EVS-Islands: Out To Refine The Coastline

EVS mapping effort aims to create enhanced vector shorelines of the worldâ€“”One Island, One Coastline, One River and One Lake at a time.” In San Diego, California, a teacher revealing himself to the world only as “Mr. (…)

EVS mapping effort aims to create enhanced vector shorelines of the worldâ€“”One Island, One Coastline, One River and One Lake at a time.”

In San Diego, California, a teacher revealing himself to the world only as “Mr. Minton” has a small problem: the extant resources for coastlines are not a completely happy thing:

Beginning with WVS map files over 4-years ago, I quickly ran into frustrations as I attempted to convert vector lines into vector polygons. WVS has many inherent issues that make this transformation difficult. I learned of GSHHS and set about to replace my WVS map files. However, GSHHS requires a conversion into ARC Ungenerate format (the format Marplot can import). I managed to have the file converted and I started working with GSHHS map files. I appreciated the fact that I had the “best” free worldwide vector map coverage. But something was missing. Using Space Shuttle imagery, I found that GSHHS was quite often too coarse and Shuttle imagery was difficult to georectify.

Driven by a desire to have a better resource, he began to do what many who can’t find what they need do: create what it was they were looking for.

EVS-Islands is the name of his project, and its aim is simply stated: and enhanced vector shorline (EVS) map of the world, digitizing one island, shoreline, river, bay, lake, etc, at a time. To this end he’s recruited a small army of helpers and has trained them in his protocols for digitzation.

His work, progress, methods, and data can be had here: The EVS-Islands Blog.

(via Cartography)

04 June 2006