KarstView: Development of a Single Data Viewer to Serve Complex Data to Diverse User Types

KarstView is a geospatial web application that makes karst mapping data developed by the Virginia Department of Energy, Geology and Mineral Resources Program easily accessible to the public. Karst topography is widespread in the Valley and Ridge geologic province of Virginia. Carbonate rock dissolves slowly over time as groundwater moves through, forming karst features such as sinkholes, caves, springs, and disappearing streams. Bedrock structure and stratigraphy, unconsolidated surficial sediments and anthropogenic conditions also influence the development of karst topography. Karst features have numerous implications for people living in these areas, such as sinkhole collapse and groundwater contamination. Public access to karst data is critical to public safety, resource protection and scientific understanding. KarstView was developed in an ArcGIS environment, using enterprise server, experience builder, and story map with a focus on the user interface and user experience (UI/UX). Virginia Energy has developed a derivative map focused on karst in the I-81 corridor. As of 2024, two out of three total phases, including geologic map data from 38 USGS 1:24,000-scale quadrangles, were compiled in an ArcGIS file geodatabase. Additionally, Virginia Energy developed a new mapping layer of sinkholes derived from 1-m resolution lidar using a model in ModelBuilder. Virginia Energy’s karst project is an asset to landowners, consultants, and governmental agencies for land use planning and protection of groundwater. For this data to be properly utilized by concerned parties, the mapping must be accessible in a format that prioritizes ease of use. Potential users range from private citizens who may not have GIS software to scientists requiring full data access for analytical work. KarstView keeps all user types in mind, including a user guide, a user-friendly interface, and rest services available for GIS users wanting all attributes and metadata for further analysis in GIS applications. This talk will center on the technical aspects of taking a geologic map dataset and publishing it to accommodate all user varied needs. Details of publishing to rest services, building a UI/UX focused application and communicating scientific data in an ArcGIS system will be covered.