Data.gov http://www.data.gov The home of the U.S. Government’s open data Sat, 31 Jan 2015 16:35:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Do you have questions or feedback for the Science & Research Topic? http://www.data.gov/research/contact/ Thu, 18 Dec 2014 20:27:21 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15890782 You can use this form to contact the Science & Research Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address. [contact-form-7]

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You can use this form to contact the Science & Research Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address.

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Do you have questions or feedback for the Public Safety Topic? http://www.data.gov/safety/contact/ Thu, 18 Dec 2014 20:18:08 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15890742 You can use this form to contact the Public Safety Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address. [contact-form-7]

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You can use this form to contact the Public Safety Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address.

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Do you have questions or feedback for the Manufacturing Topic? http://www.data.gov/manufacturing/contact/ Thu, 18 Dec 2014 20:11:58 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15890702 You can use this form to contact the Manufacturing Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address. [contact-form-7]

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Do you have questions or feedback for the Local Government Topic? http://www.data.gov/local/contact/ Thu, 18 Dec 2014 20:07:15 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15890662 The Data.gov team facilitates the hosting of local government information on Data.gov. You can use this form to contact the team about the Local Government Topic. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security … Continued

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The Data.gov team facilitates the hosting of local government information on Data.gov. You can use this form to contact the team about the Local Government Topic. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address.

[contact-form-7]

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Do you have questions or feedback for the Health Topic? http://www.data.gov/health/contact Thu, 18 Dec 2014 19:58:55 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15890622 You can use this form to contact the Health Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address. [contact-form-7]

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Do you have questions or feedback for the Energy Topic? http://www.data.gov/energy/contact/ Thu, 18 Dec 2014 19:53:46 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15890582 You can use this form to contact the Energy Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address. [contact-form-7]

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You can use this form to contact the Energy Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address.

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Do you have questions or feedback for the Education Topic? http://www.data.gov/education/contact Thu, 18 Dec 2014 19:48:54 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15890352 You can use this form to contact the Education Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address. [contact-form-7]

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Do you have questions or feedback for the Ecosystems Topic? http://www.data.gov/ecosystems/contact/ Thu, 18 Dec 2014 19:39:14 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15890312 You can use this form to contact the Ecosystems Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address. [contact-form-7]

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You can use this form to contact the Ecosystems Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address.

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Do you have questions or feedback for the Business Topic? http://www.data.gov/business/contact Thu, 18 Dec 2014 18:49:47 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15888522 You can use this form to contact the Business Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address. [contact-form-7]

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You can use this form to contact the Business Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address.

[contact-form-7]

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Do you have questions or feedback for the Agriculture Topic? http://www.data.gov/food/contact Thu, 18 Dec 2014 17:51:55 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15875162 You can use this form to contact the Agriculture Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address. [contact-form-7]

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You can use this form to contact the Agriculture Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address.

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Highlights http://www.data.gov/disasters/highlights/ Mon, 15 Dec 2014 13:12:37 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15843222 The post Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Launching Disasters.Data.Gov to Empower First Responders and Survivors with Innovative Tools and Data http://www.data.gov/disasters/launching-disasters-data-gov-empower-first-responders-survivors-innovative-tools-data-2/ Mon, 15 Dec 2014 05:17:11 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?p=15841842 Strengthening our Nation’s resilience to disasters is a shared responsibility, with all community members contributing their unique skills and perspectives. Whether you’re a data steward who can unlock information and foster a culture of open data, an innovator who can … Continued

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Strengthening our Nation’s resilience to disasters is a shared responsibility, with all community members contributing their unique skills and perspectives. Whether you’re a data steward who can unlock information and foster a culture of open data, an innovator who can help address disaster preparedness challenges, or a volunteer ready to join the “Innovation for Disasters” movement, we are excited for you to visit the new disasters.data.gov site, launching today.

Read more

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Launching Disasters.Data.Gov to Empower First Responders and Survivors with Innovative Tools and Data http://www.data.gov/disasters/launching-disasters-data-gov-empower-first-responders-survivors-innovative-tools-data/ Sun, 14 Dec 2014 17:00:05 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?p=15832422 Strengthening our Nation’s resilience to disasters is a shared responsibility, with all community members contributing their unique skills and perspectives. Whether you’re a data steward who can unlock information and foster a culture of open data, an innovator who can help address … Continued

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Strengthening our Nation’s resilience to disasters is a shared responsibility, with all community members contributing their unique skills and perspectives. Whether you’re a data steward who can unlock information and foster a culture of open data, an innovator who can help address disaster preparedness challenges, or a volunteer ready to join the “Innovation for Disasters” movement, we are excited for you to visit the new disasters.data.gov site, launching today.

First previewed at the White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative Demo Day, disasters.data.gov is designed to be a public resource to foster collaboration and the continual improvement of disaster-related open data, free tools, and new ways to empower first responders, survivors, and government officials with the information needed in the wake of a disaster.

Today, the Administration is unveiling the first in a series of Innovator Challenges that highlight pressing needs from the disaster preparedness community. The inaugural Innovator Challenge focuses on a need identified from firsthand experience of local emergency management, responders, survivors, and Federal departments and agencies. The challenge asks innovators across the nation: “How might we leverage real-time sensors, open data, social media, and other tools to help reduce the number of fatalities from flooding?”

 

In addition to this first Innovator Challenge, here are some highlights from disasters.data.gov:

 

  • Apps & Tools: The portal includes an initial set of apps and tools that can be deployed at minimal cost by first responders, emergency managers, volunteer organizations, survivors, and other stakeholders. The apps and tools featured were presented at the White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Demo Day and include sharing economy platforms, crowdsourcing options, and services to enable communications, contribute to a culture of preparedness, and alert the public.

 

  • Get Involved – Call to Data Stewards: Datasets relevant to disaster preparedness (including prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery) have traditionally been closed by default to the public. To help empower the community with information that can improve community resilience, the Administration is working with stakeholders to open a series of disaster-related datasets from all levels of government and the private sector. Learn more here.

 

 

The White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative was launched by the Administration in response to Hurricane Sandy to find the most effective ways for technology to empower survivors, first responders, and all levels of government with critical information and resources. After over two years of continued dialogue and major commitments from the public and private sector, the first hardware hackathon for disaster preparedness held in support of the Initiative, and numerous workshops, we are thrilled to launch disasters.data.gov as the Initiative’s first major online presence.

Disasters.data.gov seeks to leverage the creativity and social entrepreneurship of innovators everywhere to help strengthen national preparedness. The Administration will continue working to shape the portal into a useful “go-to” resource that captures a diverse range of contributions in disaster preparedness technology and innovation. We invite you to take the site for a spin, email disastertech@ostp.gov with your feedback, and get involved to help build a more resilient community.

 

Meredith Lee is AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Heather King is Director for Preparedness Policy at the National Security Council

Brian Forde is Senior Advisor for Mobile and Data Innovation at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

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Launch of Ecosystem-Vulnerability theme of Climate.Data.Gov http://www.data.gov/climate/ecosystem-vulnerability/launch-ecosystem-vulnerability-theme-climate-data-gov/ Tue, 09 Dec 2014 14:05:41 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?p=15756342 The U.S. government has released a collection of data and tools that will advance planning capabilities for the impacts of climate change on our nation’s ecosystems. The data and tools will provide information and will help to stimulate innovation in … Continued

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The U.S. government has released a collection of data and tools that will advance planning capabilities for the impacts of climate change on our nation’s ecosystems. The data and tools will provide information and will help to stimulate innovation in preparing for climate impacts on fire regimes, water availability, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, ocean health, and the spread of invasive species. Here are some examples of how the data and tools could be used:

  • Help communities and natural resource managers determine if they are currently at risk from wildfires and if they will be impacted in the future due to wildfires becoming more prevalent and severe;
  • Provide information to the public on their sources of water and their sensitivities to climate change;
  • Aid in the public understanding of the role that ecosystems play in mitigating rising carbon dioxide levels due to their absorbing and storing of carbon, as well as how land management activities may influence storage capabilities;
  • Identify the potential impacts of climate change on rare and endangered species, iconic species, and ecosystems;
  • Identify which invasive species may threaten specific locations and their impacts on local communities and their economies. This effort will contribute to early detection, rapid response activities.

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Ecosystem Vulnerability Launch http://www.data.gov/climate/ecosystem-vulnerability/ecosystem-vulnerability-launch/ Tue, 09 Dec 2014 14:05:29 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?p=13150072 Today, the Ecosystem Vulnerability theme page was unveiled during the Plenary Session of the ACES (A Community on Ecosystem Services) conference near Washington, D.C. The Ecosystem Vulnerability theme was formally launched, along with the Water theme, and the Data.gov Ecosystems … Continued

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Today, the Ecosystem Vulnerability theme page was unveiled during the Plenary Session of the ACES (A Community on Ecosystem Services) conference near Washington, D.C. The Ecosystem Vulnerability theme was formally launched, along with the Water theme, and the Data.gov Ecosystems community (Ecosystems.data.gov), by Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. The new Ecosystem Vulnerability theme of climate.data.gov provides a variety of data and resources to foster greater understanding of the impacts of climate change on water resources, biodiversity, the extent of invasive species, the ability of our ecosystems to sequester carbon, and the frequency and extent of wildland fires.

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Ecosystems.data.gov and EcoINFORMA http://www.data.gov/climate/ecosystem-vulnerability/ecosystems-data-gov-ecoinforma-3/ Tue, 09 Dec 2014 14:02:03 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?p=15756362 A new Data.gov community (Ecosystems.data.gov) has been launched to serve as an entry point for access to the U.S. Ecoinformatics-based Open Resources and Machine Accessibility (EcoINFORMA) initiative, including the EcoINFORMA data resource hubs (Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, and Land Cover Dynamics), … Continued

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A new Data.gov community (Ecosystems.data.gov) has been launched to serve as an entry point for access to the U.S. Ecoinformatics-based Open Resources and Machine Accessibility (EcoINFORMA) initiative, including the EcoINFORMA data resource hubs (Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, and Land Cover Dynamics), the EcoINFORMA map viewer for visualizing and integrating geospatial data, and access to additional biodiversity, ecosystems, ecosystem services and environmental data resources for use by researchers, decision-makers and the public. EcoINFORMA is an initiative that responds to recommendations from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) 2011 report on “Sustaining Environmental Capital: Protecting Society and the Economy”.

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Water Resources Resilience http://www.data.gov/climate/ecosystem-vulnerability/water-resources-resilience/ Tue, 09 Dec 2014 14:00:44 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?p=12924992 The Water theme, one of several themes of climate.data.gov, was recently launched. The Water theme provides data and resources to facilitate the understanding of climate change impacts on water resources and to help communities and governments develop plans and policies … Continued

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The Water theme, one of several themes of climate.data.gov, was recently launched. The Water theme provides data and resources to facilitate the understanding of climate change impacts on water resources and to help communities and governments develop plans and policies to ensure the provisioning of water resources in the face of a changing climate.

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Formal Release of EcoINFORMA, Ecosystems.data.gov, and Two New Themes of Climate.data.gov http://www.data.gov/ecosystems/formal-release-ecoinforma-ecosystems-data-gov-two-new-themes-climate-data-gov/ Tue, 09 Dec 2014 13:30:15 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?p=10876692 On December 9th, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Sally Jewell, formally announced during the plenary session of A Community on Ecosystem Services (ACES) 2014 conference the launch of the U.S. Ecoinformatics-based Open Resources and Machine Accessibility … Continued

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On December 9th, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Sally Jewell, formally announced during the plenary session of A Community on Ecosystem Services (ACES) 2014 conference the launch of the U.S. Ecoinformatics-based Open Resources and Machine Accessibility (EcoINFORMA) initiative and its central web portal Ecosystems.data.gov, along with the Ecosystem Vulnerability theme and the Water theme of Climate.data.gov. EcoINFORMA aims to expand the availability and interoperability of biodiversity, ecosystems, and ecosystem services information, and it provides via the Ecosystems community web portal (Ecosystems.data.gov) an entry point for access to those ecosystem-related data and information resources. The Ecosystem Vulnerability theme and Water theme of the Climate community (Climate.data.gov) provide a variety of data products and tools to foster greater understanding of the impacts of climate change on ecosystem-related issues and processes, and on water resources, respectively.

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Test Climate Hightlights http://www.data.gov/agencies/highlights-6/ Tue, 09 Dec 2014 05:47:34 +0000 http://www.data.gov/climate/test-climate/test-climate-hightlights/ The post Test Climate Hightlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Water Theme Adds New Content http://www.data.gov/climate/water-theme-adds-new-content/ Mon, 08 Dec 2014 22:38:37 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?p=15785832 In a continued effort to provide key resources that are aimed at developing water resources resilience to climate change, five additional items are now available in the Water theme. Those include: Global Lake Temperature Collaboration Forced Evaporation from Water Surface … Continued

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In a continued effort to provide key resources that are aimed at developing water resources resilience to climate change, five additional items are now available in the Water theme.

Those include:

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Ecosystems.data.gov and EcoINFORMA http://www.data.gov/ecosystems/ecosystems-data-gov-ecoinforma/ Mon, 08 Dec 2014 15:15:07 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=134071 The Ecosystems Community (Ecosystems.data.gov) is now publicly available in Data.gov and provides access to ecosystem and biodiversity-related data. This community is the central web portal of the U.S. Ecoinformatics-based Open Resources and Machine Accessibility (EcoINFORMA) initiative. Visit the EcoINFORMA section … Continued

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The Ecosystems Community (Ecosystems.data.gov) is now publicly available in Data.gov and provides access to ecosystem and biodiversity-related data. This community is the central web portal of the U.S. Ecoinformatics-based Open Resources and Machine Accessibility (EcoINFORMA) initiative. Visit the EcoINFORMA section of Ecosystems.data.gov to learn more about this initiative, and discover ecosystems, ecosystem services and biodiversity data by visiting the Data Hubs and Data Catalog sections of the Ecosystems Community.

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Blog http://www.data.gov/disasters/blog/ Wed, 03 Dec 2014 22:20:54 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15731122 The post Blog appeared first on Data.gov.

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Local Government Intro http://www.data.gov/local/local-government-intro/ Wed, 03 Dec 2014 20:05:28 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15730622 Open data is powering a new civic movement that is changing the way citizens experience our nation’s cities, counties, and states.

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Open data is powering a new civic movement that is changing the way citizens experience our nation’s cities, counties, and states.

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Local open government data powers software applications that help people make informed decisions – from when the next bus will arrive to how neighborhoods are zoned. http://www.data.gov/local/apps/ Wed, 03 Dec 2014 03:07:37 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15727602 While we can’t and don’t endorse specific apps, below are just a few examples of government, citizen, and business tools that: use open government data from the United States; are accessible, vetted, and available; and are, for the majority, free and do not … Continued

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While we can’t and don’t endorse specific apps, below are just a few examples of government, citizen, and business tools that: use open government data from the United States; are accessible, vetted, and available; and are, for the majority, free and do not require registration to use. Submit local government application suggestions at Data.gov/contact and see more examples of applications made with open government data at Data.gov/applications.

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Challenges http://www.data.gov/local/challenges/ Wed, 03 Dec 2014 03:05:32 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15727582 The post Challenges appeared first on Data.gov.

