By D. Brock Dillard
As access to geospatial information becomes almost essential to the delivery of power, many utilities are finding it absolutely necessary to have a thorough understanding of the topographical makeup of their service territories and the location of physical assets within those territories. Taken in that context, the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority’s (NTUA’s) desire to gain a better understanding of space is not uncommon. The scope of the project under way at the NTUA, however, is uncommon. Despite difficult terrain and harsh weather conditions, the NTUA and its vendor partners are successfully tackling one of the largest and most challenging GPS/GIS mapping projects currently active in the United States.
In March of 2000, the NTUA began soliciting bids to develop a state-of-the-art GPS/GIS mapping system for its electric, water/wastewater and gas utilities. For this particular project, the NTUA would map all its utilities simultaneously. NTUA, located across Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, is an enterprise of the Navajo Nation and governing body for the utilities of the reservation. After receiving bids from 14 companies, NTUA awarded the project to Global Mapping Solutions (GMS). GMS is partnering with Miner & Miner Consulting Engineers Inc. on the large-scale project.
In October of 2000, GMS assembled a team of professionals from around the United States and enrolled them in an intensive four-week training program. The eight employees were divided into four crews with two team members each. These teams were in a classroom for two weeks to receive training in such areas as field data collection, computer software use, safety issues and the different types of environments the teams would encounter on the reservation during the project. Training was also conducted in the use of harsh environment computers and lasers for bearing and distance measurements.
The second half of training consisted of hands-on, in-the-field instruction to members of the teams. Since the crews would be working in an area covering 26,000 square miles, the two-person teams had to bond and learn to trust one another. Once their training was completed, they would have to rely on each other for safety concerns and the many potential problems that awaited them. Among those potential problems were:
- Hantavirus-An airborne virus carried by infected rodents mainly in the Southwest. Humans are infected when handling rodents, or disturbing their nest and droppings. Employees were provided with a diluted solution of water and bleach to neutralize the virus.
- Wildlife-Team members were given instructions on what to do if bitten by rattlesnakes, spiders, etc. Additionally they were provided with the locations of the nearest medical facilities.
- Treacherous Terrain-Getting around would not be easy during the project. 4×4 trucks and four wheelers are absolutely necessary on the reservation. Wash-outs, steep cliffs and rugged terrain are located throughout the reservation
At the time of this writing, the crews had been in the field for six months and had discovered their biggest hazard to be the weather. Unfortunately, despite all the training for the project, man has not figured out how to control Mother Nature. Field crews have encountered one of the harshest winters to date in Arizona and New Mexico. Four to six inches of snow were not uncommon in December of 2000, and through January, February and March of this year, the winter weather continued. The crews have been able to combat these harsh conditions with help from all levels of the NTUA. “They want to see this project succeed just as much as we do,” said Jim Nelson, president of GMS. “It is not uncommon to see NTUA crews and GMS crews working side by side, ensuring success.”
Innovative Ideas, Unique Plans
One of the biggest challenges in this project is that the NTUA will have its electric, water/wastewater and gas utilities inventoried concurrently. The process GMS has gone through in working toward completion of the project has been complicated but educational.
Part of what will enable GMS to complete the large-scale inventory in a timely manner is specially developed software. Utilizing a combined 15 years experience in the GPS/GIS industry, GMS, along with partner Impact GPS, set out to develop software that would aid in the field data collection process and meet a growing need for a complete field data collection application.
“We were looking for something that would streamline the data collection process and provide a more accurate end product,” said Trip Chavis, vice president of GMS.
With this in mind, GMS developed FMGPS. This software allows users to use real-time data capture and display to monitor data collected as well as to establish both database and topological relationships while in the field. In addition, FMGPS allows field crews to establish lines (i.e., conductor, water pipes, etc.) during the data collection process, resulting in a topologically sound deliverable product. FMGPS is a totally interactive application, providing the user and the client with the flexibility needed for seamless GPS/GIS integration. All of these qualities have proved important, given the scope of the NTUA project.
To facilitate the use of the software, crews are using Fujitsu Pentop Computers. These computers allow crew members to accurately inventory a utility while following maps or markers and operating a four-wheeler or other facilitative equipment at the same time. To help crews with these computers, GMS has designed a lightweight, multi-functional backpack frame, which provides support for a GPS receiver, carrying space for extra batteries and workspace for the computer.
 Four two-man crews are assigned to inventory assets for the NTUA mapping project. |
In addition, GMS is currently working with Landbase Systems, of Pittsburgh, Pa., to establish an accurate and usable landbase for the NTUA. This will be accomplished using a variety of techniques and sources including GPS, DOQQ’s and some existing data.
What Happens after Data is Collected?
As crews complete data collection on individual systems (i.e., an electric circuit), this information will then pass through a series of rigorous QA/QC checks facilitated by both GMS and Miner & Miner. The data is then integrated into Miner & Miner’s ArcFM 8 software and made available to the NTUA within a matter of weeks. James Nilsen, NTUA project manager, said, “Our goal is to get information into the hands of those who need and use it.” This AM/FM/GIS software will provide NTUA with the ability to edit, maintain, model and manage the extensive amount of utility data that GMS has been compiled.
“This is an exciting project for Miner & Miner,” said Tom Taber, Miner & Miner’s engineering and automation project manager. “Through the use of ArcFM 8 and FMGPS, NTUA will have some of the most accurate data in the industry. This system will redefine how NTUA operates and enable them to better serve their customers.”
Miner & Miner’s ArcFM 8 extends ESRI’s ArcGIS software to provide NTUA with a single integrated environment to manage and map the company’s multiple utilities. NTUA’s GIS solution will increase productivity through workflow automation; improve data access throughout the organization and aid customer account analysis.
Training, Software and Innovation Pay Off
To date, the crews, software and cooperation from the NTUA have more than exceeded GMS’s expectations. The end product will be one that NTUA can not only view, but use. In conclusion, the vast size of the project area, the harsh environment and the fact that all utilities are being inventoried concurrently make this project unique and challenging. But due to communication between the primary contractors and the NTUA and development of FMGPS, NTUA’s project seems to be on schedule for completion in the spring of 2002. Upon completion, the NTUA believes it will have been delivered one of the most accurate and multifunctional GIS systems in the industry.
Author
D. Brock Dillard has worked with GMS for the past two years. He holds a BS degree from the College of Charleston. An ambitious project is under way to inventory and map utility assets in the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority’s 26,000-square-mile territory.
