in leveraging natural and cultural assets for sustainable economic growth within their unique communities and the MNF region as a collaborative.

This work is part of the US Build Back Better Award in which West Virginia University is participating, under the Center for Sustainable Mine Lands and its partners – Coalfield Development and the Nature Conservancy. The goal was to develop a screening tool to evaluate former mine lands for development opportunities. Once the underlying spatial datasets were assembled, multiple dashboard-based tools for displaying and selecting the former mine land features were then developed. All dashboards were linked together in a single web map application within the Esri ArcGIS Online platform. Currently, a total of 7 subject-specific dashboards were development including general site criteria, solar, wind, recreation, geothermal, pumped hydro, biomass, and carbon capture. Each dashboard contains customized criteria that may be used to select former mine lands as potential sites for the different development goals.

As the environmental pressures associated with anthropogenic global climate change have become more acutely perceived, nations around the world have begun to investigate carbon neutral energy transitions. As the United States embraces the clean energy transition, the Appalachian region will too need to transition its economy to lower carbon alternatives. One of the Appalachian Regional Commissions’ (ARC) five goals includes “Building Regional Culture and Tourism”. In the 2022 fiscal year, the ARC invested $25.9M in 58 projects across Appalachia. These investments aim to revitalize Appalachian communities through renovations of historic buildings, promotion of local arts and cultural heritage, and the sustainable use recreation and tourism resources in the region. This study investigates how measures of the recreation/tourism industry, whether dollars generated or employment, relate to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and point source Greenhouse Gas emissions in the ARC region.