| Poster: |
Wetland regulations in Massachusetts require that utility companies obtain permits prior to undertaking underground utility upgrade work. The work areas frequently pass through regulated buffer zones to jurisdictional resource areas including wetlands, ponds, streams and vernal pools. In the case of several underground utility upgrade projects, ArcView GIS was used to create maps depicting the work areas, resource areas and buffer zones to resource areas. Field inspections were conducted to verify the locations of the mapped resource areas. Spatial analysis tools within ArcView GIS were utilized to determine which work areas fell within the buffer zones to resource areas. Graphics were presented on a town-wide scale to allow for ease of review by the local conservation commission and better communication of the project details. Maps using recent orthophotography as the base layer, were presented on a neighborhood-wide scale to depict further details of each work area. The use of GIS has streamlined the wetlands permitting process for utility upgrade projects by enabling all of the work on a town-wide scale to be effectively included within a single permit application and presented in a useful and organized manner. |