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Highlights http://www.data.gov/local/highlights/ Wed, 03 Dec 2014 02:46:02 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=15726612 The post Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Local Government Hightlights http://www.data.gov/local/highlights-4/ Wed, 03 Dec 2014 02:29:21 +0000 http://www.data.gov/local/local-government-hightlights/ The post Local Government Hightlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Join the Movement http://www.data.gov/disasters/join-movement/ Mon, 01 Dec 2014 21:49:32 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=3734482 Join Us: Innovation for Disaster Preparedness In addition to the showing support for our Call to Action for Data Stewards and our first Innovator Challenge, there are many other ways to get involved: Share your tech and innovation news, ideas, and more on social … Continued

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Preparedness

Join Us: Innovation for Disaster Preparedness

In addition to the showing support for our Call to Action for Data Stewards and our first Innovator Challenge, there are many other ways to get involved:

  • Share your tech and innovation news, ideas, and more on social media with #disastertech
  • Consider how technology and innovation can support building a kit and making a plan
  • Download free apps & tools that can help with disaster preparedness
  • Learn how you can participate in America’s PrepareAthon! and visit Ready.gov for tips and updates
  • Share an Innovator Challenge statement or any ideas where innovations in technology can be applied to improve disaster preparedness by emailing disastertech@ostp.gov

Developers can also:

  • Use our open datasets to provide products or services for disaster preparedness
  • Build upon existing open source apps and tools
  • Host a data jam or civic hackathon to build solutions for identified challenges
  • Share your projects with us at disastertech@ostp.gov

Tech Entrepreneurs can also:

  • Host a workshop for defining challenge statements and potential solutions
  • Host a data jam or civic hackathon to build solutions for identified challenges
  • Have a conversation with innovation experts, discussing technology gaps and opportunities
  • Share your projects with us at disastertech@ostp.gov

Government Officials can also:

  • Identify and share challenge statements with us at disastertech@ostp.gov
  • Consider how innovation and technology can help your team and any collaborative projects
  • Host a workshop for defining challenge statements and potential solutions
  • Have a conversation with innovation experts, discussing technology gaps and opportunities
  • Consider testing an emerging or existing tool as part of a training or exercise

First Responders can also:

  • Identify and share challenge statements with us at disastertech@ostp.gov
  • Consider how innovation and technology can help your teams (and partner with other stakeholders)
  • Consider having an innovation team member “shadow” responders for a day to identify places where technology could help
  • Consider testing an emerging or existing tool as part of a training or exercise

Survivors can also:

  • Share your story with us at disastertech@ostp.gov
  • Consider how innovation and technology can help you
  • Join a virtual network to access information and resources
  • Have a conversation with innovation experts and other stakeholders interested in providing assistance

Journalists can also:

  • Help capture stories from survivors, first responders, and other stakeholders
  • Identify and share insight about opportunities where technology and innovation are needed
  • Distill and share information in the wake of a disaster

Volunteers can also:

  • Consider how innovation and technology can help you serve communities before, during, and after disasters
  • Share your story with us at disastertech@ostp.gov
  • Consider both in-person and digital volunteering
  • Consider using technology to better organize your volunteer network
  • Your Idea Here!

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Innovator Challenge http://www.data.gov/disasters/innovator-challenge/ Mon, 01 Dec 2014 21:49:00 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=3734480 Innovator Challenge: How Might We Help Reduce Flooding Fatalities? Floods, especially flash floods, kill more people each year than hurricanes, tornadoes, or wind storms on average.  Historically, over half of all flood deaths have occurred when vehicles are swept away … Continued

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Crowdsoucing

Innovator Challenge: How Might We Help Reduce Flooding Fatalities?

Floods, especially flash floods, kill more people each year than hurricanes, tornadoes, or wind storms on average.  Historically, over half of all flood deaths have occurred when vehicles are swept away due to moving water. You can find more about flood damage and data from Ready.gov/floods, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Flood Safety Page, and our Floods page.

 

An example of the toll of flash flooding can be seen from recent experiences in Arizona:

We’ve seen first-hand the deadly results of flash floods.  The challenge is knowing where and when exactly the floods will take place and staying in front of the impending natural disaster.  With no control over mother nature, we must continue to be aggressive with our preventative messaging through both traditional and social media, constantly highlighting the dangers of flash flooding.

Once the flooding does take place, it is imperative that all departments, from public safety to transportation, have enough resources on hand and the flexibility to move resources as necessary.

We have always had to play defense with regards to nature and what it brings to us in the way of the monsoon rains, but with social media and real time updates through the National Weather Service, we have the opportunity to be on offense in both predicting where the danger will be and educating the public on those dangers.

-Deputy Chief Chris Anderson,

Operations / Emergency Management, Tucson Fire Department

 

To help share existing and emerging solutions that can help, we are asking innovators across the nation: “How might we leverage real-time sensors, open data, social media, and other tools to help reduce the number of fatalities from flooding?”

To participate, send a one-page description of your idea/prototype that can be shared with disaster preparedness stakeholders to disastertech@ostp.gov.

 

Be sure to include details about how your approach/technology addresses the challenge, and any existing results or plans for building, testing, and improving upon your solution.  We look forward to highlighting innovations in the coming months!

For examples of previous prototypes built and demonstrated at events supporting the Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative, read more about the Civic Hardware Hackathon for Disaster PreparednessWhite House Demo Day, and Safety Datapalooza.

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Call to Action: Open Data http://www.data.gov/disasters/call-action-open-data/ Mon, 01 Dec 2014 21:48:24 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=3734478 Calling All Data Stewards: Help Build a Culture of Open Data Data sets relevant to disaster preparedness (including prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery) have traditionally been closed by default to the public.  To help empower technologists, entrepreneurs, governments, volunteers, … Continued

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PredictiveAnalytics

Calling All Data Stewards: Help Build a Culture of Open Data

Data sets relevant to disaster preparedness (including prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery) have traditionally been closed by default to the public.  To help empower technologists, entrepreneurs, governments, volunteers, survivors, and community leaders with information that can improve individual and community preparedness, the Administration is working with stakeholders to open a series of disaster related data sets:

  • Locations of schools and childcare centers
  • Locations of hospitals and medical care facilities
  • Locations of nursing homes
  • Locations of PODs (Points of Distribution) for emergency supplies in the wake of a disaster
  • Neighborhood names / borders
  • Evacuation routes and pick-up sites
  • Locations of food trucks
  • Data about which local businesses are open in the wake of a disaster
  • Data and metrics about how open data sets are used

 

If you are a data steward interested in joining this Call to Action, please contact the White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative at disastertech@ostp.gov.

 

If you already have data online that you would like to include on disasters.data.gov, the first step is to prepare it for inclusion in the data.gov catalog by following this guide.

Stay tuned to our blog to find out how cities across the nation are stepping up to this Call to Action!

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Types of Disasters http://www.data.gov/disasters/types/ Mon, 01 Dec 2014 21:46:04 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=3734476 From hurricanes to wildfires, tsunamis to droughts, there are numerous types of disasters that require individual and community preparedness. Here are landing pages for several types of disasters, with more categories and content to be added. Earthquakes Floods Hurricanes Severe … Continued

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From hurricanes to wildfires, tsunamis to droughts, there are numerous types of disasters that require individual and community preparedness. Here are landing pages for several types of disasters, with more categories and content to be added.

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Floods http://www.data.gov/disasters/floods/ Mon, 01 Dec 2014 21:41:50 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=3734469 Floods are one of the most common hazards in the United States, and can cause loss of life as well as damage to buildings and other structures. Some floods develop slowly over a period of days, but flash floods can … Continued

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Floods are one of the most common hazards in the United States, and can cause loss of life as well as damage to buildings and other structures. Some floods develop slowly over a period of days, but flash floods can develop rapidly, sometimes in just a few minutes and without any visible signs of rain. Here you’ll find a “starter list” of tools and open data that can support community preparedness for floods. If there are additional free tools or open data that can be shared, please email us at disastertech@ostp.gov.

FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer Allows for the display of flood hazard zones, floodways, Coastal Barrier Resources Systems, community boundaries and names, base flood elevations, and more.
NOAA Digital Coast Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer Depicts potential sea level rise and coastal flooding impacts, incorporating simulation, data overlays, and spatial uncertainty.
Watches, Warnings, and Advisories National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center feed of watches, warnings, and advisories that are currently in force for the United States.
redcross

The American Red Cross provides different disaster preparedness apps in English and Spanish to deal with first aid emergencies, weather emergencies, and natural disasters. Users can download the apps for free at http://www.redcross.org/mobileapps.

seeclickfix

SeeClickFix provides a database of citizen requests to help generate clear and actionable data on the state of infrastructure in the wake of a disaster. To learn more visit http://en.seeclickfix.com/.

airbnb

Airbnb, a community marketplace for housing, will pre-identify and activate hosts for displaced persons and disaster service workers when an emergency occurs. To learn more and engage this initiative, contact emergencyresponse@airbnb.com.

Our first featured Innovator Challenge aims to apply technology and data to help reduce fatalities from flooding. Read more about new opportunities and ways to get involved here. Additional Challenge Statements where innovations in technology can be applied to help in the case of floods are welcome by email to disastertech@ostp.gov.

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“Lantern Live” Mobile App Lights Way for Citizens Impacted by Disasters http://www.data.gov/disasters/lantern-live-mobile-app-lights-way-citizens-impacted-disasters/ Fri, 21 Nov 2014 19:26:21 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?p=3740736 In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, seemingly simple tasks such as refueling your car, were incredibly difficult. Few tools existed to determine which gas stations had fuel and the power to pump that fuel. To help address this problem, the U.S. Department … Continued

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In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, seemingly simple tasks such as refueling your car, were incredibly difficult. Few tools existed to determine which gas stations had fuel and the power to pump that fuel.

To help address this problem, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on Monday announced the launch of Lantern Live – a mobile app that allows users in disaster-affected areas to report on the status of local gas stations, find fuel, and easily look up power outage maps from local utilities. Lantern Live is part of the White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative, and represents the ingenuity and ethos found across Initiative projects. An early beta version of Lantern Live was showcased at the White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Demo Day in July, and Lantern Live was included in the President’s briefing in advance of this year’s hurricane season.

A Lantern Live screenshot.

 

Lantern Live is one of the first crowdsourcing tools built by the Federal government. We’re thrilled about giving you a behind-the-scenes look at the process we used to develop the app.

THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

When the stakes are high – as they are in a disaster area – tools need to be especially easy to use and directly meet survivors’ immediate needs. The development team brought the best “plays,” or principals, out of private sector software development and applied them to building Lantern Live. These plays, outlined in the U.S. Digital Services Playbook, include employing an agile development process, using a modern development stack, and most importantly, open-sourcing the tool for the community to take to the next level.

Agile development process
Under an agile development process, software developers prototype early and iterate often, continuously focusing on end-users and the tasks they need to accomplish. In this case, developers had to take into account that Lantern Live needs to be usable by someone in a stressful, disaster-impacted area. The Lantern Live development team will continue incorporating user feedback and observations into later updates to the app to improve the tool to better address on-the-ground needs.

Modern development stack
An agile approach only works if you have the tools for rapid prototyping and iteration, and a technology stack – a collection of technology components and services – that can easily scale. This is especially important for an app serving disaster-impacted citizens where usage can spike rapidly. The team identified a software development kit built on a Federally pre-approved  cloud environment. Using a modern development stack allowed the team to keep their focus on disaster-impacted citizens rather than technology building blocks.

Open source
The innovative, practical features in the Lantern Live mobile app have the potential to apply well beyond the energy sector for disaster resilience. For example, the code for the crowdsourcing of gas station status could be applied to grocery stores, pharmacies and other crucial post-disaster assets. The code for future releases of Lantern Live will be open-sourced, meaning that anyone can reuse this code in their own app. The Lantern Live development team is looking for collaborators in the private and public sectors to reuse this code. Please contact Lanternlivebeta@hq.doe.gov to learn more.

Available now

Lantern Live is currently available free for Android devices.

For information on additional Administration resiliency efforts announced through the President’s State, Local and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, please click here. For information about additional resiliency efforts at the Department of Energy, please click here.

 

Brian Forde is the Senior Advisor for Mobile and Data Innovation at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Denice Ross is a Round 3 Presidential Innovation Fellow at the Energy Department and Lantern Live co-developer.

Derek Frempong is a Lantern Live co-developer and a Round 2 Presidential Innovation Fellow at the Energy Department.

 

(originally posted at whitehouse.gov)

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Share Your Feedback http://www.data.gov/climate/ecosystem-vulnerability/feedback/ Tue, 18 Nov 2014 21:14:05 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=13150042 Thank you for your feedback. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address. [contact-form-7]

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Thank you for your feedback. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address.

[contact-form-7]

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Ecosystems Vulnerability Topic Intro http://www.data.gov/climate/ecosystem-vulnerability/topic-intro Mon, 17 Nov 2014 21:48:56 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=12924722 Discover and access data, information, and decision tools describing and analyzing ecosystem vulnerability to climate change. The resources address the impacts of climate variability and change on water resources, wildfires, biodiversity, the prevalence of invasive species, and the ability of … Continued

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Discover and access data, information, and decision tools describing and analyzing ecosystem vulnerability to climate change. The resources address the impacts of climate variability and change on water resources, wildfires, biodiversity, the prevalence of invasive species, and the ability of ecosystems to sequester carbon.

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Challenges http://www.data.gov/climate/ecosystem-vulnerability/ecosystem-vulnerability-challenges Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:30:18 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=12320862 The post Challenges appeared first on Data.gov.

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Featured Content http://www.data.gov/climate/ecosystem-vulnerability/ecosystem-vulnerability-resources Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:28:30 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=12320842 The 2014 National Climate Assessment’s chapter on Ecosystems, Biodiversity, and Ecosystem Services provides a comprehensive overview of the latest scientific knowledge on the impacts of climate change on ecosystems. For greater understanding and exploration of ecosystem vulnerability to climate change … Continued

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The 2014 National Climate Assessment’s chapter on Ecosystems, Biodiversity, and Ecosystem Services provides a comprehensive overview of the latest scientific knowledge on the impacts of climate change on ecosystems. For greater understanding and exploration of ecosystem vulnerability to climate change and other stressors, the following resources are recommended.

Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON)

Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON)

An online mapping information system that consists of a large collection of datasets of species occurrence (e.g., plants and animals) found in the United States, and relevant geospatial layers.

Critical Habitat Mapper

Critical Habitat Mapper

Displays information about critical habitat designations across the United States for threatened and endangered species.

Cropscape – Cropland Data Layer

Cropscape – Cropland Data Layer

A viewer that allows users to view a variety of information including the CropLand data layer, which contains crop and other specific land cover classifications obtained using remote sensing for the conterminous United States.

Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool

Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool

Includes maps that display crucial terrestrial and aquatic wildlife habitat and corridors across the West. The interactive viewer displays the rankings of crucial habitats at a square-mile scale.

EnviroAtlas

EnviroAtlas

A mapping tool that allows users to explore ecosystem services and the built environment across the U.S.

Essential Fish Habitat Mapper

Essential Fish Habitat Mapper

A spatial representation of essential fish habitats (EFH), or those habitats that have been identified and described as necessary to fish, as well as habitat areas of particular concern (HAPCs), and EFH areas protected from fishing.

