Study Area Defined and Geo-Reference problems

I originally tried to scan and use the JPEG image of the study area from the paper by P.White from 1979 to define the study area. I used the geo-referencing toolbar to accomplish this, and I used a hydrology dataset with rivers to line up the image. After choosing several control points and executing the algorithm, I ended up with a geo-referenced image with a high RMS error around the edges where there were no control points to snap too.

In order to create a shapefile that would define the study area, I instead used the lines of Latitude/Longitude in the original paper to create this shapefile in arcmap. Using the "go to X, Y" toolbox, I was able to enter the bounds of the study area to create control points which I snapped my study area polygon shapefile too. This created the shapefile in the screenshot below, with the original study area from which is was derived directly above it.

The lines of longitude that define the study area are: 37(deg)N and 38(deg)30'N
The lines of latitude that define the study area are: 106(deg)30'W and 108(deg)30'W



The next step will be taking all of my data and determining how to best clip to fit the study area. I have now identified the counties that lie in this area which are:

• Rio Grande County
• San Juan County
• Hinsdale County
• Montezuma County
• Conejos County
• Gunnison County
• La Plata County
• Saguache County
• Dolores County
• Mesa County*
• Montrose County
• San Miguel County
• Mineral County
• Archuleta County
• Ouray County

*Mesa County may be excluded due to the fact that only a miniscule portion of the NW study area contains it. I will update this later after I ask Brad about this....

This was determined by doing a "select by location" query using the study area as the base and selecting all counties that intersect. See screenshot below for detailed view of containing counties.



Later this week I will be working on getting as much county level data as possible now that I have identified which counties are contained in the study area. After this data is acquired I will try to clip/mosaic as nessessary to standardize all my data to fit the study area.

Currently 14/90 hours completed as of Feb. 24th, 2009