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Survey & Inventory |
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Colorado Cultural Resource GIS Program The following document details the initialization of the Colorado State Historic Preservation Office GIS program. The program was initiated in November 1999 through the execution of two pilot projects contracted by the Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation. These pilot projects represent our commitment to the preservation of Colorado's cultural resources through the utilization of new methods and technologies to meet the increasing needs of researchers and cultural resource managers. Further, these projects are a testimony to the utility and importance of GIS technologies in cultural resource management contexts. This site will provide information regarding the program and any GIs initiatives that may materialize in the future. The following information will be updated periodically to reflect the current state of the projects. Introduction In February of 1999, representatives of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Forest Service (FS), Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), and the Colorado State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) sat down to address Colorado cultural resource database management, content and access. It was concluded that the most responsive method to expand database value and access was by organizing and utilizing available geospatially referenceable data within the SHPO database. Specifically it was decided that the utilization of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) could perpetuate the integrity and longevity of the SHPO database while increasing its functionality and use. The decision to integrate the database with a GIS is also responsive to the results of a user survey conducted by SHPO in 1998. When asked what types of document information would be beneficial for assessing cultural resources, PROJECT LOCATION, MAPS OF THE PROJECT / SURVEY AREA, and ASSOCIATED CULTURAL RESOURCES were the top three responses for very frequently or always used. Utilization of a GIS will allow for these factors to be addressed and applied in a variety of functional contexts. Program Goals The goal of the Colorado Cultural Resource GIs Program is to provide cultural resource survey and site coverage for the state of Colorado in a GIS format. These thematic data layers will be maintained by SHPO staff and made available to qualified individuals, organizations, and agencies. Generalized versions of the system, modified to protect the exact location of archaeological resources, will be made available on the web. These thematic data "layers" will be created over a period of several years. Initial efforts have focused on the establishment of standards and methodology for creating the data layers and testing the procedures on targeted geographical areas and management projects. Subsequent projects will concentrate on the inclusion of incoming surveys, sites, and as funding allows, the digitization or database transfer of information from previous cultural resource projects. Efforts will be made to utilize GIS cultural resource datasets created by various agencies throughout the state. When possible, these coverages will be incorporated into the SHPO GIS data management system. |
