GIS Applications for ROW Management on New York

Power Authority High Voltage Transmission Lines

Prepared for:

2004 DoD Pest Management Workshop

Prepared by:

New York Power Authority and URS Corporation

Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, FloridaFebruary 9 – 13, 2004

Presentation Team

New York Power Authority

Ed Alkiewicz – Sr. Environmental ScientistKevin McLoughlin – System Forester John Wingfield – GIS/Survey Manager

URS Corporation

Dave Frazier – Project ManagerLana Khitrik – GIS Manager Jim Kooser – Senior Ecologist

The New York Power Authority One of the largest producers of electricity in New York State

Over one thousand miles of high voltage transmission lines crossing New York State

NYPA and Rights-of-Way Management

Approximately 24,000 acres of rights-of-way:• Various types of lands use • Various vegetation types

Goal: Provide safe and reliable transmission of electric

power in an economic and environmentally compatible manner

Importance of Effective Vegetation Management

Cause 2:Cause 2:InadequateTreeTrimming

Cause 2:Cause 2:InadequateTreeTrimming

August 2003 Blackouts –

Lessons Learned

Integrated Vegetation Management

The highly selective removal of tall growing trees through the careful use of herbicide and mechanical treatments.

Manages the ecology of the rights-of-way to reduce tall tree density and encourage the growth of desirable species.

Accurate data on the density of undesirable and desirable species is required to implement an IVM strategy. Electronic field data collection techniques make gathering such data economical.

The Traditional Process

The Traditional Process

The labor intensity of juggling the disparate data sources led NYPA to seek a better way to achieve its ROW management goals

GIS Framework for ROW Management

1999 – Started an NYPA-wide Enterprise GIS systemDeveloped a GIS User CommunitySelected a Consultant – URS CorporationCarefully crafted short- and long-term plans

1999 – Started data collection for the first 200 miles of NYPA’s Rights-of-Way

2000 – Released first version of a custom user application

2001 – Multipurpose, multidiscipline, easy-to-usetool accepted across the board

Data Collection – Existing Data

•Digital Orthophoto

Data Collection – Existing Data

•Digital Orthophoto •NYPA Historical Records

Data Collection – Existing Data

•Digital Orthophoto •NYPA Historical Records•GIS Coverages from other agencies

Data Collection – Existing Data

•Digital Orthophoto •NYPA Historical Records•GIS Coverages from other agencies•State Regulated Wetlands

Data Collection – Existing Data

•Digital Orthophoto •NYPA Historical Records•GIS Coverages from other agencies•State Regulated Wetlands•NWI Wetlands

Data Collection – Existing Data

•Digital Orthophoto •NYPA Historical Records•GIS Coverages from other agencies•State Regulated Wetlands•NWI Wetlands•Real Property Records

•Digital Orthophoto •NYPA Historical Records•GIS Coverages from other agencies•State Regulated Wetlands•NWI Wetlands•Real Property Records•Tax Maps

Data Collection – Existing Data

Data Collection – In the Field PenMap GIS installed on rugged,

hand-held field portable pen computers

Field crews consisted of experienced biologists trained on GIS

Data Collection – GIS In the Field

Pre-programmed pull-down menus minimize data collection effort

Data Collection

Once data collection was completed, the GIS contained dozens of accurate, current data sets

Data Collected in the Field

BuildingsStreams, CreeksForeign UtilitiesRoadsTrailsBridgesCulvertsBenchesGatesBoreholesWellsManholesPolesParking LotsAccess RoadsSteep slope

Vegetation polygon IDAcresNon-Compatible SpeciesNon-Compatible Species DensityNon-Compatible Species HeightsNon-Compatible Depth Below ConductorCompatible SpeciesCompatible Species DensityRecommended TreatmentTreatment JustificationsLand Use

Pre-programmed pull-down menus minimize data collection effort

Ease of Access Simplicity

Ease of Access Simplicity

User ApplicationsCentralized Data AccessSecurity

Centralized Data AccessSecurity

User Applications

• Helps Right-of-Way managers evaluate vegetation conditions

• Provides access to geographic data so that IVM treatment techniques can be examined taking into account conditions such as wetlands, landowner issues/agreements, site access, regulatory commitments, and security

• Helps with treatment plan review process

• A link for creating work orders through NYPA’s existing maintenance resource management system (MAXIMO)

User Applications

Notifying land owners of the herbicide application

Acquiring tree cutting rights

Issuing various land use permits

Tracking the acquisition and the conveyance of real property

Real estate professionals also provide quality assurance checks for IVM treatment plans

Helps Real Estate professionals with tasks such as:

User ApplicationsProvides an support for all phases of Integrated

Vegetation Management Field inventories are conducted each year for the rights- of-way scheduled for treatment in the following year

NYPA’s forestry staff reviews the inventories and treatment recommendations and accepts or modifies

the recommendations

The IVM treatment plan is used to solicit bids for treatment

Once the actual field work begins, the treatment plan and related data are downloaded onto field computers for use by NYPA inspectors

The inspectors track the actual treatment in the field, and then upload the data to the central server for

future use

When the next field inventory of the same rights-of-way is performed, the data from the

previous inventory are used to analyze how well the previous treatment cycle worked

User Applications

Program Summary

Field GIS enhances data collection capabilities

Produce an accurate delineation of “Pest” species

Produce accurate specifications for “Pest” management that minimize treatment applications to target areas

Field verify that treatment plans were implemented as per specification or document approved deviations

Conduct pre-mobilization landowner notifications for access and treatment

Produce reports for internal use or regulatory requirements