The GIS community in New Mexico is revitalizing the Geographic Information System Advisory Committee (GISAC). This Committee will be within state governmental circles and will address the advisory, coordination, and administration of GIS in New Mexico. The first GISAC meeting will be held in Albuquerque, Dec. 7, 1999.
For more information on GISAC, contact Mike Inglis at minglis@spock.unm.edu.
National Mapping Division
Liaison
Gary Kress is the U.S. Geological
Survey (USGS), National Mapping Division (NMD)
Liaison to the State of
New Mexico. The NMD State Liaison coordinates a broad
range of USGS cartographic
and geographic products and manages USGS mapping
activities within the state
and region. The State Liaison supports the USGS' mission to
increase multi-partner agreements
in an effort to eliminate duplication of effort, reduce
cost to each partner, and
share data collection and maintenance expenses.
The NMD Liaisons in all
states work to establish and maintain long-term partnerships
and inform and involve partners
of changes in programs and products that may affect them
and their area of responsibility.
Partnerships & Programs
in New Mexico Partnership
Mechanisms
As the largest producer
of geospatial data products in the Nation, the USGS has a
commitment to establish
standards, coordinate mapping, and produce data. In an
effort to leverage funds
appropriated for map and data production, the USGS
encourages cooperation with
a variety of partners where the participants share
the cost and/or production
work of preparing multipurpose standard geospatial
products. The benefits for
the USGS are realized in the ability to produce more
data covering more areas
throughout the Nation. The benefit for the cooperator
includes cost savings, data
standardization, and data availability. New Mexico
has many organized groups
that are working with the USGS to provide data
for the state. These include:
The USDA Forest Service in
joint effort with USDI/USGS began producing
digital orthophotos (DOQ’s)
in the Southwestern Region National Forests. This
effort has produced DOQ
coverage in Lincoln National Forest for 1997 and DOQ’s
should be available in 1998
for Sante Fe and Carson National Forest. Remaining
areas should be completed
by 2001.
The USGS is coordinating
efforts with Federal, State, and local agencies to
investigate the Middle
Rio Grande Basin (MRGB) aquifer system. Base
cartographic data production
to support the 5-year study is in progress and will
provide DLG-3's, DOQ’s,
DRG’s, 10-meter DEM’s, and revised DLG-3 data files
for a 126-quadrangle project
area.
The USGS, in cooperation
with other Federal, State, local agencies, and other
organizations in the United
States and Mexico, is producing digital map data for the
U.S./Mexico border area.
Current geospatial data is required on both sides of the
border to develop effective
and appropriate strategies for addressing environmental
and resource issues on both
sides of the border.
The National Aerial Photography
Program (NAPP) is a cooperative effort with the
USGS and other Federal agencies
and States. In 1997 the
USGS contracted for completion
of NAPP photography coverage in New Mexico.
The Department of Interior
(DOI) High Priority Digital Base Data Program is annually
funded to collect digital
geospatial base data to support data requirements from
DOI bureaus. In 1997 the
program has provided funding to provide, DOQ’s, DEM’s,
and 1:24,000-scale DLG’s.
The USGS is producing digital
data under a cooperative funding agreement with
Santa Fe County for the
purpose of land use planning and development. The data
produced under this agreement
will complete county coverage for DOQ’s, 10-meter
DEM’s, and DLG Hydrography
files.
The USGS is producing digital
data under a cooperative funding agreement with
the New Mexico State Engineers
Office to assist in meeting the State’s requirements
for water studies in and
around the Pecos River.
The NMD is studying physical
geographic characteristics that determine erosion
processes in the Rio Puerco
Basin of New Mexico. The NMD is assembling geographic
data for the World Wide
Web and for distribution on CD-ROM to project participants.
Colorado Plateau Data
Coordination Group is composed
of various federal, state, county, local
government agencies, tribes
, and non governmental organizations within the Colorado Plateau region
of
New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona,
and Utah. The purpose of the group is to establish relationships,
and share information on
existing and future data requirements. A workshop in Farmington, NM in
October 1997 provided a
forum to discuss data availability, access, standards, uses, and needs
related to the natural,
cultural, and socioeconomic aspects of the Colorado Plateau.
A future workshop is tentatively
planned for July 1998.
Coordinating Organizations
in New Mexico:
*
New
Mexico Geographic Information Council (NMGIC)
*
New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources (NMBMMR)
*
Earth
Data Analysis Center (EDAC)
* State Mapping Advisory
Committee (SMAC)
Cooperating Data and Information
Clearinghouses
National
Geospatial Data (NSDI) Clearinghouse
New
Mexico Resource Geographic Information System (RGIS)
GIS Conferences: 1998 New Mexico Geographic Information Council (Spring and Fall meetings)
Earth Science Information
Center
There is also an Information
center located in New Mexico. The ESIC in Albuquerque
was established under a
cooperative agreement between the USGS and the
University of New Mexico.
As part of the national ESIC network, the earth data analysis center
this office provides information
on such earth science topics as cartography, geography,
digital data, remote sensing,
geology, geophysics, geochemistry, hydrology,
geohydrology, aerial photography
and land use.
Additional Information
The National
Mapping Program information
page has information on USGS programs and products.
For additional information
on New Mexico and National Mapping Division activities in the state, please
contact:
Gary E. Kress
USGS, National Mapping Division
Box 25046, MS 507
Denver, CO 80225-0046
Phone: (303) 202-4451
Fax: (303) 202-4137
E-mail: gekress@usgs.gov