Mini-project #Env-1
Information Systems and GIS
BACKGROUND AND PROBLEM ANALYSIS
The mini-project for "Information Systems and GIS" was included in the SMLC
project to address the facts that: i) limited environmental information is available on
GIS, and ii) MLCs' environmental management units have limited experience with use of GIS.
GIS applications and base maps are available at the
GJMC and the MLCs but they have not been standardised and has not been used for
systematising environmental data. There is a need for the MLCs' Environmental Management
Units to be able to extract GIS based environmental information for the units' decision
making, especially for development control applications.
IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVES
The key objectives of the mini-project are:
- Basic environmental GIS capability established at EMA/D
- Procedures established for continued up-dating of GIS (data
entry and hardware/software) established.
- EMA/D staff trained in GIS operations.
OUTPUTS
The overall output of the mini-project will be the establishment of environmental database
and GIS applications including:
- GIS compatible databases developed for:
- Surface water quality (chemical and biological);
- Status of boreholes including quality and yield;
- Ambient air quality;
- Ambient noise and noise zoning;
- Meteorological data (rainfall, temp, wind speed &
direction);
- Pollution point sources (with pollution profiles);
- Mining activities (incl. abandoned dumps);
- Environmental/geo-technical hazardous areas;
- Environmental sensitive areas and ecological info;
- Cultural, historical and archaeological resources;
- Stormwater runoff & flood lines;
- Environmental monitoring stations;
- Agricultural potential.
- System capable of accepting and locating erf details (to
assess whether development applications fall in hazardous or sensitive areas).
- GIS layers developed for above items;
- Standard GIS report formats;
- Procedures and user manuals for data entry and report
abstraction;
- EMA/D staff trained in operating database and GIS
applications.
ACTIVITIES
The main activities will include the following:
- Audit existing databases on environmental parameters,
- Assess current system's potential for environmental GIS,
- Design environmental GIS system requirements (data and
report formats),
- Develop/revise databases for selected parameters,
- Design interface between environmental GIS and current
land-use GIS,
- Prepare procedures for updating environmental GIS on regular
basis,
- Determine staffing requirements for operating environmental
GIS,
- Identify and appoint staff,
- Determine training needs for system operators,
- Prepare training and users' manuals,
- Train staff,
- Data entry as on-the-job training.
INPUTS AND BUGDET
The main inputs from the involved Metro authorities will include:
- Staff time
- Office facilities for consultants
- Access to overall GIS hardware and software, and land use
GIS
- Data and databases for relevant parameters
- Venues for meetings, workshops and training.
The input from DANCED will include:
- CTA part-time
- SA Project Manager part-time
- 4 months of SA consultants
- 50,000 ZAR for procurement of hardware/software.
ASSUMPTIONS
The key assumptions are as follows:
- Council inputs in terms of overall GIS hardware and software
will be made available for development, installation and operation of environmental GIS
applications.
- Council input in terms of staff requirements will be made
available.
INDICATORS AND MEANS OF VERIFICATION
The indicators and means of verification will be:
- TOR for consultants
- Report on current GIS system and recommendations for
amending environmental GIS.
- Report with specification of parameters, databases and
environmental GIS layers.
- Environmental GIS implemented on existing Council GIS system
- Training and operators' manuals produced.
- Council staff capable of operating and maintaining system.
- Procedures manual for up-dating of system.
- Formats of GIS maps and data reports.
PROJECT ORGANISATION
The project will be organised as follows:
- The PMU for the Environmental Planning component will be
responsible to the Project Steering Committee for planning and implementation of the
mini-projects of the environmental planning component;
- A Reference Group for the Environmental Planning component
representing all relevant Metro authorities will be supervising and participate in the
planning and implementation of the mini-projects of the Environmental Planning component;
- A Working Group will have the day-to-day responsibility for
implementing this particular mini-project.
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
A detailed implementation plan (GANTT-chart format) is attached. |
