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Proposal to contribute to Freeman Ranch Sara Dunlap Project Manager David Szpakowski Assistant Manager Natalie Bowman GIS Analyst

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Freeman Ranch has worked with Texas State to create a geodatabase but additional information is needed. Farther research is needed for grazeability, infrastructure, and recent changes to the landscape.

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Modeling the potential spatial distribution of beef cattle grazing using a Geographic Information System Timothy G. Wade, Bradley W. Schultz, J. D. Wickham, and D. F. Bradford Estimating Grazeable Acreage for Cattle Jason C. Hohlt, Robert K. Lyons, C. Wayne Hanselka and David McKown How Much Forage Do You Have? Larry D. White and Calvin Richardson

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Freeman Ranch is made of 4,200 acres maintained by Texas State University.

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Freeman Ranch needs to know how much of their land cattle will graze on for the purpose of creating a sustainability plan for cattle management. The Ranch also needs to record the location/conditions of water lines, roads, fences, gates, utility poles and meters, as well as have access to an Elevation Model. Considering the October flood of 2013 some water features from the database may require revisions.

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Determine how much of the ranch is grazable by cattle and distinguish areas that are very favorable for grazing from less favorable areas.

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Create a map of water meter locations and account numbers for ranch use.

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Provide data and metadata for the location and condition of roads, fences, and utility equipment.

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If necessary, update features that may have endured flood damage.

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Develop a map of Freeman Ranch elevation and aspect.

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Data TypeSource Elevation Texas Natural Resource Information System (TNRIS) VegetationCapital Area Council of Governments Water SourcesFreeman Ranch Geodatabase BoundariesFreeman Ranch Geodatbase

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We will examine each one of our variables and assign them a value according to their ability to support cattle. Study: Application of GIS in determining grazable acreage. Objective: Cattle suitability modeling Process: Cost path analysis

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Percentage of rock coverage.

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Areas that meet all criteria will be yellow, areas that do not will be blue, and areas that fall in between be colored on a scale.

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Freeman Ranch is divided into fourteen different sections. We will exclude areas that are currently being used for other purposes. The start point for our analysis will be at the water access points within each area.

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Detailed Maps of possible grazing locations, and utility reference map of water meters and Freeman Ranch utilities conditions. Updated Freeman Ranch Geodatabase that includes aspect and elevation maps. Atlas containing GIS data, project proposal, reports, and presentations Instructions on how to use the atlas (readme file)

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A ranked system for the grazeable land area of Freeman Ranch. Cattle Sustainability Planning Areas that are preferable for Grazing Areas unsuitable for Cattle Updated map of water lines and utilities. Maps of water meter locations Information on utility conditions/locations Updated Geodatabase for Freeman Ranch New data for ranch management Updating of older data

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Knowledge of the amount and quality of grazeable land on Freeman Ranch, as well as the location/condition of other utilities, is important for efficient sustainability planning and management to take place there.

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EGSC is capable of providing this knowledge through our understanding and proficiency with geographical information systems (GIS), and deliver this information in a way that will be easily understood by the ranch faculty.

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