LandCarbon

LandCarbon

The suite of data products and visualization tools presented here were developed as part of a national ecosystem assessment of biological carbon sequestration. The assessment focused on changes in carbon stocks and fluxes in all the major ecosystems, and on the major natural and anthropogenic processes that control carbon cycling (such as climate change, land use, and wildland fires). The greenhouse gases considered in this assessment were carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO, from wildland fires only), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).

Landfire

Landfire

A program that provides over 20 national geo-spatial layers (e.g. vegetation, fuel, disturbance, etc.), databases, and ecological models that are available to the public for the US and insular areas.

National Land Cover Database Evaluation, Visualization, and Analysis (EVA) Tool

National Land Cover Database Evaluation, Visualization, and Analysis (EVA) Tool

Provides user-friendly access to national and state land cover and land cover change information developed through the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium. NLCD EVA eliminates the need for desktop geographic information system software, or advanced technical expertise, by processing NLCD data for the user and providing easy access to that distilled information. As well as displaying land cover information the tool also summarizes general land change trends as well as providing users with the option to specify and explore specific land change classes of interest (e.g., forest to urban).

USGS Ecosystems Map

USGS Ecosystems Map

Displays ecosystem mapping efforts for three continental areas – the United States, South America, and Africa. Ecosystems are geospatially delineated as facets of the landscape generated through biophysical stratification by bioclimate, biogeography, lithology, landforms, surface moisture, and land cover.

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Tools http://www.data.gov/climate/ecosystem-vulnerability/ecosystem-vulnerability-tools Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:27:33 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=12320822 Here is a collection of select tools that can help us to better understand the vulnerability of ecosystems and make decisions that will make ecosystems more resilient to climate change. Biodiversity Conservation Integrated Taxonomic Informatin System (IT IS): A database … Continued

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Here is a collection of select tools that can help us to better understand the vulnerability of ecosystems and make decisions that will make ecosystems more resilient to climate change.

Biodiversity Conservation

Sponsor:
USGS
Name:
Integrated Taxonomic Informatin System (IT IS)
URL:
http://www.itis.gov/tools.html
Summary:
The ITIS database currently provides tools to compare species names with their hierarchical classifications. Agencies that typically cannot afford to maintain taxonomic data will have access to high quality taxonomic information through ITIS.
How it works:
ITIS currently includes two tools. The first is a prototype to compare taxonomy and nomenclature. The Taxonomic Workbench is a Windows-based software tool used for editing and manipulating taxonomic data for submission into the ITIS online system. This software is used for entering new data into the ITIS database, as well as updating records already in the online system.
Application:
Federal agencies have the ability to use the ITIS tool in order to promote improved coordination of efforts among federal agencies, thereby increasing productivity and saving resources.
Preview:
Sponsor:
NOAA
Name:
Habitat Priority Planner
URL:
http://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/hpp
Summary:
How it works:
The Habitat Priority Planner provides a means of obtaining critical habitat analyses that are consistent, repeatable, and transparent. The program allows users to easily test various ideas and is an apt tool to use in a group setting.
Application:
This tool can be used by urban, transportation and building planners to ensure that infrastructure and buildings are built in the best possible locations. The tool can also be used by conservationists and wildlife managers to understand climate change impacts on critical habitats.
Preview:
  • National Gap Analysis Program (GAP): Provides access to viewers that display data on vegetation and land use patterns, federal and state conservation lands, and species ranges.
Sponsor:
USGS
Name:
National Gap Analysis Program (GAP)
URL:
http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/viewers/
Summary:
The Gap Analysis Program has created interactive maps for viewing its datasets. The Land Cover Viewer displays data on vegetation and land use patterns. The PAD-US Viewer displays federal and state conservation lands. The Species Viewer displays species range.
How it works:
Using the website, users can download data or view data for vegetation and land use patterns, federal and state conservation lands and species ranges. To conduct a gap analysis, the three data layers are overlaid.
Application:
Users can map three data layers that are provided – A Gap Analysis consists of mapping three data layers — land cover, predicted distributions of vertebrate species, and a stewardship layer. This data is then assessed to determine how much of a target species’ (plant or animal) habitat is in conserved areas. From this assessment, planning decisions can be made about whether further protection is merited.
Preview:
  • USFS Climate Change Atlas: Documents the current and possible future distribution for several tree and bird species in the eastern United States.
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
USFS Climate Change Atlas
URL:
http://www.fs.fed.us/nrs/atlas/
Summary:
The Climate Change Atlas documents the current and possible future distribution of 134 tree species and 147 bird species in the Eastern United States and gives detailed information on environmental characteristics defining these distributions.
How it works:
Users can see which factors (e.g. temperature, elevation, soil type) help to drive species distributions, offering some guidance on species sensitivity to large-scale climate differences. The Atlases supply maps and summary numerical data that show how the suitable habitat of each species is projected to change under three different climate models, for both high and low emissions scenarios. Maps can be viewed via the Atlas online interface, or with the program, Google Earth.
Application:
The Atlas can be used in the development of large scale projections of species responses to climate change, which can inform long-term planning.
Preview:

Carbon Sequestration

  • COMET-Farm: A tool to help with auditing management activities (field management, livestock and/or energy use).
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
COMET-Farm
URL:
http://cometfarm.nrel.colostate.edu/
Summary:
COMET-FARM estimates the ‘carbon footprint’ for all or part of your farm/ranch operation and allows you to evaluate different options, which you select, for reducing GHG emissions and sequestering more carbon.
How it works:
The tool uses detailed spatially-explicit data on climate and soil conditions for your location and allows you to enter detailed information for your field and livestock operations. Because of this, it is able to produce an accurate estimate tailored to your specific situation.
Application:
Farm/ranch operation managers can use this tool to estimate their carbon footprints and explore options for reducing GHG emissions and sequestering greater levels of carbon.
Preview:
  • ROE Carbon Storage in Forests: A tool to explore the data and trends related to carbon storage in forests, an indicator of environmental and human health.
Sponsor:
NOAA
Name:
ROE Carbon Storage in Forests
URL:
http://cfpub.epa.gov/roe/indicator.cfm?i=86#1
Summary:
The Report on the Environment (ROE) presents the best available indicators of national trends in the environment and human health. One of these indicators is carbon storage in forests, and the ROE Carbon Storage in Forests tool can be used to explore the trends related to this indicator.
How it works:
The tool is divided into the following thee “exhibits”: a graph of total forest biomass in the U.S., by forest component, 1990-2013; a map of forest biomass in U.S. counties per square mile of land, 2013; and a map of percent change in carbon stored in U.S. forests, by county, 1990-2013
Application:
This tool can be used by a wide variety of people, including decision makers, program planners, scientists, researchers, students, and the general public.
Preview:
  • LandCarbon: A suite of data products and visualization tools that were developed as part of a national ecosystem assessment of biological carbon sequestration. The assessment focused on changes in carbon stocks and fluxes in all the major ecosystems, and on the major natural and anthropogenic processes that control carbon cycling (such as climate change, land use, and wildland fires). The greenhouse gases considered in this assessment were carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO, from wildland fires only), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).
Sponsor:
USGS
Name:
LandCarbon
URL:
http://landcarbon.org/tools/
Summary:
This website is a central point of data and information from the LandCarbon assessment. The LandCarbon assessment focused on changes in carbon stocks and fluxes in all the major ecosystems, and on the major natural and anthropogenic processes that control carbon cycling (such as climate change, land use, and wildland fires). The GHGs considered in this assessment were carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO, from wildland fires only), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).
The assessment was conducted using a methodology framework that
1. Links land use, land management, fire disturbance, and climate data with statistical methods and process-based biogeochemical models to generate spatially and temporally explicit carbon storage and GHG flux estimates
2. Uses remote sensing input data, existing resource and soil inventories, climate histories, and measurements made by a national network of streamgages
3. Applies a set of future land- and climate-change scenarios to the assessment to estimate a range of carbon stocks and sequestration rates in ecosystems
How it works:
The LandCarbon datasets provide information on the changes in carbon stocks and fluxes in all the major ecosystems, and on the major natural and anthropogenic processes that control carbon cycling (such as climate change, land use, and wildland fires). Information is provided as a series of thematic maps chronicling carbon stocks and their controlling processes.
Application:
The LandCarbon project maps how much carbon is sequestered in ecosystems using stream gauge, soil, and natural-resource inventory data, remote sensing techniques, and computer models. A number of data products and visualization tools can be used to further explore the information.
Preview:

Invasive Species

  • FHTET Pest Portal: Provides various state, county and local level forest insect and disease conditions data. In addition, it offers a look at near real time forest disturbance information collected by satellite.
Sponsor:
USFS
Name:
FHTET Pest Portal
URL:
http://foresthealth.fs.usda.gov/portal
Summary:
The portal offers a number of datasets and near real time information on forest insect and disease conditions.
How it works:
Data from the portal are collected from the air via standard aerial survey, from ground surveys or from remote sensing analysis. Data is “rounded up” from all Forest Service regions in the fall of each year.
Application:
Forest managers can use these tools to understand oncoming threats to forests from disease and invasive species.
Preview:

Land Cover and Ecosystem Services

  • EnviroAtlas Downloadable GIS Tools: A collection of interactive tools and resources that allows users to explore the many benefits people receive from nature, often referred to as ecosystem services.
Sponsor:
EPA
Name:
EnviroAtlas Downloadable GIS Tools
URL:
http://enviroatlas.epa.gov/enviroatlas/Tools/index.html
Summary:
EnviroAtlas is a collection of interactive tools and resources that allows users to explore the many benefits people receive from nature, often referred to as ecosystem services. Key components of EnviroAtlas include the following: a multi-scaled Interactive Map with broad scale data for the lower 48 states and fine scale data for selected communities; The Eco-Health Relationship Browser, which shows the linkages between ecosystems, the services they provide, and human health; and GIS and analysis tools.
How it works:
EnviroAtlas is a collaborative project and incorporates data from federal, state, community, and non-governmental organizations. The data helps users to understand the services that ecosystems provide.
Application:
Using EnviroAtlas, many types of users can access, view, and analyze diverse information to better understand how various decisions can affect an array of ecological and human health outcomes. EnviroAtlas has already been used by a variety of decision makers, including urban and community planners.
Preview:
  • National Land Cover Database Evaluation, Visualization, and Analysis (EVA) Tool: Provides user-friendly access to national and state land cover and land cover change information developed through the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium. NLCD EVA eliminates the need for desktop geographic information system software, or advanced technical expertise, by processing NLCD data for the user and providing easy access to that distilled information. In addition to displaying land cover information, the tool also summarizes general land change trends as well as provides users with the option to specify and explore specific land change classes of interest (e.g., forest to urban).
Sponsor:
USGS
Name:
National Land Cover Database Evaluation, Visualization, and Analysis (EVA) Tool
URL:
http://www.mrlc.gov/eva/
Summary:
The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) serves as the definitive Landsat-based, 30-meter resolution, land cover database for the Nation. NLCD provides spatial reference and descriptive data for characteristics of the land surface such as thematic class (for example, urban, agriculture, and forest), percent impervious surface, and percent tree canopy cover.
How it works:
The National Land Cover Database Evaluation Visualization and Analysis (NLCD EVA) tool provides user-friendly access to national and state land cover and land cover change information developed through the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium. NLCD EVA eliminates the need for desktop geographic information system software, or advanced technical expertise, by processing NLCD data for the user and providing easy access to that distilled information.
Application:
U.S. and international producers, researchers, and the public can access geospatial information on the location and extent of land cover/use and its changes
Preview:
  • USFS Climate Change Atlas: Documents the current and possible future distribution for several tree and bird species in the eastern United States.

Oceans and Coasts

  • Coastal Change Analysis Project (C-CAP): Produces a nationally standardized database of land cover information (developed using remotely sensed imagery) for the coastal regions of the U.S. C-CAP products provide inventories of coastal intertidal areas, wetlands, and adjacent uplands.
Sponsor:
NOAA
Name:
Coastal Change Analysis Project (C-CAP)
URL:
http://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/dataregistry/#/ccapregional
Summary:
The Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) produces a nationally standardized database of land cover information (developed using remotely sensed imagery) for the coastal regions of the U.S. C-CAP products provide inventories of coastal intertidal areas, wetlands, and adjacent uplands. Datasets can be filtered by the user using various categories.
How it works:
C-CAP utilizes various sources of data, including aerial and satellite imagery. It is produced using standard data sources and procedures that include extensive field sampling, validation, and standard quality control review procedures. The data registry can be filtered by state, theme, offshore region or service type.
Application:
The tool can be used by community and regional planners to inform coastal development.
Preview:
  • Environmental Sensitivity Index: Provides information on at-risk coastal resources, sensitive shorelines, and human-use resources (i.e., public beaches and parks) to assist in the aftermath of oil spills.
Sponsor:
NOAA
Name:
Environmental Sensitivity Index
URL:
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/maps-and-spatial-data/environmental-sensitivity-index-esi-maps.html
Summary:
Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) maps provide a concise summary of coastal resources that are at risk if an oil spill occurs nearby. Examples of at-risk resources include biological resources (such as birds and shellfish beds), sensitive shorelines (such as marshes and tidal flats), and human-use resources (such as public beaches and parks).
How it works:
Uses GIS techniques to integrate maps of a region with geographically-referenced biological resources,human-use resources, and ESI-classified shorelines that are ranked based on their sensitivity to oiling.
Application:
Oil spill responders can use this tool to reduce environmental consequences of oil spills and clean up efforts. Coastal zone planners can also use the tool – before a spill happens—to identify vulnerable locations, establish protection priorities, and identify cleanup strategies.
Preview:
Sponsor:
NOAA
Name:
NOAA’s Coral Reef Information System (CoRIS)
URL:
http://www.coris.noaa.gov/
Summary:
CoRIS is a portal that allows users to search for coral reef data and information.
How it works:
Users can search for a variety of data using the online portal. Data is available in a variety of formats including .GEORSS, .HTML, .CSV, .ATOM, etc.
Application:
CoRIS can be used by a variety of groups. Scientists and researchers can use it to obtain data for further study.
Preview:
Sponsor:
UNESCO/USGS
Name:
Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS)
URL:
http://www.usgs.gov/obis-usa/
Summary:
OBIS-USA is part of an international repository (OBIS) that is coordinated by UNESCO. It contains various data related to marine species occurrence.
How it works:
The data contained in OBIS-USA may be used in two different ways. First, using the data dashboard, users can visually examine the full collection of data down to the record level. Second, the Biogeographic Analysis Tool provides an analysis or summary of the biodiversity for defined geographic regions.
Application:
The OBIS portal has a large spectrum of users: researchers, fishery scientists and managers, policy maker, educators, amateur naturalists, environmental NGO, consultants, nature conservation organizations, and students.
Preview:

