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Project: |
U.S. - Mexico Border Initiative |
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| Leader: | Jean Parcher, jwparcher@usgs.gov
Diana Papoulias, dpapoulias@usgs.gov |
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| Overview: | Aerial Photography Initiative - On May 6, 1996,
during the 13th annual meeting of the U.S.-Mexico Binational Commission,
both countries agreed on the need to conduct joint activities to develop
a seamless transboundary map of the U.S.-Mexico border region. To that end,
the United States and Mexico signed an agreement to undertake an ambitious
aerial photographic survey along the entire 3,250 kilometer-long and 200-kilometer-wide
border region. As a result of this binational agreement, and through funding
partnerships with Federal and State agencies, the USGS has completed the
acquisition of 1:40,000-scale color-infrared (CIR) photographic images for
the entire (2,581 quadrangle) U.S. part of the border region. Similarly,
Mexico`s mapping agency, Instituto Nacional de Estad’stica, Geograf’a
e Inform‡tica (INEGI), has planned to acquire similar aerial photographs
for the Mexican side of the border. INEGI`s photographic survey includes
the acquisition of 1:40,000-scale CIR images for natural resource and environmental
studies in protected areas that are defined as environmentally sensitive,
and 1:75,000-scale black-and-white images in their nonpriority areas. U.S. - Mexico Transboundary Mapping Initiative - Until the U.S.- Mexico Transboundary Mapping Initiative, there were no compatible or recent maps (analog or digital) of the border region. As our countries are being challenged to demonstrate that economic and industrial development can coexist within a healthy environment, accurate maps and digital geospatial data products are proving to be essential planning and modeling tools and fundamental elements on which others can build. To this end, the United States and Mexico are developing compatible geospatial data standards for use in binational geographic information system (GIS) applications. For the first time in history, the U.S. and Mexico mapping efforts are being coordinated and designed to be compatible so that important geographic data can be understood in a common framework on both sides of the border. The USGS and INEGI cooperated on the El Paso/Ciudad Juarez pilot project to develop processes and data attribute crosswalks for integrating digital data between the two countries. The result of this pilot project is that the USGS and INEGI successfully collaborated on developing software that translates and converts INEGI`s digital data features and data themes into theme-separated digital line graphs (DLG). Because this pilot project was a success, the USGS and INEGI now have the technical ability to integrate and use each other`s digital geospatial data for GIS applications. Technical experts from the USGS and INEGI continue working together to understand and resolve differences in standards for data content, accuracy, and scale. In addition, USGS is in the process of signing an annex to the MOU with INEGI to allow USGS to work with State clearinghouses to display INEGI`s digital data on ArcIMS websites. |
  Download Adobe Acrobat Reader PDF presentation about the project.  |
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| USGS Mission Tie In: |
1) Natural-resource management and protection
in the border region requires the collection and exchange of credible, impartial
scientific information between the U.S. and Mexico. The responsibility for
providing such information to those charged with making public policy is
central to the mission and core competencies of the USGS. 2) Except for a few geographic areas along the border, there are no comprehensive, long-term, geospatial and natural-resources data bases. The USGS is recognized internationally as the leader in organizing and managing earth and biological sciences data and information. 3) The complex landscape and natural-resource issues in the U.S./Mexico border region require that long-term, regional, interdisciplinary studies be directed to the region. The USGS excels in understanding the scientific principles of earth and biological processes and is uniquely positioned to conduct both interstate and binational studies. |
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| Discipline: | Geograhpy, Geology, Water, Biology | ||
| Locations: | United States-Mexico border region. | ||
| Web Sites: |
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| Partners: | Instituto
Nacional de Estadistica Geografia e Informatica (INEGI) DOI United States-Mexico Field Coordinating Committee (FCC) Environmental Protection Agency International Boundary and Water Commission State of Texas Texas Water Development Board |
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://international.usgs.gov/projects/prjusmexborder.htm
Page Contact Information:
Page Contact Information: IP Web Team
Page Last Modified: Wednesday, 25-Jun-2008 13:36:40 EDT