Biology 483: Applications of GIS

Fall 2002

Assignment 3 Page 154

APPLICATIONS OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS):

ASSIGNMENT 3 (VECTOR ANALYSIS)
Due date: Monday, October 28, 5 PM. Turn in two hard copies of solutions to the questions on pages
155-156 or send the answers electronically to Bette (loiselle@umsl.edu).
As a consultant to the city of Redlands, you have been asked to provide answers to a number of
questions concerning the Redlands area. This requires that you complete analyses on the spatial and
tabular data contained within the Redlands database. You are to answer the questions on pages 155-156
in the space below each question. Many of these questions require that you do either statistics or create
summary tables to find the answer. You might want to review Spatial Analysis I (Vector) prior to
completing this assignment.
The data sources for this assignment are layers in the document assign3.mxd.
You must first copy this document to your own student directory. To do this:
1. Use the SAMBA to open network window (j:\) and create a new folder called assign3 in your GIS
workspace j:\GIS\.
2. Use Copy, Paste to copy the document assign3.mxd into your folder:
a. Navigate to j:\arcstuff\arcdata\gisclass\assign3 and select the file assign3.mxd
b. Select "Copy" from the File Menu and Paste into your j:\GIS\assign3 folder.
3. Start ArcMAP and open the document assign3.mxd. Be sure to open the document that is saved
under your folder: j:\GIS\assign3\ (and not the assign3.mxd located under
j:\arcstuff\arcdata\gisclas\/assign3).
The project assign3.mxd contains the following layers identifying spatial features and associated
attributes pertaining to the Redlands (California) area:
Layer Name
Crimes on January 1 (points)
Crimes on January 2 (points)
Crimes on February 1 (points)
Redlands Aqueduct (lines)
Streams (lines)
City Limits (lines)
Flood Zones (polygons)
Soils (polygons)
Slide Zones (polygons)
Slope (polygons)
Streets (lines)
Redlands Polygon (polygon)

Description
crime data for January 1, 1990
crime data for January 2, 1990
crime data for February 1, 1990
information on water source for Redlands
two streams
boundaries of Redlands city
flood zones for 50, 100, and 500 year floods
soil types
slide zone information
slope information
street information
polygon containing city of Redlands

Note: all lengths are measured in feet; all areas are measured in square feet. There are 5280 feet to a
mile.

Biology 483: Applications of GIS

Fall 2002

Assignment 3 Page 155

The city of Redlands seeks information about the different soil types within and outside the city.
1. How many soil polygons are completely within the city of Redlands?
2. How many different soil types (indicated by the field Soil) are completely within the city of Redlands?
3. How many soil polygons are completely outside the city of Redlands?
4. What is the total area of soil type 6 that is completely outside the city of Redlands?
5. What is the area of the smallest polygon of soil type 6 that is completely outside the city of Redlands?

The Redlands Aqueduct is the major water source for the city of Redlands. The city is concerned
about the risk of contamination of the water due to runoff or as a result of an earthquake.
6. How many different slope classes (indicated by the Slope field in the Slope layer) does the aqueduct
pass through?
7. How many different slide zone polygons are in these selected slope polygons?

The Streams layer shows two streams in areas being considered for development. Much of the
area, however, occurs on fertile soils and development of any kind may prevent future use of the
area for agriculture. Provide the following information about the soils adjacent to the stream.
8. Through how many different soil types does the Mission Zanja stream flow?

To answer questions 9 and 10 create a summary table for all soil polygons within one half mile of either
stream. The summary table should have one row for each different soil type, one column giving the soil
type (Soil field) and one column giving the total area for that soil type.
9. Which of the soil types within one half mile of the streams covers the largest area?
10. How large is this area?

Several areas of Redlands are prone to flooding and the city is concerned about the impact of a 50
year flood in developed areas.
11. How large is the 50 year flood zone polygon that completely contains 10th Street?

Biology 483: Applications of GIS

Fall 2002

Assignment 3 Page 156

Questions 12 and 13 refer to the 50 year flood zone polygon identified in question 13.
12. How many miles of streets occur within this 50 year flood zone polygon?
13. How many miles of streets that occur completely within this 50 year flood zone polygon are also
more than 3000 feet from the Redlands Aqueduct?

The crime layers contain crime information for Redlands. (Note: crim_mon is the month:
1=January, 2=February.; crim_day is the day of the month).
14. For the crimes committed on January 1, what is the average distance to the nearest stream?
15. For the crimes committed on January 1, what is the minimum distance to the nearest stream?
16. For the crimes committed on January 1 that are closer to the Mission Zanja stream than the San
Timoteo Wash, what is the average distance to the Mission Zanja stream?
17. For the crimes committed on January 1 that are within 3000 feet of the freeway
([Str_type]="FWY"), what is the average distance to the nearest stream?
18. How many of the crimes that occurred on January 2 occurred at the location of a crime on January
1?
19. How many crimes that occurred on February 1 occurred at the same location as a crime on both
January 1 and January 2?
20. How many crimes that occurred on February 1 occurred at the same location as a crime on January 1
or January 2?