Water Resources and Drought

Sponsor:
NOAA/USGS
Name:
National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) Drought Portal
URL:
http://www.drought.gov/drought/
Summary:
NIDIS is an interagency effort that provides up-to-date information on drought across the nation. The Drought Portal provides various information and tools to help decision makers monitor conditions and prepare for onsets of drought.
How it works:
Users can search for a variety of up-to-date information on drought across the nation, displayed in the form of briefings, charts and maps. Maps include the U.S. Drought Monitor, an outlook of seasonal drought, reports of drought impacts, and wildfire risks. Users can also find information on various drought indices. The Drought Portal also links to state and regional information.
Application:
Water resource managers and community and urban planners can use the information to prepare for onsets of drought and to create long-term drought plans.
Preview:
  • Paleoclimatology Software Tools: A collection of paleoclimatological datasets and suggestions for software packages that can be used to analyze the data.
Sponsor:
NOAA
Name:
Paleoclimatology Software Tools
URL:
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/data-access/paleoclimatology-data/datasets/software
Summary:
A number of paleoclimatology datasets are provided through NOAA, which are derived from tree rings, ice cores, corals, and ocean and lake sediments. These datasets help to extend our weather and climate data record back hundreds to millions of years. The data helps us to understand natural climate variability and future climate change. NOAA provides a number of software packages to help analyze climate anomalies using this data.
How it works:
Software packages are contributed by the paleoclimatological community. The packages are provided on an “as-is” basis, and additional support cannot be provided by NOAA.
Application:
The software packages are primarily aimed at researchers and scientists who can use the software to further analyze the vast area of paleoclimatological data.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN)
URL:
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/scan/
Summary:
The SCAN tools are a collection of soil-climate data from stations around the United States which can be viewed interactively by users.
How it works:
SCAN uses a variety of methods to transmit remote station data. Users can then view data for each station using an interactive map tool.
Application:
SCAN can be used by planners to monitor the onset of drought, watershed health, and wetlands.
Preview:

Wildfires

  • Landfire: A program that provides over 20 national geo-spatial layers (e.g. vegetation, fuel, disturbance, etc.), databases, and ecological models that are available to the public for the US and insular areas.
Sponsor:
USGS
Name:
Landfire
URL:
http://www.landfire.gov
Summary:
This website provides data and links to LANDFIRE data, articles/reports, data descriptions, databases, LANDFIRE videos and tutorials, images/maps, websites, and decision making/informational tools. These resources are useful for practitioners in the fields of fire and natural resource management, vegetation, habitat, carbon/climate, research and science, as well as industry/private sector users and teachers.
How it works:
LANDFIRE products are designed to be used at a landscape-scales. LANDFIRE provides over 20 national geo-spatial layers (e.g. vegetation, fuel, disturbance, etc.), databases and ecological models.
Application:
LANDFIRE data products provide data for landscape assessment, analysis, and management. Data and information serve as important data sets in decision support with efforts such as identification of areas with similar characteristics, prioritization exercises, modeling capacity and potential, and improving collaboration between landowners with common data sets and analytics.
Preview:

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Maps http://www.data.gov/climate/ecosystem-vulnerability/ecosystem-vulnerability-maps Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:26:32 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=12320802 Here you will find a collection of maps and map layers that can help us to visually understand the vulnerability of ecosystems, and related climate change impacts. Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON) Critical Habitat Mapper Cropscape – Cropland Data … Continued

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Here you will find a collection of maps and map layers that can help us to visually understand the vulnerability of ecosystems, and related climate change impacts.


Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON)

Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON)

Critical Habitat Mapper

Critical Habitat Mapper

Cropscape - Cropland Data Layer

Cropscape – Cropland Data Layer

Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool

Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool

EnviroAtlas

EnviroAtlas

Essential Fish Habitat Mapper

Essential Fish Habitat Mapper

LandCarbon Biomass Carbon Stock

LandCarbon Biomass Carbon Stock

LandCarbon Burned Area and Severity Mosaics 2001-2050

LandCarbon Burned Area and Severity Mosaics 2001-2050

LandCarbon Forest Stand Age

LandCarbon Forest Stand Age

LandCarbon Land-Use/Land-Cover Mosaics 1992-2050

LandCarbon Land-Use/Land-Cover Mosaics 1992-2050

LandCarbon Methane Flux

LandCarbon Methane Flux

LandCarbon Net Ecosystem Carbon Flux

LandCarbon Net Ecosystem Carbon Flux

LandCarbon Nitrous Oxide Flux

LandCarbon Nitrous Oxide Flux

LandCarbon Soil Organic Carbon Stock

LandCarbon Soil Organic Carbon Stock

Multistate Aquatic Resource Information System (MARIS)

Multistate Aquatic Resource Information System (MARIS)

National Assessment of Shoreline Change

National Assessment of Shoreline Change

National Land Cover Database (NLCD)

National Land Cover Database (NLCD)

National Water Information System

National Water Information System

The National Map Viewer

The National Map Viewer

USA Soil Survey

USA Soil Survey

USFS Forests to Faucets

USFS Forests to Faucets

USGS Ecosystems Map

USGS Ecosystems Map

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Ecosystem Vulnerability Hightlights http://www.data.gov/climate/ecosystem-vulnerability/highlights Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:24:06 +0000 http://www.data.gov/climate/ecosystem-vulnerability/ecosystem-vulnerability-hightlights/ The post Ecosystem Vulnerability Hightlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Hardware Hacking for Disaster Response in Red Hook, Brooklyn http://www.data.gov/disasters/hardware-hacking-disaster-response-red-hook-brooklyn/ Fri, 07 Nov 2014 22:09:00 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?p=3735305 On October 10 – 11, technologists, entrepreneurs, and innovators across the public and private sectors participated in the first Civic Hardware Hackathon for Disaster Preparedness in support of the White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative.  Co-hosted by the Department of … Continued

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On October 10 – 11, technologists, entrepreneurs, and innovators across the public and private sectors participated in the first Civic Hardware Hackathon for Disaster Preparedness in support of the White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative.  Co-hosted by the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology DirectorateFederal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), The FeastIDEO, and Intel, the two-day event focused on creating and refining solutions to empower the disaster resilience community and survivors with critical information and resources.

First announced by DHS S&T at the White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Demo Day on July 29, the Civic Hardware Hackathon was held in Red Hook, Brooklyn – a neighborhood still rebuilding from the impacts of Hurricane Sandy in October 2012.

From the start, the hackathon organizers shaped the interaction to enable collaboration and to strengthen participants’ insights about end-user needs. After a series of introductory conference calls where civic hackers shared their project goals and challenges, the participants convened Friday morning at the Pioneer Works Center for Art and Innovation in Red Hook. The hackathon included a Human-Centered Design workshop, a visit to the New York City Office of Emergency Management (NYC OEM), and field testing with volunteer first responders at the Red Hook Initiative (RHI).

The Civic Hardware Hackathon included hands-on workshops, a visit to the New York City Emergency Operations Center, and field testing with volunteer first responders at the Red Hook Initiative Community Center.

 

Soldering stations were used to prototype sensors and other devices.

 

A “pop up” classroom built in a shoebox for the hackathon.

 

A Red Hook Initiative Local Leader and Emergency Medical Technician shares the Civic Ninja “Citizen Power Brigade” prototype with neighbors during the hackathon.

 

Here are some ways these hardware innovators are working to make American communities more resilient and prepared for disasters:

  • The Civic Ninjas team started a new “Citizen Power Brigade” project for this hackathon to transform a hybrid electric vehicle into a clean and fuel-efficient source of mobile emergency power. Their prototype charged up to 100 phones simultaneously, and was demonstrated at over 3 locations in Brooklyn during the hackathon.  In one week with a single tank of gas, one hybrid car can charge 8,400 phones, providing 12 million minutes of talk time for disaster survivors or providing emergency power to run appliances such as refrigerators.
  • The RHI Digital Stewards, a group of 19-24 year olds who install, maintain, and promote the Red Hook Initiative community wireless network, worked over the weekend to make their WiFi infrastructure more resilient. The Digital Stewards collaborated with other hackathon participants to prototype solar power stations and new synchronization features.
  • The Cascade Designs, Inc. team gathered feedback for their Clean Water STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Education project, aiming to improve hands-on science learning while pre-positioning water treatment devices in schools across the country for disaster preparedness. The water treatment device they shared can generate enough chlorine from table salt and a rechargeable car battery to treat a 55-gallon barrel of water in 5 minutes.
  • HeatSeekNYC, a team aiming to tap into the Internet of Things to diagnose problems in heating systems and empower landlords and tenants to keep the heat on responsibly, built off their recent NYC Big Apps and September NY Tech Meetup awards, creating 14 prototype sensors at the hackathon and collaborating with other teams.
  • LDLN (pronounced “Landline”), utilized the event to share their off-the-grid communications network that employs Raspberry Pi hubs and an App interface to help disaster relief workers relay their field data without the need for a cell, satellite, or internet connection.  The team’s initial prototype was created last year in the NextDayBetter Typhoon Haiyan Relief Hackathon, and they were able to enhance their project at the Civic Hardware Hackathon by increasing the communication range, building a 3D-printed case, and integrating a GPS auto-locator.
  • Eskuwela Now, inspired to get students and families back to their school routines after a disaster, built a “pop up” classroom in a shoebox.  The team created a multi-touch smartboard with a Wii remote, projector, infrared pen, and Raspberry Pi, allowing educators and communities to set up a classroom for 10% of the cost of a typical smartboard.
  • ChatPoint brought together off-the-shelf hardware that runs on a battery pack to prototype a WiFi chat base station that pairs with a smartphone app. To increase the communication range to reach several miles, the team looked to use a remote control helicopter backbone.
  • The Pedal Power project created a cost-effective, portable means for converting mechanical energy to charge USB devices.  The prototype utilized a hacked drill, IKEA hanger, wood scraps, a circuit board, and duct tape to let event attendees charge their phones with their hands and feet.

In addition to these teams and the event co-hosts, participants included The Rockefeller Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Millennium Challenge Corporation, SparkFun Electronics, littleBits, 3DSystems, Microsoft, DoGoodBus, NYC OEM, RHI, and the American Red Cross.

From off-the-grid messaging using off-the-shelf components, to crowdsourced data and open hardware, the event emphasized community resourcefulness and capabilities that could be sustained under harsh conditions. Robin Reid, Brooklyn resident and hackathon mentor, noted:

“Participants were challenged to question their assumptions and see the big picture impact in addition to putting in the hours to get the hardware to work.”

As Laura McLaughlin from Cascade Designs commented:

The event brought together creative and open-minded people willing to roll up their sleeves to help, plus compelling real-world challenges – a recipe for collaboration and creativity.”

Coverage of the event can be found by following the hashtag #disastertech on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media outlets.  In addition, The Rockefeller Foundation has sponsored a platform, Feast Connects, to enable continued collaboration. Participants will be able to share ideas, open source code, data, and open hardware designs to allow the community to build on progress made at this year’s event.

Meredith Lee is AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate.

Rafael Lemaitre is Director of Public Affairs at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Brian Forde is Senior Advisor to the U.S. Chief Technology Officer at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

 

(originally posted at whitehouse.gov)

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Related Data.gov Topics http://www.data.gov/ecosystems/related-data-gov-topics/ Tue, 04 Nov 2014 21:30:34 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=10388922 In addition to data resources provided by the Ecosystems Topic, the following Data.gov Topics and community themes provide information on data resources that are of relevance to the study, management, sustainable use and protection of ecosystems and biodiversity. Agriculture Climate … Continued

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In addition to data resources provided by the Ecosystems Topic, the following Data.gov Topics and community themes provide information on data resources that are of relevance to the study, management, sustainable use and protection of ecosystems and biodiversity.

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EcoINFORMA Map Viewer http://www.data.gov/ecosystems/ecoinforma-map-viewer/ Tue, 04 Nov 2014 21:24:04 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=10385662 View maps and overlays of spatial data from the EcoINFORMA resource hubs (BISON, EnviroAtlas, and MRLC), in addition to a sample of other spatial layers related to ecosystems, their living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components, and factors that impact ecosystems … Continued

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View maps and overlays of spatial data from the EcoINFORMA resource hubs (BISON, EnviroAtlas, and MRLC), in addition to a sample of other spatial layers related to ecosystems, their living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components, and factors that impact ecosystems and biodiversity.

The EcoINFORMA map viewer enables visualizations and mashups of EcoINFORMA-related spatial data, and it is a product of the GeoPlatform. For spatial data resources beyond EcoINFORMA, visit the GeoPlatform.

EcoINFORMA Map Viewer

  Go to EcoINFORMA Map Viewer

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Share Your Feedback http://www.data.gov/climate/water/feedback/ Wed, 29 Oct 2014 22:24:08 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=9323652 Thank you for your feedback. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address. [contact-form-7]

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Thank you for your feedback. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address.

[contact-form-7]

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Share Your Feedback http://www.data.gov/climate/foodresilience/feedback/ Wed, 29 Oct 2014 22:22:42 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=9323632 Thank you for your feedback. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address. [contact-form-7]

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Thank you for your feedback. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address.

[contact-form-7]

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Share Your Feedback http://www.data.gov/climate/coastalflooding/feedback/ Wed, 29 Oct 2014 22:22:09 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=9323612 Thank you for your feedback. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address. [contact-form-7]

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Thank you for your feedback. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address.

[contact-form-7]

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Highlights http://www.data.gov/climate/water/highlights/ Wed, 29 Oct 2014 16:56:03 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=9299892 The post Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Launch of Water theme of Climate.Data.Gov http://www.data.gov/climate/water/launch-water-theme-climate-data-gov/ Mon, 27 Oct 2014 18:02:57 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=9206242 To help communities and individuals plan for the risks of climate-change-related impacts on water resources, the U.S. Government is releasing today a collection of datasets containing information relevant to this important issue. Select data are also being made available via … Continued

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To help communities and individuals plan for the risks of climate-change-related impacts on water resources, the U.S. Government is releasing today a collection of datasets containing information relevant to this important issue. Select data are also being made available via mapping services on Geoplatform.gov. The resources provided here can be used to help answer a number of relevant questions, such as:

  • How are human and natural components of the hydrologic cycle changing?
  • How can communities and water managers plan for uncertain future conditions?
  • How will changing water resources affect food, energy, ecosystems, and human health?

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topic intro http://www.data.gov/climate/water/topic-intro/ Thu, 23 Oct 2014 20:57:09 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=9012642 Here you will find resources related to the effects of climate change on water resources, as well as other water-related environmental and societal themes. Citizens, businesses, non-governmental agencies and governments can use these resources to be better prepared for climate-related … Continued

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Here you will find resources related to the effects of climate change on water resources, as well as other water-related environmental and societal themes. Citizens, businesses, non-governmental agencies and governments can use these resources to be better prepared for climate-related impacts on water resources.

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Featured Data http://www.data.gov/climate/water/water-resources Mon, 20 Oct 2014 18:52:58 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=8809452 tbd – open paragraph National Water Information System National Water Information System NWIS provides access to water-resources data collected at approximately 1.5 million sites in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa … Continued

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tbd – open paragraph

National Water Information System

National Water Information System

NWIS provides access to water-resources data collected at approximately 1.5 million sites in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.The USGS investigates the occurrence, quantity, quality, distribution, and movement of surface and underground waters and disseminates the data to the public, State and local governments, public and private utilities, and other Federal agencies involved with managing our water resources.

