About socalgovgis - Michael Carson

Michael Carson, GIS Manager (retired) for the City of Burbank and President of Southern California Government GIS User Group. Currently teaching GIS at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita.

ArcGIS API for Python

Posted on August 18, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

ArcGIS API for Python provides GIS users with a Python API for their Web GIS (Online, Portal, or Enterprise in the cloud). It provides simple and efficient tools for GIS users sophisticated vector and raster analysis, geocoding, map making, routing and directions, as well as for organizing and managing a GIS with users, groups and information items.

In addition to working with your own data, the library enables access to ready to use maps and curated geographic data from Esri and other authoritative sources. It also integrates well with the scientific Python ecosystem and includes rich support for Pandas and Jupyter notebook. Continue reading →

FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer

Posted on August 16, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

Looking for FEMA flood maps, LOMRs, and LOMAs? Check out FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer web map. You can also view things like river mile markers, coastal gages, high water marks, base flood elevations, water lines, alluvial fans, subbasins, levees, and more!

August 21, 2017 Solar Eclipse

Posted on August 14, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

For those of you that have read this blog for a while, you might remember me mentioning the Great American Solar Eclipse for 2017 in a post back in October 2015! Well, it looks like the media woke up about it, because it is all over the news now. It is finally here, just one week away on August 21st! More info here.

Are you going to travel up north or to the east to see it? Below is a handy map showing how may hours it will take you to drive to the closest area to view the total solar eclipse:

Continue reading →

Monitoring and Mapping a Saltmarsh

Posted on August 10, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

Interesting article in GIS Professional magazine about using drones and GIS to map saltmarshes in Scotland. Check it out.

New Maps

Posted on August 8, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

For you map collectors, here is a list of new maps and books that might interest you:

Kaufmann, Obi. The California field atlas. 1 atlas (608 pages), scales differ. Berkeley, Calif.: Heyday, pub. 2017. ISBN: 9781597144025

Mad Maps. Scenic road trips of Northern California: Avenue of the Giants, the Lost Coast, Napa & Sonoma, Mount Hamilton, Santa Cruz Mountains, Monterey & Carmel. 1 map, scale ca. 1:600,000. San Francisco, Calif.: Mad Maps, pub. 2016. ISBN: 9781933911397

National Geographic Maps. Mojave National Preserve, California. 1 map, scale 1:125,000. Evergreen, Colo.: National Geographic Maps, Trails Illustrated topographic map 256, pub. 2016. ISBN: 9781566953832

Continue reading →

Paper Maps Are Still Alive

Posted on July 31, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

Thought that traditional paper maps are dead? Well, at least not yet! Here is a Minneapolis mapmaker that has stayed in business making custom maps in niche markets from dog parks to UFO sightings.

Guerrilla Cartography Kickstarter

Posted on July 27, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

Guerrilla Cartography has a kickstarter for their upcoming Water Atlas project. Contribution options include adding your location to the collaborators map, receiving a copy of the book, or even donating a copy of the book to your favorite school, library, or community center with your name printed on the inside cover. Check it out.

Thanks goes to Chandler Sterling for pointing this one out!

How Sepulveda Canyon Became the 405

Posted on July 25, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

Once a footpath for the native Tongva people, now Sepulveda Canyon supports the busy Sepulveda Blvd. and 405 Freeway between the valley and the west side. Check out this article about the history and construction of the highway and freeway that goes through what we now call the Sepulveda Pass.

GIS Certificate at Rio Hondo College

Posted on July 24, 2017 by socalgovgis - Michael Carson

GIS Fall Semester classes starts August 21st
Pursue your GIS Certificate at Rio Hondo College. Registration starts next week. Apply for admission and register for classes entirely online.

Fall semester classes include two Introduction to GIS (GIS 120) courses including one located off site at the LA County Department of Public Works (DPW) at 900 S Fremont Ave, Alhambra. Also offered is Cartography (GIS 221) and Intermediate GIS (GIS 220).

For more information visit http://riohondo.isteaching.com/fall-semester-2017.html or contact Prof Warren Roberts gisteacher@gmail.com .

ESRI Geodata Academy