How does GIS serve residents of Pueblo County?
GIS is the key to making our communities
function more efficiently.
someone asks the question "What is GIS, anyway?" it's
very difficult to answer in with a quick, comprehendible answer.
My first inclination is to respond with "GIS is an acronym
for Geographic Information Systems, which is the key to our future,
and every aspect of your life is affected by it." That usually
doesn't go over very well. Often, I'm tempted to say that the
GIS profession entails working with maps and databases. However,
this basic description doesn't come close to narrating the power
and potential of GIS. All in all, GIS is a set of tools that provides
the capability to dissect the complex environment into simple,
representative layers that can be analyzed, manipulated and overlaid
to help us make complex decisions.
you remember studying the human body in high school and college?
Textbooks break down different functions of our body into common-function
systems like the nervous system, the digestive system, the skeletal
system, etc. This is the easiest way to understand the complexity
of our inner workings. This same "dissection" method
works well when trying to understand our environment, too. To
make sense of the complex inner workings of our cities and natural
places, GIS provides a similar thought process where we can separate
elements into their own "systems." Instead of thinking
about Union Avenue as a commercial district, GIS enables us to
see it as buildings, a road, trees, shops, stoplights, utilities
and so forth. Using GIS, we can make decisions about each of these
systems individually. This can enable us to simulate, analyze
and understand problems with unprecedented detail so they can
be addressed most efficiently.
only can we model the existing landscape, we can also introduce
"virtual" models as well. We can quantify the effects
on the Arkansas River if modifications are done to the storm sewer
system in the Union Avenue District. We can analyze the impacts
to traffic, pedestrians and shop owners prior to planting more
trees or modifying parking. We can perform what-if scenarios to
help our police best respond to an emergency. We can model the
behavior of flood waters from Fountain Creek and identify what
can be done to minimize the effects on Union Avenue. And, we can
introduce historical data to help understand how the area once
why does Pueblo County use your tax dollars to invest in a GIS
program? GIS initially started in the early 1990s in Pueblo County
to help the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program
(CSEPP) at the Pueblo Chemical Depot plan for any potential emergencies.
CSEPP now relies on geographic data to ensure that our citizens
are protected, well served and informed about the Pueblo Chemical
Depot. Drawing from the experience gained from the CSEPP program,
GIS use is rapidly growing, providing services to almost every county department.
In fact, you may notice GIS applications being used in several
departments during your next visit to Pueblo County offices.
Not only does GIS enable us to work more efficiently and save
money, it also speeds up government, so we can be more responsive
to your needs. As an example, prior to implementing the GIS program,
it took weeks to notify residents in a neighborhood of potential
changes to their surrounding area. Now, it takes a matter of minutes.
Your county government is only beginning to realize the tremendous
benefits GIS brings to each and every aspect of the services we
provide. So, I encourage you to come visit us. We regularly work
with many area businesses, schools, governmental entities and
private citizens on highly complex projects, and look forward
to helping you with your next project. And, when you drop in, be sure to
pick up a copy of our latest street atlas.
Pueblo County GIS Manager