easily printed using laser printers at the Disaster
Hardware and software
Field Office (DFO), photocopied and provided to as
The GIS's ARC/INFO version 6.1 and GRASS4.0
many emergency responders as necessary with
used to develop the database were run on a SUN
minimum delay. The EPS files can also be sent to
Sparc 2 platform. The Sparc 2 was configured with
high quality color printers and reproduced on color
64 Mbyte RAM, 150 Mbyte swap space, two 2.4-
copiers for visually pleasing products.
Gbyte and one 3.5-Gbyte hard disks and a Calcomp
Initially, the Mississippi River map set was pro-
9500 digitizer. Two Visual Technologies TX600C
duced as if the entire reach was in UTM zone 15,
Xterminals were run from the Sparc 2 CPU allowing
rather than its true location in both UTM zones 15
access to two additional ARC/INFO licenses that
and 16. While this provided the advantage of a sin-
were added to support the recovery effort.
gle, seamless database, and reflected the nature of
ARC Macro Language (AML) programs
the flood in its initial phase, as the flooding extend-
The maps were created using programs written
ed downstream into UTM zone 16, the map coordi-
in ARC Macro Language (AML). To make the maps,
nates no longer reflected true ground locations. As
a database is built and accessed numerous times.
the extent of the flooding increased, it became ap-
The AML allows the user to combine a series of
parent that the mapping approach needed to be re-
commands from ARC and its subsystems, thereby
vised to produce the maps in their correct UTM
automating frequently performed tasks and menu-
zones. Appendix B describes the procedures used
driven user interfaces.
to split the data into the correct UTM zones.
The programs used for producing the maps were
The maps were being created as the database
based on the AML program developed by Stuart
was being built and, so, quality could not be prop-
Challender, State of Utah Automated Geographic
erly controlled before the maps were distributed.
Reference Center, Salt Lake City, for the FEMA
During development of the spatial database, all
sponsored Response `93 Earthquake Exercise held
data were imported from the sources described in
in June 1993 (Challender 1993, FEMA 1993). A sepa-
the Base Map Data section into ARC/INFO using the
rate program was written for each river because of
IMPORT command. The data were then projected
the different regions and the indexing systems. The
into the UTM coordinate system based on NAD27
AML programs were menu-driven and allowed
using the PROJECT command. However, a little
staff with little or no computer or GIS experience to
known bug in ARC/INFO version 6.1 did not allow
assist in making maps. The complete AML code for
proper conversion from NAD83 to NAD27.* Thus,
this mapping application can be obtained from the
the maps were made in both datums. This was not
Director, RSGISC.
discovered until after the maps were completed
and the data were being made final for distribu-
Output
tion. All of the data in the finalized database de-
The 8.5- 11-in. (22- 28-cm) hard copy maps
scribed in the Spatial Database section are in the cor-
were produced by converting the graphics file
rect UTM zone and are based on NAD83.
(GRA) created by the AML programs to an EPS for-
The notebooks were distributed to the Chief,
mat. The program creates either black and white or
Emergency Operations, in each of the affected Dis-
color output in a portrait arrangement that has dif-
tricts and Divisions, and to the Disaster Field
ferent dimensions from what is seen on the comput-
Offices.
er screen. This allows for maximum use of the
screen space and maximizes the information that
can be placed on the output page.
* The Mississippi and Illinois river DLG data and Nebraska
TIGER data were in NAD27 and the rest of the data were in
An original color map for each river region was
NAD83. NAD83 was not converted to NAD27 because,
printed using a Canon Color Laser Copier and cop-
when projecting data using the ARC/INFO v6.1 PROJECT
ies were made for the distribution notebooks. The
command, both the input and output datum must be de-
fined. It was assumed that the default datum was NAD27
EPS files were transferred to a Macintosh II and
and, thus, the data were projected into the UTM projection
printed on the Canon Color Laser Copier using a
without declaring a datum. The error was not detected be-
LaserWriter Font Utility application. Using the
cause when no datum or ellipsoid is declared in the input
or output projection, the Clarke1866 ellipsoid associated
Macintosh to print the files permitted dedicated use
with NAD27 is stated by default. It was assumed since
of the Sparc 2 and the Xterminals for map creation,
Clarke1866 existed in the coverage's projection informa-
the most computationally intensive task being done.
tion, the conversion from NAD83 to NAD27 had occurred
correctly. However, no datum conversion occurred. There-
It also decreased production time by allowing an
fore, if no input and output datum are defined in the pro-
additional person to print the files and assist in as-
jection file, the datum remains in the original datum and
sembling the notebooks.
the Clarke1866 ellipsoid is declared.
7
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