{"id":570612,"date":"2023-02-08T08:46:08","date_gmt":"2023-02-08T16:46:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?post_type=arcuser&p=570612"},"modified":"2024-02-14T09:09:41","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T17:09:41","slug":"mapping-schema","status":"publish","type":"arcuser","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/arcuser\/mapping-schema","title":{"rendered":"New Schema Shines for State Geological Agencies"},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","castos_file_data":"","podmotor_file_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[260002,24962,91],"tags":[201042,483882,277882],"arcuser_issues":[483782],"class_list":["post-570612","arcuser","type-arcuser","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-data-management","category-focus","category-mapping","tag-data-management","tag-gems","tag-usgs","arcuser_issues-au-winter-2023"],"acf":{"short_description":"GeMS\u2014or Geologic Mapping Schema--a standard developed USGS is being widely adopted by state geological agencies.","pdf":{"host_remotely":false,"file":569792,"file_url":""},"flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Over the last few years, the methods used to gather, process, and display the nation\u2019s geological data have changed significantly. GIS is at the forefront of these developments, leading to a rethinking and reimagining of how state-level geological surveying agencies conduct their work.\r\n\r\nThe major impetus for these changes is GeMS\u2014or Geologic Mapping Schema\u2014a standard developed by the US Geological Survey (USGS) National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program (NCGMP). [A schema is the formal definition of a dataset\u2019s structure, which includes feature types, permitted geometries, user-defined attributes, and other rules that define or restrict its content.]<\/em> USGS has been developing GeMS over the last two decades. GeMS is optimized for ArcGIS products \u201cin order to adhere to USGS policy, and because this is the GIS most commonly used in the USGS, in the state geological surveys, and in the larger community,\u201d according to the agency\u2019s publication describing GeMS.\r\n

Precious GeMS<\/h3>\r\nUSGS now uses GeMS for nearly all the geologic mapping products<\/a> it creates, and state geological surveys are also beginning to adopt it. \u201cAcross the board, all mapping is now being created in GeMS, or at least working toward it,\u201d said Jennifer Athey, a geologist with the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, which provided input to USGS during the development of GeMS.\r\n\r\nVicki Voigt, a geologist with the Missouri Geological Survey, said that initial qualms about GeMS within the geologic mapping community were quickly allayed by how well it worked.\r\n\r\n\u201cUSGS has implemented GeMS slowly, which has made the schema easier to adopt,\u201d she said. \u201cAfter having a chance to acclimate to GeMS, we\u2019ve realized that it\u2019s pretty straightforward and a practical approach to archiving geologic information.\u201d\r\n\r\n "},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":570672,"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Connecting the Dots<\/h3>\r\nBy making it easier to integrate data from state surveys, GeMS will help NCGMP fulfill a primary objective, the construction of a complete bedrock and surficial map of the United States.\r\n\r\nAt the same time, state geological surveys have adopted GeMS as a way to help complete their own state maps. Athey said that GeMS is helping her office make great progress in its \u201cpie in the sky goal\u201d of creating a 1:100,000-scale geologic map of Alaska. Voigt detailed how one of her colleagues at the agency has begun to implement the 1:500,000-scale geologic map of Missouri into GeMS using the new schema.\r\n\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s an incredible effort,\u201d Voigt said. The map contains hundreds of bedrock unit polygons and polyline feature structures, and the GeMS schema is very particular, but Voigt has been able to complete it with very few headaches.\r\n\r\n\u201cThe GeMS idea came around at the right time for us. We were inefficient and didn\u2019t have a standard of our own, so we were in a really good place to adopt it,\u201d said Athey. \u201cKnowing we were going to be producing our deliverables for mapping in this new standard helped make us ready for it.\u201d\r\n

A Streamlined Process<\/h3>\r\nUsing a modified form of GeMS optimized for Alaska, the agency has developed a unified way to apply the standard to all the mapping products it produces from a variety of sources. These sources include old paper maps that require digitization, cartographic-centric data that requires conversion into GeMS, and products compiled from various data sources.\r\n\r\n\u201cOur basic process when we produce a product\u2014and this includes conversion products\u2014is that we go to the field to collect data and we use databases there, typically using [ArcGIS]<\/em> Field Maps or [ArcGIS]<\/em> Collector,\u201d said Michael Hendricks, a GIS analyst with the Alaskan agency. \u201cWe\u2019ll be in the field for three or more weeks with no internet access at all, so we actually stand up [ArcGIS]<\/em> Enterprise portals on small devices and use them in the field offline, which is not for the faint of heart, let me tell you.\u201d\r\n\r\nBack in the office, once a map is created, the data is reviewed using ArcGIS Data Reviewer, Python scripts, and models. With that completed, metadata is added. The data is also converted from the local GeMS to the main version, and the map is then packaged for publication and delivery to USGS.\r\n\r\nVoigt said the Missouri agency is in the process of developing workflows that will allow raw data from the field to be incorporated directly into GeMS. It plans to have these workflows in place by the end of the year.\r\n\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s a learning effort, but I think this process is going to be simple and straightforward,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen you\u2019re archiving the geologic information of a small-scale 7 1\/2-minute quadrangle, you\u2019re looking at maybe 12 bedrock polygons and few polylines, so it\u2019s simple to incorporate them into the [GeMS]<\/em> database.\u201d\r\n\r\n "},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":570682,"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Improved Workflows<\/h3>\r\nRetooling geological mapping procedures around GeMS creates a smoother internal workflow. As Voigt pointed out, GeMS databases are part of the deliverables for all products the office creates for USGS. \u201cGeMS sets us up to automate our geologic mapping process from the beginning, so there\u2019s no back end anymore when putting the databases together,\u201d she explained. \u201cIt\u2019s almost like we\u2019re getting double the work done.\u201d\r\n\r\nAlaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys has also seen increased productivity. \u201cI think we\u2019re moving four times as much data through the process as we used to,\u201d Athey said.\r\n\r\nHendricks agreed. \u201cIn the past, one of the big bottlenecks has always been metadata,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd every database, even if it was in the same schema, people would implement it differently. What used to take a week, he added, can now be accomplished before lunch.\r\n

Internal and External Benefits<\/h3>\r\nStreamlined workflows yield benefits both in and out of the office. For internal use, these standardized databases have the advantage of making information more findable and salvageable.\r\n\r\n\u201cWe are a repository of so much information, and historically it\u2019s been taken down on paper and put in a filing cabinet somewhere,\u201d Voigt said. \u201cIt\u2019s been a huge effort to make sure all the information has been captured and remains usable. We have geologists who make very important decisions every day, and it\u2019s essential that they have all the information they need.\u201d\r\n\r\nThe advantages extend to everyone who requires solid geological maps and data. \u201cWhat it really comes down to is, how are we helping the taxpayers by providing them with the best products in a timely manner?\u201d said Jerry Prewett, deputy director of the Missouri Geological Survey. \u201cThis is standard information that a lot of people need.\u201d\r\n\r\nThose who rely on authoritative Alaska geological mapping data range from people in industry and academia to \u201cpeople who are building a house and want to know what\u2019s underneath it,\u201d according to Athey. \u201cAnd now we can make this data available to them so much faster.\u201d"}],"references":null},"yoast_head":"\nGeMS mapping schema<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"GeMS\u2014or Geologic Mapping Schema\u2014a standard developed by the US Geological Survey 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