National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service

National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service

AHPS is a web-based suite of accurate and information-rich forecast products. They display the magnitude and uncertainty of occurrence of floods or droughts, from hours to days and months, in advance. These graphical products are useful information and planning tools for many economic and emergency managers. These new products will enable government agencies, private institutions, and individuals to make more informed decisions about risk based policies and actions to mitigate the dangers posed by floods and droughts.

National Groundwater Monitoring Network

National Groundwater Monitoring Network

The NGWMN Data Portal provides access to groundwater data from multiple, dispersed databases in a web-based mapping application. The portal contains current and historical data including water levels, water quality, lithology, and well construction.

Water Quality Portal

Water Quality Portal

The Water Quality Portal (WQP) is a cooperative service sponsored by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Water Quality Monitoring Council (NWQMC). It serves data collected by over 400 state, federal, tribal, and local agencies.

Downscaled CMIP3 and CMIP5 Climate and Hydrology Projections

Downscaled CMIP3 and CMIP5 Climate and Hydrology Projections

“Downscaled” (finer-resolution) versions of monthly and daily temperature and precipitation from most of the GCM simulations in the PCMDI CMIP3 and CMIP5 archives, for CONUS, using two downscaling methods. In addition, derived simulations of surface hydrology are provided.

National Climatic Data Center Climate Data Online

National Climatic Data Center Climate Data Online

Climate Data Online (CDO) provides free access to NCDC’s archive of historical weather and climate data in addition to station history information. These data include quality controlled daily, monthly, seasonal, and yearly measurements of temperature, precipitation, wind, and degree days as well as radar data and 30-year Climate Normals.

USDA FS Climate Change Resource Center

USDA FS Climate Change Resource Center

The Climate Change Resource Center (CCRC) is a web-based, national resource that connects land managers and decisionmakers with useable science to address climate change in planning and application.

NASA Hydrology Data and Information Services Center

NASA Hydrology Data and Information Services Center

The Hydrology DISC supports data products generated by Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center Hydrological Sciences Branch. Data products from the North America Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) and the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) can be accessed through several interfaces. NLDAS and GLDAS systems integrate data from multiple space-based Earth observing systems using advanced land surface modeling and assimilation techniques. These products support weather and climate forecast experiments, water resources applications, and water and energy cycle research.

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Results of the Second Annual Safety Datapalooza http://www.data.gov/safety/results-second-annual-safety-datapalooza/ Wed, 08 Oct 2014 13:30:09 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=7869362 The second annual Safety Dataplooza was held on January 14, 2014. More than 300 public safety stakeholders from the private, nonprofit, and academic sectors participated in the event, which showcased innovators who have utilized freely available government data to build … Continued

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The second annual Safety Dataplooza was held on January 14, 2014. More than 300 public safety stakeholders from the private, nonprofit, and academic sectors participated in the event, which showcased innovators who have utilized freely available government data to build products, services, and apps aimed at empowering Americans with information to make smarter, safer choices— from the vehicles we drive to patterns of crime in our neighborhoods to the products we buy and the food we eat. Check out the graphics and videos of all the talks!

Talks from the Second Annual Safety Datapalooza

Graphic overview of talks from the Second Annual Safety Datapalooza

Welcome message from Krysta Harden, Deputy Secretary, US Department of Agriculture
Keynote from Gregory Winfree, Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, US Department of Transportation
Bryan Beshore, Founder, Keychain Logistics
Janice Jacobs, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs, US Department of State
Robert Adler, Acting Chairman, US Consumer Product Safety Commission
Seth D. Harris, Deputy Secretary, US Department of Labor
Katherine Champagne, Web Developer, LaborSight.com

WH Safety Datapalooza 2014_Page_4
Rich Serino, Deputy Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Administration
Dr. Nicole Lurie, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Jackie Kazil, Presidential Innovation Fellow, Federal Emergency Management Administration
Padden Murphy, Public Policy and Market Development, Getaround
Brian Birtwistle, Head of Partnerships and Operation, CrowdTilt
Leah Busque, Founder and CEO, TaskRabbit
Bryson Koehler, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer, The Weather Channel

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Patricia Hoffman Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
Derek Frempong, Presidential Innovation Fellow, U.S. Department of Energy
Phil Harris, Chief Executive Officer, Geofeedia
Matt Kochman, Founder, Bustr
Greg Ridgeway, Director, National Institute of Justice, US Department of Justice
Bryan Vila, Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Washington State University
Joel Caplan, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Rutgers University
Closing Keynote by Todd Park, Assistant to the President and US Chief Technology Officer, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

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Food Resilience Theme Adds Seven Datasets http://www.data.gov/climate/food-resilience-theme-adds-seven-datasets/ Tue, 07 Oct 2014 18:52:19 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=7800972 In a continued effort to provide key datasets that are aimed at developing resilience to climate change and fortifying food production, seven additional datasets are now available in the food resilience theme. Those include: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard … Continued

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In a continued effort to provide key datasets that are aimed at developing resilience to climate change and fortifying food production, seven additional datasets are now available in the food resilience theme.

Those include:

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2014 AWRA Annual Water Resources Conference http://www.data.gov/climate/2014-awra-annual-water-resources-conference/ Thu, 25 Sep 2014 14:46:09 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=6838822 2014 AWRA Annual Water Resources Conference Open Water Data Initiative – Unifying Water Data for the Nation Call For Lightening Talks (Deadline: October 27, 2014) In coordination with The White House Climate Data Initiative, the Federal Geographic Data Committee, and … Continued

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2014 AWRA Annual Water Resources Conference
Open Water Data Initiative – Unifying Water Data for the Nation
Call For Lightening Talks (Deadline: October 27, 2014)

In coordination with The White House Climate Data Initiative,
the Federal Geographic Data Committee, and the National Food Interoperability Experiment,
the AWRA Technology Committee is supporting a national discussion titled
“The Open Water Data Initiative – Unifying Water Data for the Nation.”

For more information visit http://awra.org/meetings/Annual2014/lightning.html

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AAPI Data Catalog http://www.data.gov/aapi/aapi-catalog/ Tue, 23 Sep 2014 16:41:24 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=6691792 Explore a broad range of data about the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, including information about socioeconomic status, educational attainment, health, Native Hawaiians, and many other areas. Can’t find what you’re looking for or think something needs to … Continued

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Explore a broad range of data about the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, including information about socioeconomic status, educational attainment, health, Native Hawaiians, and many other areas.

Can’t find what you’re looking for or think something needs to be added? Email WhiteHouseAAPI@ed.gov. Visit here for more information on AAPI data.

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Ed Games Week Highlights the Emergence of Video Games in Education http://www.data.gov/education/ed-games-week-highlights-emergence-video-games-education/ Tue, 23 Sep 2014 12:34:27 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=7250692 Ed Games Week wrapped up with a 48-hour Education Game Jam that brought together over one hundred veteran and independent game developers, teachers, and students. (Photo credit: U.S. Department of Education) Games and play are a central part of childhood … Continued

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Game jam participants talking

Ed Games Week wrapped up with a 48-hour Education Game Jam that brought together over one hundred veteran and independent game developers, teachers, and students. (Photo credit: U.S. Department of Education)

Games and play are a central part of childhood and can stimulate creativity and learning. As technology grows as a tool for teachers, one question has been: what role might educational video games play in the classroom?

Today, increasing numbers of teachers are incorporating games to supplement and enrich classroom instruction. In addition, students of all ages are developing their own games, as showcased in competitions and hackathons in communities across the country.

Ed Games Week brought the discussion on educational games to Washington, D.C. The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) collaboratively planned a series of events including the Ed Games Expo, the Ed Games Workshop, and the White House Education Game Jam.

The Ed Games Expo

The Ed Games Expo showcased 25 newly developed learning games developed with funding from the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs at ED’s Institute of Education Sciences (ED/IES SBIR) and other federal programs. More than 150 attendees met face-to-face with the developers and played games that covered a range of topics – from STEM, history, and foreign languages – and used a wide variety of genres for gameplay. For example:

  • Addimal Adventure challenges children to solve mathematical equations with support of friendly characters.
  • Zoo U helps grade school students navigate a series of challenging social situations.
  • Reach for the Sun encourages deep understanding of photosynthesis as students grow a virtual sunflower from seed to full plant.

For more, check out the Office of Educational Technology YouTube channel:

Ed Games Workshop

The Ed Games Workshop brought together the Expo game developers and a team of federal experts. Workshop collaborators strategized exciting possibilities to create regional, national, or even international STEM game competitions featuring games that motivate as well as teach, such as through an X-Prize model. For more, see this article on the Clinton Foundation blog.

The White House Education Game Jam

Ed Games Week wrapped up with a 48-hour Education Game Jam that brought together over one hundred veteran and independent game developers, teachers, and students with the goal of creating educational games that make challenging K-12 topics easier for students to learn and for teachers to teach. Organized by the White House and Department of Education, developers were challenged to develop playable prototypes during the event. On Monday, Sept. 8, Game Jam participants presented videos of their games and demonstrated the prototypes at the White House. Twenty-three educational games were developed over the weekend including:

You can find videos of all the game prototypes on the Office of Educational Technology YouTube channel:

ED is committed to tracking the emergence of technology-based games in education as a way to enrich in-and-out of classroom learning opportunities for students. Follow @OfficeofEdTech and @IESResearch on Twitter for the latest!

Ed Metz is a developmental psychologist and the Program Manager for the Small Business Innovation Research Program at the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences.

Russell Shilling is an experimental psychologist and the Executive Director of STEM Initiatives at the U.S. Department of Education.

Mark DeLoura is Senior Advisor for Digital Media at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

 

This blog post originally appeared on the U.S. Department of Education Homeroom Blog.

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My Brother’s Keeper Data Jam: Old World Values with New World Strategies and Tools http://www.data.gov/education/brothers-keeper-data-jam-old-world-values-new-world-strategies-tools/ Wed, 13 Aug 2014 12:15:28 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=7245002 When President Obama launched the My Brother’s Keeper Initiative, he called on Americans to make sure that every American — including our boys and young men of color — can reach their full potential.  On August 2, over 150 people … Continued

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When President Obama launched the My Brother’s Keeper Initiative, he called on Americans to make sure that every American — including our boys and young men of color — can reach their full potential.  On August 2, over 150 people showed up early on a Saturday morning for a “Data Jam” hosted by the U.S. Department of Education, in partnership with Georgetown University and the Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation. The Jam took place at Georgetown Downtown in Washington, D.C.

The My Brother’s Keeper Data Jam brought together a diverse group of high school students, teachers, data scientists, data visualization experts, developers and community and non-profit leaders. The aim was to find new and better ways to use data to highlight opportunities and create solutions that can improve life outcomes for all students, including boys and young men of color. It was a powerful day.

A group of young men started us off with compelling spoken word performances that reminded all in attendance of the incredible challenges they face and enormous potential they hold. While acknowledging the role they had to play in changing the narrative of their own lives, they made plain the real danger and risks they face each day and expressed frustration in having to overcome the negative stereotypes that are applied to them and their peers.

The attendees then broke into teams focused on the six universal goals outlined in theMy Brother’s Keeper 90 Day Task Force Report– entering school ready to learn; reading at grade level by third grade; graduating from high school ready for college and career; completing post-secondary education or training; successfully entering the workforce; and reducing violence and providing a second chance. The teams were designed to capitalize on the range of perspectives and expertise among the participants. The student and teacher team members almost uniformly commented that they had never before been engaged in developing or even asked about tools and resources that impact their daily lives.

Nearly 20 teams worked through the day on crafting compelling ways to show data and creative solutions to chronic challenges – ranging from strategies to reduce preschool suspensions and expulsions to websites that enable students to find career paths and the required education or training to access them. At the end of the day, seven teams were voted by other participants as having the most promising ideas, and those teams committed to moving these and other ideas forward.

We are excited about the ideas that emerged and anxiously await seeing these ideas in action. We are even more excited about the lessons learned from the day and how they will improve future Data Jams that I am sure other colleges and universities will be clamoring to host. But we are most excited by the demonstration of commitment and unbelievable energy of the individuals and teams that participated. With no cash prizes or press coverage, these people leaned in and showed a big part of what My Brother’s Keeper is all about – people coming together to help our young people and the country. The Data Jam simply applied a little technology and innovation to that simple but profound concept and left many of us feeling inspired.

Yet, nothing was as inspiring to me as the time I had during lunch with the youth in attendance. They asked how I got where I am; how I avoided and dealt with the violence in my neighborhood; how best to survive and excel on campuses where they, for the first time, might come across few people with similar backgrounds and experiences; and many other questions about life as they know it and imagine it. They shared their stories of struggle and triumph as well as their plans for the future and the impact they plan to have on the world. Their questions and their stories reminded me, as one young man said in the morning session, they are “overcoming every day.” So if we create ladders of opportunity, they are more than willing to climb. And, that, too, is a big part of what My Brother’s Keeper is all about.

The My Brother’s Keeper initiative is a collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach led by an interagency federal task force to build ladders of opportunity and unlock the full potential of our young people, including boys and young men of color. Learn more about My Brother’s Keeper.

The Beeck Center for Social Impact & Innovation at Georgetown University exists to inspire and prepare students, faculty and global leaders with the necessary skills to generate and innovate solution-based social change both locally and internationally. It will promote collaborative spaces for fostering innovation and provide experiential opportunities to pragmatically impact the social sector. Learn more about the Beeck Center.

This blog post originally appeared on the U.S. Department of Education Homeroom Blog.

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Feedback API http://www.data.gov/developers/feedback Thu, 07 Aug 2014 16:11:26 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=3050982 Sign up to learn more about the Data.gov Feedback API [contact-form-7]

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Participants in Open Data Roundtables Guide USDA on Ways to Provide High Quality Data to Users http://www.data.gov/food/participants-open-data-roundtables-guide-usda-ways-provide-high-quality-data-users/ Thu, 07 Aug 2014 13:04:14 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=3117962 “Find out who your audience and users are, then figure out the best, easiest way to provide data to them.” Last week, the Obama Administration focused on a specific climate risk – the risk to the food supply – and … Continued

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“Find out who your audience and users are, then figure out the best, easiest way to provide data to them.”

Last week, the Obama Administration focused on a specific climate risk – the risk to the food supply – and the ways data could be used to help increase “food resilience.” The goal is to make data, computational power, and analytic tools available to help food producers, distributors, and inspectors keep the food supply reliable and robust.

As part of that effort, last Friday the GovLab and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) co-hosted an Open Data Roundtable on food resilience to bring together government officials, companies, and nonprofits to improve the use of data on climate and agriculture. Like the Roundtable we hosted with the White House and the Department of Commerce in June, this event was designed to promote a dialogue between government agencies that supply data and the companies and organizations that use it. The ultimate goal of all our Roundtables is to make open government data more relevant, accessible, and actionable.

While it may be a few weeks before all the suggestions from last Friday’s Open Data Roundtable at USDA are compiled into a report, companies and USDA officials came away with a better understanding of how public data is gathered, disseminated and processed by users.  The meeting was part of a series of discussions initiated by USDA.  Undersecretary and Chief Scientist Cathie Woteki, Deputy Undersecretary Ann Bartuska and Chief Information Officer (CIO) Cheryl Cook listened to and participated in discussions aimed at making it easier for crop, weather, soil and other information gathered by USDA to be provided to those who need it, here in America and abroad.

