Thanks to Teresa Howard with the University of Texas Center for Space Research and TexasView Data Steward for this excellent article about using WMS services hosted by TNRIS. The article first appeared on the AmericaView BLOG.

The Texas Natural Resources Information System (TNRIS) recently launched an OGC-compliant Web Mapping Service (WMS) that features a variety of orthoimage datasets. Currently, the WMS includes the following image catalogs:

Statewide - one catalog per UTM zone per each dataset¹

• NAIP 2004 1 meter (1m) Color Infrared (CIR)
• TOP 2008 & 2009 50cm Natural Color (NC) & CIR²
• NAIP 2010 1m NC
• Geologic Atlas of Texas 250K

Regional

• Texas Forest Service 2008 1m CIR - 13 East TX counties
• HPIDS 2009 Galveston 6in NC & CIR³
• HPIDS 2010 Bexar, Guadalupe, and Comal Co.'s 6in NC
• HPIDS 2010 Smith 6in & 1ft NC
• USGS 2008 30cm Amarillo, Lubbock, & McAllen NC
• USGS 2008 30cm Border NC
• CAPCOG 2009 6in NC (Central Texas)

¹Texas straddles three Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) zones: z13 N, z14 N & z15 N

²Note that for 2009, zone 14 has partial coverage and zone 13 has none.

³ High Priority Imagery and Data Sets (HPIDS), a State of Texas procurement process that uses a master contract.

Instructions for accessing the WMS in ArcGIS and ERDAS Imagine:

ArcGIS 10 instructions:

1. In ArcMap, choose Add Data > GIS Servers > Add WMS Server
2. Insert the URL http://raster.tnris.org/lizardtech/iserv/ows?request=GetCapabilities&service=WMS& and click OK.
3. Either add all image catalogs at once using raster.tnris.org:80 or drill down to add individual datasets.

ERDAS Imagine 2011 instructions:

1. Choose Open > Files of type: Web Mapping Service (*.wms) > Connect
2. In GeoServices Explorer, choose Add Service
3. GeoService Type: Web Mapping Server
4. Insert the URL http://raster.tnris.org/lizardtech/iserv/ows?request=GetCapabilities&service=WMS& and click OK.
5. Back on the main Imagine window, right-click in the Retriever space > Open GeoService
6. Find raster.tnris.org:80 from the Select a Server dropdown menu & select OK.
7. Expand the WMS and drag desired image catalogs onto the View.

The WMS is compatible in AutoCAD and Microstation.

Issues? Questions? Use this form for inquiries and issues related to TNRIS GIS and LiDAR data and the WMS image service.

Rick Landenberger, Executive Director of AmericaView, recently was featured on the Got GeoInt blog discussing Earth Observation Day. Listen to Dr. Landenburger's comments HERE.

April 8, 2011
http://www.earthobservationday.com/

The AmericaView Consortium and TexasView are pleased to announce Earth Observation Day 2011 (EO Day). AmericaView (AV) is a nationwide program that focuses on public domain remote sensing data and geospatial technology in support of applied research, K-16 education, workforce development, and technology transfer. The purposes of EO Day, which will be held on April 8, 2011 are:

1) to recognize the importance of using remotely sensed data to monitor the Earth and its environments; and

2) to promote the use of remotely sensed data by K-16 teachers and students. The first EO Day was held on September 21, 2006 to commemorate the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announcement of the Earth observing satellite program.

Earth observations from satellites are key to the success of monitoring our environment, and observing environmental change. The DOI's U.S. Geological Survey is a co-sponsor of EO Day, and its Earthshots website introduces remote sensing by showing examples of how environmental changes look from space. This web site is the best possible introduction to Earth Observations basics and applications.

TexasView is participating in EO Day through its website, offering a set of linked maps and imagery covering the entire state of Texas (available here.) This resource shows a Landsat mosaic of Texas (downloadable here) with overlays including:

counties

cities

physiography (map and explanation downloadable here.)

ecoregions (poster downloadable here.)

Also included are links to 11 State Park websites, each of which has a video that highlights the physiography, flora, and fauna found in several ecoregions. Tour your beautiful, diverse state by visiting these State Parks (virtually) and viewing not only the videos but also the other information about each Park:

Franklin Mountains State Park

Big Bend Ranch State Park

Davis Mountains State Park

Balmorhea State Park

Monahans Sand Dunes State Park

Caprock Canyon State Park

South Llano River State Park

Palmetto State Park

Brazos Bend State Park

Caddo Lake State Park

Meridian State Park

As Texas participates in EO Day for the first time, we are beginning to build a comprehensive remote sensing education resource for Texas K-16 educators. We invite you to visit both the TexasView EO Day website and the EO Day website developed by AV. The AV EO Day website has numerous resources for teachers, including basic content information about remote sensing and Landsat, links to tutorials and lesson plans, links to free data download sources and free software, and lists of relevant publications.

We also solicit your comments and suggestions for general and particular resources to add to the TexasView EO Day website in coming years. Help us to make this a useful resource in teaching many classes at many levels. Texas' varied landscape and resources are being managed successfully using numerous tools including remotely sensed satellite imagery, with applications as diverse as wildlife management, ecosystem management, disaster relief, agriculture and forestry, city planning, and many more. We look forward to your input that will help us to promote the use of remotely sensed data in your classrooms and laboratories. Thank you for your consideration.