2025 WA GIS Conference

Are you ready for the new datum? A new National Spatial Reference System (datum will be launched in 2026. Implemented by the National Geodetic Survey, NATRF2022 will supersede NAD83-2011. Per WA RCW, this will become the datum of record when the change happens. With this change will come new state plane projections (north zone, south zone, and a new statewide projection), as well as low distortion projection (in development). In addition, the US Survey foot has bene deprecated, and all new projections will reflect the change to the international foot. This session provides the background, the potential impacts for WA, and examples of how engineering/surveying and GIS firms and organizations are preparing for the changes.

In 2025 and 2026 the US will implement a new spatial datum — NATRF2022. The adoption of the new reference scheme will be pervasive and impact every area of GIS and spatial data handling in the US. Not only does the basic measurement premise change but the conceptual datum model is different as well. The change, however, will not be instantaneous and legacy data will need to be used alongside that generated in the new datum for years to come.

This presentation will provide insight into the origins and purpose of the new datum, how it may affect your work, what you should be aware of as the plan proceeds, key pitfalls to look for with new data products, and how you can better prepare yourself for the coming changes. The talk will address the key datum design issues, State Plane Coordinates, low-distortion projection concerns, as well as legal and regulatory issues.

This is an opportunity to learn about the coming changes and hear about the potential issues from someone who experienced the last datum change from NAD27 to NAD83 (and lived to tell about it).

For over 10 years, the WA DNR Nearshore Habitat Program (NHP) has been researching methods to transplant and restore populations of eelgrass, Zostera marina, in South Puget Sound. At a series of small research meadows, eelgrass has been transplanted using different combinations of methods and donor sources and each summer NHP staff conduct surveys of the test plots to assess their performance. In 2019, uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS or “drones”) were added to the suite of tools deployed at the sites, which has enabled estimates of total eelgrass shoots to be calculated by combining in situ density observations and area delineations based on the aerial imagery. Then in 2024, DNR announced plans to break ground on a project to remove the fish passage barrier near Joemma Beach State Park – the site of the largest of our eelgrass research meadows – and restore Whiteman Cove to a free-flowing tidal estuary. In anticipation of the project, NHP decided to expand our efforts to include RTK-enabled (real-time kinematic) drone surveys over the entire tidal flat, which enable the production of high-resolution digital elevation models using structure-from-motion photogrammetry software. These models allow DNR to track channel formation and sediment deposition in the restored system, and to observe in real time if there are any impacts from the project on the eelgrass research meadow nearby. This talk will present lessons learned over five years of monitoring transplanted eelgrass populations with high resolution drone imagery, the initial results of comparing the RTK drone-based elevation models of the restored estuary, and finally how these products are being shared with the public using web products such as ArcGIS Experience Builder.

Kelp forests are critical nearshore habitats, and understanding their spatiotemporal distribution across Washington State is essential for effective stewardship and management. Current floating kelp maps in Washington consist of a patchwork of multiple datasets in various formats, including remotely sensed classified imagery from fixed-wing aerial and drone surveys, as well as lines and polygons from kayak- and boat-based surveys. This diversity makes comparison and spatiotemporal change analysis challenging at the statewide level. To address this, the Nearshore Habitat Program at the Washington State Department of Natural Resources developed a linear extent model for floating kelp distribution. This model summarizes annual kelp presence along 1-km coastal line segments using the best available and most up-to-date survey data. The linear extent model builds on legacy data structures to ensure compatibility with other marine vegetation geospatial datasets. It employs multiple ETL pipelines to synthesize a variety of data streams into a single, synoptic map of kelp forests in Washington State. This new dataset is already being utilized by marine vegetation researchers and managers. This presentation will cover the technical aspects of developing this statewide spatial dataset, including the use of Python scripting for data processing and automation, methods for harmonizing spatial data from disparate sources, and strategies for sharing geospatial datasets with users of varying technical expertise.

We present a newly-created environmental dataset for storing fire history information gathered from trees in the Spokane, Washington area. The data come from fire scars preserved on trees after they have been injured in fires of the past – collecting both the quantity and timing of these scars can give a wealth of information on past fire activity, in addition to the spatial patterns gathered from the tree locations. This dataset is designed to be an ongoing collection of fire history data, with contributions from students and community members. Not only is the dataset one of exceptionally high resolution, but it is also the only effort to create a complete inventory of all the fire-scarred trees in Riverside State Park, which is the largest state park in Washington State. These data will be used in teaching activities through GIS labs on things like interpolations and hot spot analyses, but also to record the geospatial nature of past fire activity for an area at a scale not yet pursued before. We propose a presentation where we introduce the idea of fire history and fire-scar data, explore the dataset as it exists now and discuss the student work involved in creating in, and showcase some potential future uses of the dataset as it grows in feature and attribute depth. Currently the dataset is housed on the Eastern Washington University AGOL content page, but the goal is to make it public and shareable via an interactive ESRI StoryMap.

The City of Tacoma is working to improve elk habitats by controlling noxious weeds in the Green River Watershed. This effort is part of the Water Storage Project Mitigation and ensures compliance with state regulations.

To make tracking herbicide applications easier and more accurate, we’ve set up an automated GIS workflow that cuts down on manual data entry while keeping records accurate. Using ArcGIS Pro and Field Maps, data is collected and analyzed through web tools and dashboards, then automatically converted into PDF reports with Map Series functionality. Also, as data is collected, configured Attribute Rules enforce data integrity and create less data entry. This process ensures that documentation is both efficient and compliant.

By utilizing an automated process in GIS, these records not only help with compliance but also improve habitat management. In addition, real-time GIS data helps to make better decisions to control invasive species while reducing environmental impact.