Some of the recommendations made by the group during two breakout sessions:

  • Things change, so develop an ongoing dialogue between users and providers of the data. Reach out to users (customers) to determine what they value and what they use.
  • Standardize data across sets so that, for example, the definition of something as simple as “corn” is universal.
  • Develop a better system to enable a searcher to get what he or she wants without having to sort through reams of data first.
  • Have a “crosscut” system to keep users from having to go to multiple agencies or places for portions of the data they need.  Provide “one stop” service.
  • Provide better service to those who request information under the Freedom of Information Act.
  • Standardize tables to make it easier for business to convert raw data into information it needs.
  • Create a “data concierge” to assist users, improve the search function of @data.gov.
  • Set long terms improvement goals and develop a roadmap to get there.  Improve geospatial data and make it the “highest quality possible.”
  • Build an app that provides a “real time” data alert system, which could also be employed by USDA and other government departments to share information with the public during times of crisis or disaster.
  • Leverage data that is already available, such as drought monitoring and let it be used for expanded purposes, such as predictive analysis to drive efficiencies and insight to create a smarter “AgriBusiness”.

The White House recognized the value of the Open Data Roundtables in the U.S. Open Data Action Plan, released on May 9, 2014, which described the Roundtables as helping to “support innovators and improve open data based on feedback.” The Plan notes that “Specific, actionable feedback from these sessions [the Roundtables] and others has the potential to improve descriptions, formats, and accessibility of government data.”

At the conclusion of the meeting, Dr. Woteki pledged to continue her effort to provide more, free access to USDA’s scholarship and data.  She noted that these efforts build on an Open Data event spearheaded by the G-8 countries at the World Bank over a year ago, and continued this week as African leaders from many nations came to Washington to discuss agricultural and other issues.  “Agriculture has a growing role in open data implementation, because we face a growing challenge to produce more food for more people, and to provide the services they expect,” said Dr. Woteki. “The only way to achieve this is through collaborative work, innovation sharing, and research.”  USDA CIO Cook talked about how data was crucial to her previous jobs with the State of Pennsylvania, then as a Federal official in the Clinton and Obama administrations.  “As someone who has been a data producer and a data user,” said Cook, “I understand the need to consolidate data so it can be used for multiple purposes to help our clients achieve their goals. We support public-private partnerships, open data and the need to know who is using our data and how, so we can serve them better.”

Originally posted at USDA.gov.

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More than 1,500 people participate in the White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Demo Day http://www.data.gov/disasters/1500-people-participate-white-house-innovation-disaster-response-recovery-demo-day/ Mon, 04 Aug 2014 20:27:24 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?p=3733884 Under Secretary for Science and Technology Dr. Reginald Brothers speaks to technologists, entrepreneurs, and members of the disaster response community at the Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Demo Day in South Court Auditorium, July 29, 2014. (Credit: DHS Science … Continued

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Disaster Demo Day 7_29_14 panorama

Under Secretary for Science and Technology Dr. Reginald Brothers speaks to technologists, entrepreneurs, and members of the disaster response community at the Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Demo Day in South Court Auditorium, July 29, 2014. (Credit: DHS Science and Technology)

 

On Tuesday, more than 250 emergency managers, first responders, tech entrepreneurs, and local, state, and Federal officials came to the White House to participate in the Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Demo Day. The event was live-streamed to more than 1,250 people interested in leveraging tech and innovation to improve disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

In the morning, participants attended six workshops to identify challenges where open data, social media, predictive analytics, sharing economy platforms, standards, and user-centered design can be applied to improve disaster preparedness, and disaster response and recovery efforts. Innovation facilitators from the Ideation Community of Practice, the global design firm IDEO, and several federal agencies led the workshop participants in drafting challenge statements — such as,

“The Homeland Security Enterprise of over 3.5 Million first responders and emergency managers must make difficult decisions in the field to safeguard our nation, often triaging multiple streams of information. 

How might we provide ‘Social Media, Unplugged’’ — a means for response organizations to easily and securely extract emerging insights to better inform and coordinate disaster response?”

The challenge statements will continue to be refined over the coming weeks with stakeholder input for inclusion in the upcoming disasters.data.gov site focusing on disaster response and recovery.

 

Disaster Demo Day 7_29_14 chalkboard

Innovators brainstorming challenges where technology can improve disaster response and recovery. (Credit: DHS Science and Technology)

In the afternoon, we heard from 20 different companies and local and Federal departments and agencies about ways they are leveraging technology to improve disaster response and recovery. They made extraordinary commitments and gave excellent demos of how their tools could can be used in communities across America and around the world immediately.  We’re excited that technology companies, agencies and developers have built powerful tools for the community as a result of this initiative.

Examples of highlighted projects stemming from previous White House events and programs included the Appallicious Disaster Assistance and Assessment Dashboard (DAAD) and the Twilio Rapid Response Kit.  We were even more excited to hear about the next step — companies working together to develop shared standards, to unlock data that sits siloed in the vaults of company databases, and to improve the usability of datasets.

 

Below is a sample of the collective efforts announced at the event:

  • TaskRabbit is announcing a new mobile web interface, the TaskRabbit “Needs for First Responders,” which provides a safe and efficient marketplace to connect local service providers with those who need assistance. Using the interface, pre-vetted volunteers called “taskers” can respond in real time to posted requests for help from authorized during a disaster.
  • Microsoft added the Yammer survivor network to its disaster-response program’s portfolio of rapidly deployable solutions for use in the wake of a disaster. Yammer’s deployment aims to connect and provide a support network for survivors and responders as they recover and rebuild.
  • The Weather Company is building a localized alerting platform that will enable state, local, and private authorities to manage and distribute alerts that will go out via The Weather Channel and existing local distribution points, incorporating National Weather Service and existing Integrated Public Alert and Warning System alerts.
  • Twilio open-sourced their Rapid Response Kit for developers to stand up effective communications solutions during an emergency response without any telecommunications expertise.  The kit delivers nine tools, including SMS-powered volunteer signups and flexible push and pull conference calling, that developers can customize.
  • Google extended its Crisis Map, an open source and freely available web mapping tool, to include crowd-sourcing capabilities. Users can now contribute information and updates, such as whether a gas station has fuel available, in the wake of a disaster.  In addition, a number of electric utilities and technology companies — including Duke Energy, BGE, ComEd, PECO, SDG&E, Southern California Edison, National Grid, and iFactor Consulting — have agreed to publish power outage and restoration data openly, so Crisis Map and other websites can use and display the information.
  • The City of San Francisco and IDEO launched the City72 Toolkit, an open-source, ready-to-use software package to enable communities to customize and build their own preparedness platforms. Johnson County, Kansas is using the toolkit to launch their own JoCo72 today.
  • The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate, the Feast, and Intel will host a Hardware Hackathon in New York on October 10-11, 2014. The hackathon will bring together hardware-focused innovators to explore what could be created to help make our cities more resilient, and to prototype solutions in a local context in Red Hook, Brooklyn — an area still recovering from the impacts of Hurricane Sandy.
  • The Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced the forthcoming launch of an HHS “At-Risk Resiliency Interactive Map.”  The open data map will combine the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) real-time weather-tracking capabilities with data on the number of electricity-dependent Medicare beneficiaries at the U.S. territory, state and county levels to identify areas that may be impacted by severe weather and at risk for prolonged power outages. The HHS “At-Risk Resiliency Interactive Map” is under development and anticipated to launch on www.phe.gov in September 2014.
  • The International Association of Emergency Managers and the Big City Emergency Managers made commitments to share the tools presented at the event with emergency managers from cities across America and around the world.
  • USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and the Department of State’s Humanitarian Information Unit (HIU) announced investments in platforms and tools that promote creation and sharing of open data for emergency managers and disaster vulnerable communities.  USAID unveiled enhancements to the OpenStreetMap (OSM)Tasking Manager — an open source mapping tool designed and built to facilitate open data creation and collaborative mapping for humanitarian assistance and disaster response around the world. This effort was carried out in partnership with the Humanitarian OSM Team (HOT), which acts as a bridge between the traditional Humanitarian Responders and the OpenStreetMap community.  The Department of State highlighted Map Give, an educational campaign that brings people around the world into the OpenStreetMap community by teaching them about the importance of open map data, giving them the skills to map, and helping them get connected with mapping tasks through a user-friendly website.

 

 

For a full list of commitments made on the Demo Day in support of this initiative click here and bookmark http://whitehouse.gov/blog for updates. With National Preparedness Month quickly approaching in September, you can learn more about how to contribute to disaster preparedness by visiting www.ready.gov.  We look forward to your continued feedback and encourage organizations to share their progress at disastertech@ostp.gov.

 

Meredith Lee is AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Heather King is Director for Preparedness Policy at the National Security Council

Brian Forde is Senior Advisor to the U.S. Chief Technology Officer at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

 

(Originally published at WhiteHouse.gov)

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Launch of Food Resilience theme of Climate.Data.Gov http://www.data.gov/climate/launch-food-resilience-theme-climate-data-gov/ Tue, 29 Jul 2014 04:02:18 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=2048341 To help communities and individuals plan for the risks of drought, floods, and other climate-change-related impacts, the U.S. Government is releasing today a collection of datasets containing information relevant to the effects of climate change on the food system. These … Continued

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To help communities and individuals plan for the risks of drought, floods, and other climate-change-related impacts, the U.S. Government is releasing today a collection of datasets containing information relevant to the effects of climate change on the food system.

These data are also being made available via mapping services on Geoplatform.gov. The resources provided here can be used to answer a number of relevant questions, such as:

FOOD PRODUCTION

  1. How will crop yield and production of other food products be affected by changes in climate?
  2. What types of food and locations will be most vulnerable to changes in climate?
  3. How will changes in climate affect the types of food that can be grown in a location?
  4. Under what conditions (i.e., for what types of food and in what locations) will indirect effects of climate change (e.g., pests, pathogens, invasive species, and fire) overwhelm direct effects of increasing temperature and/or changes in precipitation, surface water, or ground water?

FOOD DISTRIBUTION

  1. What parts of the food supply chain will be most vulnerable to climate change?
  2. How will processing, storage, and transportation need to be modified to continue to supply safe food products under a changing climate?

FOOD SAFETY AND NUTRITION

  1. How will climate change impact foodborne illness that includes chemical as well as microbial sources?
  2. How will climate change affect the nutrient content of staple foods?
  3. How will the cost of a balanced diet be impacted under a changing climate?

INTERNATIONAL FOOD SECURITY

  1. What countries are most vulnerable to climate change that affects food yield, quality, and availability?
  2. What segment of the population will be most vulnerable to changes in food prices?

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Climate Model Projections Guidance Notes http://www.data.gov/climate/climate-model-projections-guidance-notes/ Mon, 28 Jul 2014 22:48:08 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=2289391 The post Climate Model Projections Guidance Notes appeared first on Data.gov.

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<< Back to Climate Projections

Key message: Climate simulation results can help inform decisions that involve climate change, but using these data is more involved than selecting and downloading data from a web portal.

Before using scenarios or climate simulation results, it is important to make sure you have formulated specific questions you want to address, and to investigate whether you can do that using the results of existing analyses, rather than performing your own. The more specific the question(s) you can formulate, the easier it will be to decide whether you need to use and analyze climate model data sets, and if so which ones. This is important, because there is no “best” data set or “best” climate model; which ones you should use will depend on what question(s) you are trying to address, in what geographical region(s), etc.

If you decide that you do need to use and analyze climate simulation results, you should keep several points in mind as you proceed:

  • Each data set of climate simulation results generally contains only selected types of information, which limits the range of questions it can be applied to. For example, many datasets of downscaled climate projections include information about temperature and precipitation only; these cannot be used to address questions involving storm surge or extreme winds, for example. Also, climate data sets may contain only monthly-averaged quantities (e.g. temperature); these may not be useful for many purposes.
  • Climate simulations generally make no attempt to predict the timing of natural climate variability; hence for example these datasets may contain useful information about conditions during El Nino years, but they can’t tell you when these years will occur.
  • Many users are interested in information about extreme weather of some sort (heat, precipitation, etc.) These can be difficult to simulate realistically; extreme precipitation is particularly tricky.
  • Simulations of future climate are all based upon assumptions about future greenhouse gas concentrations and other factors that influence climate; this is one reason why these simulations are referred to as “projections” rather than “predictions.”
  • In addition, there are numerous uncertainties in the climate models themselves, due to the challenge of numerically simulating all relevant aspects of the climate system over long timescales of decades to centuries. Therefore, even given the same assumptions about future greenhouse gases, different models will often produce different results, particularly at finer spatial scales and for extremes. (Note that some of these differences also result from random weather variations, and therefore do not represent true differences among model responses to greenhouse gas increases, but nevertheless can lead to different simulation results.) For this reason, it is considered good practice to use output from multiple models to explore a range of scientifically plausible futures – to account for an envelope of future climate risk, rather than a single future pathway.
  • Finally, simulations having finer spatial detail (i.e., “downscaled” climate model projections) do not necessarily have greater accuracy than coarser-resolution simulations; they add contextual detail related to factors such as regional topography and coastlines but may still retain the same basic climatic features simulated at larger scales.



<< Back to Climate Projections

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Climate Model Projections http://www.data.gov/climate/portals/ Mon, 28 Jul 2014 21:24:19 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=2289151 Target User Community: As with the other resources provided through climate.data.gov, this page is primarily intended for audiences, such as data innovators, who want to use government data to develop tools to help others learn about the impacts of climate … Continued

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Target User Community: As with the other resources provided through climate.data.gov, this page is primarily intended for audiences, such as data innovators, who want to use government data to develop tools to help others learn about the impacts of climate change or make decisions in which climate change plays a role. There are a number of important use considerations for the data provided here. Please click here for guidance notes to read before making use of these data.

What types of data are available? The links below provide access to a growing body of data, generated by climate models, relevant to understanding potential future climate change. This includes raw climate model output, as well as model output that has been processed by “bias correction” (removal of some known errors) and/or “downscaling” (addition of finer spatial detail). We refer to these types of information collectively as “climate simulation results.” These data have been produced using the leading climate research models, whose outputs have informed important scientific assessments of climate change and its impacts, such as the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment reports and the National Climate Assessment. They have been collected into several archives and portals for increased ease of access to outputs from multiple models and types of simulations.

  • Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison (PCMDI) CMIP5 Archive: A primary source of global climate model output.
    Sponsor:
    DOE
    Name:
    Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison (PCMDI) CMIP5 Archive
    URL:
    http://cmip-pcmdi.llnl.gov/cmip5/
    Summary:
    The Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison (PCMDI) was established to identify limitations in general circulation models (GCMs) that simulate the global climate through systematic comparison of results of these models to observations. PCMDI is currently providing leadership in managing the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, Phase 5 (CMIP5) of the World Climate Research Program (WCRP). This includes leading the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) which stores and distributes the datasets from the CMIP5 climate model simulations. Extensive analysis of these simulations by members of the international climate community has provided a key part of the scientific basis for the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).CMIP5 is meant to provide a framework for coordinated climate change simulations across the international community. CMIP5 promotes a standard set of model simulations in order to: evaluate how realistic the models are in simulating the recent past, interpret observations of recent climate, provide projections of future climate change on two time scales, near term (out to about 2035) and long term (out to 2100 and beyond), and understand some of the factors responsible for differences in model projections, including quantifying some key feedbacks such as those involving clouds and the carbon cycle. CMIP5 model output is being increasingly used in climate change impacts and vulnerability assessment across all regions of the United States and the world, and a multitude of socioeconomic sectors and ecological systems. In some cases, these assessments are based directly on CMIP5 model results; in other cases they are based on CMIP5 results that have had value added through process such as spatia “downscaling.”

