My PicasaWeb / Google+ Photo Albums

Recently I have been able to photograph a few interesting bird photo sequences near Boise, Idaho.  Albums of these photos have been uploaded to my Facebook, Flickr and PicasaWeb (now also Google +) albums.

 I decided to make  a link to my Google + albums on this blog for those interested to view.

Below is a link and a screen shot of the albums containing Great Blue Herons, Great Horned Owls, Goose & Goslings, and Swainsons Hawks Mating from Google +.

                                    Gary O. Grimm Photo Albums on Google +

Boise River Management Plan Google Earth Map

Working with City of Boise Parks and Recreation Staff who provided a GIS map, Mountain Visions has produced the following Interactive Google Earth map. A link to this map is now active on the Parks and Recreation Online Open House section for the 2014 Boise River Management Plan.

Boise River Management Plan Google Earth Map

Celebration Park - Snake River, Idaho - 360 interactive panoramas on a Google Map.

Recently I visited Celebration Park on the Snake River in Southwest Idaho.  This area is a developed park where educational programs are held to learn about the many Native American petroglyphs that exist in the area. Nearby there is also a historic railroad bridge that spans the river.

I walked around the area and shot several 360 degree panorama views.  Katy Flanagan and I (Mountain Visions) produced the high definition photos into interactive panoramas that you can view full screen and posted them on the Google Map below.


View Celebration Park Panoramas in a larger map

Boise River Enhancement Network - Sharing Information Via an Online Community

In June 2012, we (Mountain Visions) started a unique online community networking project for the Boise River Enhancement Network (BREN)  Currently we are maintaining and updating the site as community members are collaborating on a two year effort to create a comprehensive enhancement plan for the long range future.

People interested in sharing, discussing and organizing enhancement concepts events and projects are encouraged to join this BREN “On Line / All the Time” communication effort.

Recently on the BREN site we have also initiated the experimental collaborative mapping project below in an attempt to start the creation of a comprehensive and interactive Google Earth/Map of the boise River Watershed.  This map provides a way for BREN members to identify map place marks that provide transparent web based information links to information resources and example restoration and enhancement projects that have happened in the past, that are currently in progress and those that are, or might be, planned for the future. 

View Boise River Enhancement Network Map in a larger map

On the Boise River, I have been shooting 360 degree panoramas with the iPhone. This is an example of one that I have produced into a video that moves from left to right and zooms in and out that also includes a sound track and text overlay.

Esri Enables Federal Agencies to Open GIS Mapping Data to the Public

This article by Alexander Howard on February 10, 2014 at readwrite.com provides details on how government agencies will be able to make more geospatial data available to developers and the public.

"The mapping software giant will take an unprecedented step, enabling thousands of government customers around the U.S. to make their data on the ArcGIS platform open to the public with a click of a mouse."

"Government agencies can use the new feature to turn geospatial information systems data in Esri's format into migratable, discoverable, and accessible open formats, including CSVs, KML and GeoJSON. Esri will demonstrate the ArcGIS feature in ArcGIS at the Federal Users Conference in Washington, D.C. According to Turner, the new feature will go live in March 2014."

Notice that the KML format used by Google Earth and Maps is mentioned.  It will be interesting to experiment with this new open source data availability as it becomes available for the Boise River Watershed.

See this Boise River Enhancement Network page for more information on mapping the Boise River projects.

Humongous Megaload Turns 90 Degree Corner

Using a Nikon DSLR camera and shotgun mike I recorded the movements of the megaload as it turned the corner in Marsing Idaho on Saturday night December 28, 2013.