GIS 5050 Final Project - Bobwhite Transmission line Analysis

 In our final project we were tasked with bringing all the skills we have acquired over the throughout the course as well as to research and utilize new ones.  We acted as the GIS analyst in this project which was the analysis of a new transmission line for FPL which would go through both Manatee and Sarasota counties.  The name of the project is the Bobwhite Transmission line.

Initially we created a basemap with the preferred corridor and the study area.  We then used tools like Intersection and Clip to create a map that indicates the conservation lands within the study area and the preferred corridor. 

We then added data from the National Wetlands Inventory, separated them into 2 categories, Uplands and Wetlands in order to map the areas that are located in the corridor and/or a 400ft buffer surrounding the corridor. The Buffer tool was utilized to create the buffer before adding the Inventory data. The acreage was calculated using the Calculate Geometry tool in the attribute table and percentage of affected lands were determined.

After this we used our skills to georeference homes located in the preferred corridor and again within the buffer zone.  We also went a step further and analyzed the parcels that were in the corridor an then in the buffer zone. Clip, intersection and georeference, were among some of the tools utilized.

We also relied on skills developed in our geocode and georeference labs to find the schools, if any that were located in the preferred corridor and the buffer zone.

All of the information was examined and it showed that FPL's Bobwhite-Transmission line preferred corridor was in fact an excellent selection. The number of homes that would be affected was small as most of the corridor contained agricultural lands.  The preferred corridor only contained 14% certified wetlands. No schools were located within the preferred corridor or the buffer zone. Overall, a low impact route selection.