  • Downscaled CMIP3 and CMIP5 Climate and Hydrology Projections: “Downscaled” (finer-resolution) versions of monthly and daily temperature and precipitation from most of the GCM simulations in the PCMDI CMIP3 and CMIP5 archives, for CONUS, using two downscaling methods. In addition, derived simulations of surface hydrology are provided.
    Sponsor:
    Multiple Fed/Univ/NGO
    Name:
    Downscaled CMIP3 and CMIP5 Climate and Hydrology Projections
    URL:
    http://gdo-dcp.ucllnl.org/downscaled_cmip_projections/
    Summary:
    This archive contains fine spatial resolution translations of climate projections over the contiguous United States (U.S.) developed using two downscaling techniques (monthly BCSD Figure 1, and daily BCCA Figure 2), and hydrologic projections over the western U.S. (roughly the western U.S. Figure 3) corresponding to the monthly BCSD climate projections. Archive content is based on global climate projections from the World Climate Research Programme’s (WCRP’s) Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 3 (CMIP3) multi-model dataset referenced in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report, and the phase 5 (CMIP5) multi-model dataset that informed much of the IPCC Fifth Assessment. The downscaled data archive also includes GCM results that have been interpolated to a common, 1 deg. (latitiude) by 1 deg. (longitude) horizontal grid (but not downscaled), as well as GCM results that have been interpolated to the 1×1 degree grid and “bias corrected,” but not downscaled.

  • NASA NEX DCP30 National Climate Change Viewer (NCCV): Ultra-fine resulution downscaled versions of CMIP5 GCM results, with derived resulst for surface hdrology, for CONUS.
    Sponsor:
    NASA/USGS
    Name:
    NASA NEX DCP30 National Climate Change Viewer (NCCV)
    URL:
    http://www.usgs.gov/climate_landuse/clu_rd/apps/nccv_viewer.asp
    Summary:
    To derive higher resolution data for regional climate change assessments, NASA applied a statistical technique to downscale maximum and minimum air temperature and precipitation from 33 of the CMIP5 climate models to a very fine, 800-m grid over the continental United States (CONUS). The full NEX-DCP30 dataset covers the historical period (1950-2005) and 21st century (2006-2099) under four Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) emission scenarios developed for AR5. The USGS National Climate Change Viewer (NCCV) includes the historical and future climate projections from 30 of the CMIP5 models, downscaled to an 800-m grid over the continental United States under the NASA NEX-DCP30 project, for two of the RCP emission scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). USGS has also used the downscaled temperature and precipitation data from these 30 CMIP5 models as input to a simple water-balance model to simulate changes in the surface water balance (snow water equivalent, runoff, soil water storage and evaporative deficit) over the historical and future time periods on the 800-m CONUS grid. Combining the climate data with the water balance data in the NCCV provides further insights into the potential for climate-driven change in water resources. The NCCV shows averages of the climate and water balance data over four climatology periods: 1950-2005, 2025-2049, 2050-2074, and 2075-2099. The viewer provides a number of useful tools for characterizing climate change including maps, climographs (plots of monthly averages), histograms that show the distribution or spread of the model simulations, monthly time series spanning 1950-2099, and tables that summarize changes in the quantiles (median and extremes) of the variables. The application also provides access to comprehensive, summary reports in PDF format and CSV files of the temperature and precipitation data for each geographic area.

  • CMIP5 Global Climate Change Viewer (GCCV): Tool to visualize CMIP5 GCM results.
    Sponsor:
    USGS
    Name:
    CMIP5 Global Climate Change Viewer (GCCV)
    URL:
    http://regclim.coas.oregonstate.edu/gccv/
    Summary:
    The Global Climate Change Viewer (GCCV) is used to visualize future temperature and precipitation changes simulated by global climate models in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5). The application allows the user to visualize projected climate change (temperature and precipitation) for each country, for all available models and all Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) emission scenarios (2.6, 4.5, 6.0 and 8.5 [more info]). In addition, the application includes access to the currently available model simulations from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; 21 ka) and mid-Holocene (6 ka), which are part of the Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project phase 3 (PMIP3).

  • Regional Climate Change Viewer (RCCV): Tool to visualize dynamically downscaled GCM results
    Sponsor:
    USGS/Oregon State Univ.
    Name:
    Regional Climate Change Viewer (RCCV)
    URL:
    http://regclim.coas.oregonstate.edu/visualization/rccv/index.html
    Summary:
    The Regional Climate Change Viewer (RCCV) allows a user to visualize model output from the Dynamical Downscaling project as averages of model grid cell values over selected bounding polygons. Currently, averages over telescoping political outlines (states and counties) and hydrologic units (HUC2, HUC4, HUC8) are provided. The RCCV can be used to investigate a subset of the more than 60 variables available in the data sets including air temperature, precipitation, soil moisture, snow water equivalent (SWE), growing degree days and evapotranspiration.

  • MACA CMIP5 Archive: Empirically-downscaled results from CMIP5 GCMs.
    Sponsor:
    Multiple Fed/University of Idaho
    Name:
    MACA CMIP5 Archive
    URL:
    http://maca.northwestknowledge.net/
    Summary:
    This archive contains output from 20 global climate models (GCMs) of the Coupled Model Inter-Comparison Project 5 (CMIP5) for the historical GCM forcings (1950-2005) and the future Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) RCP 4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios (2006-2100). This CMIP5 output is downscaled from the native resolution of the GCMS to either 4-km or ~6-km using the Multivariate Adaptive Constructed Analogs(MACA) method, a statistical downscaling method which utilizes a training dataset (i.e. a meteorological observation dataset) to remove historical biases and match spatial patterns in climate model output.

    The MACA dataset currently has data for the following variables:

    tasmax – Maximum daily temperature near surface
    tasmin – Minimum daily temperature near surface
    rhsmax – Maximum daily relative humidity near surface
    rhsmin – Minimum daily relative humdity near surface
    huss – Average daily specific humidity near surface
    pr – Average daily precipitation amount at surface
    rsds- Average daily downward shortwave radiation at surface
    was – Average daily wind speed near surface
    uas – Average daily eastward component of wind near surface
    vas – Average daily northward component of wind near surface

  • North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program (NARCCAP): Dynamically downscaled results from CMIP3 GCMs, for North America.
    Sponsor:
    NSF, DOE, NOAA, EPA, Ouranos (Canada)
    Name:
    North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program (NARCCAP)
    URL:
    https://www.narccap.ucar.edu/
    Summary:
    “The North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program (NARCCAP) is an international program to produce high resolution climate change simulations in order to investigate uncertainties in regional scale projections of future climate and generate climate change scenarios for use in impacts research.
    NARCCAP modelers have run six regional climate models (RCMs) driven by four atmosphere-ocean general circulation models (AOGCMs) over a domain covering the conterminous United States and most of Canada. The AOGCMs have been forced with the SRES A2 emissions scenario for the 21st century, covering the period 2041-2070. Simulations with these models were also produced for the historical period (1971-2000).”

Scenarios

In addition, scenarios.globalchange.gov provides scenarios: quantitative and narrative descriptions of plausible future conditions that provide assumptions for analyses of potential impacts and responses to climate change. Scenarios are ways to help understand what future conditions might be, with each scenario an example of what might happen under different assumptions. Scenarios generally blend both model output and other information, such as observed trends. They are not predictions or forecasts, and no probabilities are associated with them. Instead, they provide a range of future conditions to bound uncertainty. The scenarios accessed through scenarios.globalchange.gov include climate change, sea level change, and land use and population change. They are based on peer-reviewed, published sources and were used in the development of the National Climate Assessment, which provides scientific findings about climate change and its impacts on U.S. regions and key socioeconomic sectors.

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Severe Winter Weather http://www.data.gov/disasters/severe-winter-weather/ Mon, 28 Jul 2014 02:56:28 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=438916 Nearly all Americans are likely to face some type of severe winter weather at some point in their lives. Winter storms are often accompanied by dangerously low temperatures, ice, sleet, freezing rain, snow, and strong winds that can knock out … Continued

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Nearly all Americans are likely to face some type of severe winter weather at some point in their lives. Winter storms are often accompanied by dangerously low temperatures, ice, sleet, freezing rain, snow, and strong winds that can knock out heat, power, and communications. Here you’ll find a “starter list” of tools and open data that can support communities in the event of severe winter weather. If there are additional free tools or open data that can be shared, please email us at disastertech@ostp.gov.

FEMA Disaster Declarations Information about disaster declarations since 1953, which features all three disaster declaration types: major disaster, emergency, and fire management assistance.
Watches, Warnings, and Advisories National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center feed of watches, warnings, and advisories that are currently in force for the United States.
NCDC Storm Events Database database with a chronological listing, by state, of hurricanes, tornadoes, thunderstorms, hail, floods, drought conditions, lightning, high winds, snow, temperature extremes and other weather phenomena.
seeclickfix

SeeClickFix provides a database of citizen requests to help generate clear and actionable data on the state of infrastructure in the wake of a disaster. To learn more visit http://en.seeclickfix.com/.

weather-channel-logo

The Weather Company is building a localized alerting platform and API to enable state, local, and private authorities to manage and distribute alerts via The Weather Channel and existing local distribution points to two-thirds of the U.S. adult population. For more information contact globalalerts@weather.com.

airbnb

Airbnb, a community marketplace for housing, will pre-identify and activate hosts for displaced persons and disaster service workers when an emergency occurs. To learn more and engage this initiative, contact emergencyresponse@airbnb.com.

In addition to the many ways to Join the Movement and Get Involved, consider sharing your ideas and Challenge Statements where innovations in technology can be applied to help in the case of severe winter weather. Email suggestions to disastertech@ostp.gov.

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Wildfires http://www.data.gov/disasters/wildfires/ Mon, 28 Jul 2014 02:53:48 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=438914 Wildfires can spread quickly, extending from the original source and changing direction unexpectedly. Here you’ll find a “starter list” of tools and open data that can support community preparedness for wildfires. If there are additional free tools or open data … Continued

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Wildfires can spread quickly, extending from the original source and changing direction unexpectedly. Here you’ll find a “starter list” of tools and open data that can support community preparedness for wildfires. If there are additional free tools or open data that can be shared, please email us at disastertech@ostp.gov.

Hazardous Fuels Reduction Treatment Activities A map service depicting activities that help reduce hazardous fuels on the landscape.
Wildfire Risk Main Model Combines three modeled fire behavior parameters (rate of spread, flame length, and crown fire potential) and one modeled ecological health measure (fire regime condition class) with wildland urban interface areas and ignition probability.
redcross

The American Red Cross provides different disaster preparedness apps in English and Spanish to deal with first aid emergencies, weather emergencies, and natural disasters. Users can download the apps for free at http://www.redcross.org/mobileapps.

seeclickfix

SeeClickFix provides a database of citizen requests to help generate clear and actionable data on the state of infrastructure in the wake of a disaster. To learn more visit http://en.seeclickfix.com/.

airbnb

Airbnb, a community marketplace for housing, will pre-identify and activate hosts for displaced persons and disaster service workers when an emergency occurs. To learn more and engage this initiative, contact emergencyresponse@airbnb.com.

In addition to the many ways to Join the Movement and Get Involved, consider sharing your ideas and Challenge Statements where innovations in technology can be applied to help in the case of a wildfire. Email suggestions to disastertech@ostp.gov.

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Tornadoes http://www.data.gov/disasters/tornadoes/ Mon, 28 Jul 2014 02:53:10 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=438912 Tornadoes are created from powerful thunderstorms, and can devastate a neighborhood in seconds with whirling winds reaching 300 miles per hour. Here you’ll find a “starter list” of tools and open data that can support communities in the event of … Continued

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Tornadoes are created from powerful thunderstorms, and can devastate a neighborhood in seconds with whirling winds reaching 300 miles per hour. Here you’ll find a “starter list” of tools and open data that can support communities in the event of a tornado. If there are additional free tools or open data that can be shared, please email us at disastertech@ostp.gov.

Database of Tornado, Large Hail, and Damaging Wind Reports Composite track information regarding tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds for the period 1950-2006.
Severe Weather Data Inventory (SWDI) This is an integrated database of severe weather records for the United States.
United States Tornado Touchdown Points This map layer shows tornado touchdown points in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, from 1950 to 2004.
twilio

Twilio is open sourcing a Rapid Response Kit for developers to stand up communications solutions during an emergency response, featuring SMS-powered volunteer signup and survivor surveys, flexible push and pull conference calling, and phone tree configuration. Users can start with $500 free credit by visiting Twilio.org to clone or download the Rapid Response Kit.

taskrabbit

TaskRabbit Needs for First Responders is a web portal offering a real-time marketplace to connect local service providers with those that need assistance, without any fees. Those interested in joining the pilot program can email DisasterRelief@TaskRabbit.com.

redcross

The American Red Cross provides different disaster preparedness apps in English and Spanish to deal with first aid emergencies, weather emergencies, and natural disasters. Users can download the apps for free at http://www.redcross.org/mobileapps.

In addition to the many ways to Join the Movement and Get Involved, consider sharing your ideas and Challenge Statements where innovations in technology can be applied to help in the case of a tornado. Email suggestions to disastertech@ostp.gov.

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Hurricanes http://www.data.gov/disasters/hurricanes/ Mon, 28 Jul 2014 02:51:20 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=438910 Hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage, with hazards that manifest in many forms, including storm surges, heavy rainfall, high winds, tornadoes, rip currents, and flooding. Here you’ll find a “starter list” of tools and open data that can support communities in … Continued

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Hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage, with hazards that manifest in many forms, including storm surges, heavy rainfall, high winds, tornadoes, rip currents, and flooding. Here you’ll find a “starter list” of tools and open data that can support communities in the event of a hurricane. If there are additional free tools or open data that can be shared, please email us at disastertech@ostp.gov.

Past East Pacific Storm Tracks Historical hurricane weather data with information about named and unnamed Eastern Pacific Ocean tropical storms and hurricanes from 1949 to 2006.
Past Atlantic Storm Tracks Historical hurricane weather data with information about named and unnamed Atlantic tropical storms and hurricanes from 1951 to 2006.
Appallicious

The Disaster Assistance and Assessment Dashboard (DAAD) from Appallicious visualizes nearby environmental hazards, and allows local government to identify community resources to aid in recovery. For a product demo, email info@appallicious.com.

Yammer

Yammer Survivor Network hosts private, online community spaces to serve as connection points and support networks for survivors and responders as they recover and rebuild.

NGA

GeoQ crowdsources geo-tagged photos of disaster-affected areas to assess damage over large regions. Programmers can use the existing services and add features to customize the GeoQ code for their own community. GeoQ can be downloaded from http://github.com/ngageoint.

