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Experiential Learning Portfolio Guide Describe How to Setup a Relational Database
As stated, I started off early in my career creating Microsoft Access databases to store my ArcMap
features before progressing to MS SQL. The first step in the setup of a relational database required
unique table entities and the use of a primary key with entity integrity (no null values) for each table in
the database. The use of a foreign key with referential integrity (no orphans) is also essential to create
relationships to other tables. A relational database uses seLast Namel types of relationships one-to-
one, one-to-many, and many-to-many with the latter two being the most used in the GIS environment.
Database containing multiple tables should also be normalized to third normal form (3NF) to ensure
proper functioning and minimize bogging of the database once data is entered into the system. It
is also good practice to sketch out the tables in Visio or on paper to envision how the tables and
relationships will function and fine-tune the normalization of tables prior to implementation.

Formulate and Interpret Geographically Referenced Data

As the Geospatial Program Manager, my job entails being the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for GIS
within my District. I am tasked with ensuring others get the institutional knowledge they need to create
accurate products for decision makers. I typically provide Quality Control (QC) of the internal and
external datasets of various projections that are used within our products. I have to quickly interpret
information to ensure accuracy and in some cases, have found errors in final products. One example
was a 30-foot shift in a Texas State Plane NAD 83 South Zone (FIPS 4205) channel dataset depicting
an encroachment of a port authority dock. The analyst was utilizing satellite imagery of the area and
determining the encroachment solely based on imagery. GIS scientific principle dictates some sort
of investigation should be done to quantify and interpret the data. After 30 minutes of investigation, I
was able to ascertain that the file was not properly transformed and reprojected into Texas State Plane
NAD83 South Zone (FIPS 4205) and once corrected, the vector features lined up with the imagery.

One must understand all the different types of projections and how they can be applied to their given
project. Utilizing metadata becomes an important part of the process to quickly transform and reproject
those layers for analysis.

Manipulate ArcGIS to Analyze Problems

Throughout my 26-year career with USACE, I have analyzed many different projects that involved the
Texas coast and navigation. I have performed work with mobile LiDAR datasets and converted the
vector data to raster grids and used the spatial analyst functions to determine impacts of erosion and
accretion with difference of surfaces. I have utilized ArcGIS to estimate volumes of shoal material
within our ship channels and exported the information to tables and graphics. I am experienced with
the use of spectral imagery (satellite and drone) based to assess vegetation using NDVI techniques
and also identify plant species based on reflectance signatures. I have also utilized ArcGIS to produce
surge inundation maps from USGS DEMs along the Texas Gulf Coast. On other projects, I have
identified pipelines using buffer corridors within our project boundaries to estimate pipe size and type
of commodity impacting our projects. I am also experienced with topology tools and parcel fabric to
produce real estate parcel maps.

www.americansentinel.edu

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