GIS Framework For Great Plaıns Envıronmental And Hydrologıc Observatory Research: Development of a Pılot Hydrologıc Informatıon System in the Republıcan River Basın.

Project PIs: Ayse Irmak, Wayne Woldt, Jerry Ayers.

Granting Agency Name:  UNL Water Center.

Grant Period:  12/2006-12/2008

Water resources data is collected by numerous federal, state, local agencies and academic institutions. Although the internet presents the opportunity to improve access to these disparate data sources, gathering the data required for most hydrologic studies requires visiting multiple web sites, printed repositories and archives; each with its own access protocols and data formats. The near-term goal of this research project is to inventory and develop a pilot hydrologic information system for the Republican Basin in Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. It is expected that the research and development that takes place under this near term project will lead toward a more competitive position for Nebraska in the emerging WATERS Network research initiative that is coordinated and supported by National Science Foundation. The long-term goals of this project are to create a vision to unite Nebraska's water information; to make it easily accessible and useful; and to provide access to the data sources, tools and models that enable the synthesis, visualization and evaluation of the complex interaction between surface and groundwater systems. The short-term goal will be achieved through compilation of a GIS framework for a Republican Basin Water Resources Data Atlas that profiles existing data and reports, and generate a repository for this information and data on an ArcIMS Server that supports further research and development within the Great Plains Environmental and Hydrologic Observatory (GPEHO).

The research and development within the GPEHO will interface with, and enhance, the drive toward a Hydrologic Information System at the National level (HIS -- supported by the National Science Foundation), which is a geographically distributed network of hydrologic data sources and functions that are integrated using web services so that they function as a connected whole. The net result is that these data can be viewed and delivered using the HIS, so that access is seamless to the user. To date, the groundwater component of the HIS is not well developed. Nebraska can play a key role in development of this component due to our expertise with groundwater and extensive array of groundwater data. The potential benefits of this research is tremendous for accomplishing our research more effectively and for transforming the way in which we do our research to become more interdisciplinary and open source. For hydrological observatories to be effective, the observatories must attract the interest of scientists from the broad community, and a data system is critical for accomplishing that goal.