Project Summary Sheet

Project: South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) Geospatial Interface

Web Sites: http://sofia.usgs.gov/

Location (Subregions & Counties): Total System; Broward, Charlotte ,Collier ,Miami-Dade, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, and St. Lucie Counties

Funding (Source): USGS Place-Based Studies

Principal Investigator(s): Roy Sonenshein, sunshine@usgs.gov, 305.717.5824

Project Personnel: R. Bruce Irvin, rbirvin@usgs.gov, 305.717.5835; Gregory P Ferrara (contract), gferrara@usgs.gov, 727-803-8747 x3047; Jorge Ramirez (contract), jramirez@usgs.gov, 305.717.5820

Supporting Organizations: None

Associated / Linked Projects: SOFIA Website (Heather Henkel, hhenkel@usgs.gov, 727.803.8747x3028), SOFIA Metadata (Jo Anne Stapleton, jastapleton@usgs.gov, 703.648.4592), Development of a Digital Library of Biological Information for the South Florida Ecosystem (Roy Sonenshein, sunshine@usgs.gov, 305.717.5824), SOFIA Database (Roy Sonenshein, sunshine@usgs.gov, 305.717.5824)

Overview & Status: The South Florida restoration effort requires multidisciplinary information relating to present and historical conditions for use in responsible decision-making. The South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) database is the cornerstone of information management for the Greater Everglades Science Program: Place-Based Studies. Currently, the SOFIA web site and database has a minimal geospatial interface that relies on the Geo-Data Explorer (GeoDE) system developed by the USGS Energy Resources Program in Reston. A geospatial interface using currently available commercial software (ArcIMS) is needed to develop a more easily maintained and user-friendly interface. Developing an interface that is directly connected to the SOFIA website and database will provide a more stable long-term solution to providing a geospatial interface.

A geospatial interface is being developed using ArcIMS software. The interface will provide a means of accessing information stored in the SOFIA database through a geospatial query. The spatial data will be served using ArcSDE software, which provides a mechanism for storing spatial data in a relational database. A spatial database will be developed from existing data sets, including national USGS data sets, the Florida Geographic Digital Library, and other available data sets. Additional data sets are being developed from the published data sets available from PBS and other projects.

Needs & Products: A geospatial interface to the SOFIA web sites is needed to provide an easily maintained and user-friendly interface. Several usable products will be produced as a result of this project. An ArcIMS interface to the SOFIA database and SOFIA web site will be developed. This geospatial interface will provide a means of accessing the data stored on these two systems with spatial queries. Geospatial datasets will be available for PBS and other USGS products related to the South Florida restoration.

Application to Everglades Restoration: The geospatial interface will provide access to information from the USGS and other agencies for resource managers, scientist and others and facilitate science-based decision making as the basis for Everglades Restoration.