Coastal GeoTools '05
March 7 to 10, 2005 • Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Registration now open

Please register using the registration form provided. Registration is required for all attendees. Please note that there will be no on-site registration and no sharing of registrations.

Registration Form

Please indicate any trainings or special interest meetings you wish to attend on your registration form. There is no charge for these, however pre-registration is required.

Coastal GeoTools ’05
Training Sessions and Special Interest Meetings (SIMs)

Trainings

Coastal Applications of Tides and Vertical Datums

This course presents an overview of the end-to-end process for acquiring and applying vertical reference systems. It is geared toward people using tidal, LIDAR, and GPS measurements and explains how to apply the information more effectively to coastal issues. Students will learn the basics of tides, tidal observation and tidal datum determination, geodesy, geodetic observation, and geodetic datums. Case studies and examples are used to showcase the variety of applications and to illustrate how important known and consistent vertical reference systems are to the successful use of GIS. Applications include maritime boundaries, wetland restoration, coastal inundation from storm surge or sea level rise, land subsidence mapping, shoreline determination, and bathymetric surveys.

Introduction to Remote Sensing

Remote sensing image data provide a unique perspective on environmental features and conditions. As access to remote sensing data increases, there are more data streams and options becoming available. This seminar provides an overview of remote sensing concepts and technologies, and addresses their uses as decision-making tools for managing spatial resources. The overview will cover topics essential to an understanding of the remote sensing process, including the basics of electromagnetic energy and its interaction with the environment, various types of image data (sensor systems and platforms) that are available, benefits and limitations of including remote sensing data, and examples of applying derived data to other GIS data in a decision-support system.

Metadata: The Next Step

OK, so you know what metadata is and why it is important. Now what do you do? This session will help answer that question by looking at ways to implement a metadata program for your organization. Topics will include making metadata a part of your internal data management structure, establishing protocols and standard operating procedures to aid in staff buy-in and contractor consistency, and tools to help make the process of writing metadata as painless and efficient as possible.

Special Interest Meetings

Comprehensive Hurricane Preparedness Study – GIS Tools and Applications

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA Coastal Services Center and their state and local partners involved in emergency management and mitigation planning for tropical cyclone events will meet regarding the development of the new Comprehensive Hurricane Preparedness Study and the products that will be produced as a result. The objective is to get an idea of how GIS can be integrated more into hurricane preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. A meeting consisting of the project partners will occur at this time; however the meeting will be open to others interested in hurricane preparedness to foster additional ideas for GIS tools that can be developed to assist FEMA and local communities throughout the hurricane prone areas of the U.S. and its territories.

FGDC Marine and Coastal Spatial Data Subcommittee

The Federal Geographic Data Committee's (FGDC) Marine and Coastal Spatial Data Subcommittee will hold a special interest meeting at the Coastal GeoTools Conference. Topics will include the Subcommittee's role in building the Marine and Coastal National Spatial Data Infrastructure; how the Subcommittee is responding to the recent U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and National Research Council recommendations; and other current activities. This is an opportunity to learn more about the Subcommittee and how your organization might be able to participate.

Identifying Geospatial Technology Requirements in the Great Lakes and Gulf Coast Regions

Details coming soon

Remote Sensing of Coastal Water Quality

The NOAA Coastal Services Center has recently conducted a comparison of operational remote sensing technologies to measure water quality in nearshore waters. The Center contracted with four groups to collect measurements, using different types of remote sensing instruments, along the Patuxent River in Maryland. The groups measured chlorophyll concentrations, total suspended solids, and sea surface temperature. The Center plans to present an comparison of all of these data sets at this special interest meeting. The meeting will also be a forum for a discussion of the pros and cons of each approach. Managers, vendors, and scientists will all have an opportunity to ask questions, display findings, and discuss the current abilities the community has in this area.

For information about the conference contact the conference coordinator, Hamilton Smillie at (843) 740-1192 or email Geo.Tools@noaa.gov.