map of the middle Missisiippi River

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Techniques and Methods 6C–1

Middle Mississippi River Decision Support System: User's Manual


By Jason J. Rohweder, Steven J. Zigler, Timothy J. Fox, and Steven N. Hulse

ABSTRACT

This user’s manual describes the Middle Mississippi River Decision Support System (MMRDSS) and gives detailed examples on its use. The MMRDSS provides a framework to assist decision makers regarding natural resource issues in the Middle Mississippi River floodplain. The MMRDSS is designed to provide users with a spatially explicit tool for tasks, such as inventorying existing knowledge, developing models to investigate the potential effects of management decisions, generating hypotheses to advance scientific understanding, and developing scientifically defensible studies and monitoring. The MMRDSS also includes advanced tools to assist users in evaluating differences in complexity, connectivity, and structure of aquatic habitats among river reaches. The Environmental Systems Research Institute ArcView 3.x platform was used to create and package the data and tools of the MMRDSS.

CONTENTS

Abstract
Introduction
ArcView GIS Platform
Discussion
Acknowledgments
References
Appendix 1: User’s Manual
Section 1: General Information
Minimum System Requirements
ArcView GIS Platform
Using the Manual (Hard Copy/Digital)
Technical Support
Section 2: Getting Started
Installing the Middle Mississippi River Decision Support System
Copying MrSid Files to the Hard Drive
Starting ArcView and Opening the MMRDSS
Section 3: Data
GIS Data Themes
Metadata
Section 4: Basic ArcView Functions
Creating Map Layouts
Copying Graphics to Other Windows-Based Programs
Exporting Tables to Other Windows-Based Programs
Using Standard ArcView GIS Buttons and Tools
Other GIS Data Theme Functions
Section 5: Advanced Tools–Geomorphology and Aquatic Habitat
Flood Frequency Data
Sinuosity Index
Shoreline Development Ratio
Inverse Distance Weighted Measure of River Training Structures
Hypsometric Integral
Fragstats Version 3.3 Landscape Metrics
Section 6: Clipping Tool
Background
Clipping Multiple Themes Using a User-Defined Polygon
Clipping Multiple Themes Using an Existing Polygon
Appendix 2: Geographic Information System Data Theme List
Appendix 3: FRAGSTATS Attribute List

This report is available online in Portable Document Format (PDF). If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader, it is available for free download from Adobe Systems Incorporated.

Download the report (PDF, 2,978 KB)

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For additional information contact:

Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
U.S. Geological Survey
2630 Fanta Reed Road
La Crosse, Wisconsin 54603
608-781-6269

Please visit http://www.umesc.usgs.gov/ for more information about USGS activities in La Crosse, Wisconsin.


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