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USGS Western Region Geography |
Resource managers and policymakers need the ability to quickly perceive and understand the susceptibility of the environment to impacts of human activity and the risk of harm to human life, health or property that may result from environmental conditions and change. USGS data are central to understanding these coupled vulnerabilities, but relevant data may not be available in the timeframe or in the informational form needed. Often, scientific investigations can be understood more completely by interpreting them in a more explicit societal context and through innovative applications of information technologies. In particular, Web-based, interactive information and well-designed maps are highly beneficial to society and USGS. Objective Past USGS efforts to develop spatial vulnerability information for decisionmakers have shown themselves to be very fruitful for integrating multidisciplinary findings and making connections between natural science investigations and societal concerns. We evaluated four hypotheses in this pilot project: 1) The core concept of “vulnerability” provides a focus for issue-oriented, integrated science and offers a crucial point of public access into USGS information; 2) It is cost-effective and technologically feasible to link several large USGS databases together and also to a geospatial application that permits dynamic, query-driven mapping; 3) These technological innovations not only accommodate but promote sophisticated, integrated analysis by a team of researchers; and 4) A well-designed, Web-based, interactive “Vulnerability Portal” provides users with one-stop-shopping access to all USGS vulnerability science and meets their needs for various levels of contextual information. Results During fiscal year 2004, the project team developed a cross-disciplinary definition of vulnerability, designed and developed a public portal for entry into USGS vulnerability science, and deployed a flexible computing infrastructure and interface that allows users to generate vulnerability maps on the fly on two pilot topics: methylmercury in surface water and nitrate in ground water. (see http://orrddwimdn.er.usgs.gov/vulnerability/home.htm) Users can query at several spatial scales and evaluate factors affecting patterns of vulnerability nationwide. These methods can accommodate vulnerability science at various stages of maturity and were found to support advances in scientific analysis as well as enhanced public access. Because the system dynamically updates public information when underlying data are updated, downtime is reduced and cost-effectiveness is increased. Reviews by a panel of potential external users indicate the tremendous potential impact of further research and development on the piloted methods within the Geography Discipline and/or Geospatial Information Office. Partners USGS Water Resources, Middleton, WI and Reston, VA Reviewers National Institutes of Health, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Trout Unlimited, University of Wisconsin School of Urban and Regional Planning, Institute for Agricultural and Trade Policy, Congressional Research Service, Greater New Orleans Community Data Center
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| U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey URL: http://geography.wr.usgs.gov/science/vulner-maps.html Page Contact Information: WRG Web Team Page Last Modified: Tuesday, 23-Aug-2005 16:42:14 EDT (alv) |   |
