Want to learn more about the 2024 Solar Eclipse?
The Esri StoryMaps Team put together a great StoryMap, “Mapping the eclipse: A journey through darkness,” to help readers engage and discover more about this epic and unusual event.
Category Archives: Observation
Day 5 GAW: Have you discovered the Iowa Geographic Map Server?
The Iowa Geographic Map Server is a gem of historical and contemporary statewide aerial imagery for Iowa from the 1930s to 2021. It also has many other statewide layers including:
- elevation maps (LiDAR and USGS topographic maps),
- historical maps (General Land Office survey maps from 1800s, Andreas Atlas, historic topography),
- land cover maps (historical and contemporary)
- geology (landforms and bedrock)
Here’s your challenge: Zoom into your city or a place of significance to you and discover how it has changed over the years, look at how the land cover changed, challenge yourself to find as many changes as you can.
Interested in learning more about the Iowa Geographic Map Server? Watch Gregg Hadish’s recent presentation, “Accessing Iowa Map Services in GIS and Web Applications,” for the Iowa Geographic Information Council September 2023 Lunch and Learn professional development series.
Happy Geography Awareness Week 2023 – The Power of Place
It’s that time of year again! We are celebrating Geography Awareness Week! November 13-17, 2023
The History of Geography Awareness Week:
Thirty-six years ago, the National Geographic Society advocated to create Geography Awareness Week. Geography Awareness Week is a way to celebrate and raise awareness of geography, both as a discipline and as a part of daily life. The National Geographic Society felt the limited exposure to geography in American education was a dangerous deficiency. Without proper exposure to geography, students are unable to make effective decisions, understand geo-spatial and geo-political issues, or even recognize their impacts as global citizens.
— see more at the National Geographic Website
To learn more about exciting careers in geography and the National Geographic MapMaker tool by visiting the National Geographic webpage: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/education-resources/programs/geography-awareness-week/
Timelapse Tuesday – 37 years of Urban Growth in Ames, Iowa
This week we are exploring urban growth in Ames, Iowa. The red areas are showing areas of vegetation that are primarily agricultural in the larger areas, the neon green areas are short grass and trees, the gray color is urban areas, and blue areas are water.
As you watch the time lapse video notice several things:
- The expansion of Ada Hayden (the large lake in the center right of the image.)
- How the agricultural land in the center of the images fills in rapidly with development between 2008 to 2021
- The increase in permanent water retention ponds in as the city develops.
- Many of the red agricultural parcels along Ioway Creek (the left river) become smaller and more developed through the time series.
Compare an image of north Ames, Iowa from 1987 to 2021 – what other urban growth changes can you spot?
Change Over Time – Flooding on the Landscape (NW Iowa)
Use sliders to compare images.
Today’s image shows an area in northwest Iowa between Spencer (Clay County) and Emmetsburg (Palo Alto County). The two images on the left are showing water levels in 1990 (typical year) and 2022 (recovering from a drought) compared to 1993 (heavy flooding) and 2008 (flooding). Notice the swollen streambanks and flooding along water bodies in the right images.
This year we are celebrating 50 years of the Landsat earth observing satellite mission. Landsat data helps us observe changes in our communities and environment over time.
How are you celebrating the Landsat’s Golden Jubilee?
To celebrate the Landsat Golden Jubilee, consider taking a virtual visit to Camp Landsat! This summer Camp Landsat is celebrating this exciting anniversary with 5 weeks of programming, celebrating the 5 decades of Landsat’s continuous mission. This week the theme is People and Places.
Enjoy and explore many activities from Camp Landsat including:
- A time-lapse video featuring urban growth in Shanghai, China
- Oh, the Places We Go! Story Map
- Take the 2022 GLOBE Land Cover Challenge
- Create a stunning Landsat Collage
- Write a postcard from Camp Landsat featuring view from Naples, Italy
Stay Cool and Keep Observing!
Celebrating 50 years of Landsat Earth Observation!
Saturday, July 23, 2022 marked the 50th anniversary of the launch of the USGS/NASA Landsat earth observing satellite mission. With the launch in 1972, Landsat has continued its earth observation mission and become the longest continuous earth observing satellite.
Enjoy this video recalling the launch and explaining the beginning of the earth observing satellite mission, Landsat 9 – Part 1: Getting off The Ground: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlRf17Egexo.
Keep Observing!
Happy Summer Solstice Week! Let’s head to the lake!
We are continuing our celebration of the 50th year of the US Landsat satellite imagery program. This week we are heading to the lake – Clear Lake, Iowa, located in north central Iowa.
Below are four images showing Summer Solstice (6/13/2019), Fall Equinox (9/17/2019), Winter Solstice (12/22/2019), and Spring Equinox (3/18/2019) from Landsat 8. The images are presented in color infrared which shows vegetation in red rather than green for better contrast.
Observations:
- At Summer Solstice things are still greening up while at Fall Equinox the fields are all green and some are beginning to be harvested.
- Observe the different states of the lake: open water, snow covered, and frozen.
- The topography of the landscape (ie. hills and roughness) are much more apparent with snow on the ground. In the summer/fall images, it all looks flat.
What else do you notice? Happy Observing!
Way back when before the Saylorville Dam – #Throwback Thursday
It’s another Throwback Thursday. Saylorville Lake and Dam are located in Central Iowa northwest of Des Moines, Iowa. The Saylorville complex was built to help with flood control and as a drinking water source for surrounding communities. At normal levels, the Saylorville reservoir stores 21.1 billion gallons of water with capacity at flood levels to hold 204.1 billion gallons of water.
Below are several resources if you are interested to learn more about this important structure north of Des Moines:
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Saylorville Lake Fact Sheet – https://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/Portals/48/docs/CC/FactSheets/ODS/Saylorville%20Lake%20-%20Operations.pdf
- GEOLOGY OF THE SAYLORVILLE SPILLWAY; AFTER THE FLOOD OF 2008 – https://www.iihr.uiowa.edu/igs/publications/uploads/GSI-084.pdf
- A Guide to Saylorville Lake in Central Iowa – https://desmoinesoutdoors.com/a-guide-to-saylorville-lake-in-central-iowa/
This year we are celebrating 50 years of the Landsat earth observing satellite mission. Landsat data helps us observe changes in our communities and environment over time.
Traveling Way Back – Landsat Images From Aprils Gone By
Welcome to another Throwback Thursday. Today we are going back into the archives to compare imagery from the first five Landsat satellites (all images are featured in natural color). Click on each image for a closer view.
- Try to notice the differences in resolution and image quality between the different years.
- Another thing to note is the wide seasonal variation between the images. All the images were from the same three week period in April. Some images are have snow while other years are very green.
- Observe that the Des Moines River is swollen in the Landsat 4 -1983 image.
You can explore the raw images using this web app: https://arcg.is/0XrG4f. Happy exploring.
This year we are celebrating 50 years of the Landsat earth observing satellite mission. Landsat data helps us observe changes in our communities and environment over time.
Thanks for stopping by and keep observing the world around you!