Automated Geospatial Technologies Efficiencies

The following examples depict common ways that automated geospatial technologies have increased efficiency within the Walla Walla District.

• During the set-up of a timber sale for harvest, the estimated acreage from previous data sources was approximately 30 percent less than the actual acreage. The difference was realized while verifying new data for the Dworshak project. The Federal Government was able to estimate the value of timber in a more accurate manner, thus realizing the true value of the land.
• Ownership patterns on Government lands are highly complex, especially when considering the number of outgrants on large urban projects (e.g., McNary). In once case, the Corps excessed land that was under license and, in another, issued an outgrant on lands that had already been excessed. If current technology had been utilized, neither case would have occurred; and the Corps would be better able to manage its real estate holdings.
• In another case, the District could not locate ownership along railroad rights-of-way, other than through the performance of an extensive survey. These lands were excessed in fee title, based on complex spirals. Automated technologies saved considerable amounts of time and money (estimated at over $1 million).
• Products use the same data from the corporate database. Some examples of this can be found in Master Plans, Operational Management Plans, and engineering/contract drawings. Master Plans show existing and future developments in concept. This same plate is then modified, and is used to show when the development or management will take place. The same data can also be used for operation and maintenance contracts and engineering design.
• Automated technologies allow simple 2- and 3-dimensional visual analysis that is not possible in a table or spreadsheet format. Examples of this include underground plumbs, velocity models, etc.
• The corporate database allows one-point entry, thus eliminating the redundancy of data integrated throughout the entire District. As an example, monumentation data is easily compared to real estate fee title and easement lands.
• Revisions are easier and faster. New data can be updated, verified, and used in a timely manner.
• Products are available in a variety of sizes and scales, in color, without expensive color separations or large printing costs; and in a very timely manner.
• During a research project for Real Estate Division, a major data set was discovered that was almost lost due to the retirement of a long-term employee. He was the only person who would have known about this data set. Survey and Mapping Section was tasked to digitally define Oregon-Washington railroad properties within the Lower Granite Project. This data is often referred to within legal descriptions to help describe tracts of land within the project boundary. The legal description described the offset distances from the Railroad Centerline, but it did not describe centerline information. By chance, this research was discussed with a long-time employee of Survey and Mapping Section, and this individual brought the Final Alignment Report for the Lower Granite Project to attention. The centerline information was described within the Little Goose/Lower Granite Dams Horizontal Alignment Report and, without this data, the centerline may not have been possible to define without the expense of field surveys. Therefore, the dollar savings due to the location of this report was substantial. This report included Little Goose Project Oregon-Washington railroad information, as well.