A geographic information system (GIS) is a system for management, analysis and display of geographic information, which is represented using a series of data sets such as maps and globes, tabular data, work flow models and metadata. With the technical expertise of CAJA staff, GIS information can be collected, queried, modeled and displayed to answer important questions about the built and natural environment. CAJA provides GIS resources for a wide range of environmental analyses, including (but not limited to) land use planning, demographic modeling, environmental justice analysis, viewshed analysis and biological inventory. This diverse project information can be mapped with precision to allow for more complex and defensible resource studies. High quality cartographic materials and thoroughly defined analyses are standard products of our GIS Services.

Specific examples of cartographic materials created by CAJA's GIS department include:

• Regional Maps
• Vicinity Maps
• Land Use and Zoning Maps
• General Plan Maps
• Elevation Contour Maps
• Photo Location Maps (using imported GPS data)
• Soils Maps
• Related Projects Maps (geocoding project addresses)
• Parks and Schools Maps
• Unemployment and Income Maps
• Tree Survey Maps (using imported GPS data)
• Oil and Gas Wells Maps
• Fault Zones Maps

Examples of GIS Analysis executed by CAJA's GIS department include:

• Fresno County Enterprise Zone Application
  • Defined an area of rural Fresno County that qualified under the California State Enterprise Zone Program
  • Selected census areas based upon demographic thresholds
  • Imported, digitized and reclassified zoning data
  • Calculated areas and percentages categorized by zoning designation
  • Exported address and street ranges contained in the Enterprise Zone
• Solano Rockville Trails Estates - Wastewater Disposal Area Siting and Analysis
  • Defined an area for wastewater disposal based upon the following criteria:
    • Calculated areas of slope < 30%
    • Subtracted water feature setbacks based upon water feature type
    • Subtracted road right-of-way setbacks
  • Quantified acreage categorically:
    • Digitized vegetation type based upon biological assessments
    • Mapped the proposed parcel lots
    • Calculated acreage of vegetation type per parcel in the remaining area
• Big Wave Wetland Delineation
  • High precision GPS data collected by trained field biologists to delineate wetlands
  • Overlay analysis of sample points for completion of the Wetland Determination Data Form
    
• 6701 Portishead Malibu Plant Communities
  • Digitized plant communities based upon biologist's site study and aerial photo
• Oro Vista Sensitive Species Habitat
  • Analyzed sensitive plant, animal and habitat species within a specified buffer distance from the project site

Examples of GIS data collection performed by CAJA's GIS department include:

• Field data collection using Global Positioning System (GPS) with ESRI's ArcPad
  • Conducted with field crews trained in collecting a wide variety of data such as biological resources, utility locations and wetland delineations.
    • Research of existing data sources (background data)
    • Data design
    • Accurate data collection
    • Quality control and precision verification
    • Complete data inventory