Water quality and environmental project examples from TerraCognito GIS Services.

1. Project Examples:
Water & Environmental Planning
Decision Support
Lex Ivey, President

2. COMPANY BACKGROUND
TerraCognito GIS Services, Inc.
• Founded in 2004 by Lex Ivey
– Professional Services Consultant at CommunityViz (Boulder,
CO)
• 2002 - 2004
– GIS Manager at Otak (Carbondale & Denver, CO)
• 1998 - 2002
• Extensive beta testing of CommunityViz in 2000
– B.A. Degree cum laude in Geography, Biology & Environmental
Conservation (1995 University of Colorado at Boulder)

3. GROWTH MODELING/IMPACT ANALYSIS
Potential failed septic fields at 2031 Highly vulnerable aquifers
Regional Growth Modeling and Groundwater Protection
Potential septic-related
Analysis, 2007 groundwater threats at 2031
Client: British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Canada
TerraCognito was hired by the to model the impacts of future
development scenarios on groundwater resources and provide
CommunityViz software training to multiple city and county planners
in Canada’s Okanagan Valley. Using assessor records, septic permits,
cadastral, and hydrologic data, TerraCognito mapped and quantified
the ages of all septic systems in the regional district. Then a build-out
analysis and residential land use allocation was performed to generate
future land use scenarios based on current zoning. This was overlaid
on vulnerable aquifers mapping to map and measure potential threats
to groundwater resources over a 25-year period.

4. GROWTH MODELING/IMPACT ANALYSIS
Eagle County Build-Out Analysis
and Visualization, 2008-2010
Client: Eagle County, Colorado
TerraCognito worked directly with Eagle
County, Colorado and the municipalities
of Avon, Basalt, Eagle, Gypsum, Minturn,
Red Cliff and Vail to perform a county-
wide spatial-temporal build-out analysis
and 3D visualization. Using ArcGIS and
CommunityViz, a detailed existing
conditions analysis of dwelling units was
performed based on assessor and census
data, followed by a numeric, spatial and
visual build-out analysis of existing
zoning as well potential future land use
described in the municipalities’ Master
Plans. An elaborate visioning exercise
was implemented for the unincorporated Impact Analysis Animation (1970-2051)
county using multi-criteria analysis and
Data & Process Flow for Multi-criteria Analysis
preference mapping to drive future Data Flow Base Data Derived Data Calibrated Data Simple Average
growth scenarios. Later phases of work
Slopes
included an economic component
Visible Ridgelines
including a commercial build-out
C1 + C2 + C3 + C4
NC
Criteria
analysis, existing jobs distribution, future
Wildfire Hazard
jobs allocation and impact analysis.
Finally, the results were delivered in
Proximity to I-70/SH 82
Google Earth format for viewing by the
both the planners and the public. Process Flow
GIS mapping Spatial Analysis Reclassification Map Algebra
Development Preference Model Customized Google Earth Visualization

5. AQUIFER VULNERABILITY MODEL
DRASTIC Fm Implementation
Client: Geologic Survey of Canada
TerraCognito’s Lex Ivey implemented the
migration of the client’s existing aquifer
vulnerability model (DRASTIC Fm) to
CommunityViz to allow dynamic, real-time
modeling updates. The model’s parameters of
depth to water table (D), recharge areas (R),
aquifer media (A), slope values (S), soil types
(T), impact of vadose zone (I), hydraulic
conductivity (C) and fractured media (Fm)
could be rated and weighted using
CommunityViz lookup tables and slider bars.
This approach decreased the time required to
DRASTIC Fm model layers
run the model by a factor of ten. More
importantly the ratings for each parameter
value as well as the weighting of each value can
be interactively changed by the users. Because
it is built on a standard aquifer vulnerability
modeling framework, this implementation can
be used in other geographic locations and
modified to the specific conditions in that area.
DRASTIC Fm implemented in CommunityViz

6. DAM REMOVAL VISUALIZATION
Elwha River Dam Removal Visualization
Client: American Rivers NGO hillshade raster
TerraCognito modeled two proposed dam removals on the Elwha
River in Washington’s Olympic National Park. TerraCognito
created interactive, photo-realistic, 3D visualization of existing random color ramp
conditions, as well as various stages of dam removal, including
draw-down, riverbed restoration, and re-vegetation. The
visualizations were used extensively by American Rivers throughout
the settlement negotiation process and in meetings with legislators, photo-real
ultimately resulting in the impending removal of the Glines Canyon sediment texture
and Elwha dams. Commencing in 2011, the dismantling of the
Elwha and Glines Canyon dams will allow the river to flow freely for
the first time in 100 years, restoring over 70 miles of salmon and
steelhead habitat.
Existing conditions Dam removal / Reservoir draw down Restored river channel

7. office: 303-258-3515 lexivey@terracog.com
mobile: 303-808-3420 www.terracog.com