Applying GIS to local government: Applications for utilities, stormwater, and custom tools in
Mooresville, North Carolina
Kaitlin Finan
Graduate Student Internship Presentation
Appalachian State University
Image from visitmooresvillenc.com
Background
• Mooresville is located in Iredell County in the piedmont region of North Carolina • 25 miles north of Charlotte, NC
• Originally incorporated in 1873 as a mill town
• Population surge in the 1990s
• Use GIS to monitor, inventory, and manage new development
Mooresville
Main Job Duties • Worked in the Development Services Department
• Job title: “Development Services Intern”
• The department is made up of four engineers, one stormwater specialist, one transportation engineer, and three inspectors
• Added to, edited, and updated the Town’s GIS
• Edit and update existing utility data
• Add as-built data to, update CCTV data, date water system, add to water main tracing layer
• Collect GPS utility points
• Water valves, hydrants, meters, manholes, and stormwater features.
Field work
• TopCon GPS • Collected utility points
• Created new jobs, added items to the dictionary
• Ensured horizontal precision
• Collected over 1,500 points • Verified points on map and
found new points to add
Field work • iPad for stormwater data
• Used ArcGIS online
• Edited attributes in the field, took photos
• Measured invert depths with tape measurer
• Reconciled map on desktop computer to update with iPad
• Published web maps to use in the field
• Takeaway: field work does not usually work out as planned, flexibility is important.
Office work
• Edit utility layers • Created features and attributes • Calculate pipe slope
• Reference as-builts to add to the utility network
• Add to water main tracing layer • Identifies valves to turn off in the
case of a main break, and customers that will be out of service
• Takeaway: even though editing tasks can be very repetitive, it is essential to pay attention to detail to ensure data integrity.
Office work
• Custom toolset for street department
• Asset management project
• Main signs, pavement markings, sign support, and stop signs only
• Takeaway: data is not useful if users are not educated on how to use it.
Fire Department Audit
• Need to show proof of hydrant inspection
• Learned how to add field domains, add layers to SDE database
• Takeaway: GIS can be a valuable tool for all departments, not just utilities.
Reflection • Skills learned
• Using TopCon GPS in the field
• Troubleshooting problems
• Editing in ArcMap versioning
• ArcGIS online
• Customizing tools with model builder and Python
• Using GIS in a professional setting
Questions?
Thank you
