Red River Basin Decision Information Network
On-Line Workshop
July 24, 2002 -- 12:00 PM CDT
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Demonstration of BasinViewer
View, Analyze, and Print Spatial Data from your Web Browser

Brian Fischer
Houston Engineering, Inc.

Spatial data is one of the most important pieces of information for many decision makers. Imagine visualizing where all the bridges are in a watershed or what the landcover is for a county. Decisions based on these types of visualizations are pretty hard without the use of a map. Spatial data was also identified as being hard to find and lacking during the 1997 flood. These circumstances have lead to the development of BasinViewer.

BasinViewer is a web mapping application for decision makers in the Red River of the North Basin. BasinViewer was developed as part of the decision support system known as RRBDIN. It allows users to view, analyze, and print custom maps for their own use, using nothing more than a web browser. BasinViewer brings together GIS layers to help stakeholders with water management issues. Whether they want to find real-time stream flow for a site or view FEMA Q3 flood data, a custom map can be made through the BasinViewer.

BasinViewer is developed using MapServer, JavaScript, and Java technologies. It makes use of standards developed by the Open GIS Consortium (OGC) that allows GIS data to be used from remote servers and hosted at other agencies. It brings the concept of distributed servers to reality. The online demonstration will teach you how to access and use the functionality built into the first version BasinViewer.

About Brian Fischer
Brian Fischer is a graduate of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln with a B.A. in Geography and Environmental Studies. Brian also has a Masters of Science Degree in Geographic Information Systems from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.

Brian worked for two years as a student for the U.S. Geological Survey where he assisted with many studies using GIS and developed an Interactive Watershed Information System for Minnesota. He also worked as a county GIS coordinator for a year before joining Houston Engineering, Inc. and working in the area of GIS and Web services.