Our first featured Innovator Challenge tackles a pressing issue related to hurricanes: fatalities from flooding. Read more about new opportunities and ways to get involved here. Additional Challenge Statements where innovations in technology can be applied to help in the case of a hurricane are welcome by email to disastertech@ostp.gov.

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Earthquakes http://www.data.gov/disasters/earthquakes/ Mon, 28 Jul 2014 02:42:51 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=438905 Earthquakes can strike suddenly, violently, and without warning any time of day or night. Here you’ll find a “starter list” of tools and open data that can support communities in the event of an earthquake. If there are additional free … Continued

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Earthquakes can strike suddenly, violently, and without warning any time of day or night. Here you’ll find a “starter list” of tools and open data that can support communities in the event of an earthquake. If there are additional free tools or open data that can be shared, please email us at disastertech@ostp.gov.

Earthquake Feeds Near real-time earthquake information for a variety of time windows in a variety of formats, from the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
FEMA Disaster Declarations Information about disaster declarations since 1953, which features all three disaster declaration types: major disaster, emergency, and fire management assistance.
Earthquake Hazard Assessments Probabilistic seismic hazard maps from the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
NGA

GeoQ crowdsources geo-tagged photos of disaster-affected areas to assess damage over large regions. Programmers can use the existing services and add features to customize the GeoQ code for their own community. GeoQ can be downloaded from http://github.com/ngageoint.

nprlabs

NPR Labs has developed technology that utilizes secure satellite and over-the-air broadcasts to provide emergency information to the 36 million Americans who are deaf and hard-of-hearing using a battery-operated radio and Android tablet. This collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate, FEMA, and 25 local public radio stations in the Gulf Coast could be expanded to partnerships with other local, state, and regional entities.

usgs

ShakeMap and ShakeCast are post-earthquake information tools for rapid situational awareness, using data from seismic monitoring systems to help emergency managers gauge an earthquake’s impact and plan response activities. These tools can be found at earthquake.usgs.gov.

In addition to the many ways to Join the Movement and Get Involved, consider sharing your ideas and Challenge Statements where innovations in technology can be applied to help in the case of an earthquake. Email suggestions to disastertech@ostp.gov.

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All Hazards http://www.data.gov/disasters/hazards/ Sun, 27 Jul 2014 18:46:46 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=434343 TBD

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TBD

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Volunteers http://www.data.gov/disasters/volunteers/ Sun, 27 Jul 2014 17:59:01 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=434314 Volunteers provide critical support to disaster response and recovery efforts and below you’ll find information about tools that have been developed to support you in the wake of a disaster. If there are free tools or open data we haven’t … Continued

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Volunteers provide critical support to disaster response and recovery efforts and below you’ll find information about tools that have been developed to support you in the wake of a disaster. If there are free tools or open data we haven’t listed please email us at disastertech@ostp.gov.

FEMA Disaster Declarations Information about disaster declarations since 1953, which features all three disaster declaration types: major disaster, emergency, and fire management assistance. Watches, Warnings, and Advisories
National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center feed of watches, warnings, and advisories for the U.S. that are currently in force.
Hurricane Evacuation Routes Homeland Security Infrastructure Program hurricane evacuation routes.
twilio
Twilio
is open sourcing a Rapid Response Kit for developers to stand up communications solutions during an emergency response, featuring SMS-powered volunteer signup and survivor surveys, flexible push and pull conference calling, and phone tree configuration. Users can start with $500 free credit by visiting Twilio.org to clone or download the Rapid Response Kit.
taskrabbit
TaskRabbit Needs for First Responders
is a web portal offering a real-time marketplace to connect local service providers with those that need assistance, without any fees. Those interested in joining the pilot program can email DisasterRelief@TaskRabbit.com.
redcross
The American Red Cross provides different disaster preparedness apps in English and Spanish to deal with first aid emergencies, weather emergencies, and natural disasters. Users can download the apps for free at http://www.redcross.org/mobileapps.

If you would like to share a Challenge Statement where innovations in technology can be applied to improve our disaster response and recovery, please email disastertech@ostp.gov.

Open Data Open Data: Identify challenges where the release of local, state, and federal open data sets can improve disaster response and recovery efforts.
Sharing Economy Sharing Economy Platforms: Identify challenges where platforms enable us to better share resources and harness in-person and virtual volunteers.
PredictiveAnalytics Predictive Analytics: Identify challenges where predictive analytics can inform risk assessments and enable data-driven decisions before, during, and after a disaster.
Crowdsoucing Social Media: Identify challenges where the utilization of social media can improve situational awareness and enhance disaster response and recovery.
Preparedness User-Centered Design: Identify challenges where innovation can improve community preparedness and resilience.

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Survivors http://www.data.gov/disasters/survivors/ Sun, 27 Jul 2014 17:58:43 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=434312 Survivors need the latest information in the wake of a disaster, below you’ll find information about tools that have been developed to support you and your community. If there are free tools or open data we haven’t listed please email … Continued

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Survivors need the latest information in the wake of a disaster, below you’ll find information about tools that have been developed to support you and your community. If there are free tools or open data we haven’t listed please email us at disastertech@ostp.gov.

FEMA Disaster Declarations Information about disaster declarations since 1953, which features all three disaster declaration types: major disaster, emergency, and fire management assistance. Watches, Warnings, and Advisories
National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center feed of watches, warnings, and advisories for the U.S. that are currently in force.
Hurricane Evacuation Routes Homeland Security Infrastructure Program hurricane evacuation routes.
twilio
Twilio
is open sourcing a Rapid Response Kit for developers to stand up communications solutions during an emergency response, featuring SMS-powered volunteer signup and survivor surveys, flexible push and pull conference calling, and phone tree configuration. Users can start with $500 free credit by visiting Twilio.org to clone or download the Rapid Response Kit.
taskrabbit
TaskRabbit Needs for First Responders
is a web portal offering a real-time marketplace to connect local service providers with those that need assistance, without any fees. Those interested in joining the pilot program can email DisasterRelief@TaskRabbit.com.
redcross
The American Red Cross provides different disaster preparedness apps in English and Spanish to deal with first aid emergencies, weather emergencies, and natural disasters. Users can download the apps for free at http://www.redcross.org/mobileapps.

If you would like to share a Challenge Statement where innovations in technology can be applied to improve our disaster response and recovery, please email disastertech@ostp.gov.

Open Data Open Data: Identify challenges where the release of local, state, and federal open data sets can improve disaster response and recovery efforts.
Sharing Economy Sharing Economy Platforms: Identify challenges where platforms enable us to better share resources and harness in-person and virtual volunteers.
PredictiveAnalytics Predictive Analytics: Identify challenges where predictive analytics can inform risk assessments and enable data-driven decisions before, during, and after a disaster.
Crowdsoucing Social Media: Identify challenges where the utilization of social media can improve situational awareness and enhance disaster response and recovery.
Preparedness User-Centered Design: Identify challenges where innovation can improve community preparedness and resilience.

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First Responders http://www.data.gov/disasters/first-responders/ Sun, 27 Jul 2014 17:58:22 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=434310 First responders are critical to disaster response and recovery efforts and below you’ll find information about tools that have been developed to support you in the wake of a disaster. If there are free tools or open data we haven’t … Continued

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First responders are critical to disaster response and recovery efforts and below you’ll find information about tools that have been developed to support you in the wake of a disaster. If there are free tools or open data we haven’t listed please email us at disastertech@ostp.gov.

FEMA Disaster Declarations Information about disaster declarations since 1953, which features all three disaster declaration types: major disaster, emergency, and fire management assistance. Watches, Warnings, and Advisories
National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center feed of watches, warnings, and advisories for the U.S. that are currently in force.
Hurricane Evacuation Routes Homeland Security Infrastructure Program hurricane evacuation routes.
twilio
Twilio
is open sourcing a Rapid Response Kit for developers to stand up communications solutions during an emergency response, featuring SMS-powered volunteer signup and survivor surveys, flexible push and pull conference calling, and phone tree configuration. Users can start with $500 free credit by visiting Twilio.org to clone or download the Rapid Response Kit.
taskrabbit
TaskRabbit Needs for First Responders
is a web portal offering a real-time marketplace to connect local service providers with those that need assistance, without any fees. Those interested in joining the pilot program can email DisasterRelief@TaskRabbit.com.
redcross
The American Red Cross provides different disaster preparedness apps in English and Spanish to deal with first aid emergencies, weather emergencies, and natural disasters. Users can download the apps for free at http://www.redcross.org/mobileapps.

If you would like to share a Challenge Statement where innovations in technology can be applied to improve our disaster response and recovery, please email disastertech@ostp.gov.

Open Data Open Data: Identify challenges where the release of local, state, and federal open data sets can improve disaster response and recovery efforts.
Sharing Economy Sharing Economy Platforms: Identify challenges where platforms enable us to better share resources and harness in-person and virtual volunteers.
PredictiveAnalytics Predictive Analytics: Identify challenges where predictive analytics can inform risk assessments and enable data-driven decisions before, during, and after a disaster.
Crowdsoucing Social Media: Identify challenges where the utilization of social media can improve situational awareness and enhance disaster response and recovery.
Preparedness User-Centered Design: Identify challenges where innovation can improve community preparedness and resilience.

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Government Officials http://www.data.gov/disasters/government-officials/ Sun, 27 Jul 2014 17:58:03 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=434308 Government officials need rapid information and tools to work effectively on disaster response and recovery efforts. Below you’ll find information about tools that have been developed to support you in the wake of a disaster. If there are free tools … Continued

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Government officials need rapid information and tools to work effectively on disaster response and recovery efforts. Below you’ll find information about tools that have been developed to support you in the wake of a disaster. If there are free tools or open data we haven’t listed please email us at disastertech@ostp.gov.

FEMA Disaster Declarations Information about disaster declarations since 1953, which features all three disaster declaration types: major disaster, emergency, and fire management assistance. Watches, Warnings, and Advisories
National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center feed of watches, warnings, and advisories for the U.S. that are currently in force.
Hurricane Evacuation Routes Homeland Security Infrastructure Program hurricane evacuation routes.
twilio
Twilio
is open sourcing a Rapid Response Kit for developers to stand up communications solutions during an emergency response, featuring SMS-powered volunteer signup and survivor surveys, flexible push and pull conference calling, and phone tree configuration. Users can start with $500 free credit by visiting Twilio.org to clone or download the Rapid Response Kit.
taskrabbit
TaskRabbit Needs for First Responders
is a web portal offering a real-time marketplace to connect local service providers with those that need assistance, without any fees. Those interested in joining the pilot program can email DisasterRelief@TaskRabbit.com.
redcross
The American Red Cross provides different disaster preparedness apps in English and Spanish to deal with first aid emergencies, weather emergencies, and natural disasters. Users can download the apps for free at http://www.redcross.org/mobileapps.

If you would like to share a Challenge Statement where innovations in technology can be applied to improve our disaster response and recovery, please email disastertech@ostp.gov.

Open Data Open Data: Identify challenges where the release of local, state, and federal open data sets can improve disaster response and recovery efforts.
Sharing Economy Sharing Economy Platforms: Identify challenges where platforms enable us to better share resources and harness in-person and virtual volunteers.
PredictiveAnalytics Predictive Analytics: Identify challenges where predictive analytics can inform risk assessments and enable data-driven decisions before, during, and after a disaster.
Crowdsoucing Social Media: Identify challenges where the utilization of social media can improve situational awareness and enhance disaster response and recovery.
Preparedness User-Centered Design: Identify challenges where innovation can improve community preparedness and resilience.

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Tech Entrepreneurs http://www.data.gov/disasters/tech-entrepreneurs/ Sun, 27 Jul 2014 17:57:19 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=434306 Tech entrepreneurs can leverage their platforms and apps to improve disaster response and recovery efforts and below you’ll find information about tools and data that you can use to support first responders and survivors in the wake of a disaster. … Continued

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Tech entrepreneurs can leverage their platforms and apps to improve disaster response and recovery efforts and below you’ll find information about tools and data that you can use to support first responders and survivors in the wake of a disaster. If you’d like to leverage your platform or app please email us at disastertech@ostp.gov.

FEMA Disaster Declarations Information about disaster declarations since 1953, which features all three disaster declaration types: major disaster, emergency, and fire management assistance. Watches, Warnings, and Advisories
National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center feed of watches, warnings, and advisories for the U.S. that are currently in force.
Hurricane Evacuation Routes Homeland Security Infrastructure Program hurricane evacuation routes.
twilio
Twilio
is open sourcing a Rapid Response Kit for developers to stand up communications solutions during an emergency response, featuring SMS-powered volunteer signup and survivor surveys, flexible push and pull conference calling, and phone tree configuration. Users can start with $500 free credit by visiting Twilio.org to clone or download the Rapid Response Kit.
taskrabbit
TaskRabbit Needs for First Responders
is a web portal offering a real-time marketplace to connect local service providers with those that need assistance, without any fees. Those interested in joining the pilot program can email DisasterRelief@TaskRabbit.com.
redcross
The American Red Cross provides different disaster preparedness apps in English and Spanish to deal with first aid emergencies, weather emergencies, and natural disasters. Users can download the apps for free at http://www.redcross.org/mobileapps.

If you would like to share a Challenge Statement where innovations in technology can be applied to improve our disaster response and recovery, please email disastertech@ostp.gov.

Open Data Open Data: Identify challenges where the release of local, state, and federal open data sets can improve disaster response and recovery efforts.
Sharing Economy Sharing Economy Platforms: Identify challenges where platforms enable us to better share resources and harness in-person and virtual volunteers.
PredictiveAnalytics Predictive Analytics: Identify challenges where predictive analytics can inform risk assessments and enable data-driven decisions before, during, and after a disaster.
Crowdsoucing Social Media: Identify challenges where the utilization of social media can improve situational awareness and enhance disaster response and recovery.
Preparedness User-Centered Design: Identify challenges where innovation can improve community preparedness and resilience.

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Developers http://www.data.gov/disasters/developers/ Sun, 27 Jul 2014 17:55:01 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=434304 Developers can leverage their technical skills to build platforms and apps to improve disaster response and recovery efforts and below you’ll find information about tools and data that you can use to support first responders and survivors in the wake … Continued

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Developers can leverage their technical skills to build platforms and apps to improve disaster response and recovery efforts and below you’ll find information about tools and data that you can use to support first responders and survivors in the wake of a disaster. If you’ve built a platform or app please email us at disastertech@ostp.gov.

FEMA Disaster Declarations
Information about disaster declarations since 1953 and features all three disaster declaration types: major disaster, emergency and fire management assistance.
Watches, Warnings, and Advisories
National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center feed of watches, warnings and advisories for the US that are currently in force.
Hurricane Evacuation Routes
Homeland Security Infrastructure Program Hurricane evacuation routes.
twilio
Twilio
is open sourcing a Rapid Response Kit for developers to stand up communications solutions during an emergency response, featuring SMS-powered volunteer signup and survivor surveys, flexible push and pull conference calling, and phone tree configuration. Users can start with $500 free credit by visiting Twilio.org to clone or download the Rapid Response Kit.
taskrabbit
TaskRabbit Needs for First Responders
is a web portal offering a real-time marketplace to connect local service providers with those that need assistance, without any fees. Those interested in joining the pilot program can email DisasterRelief@TaskRabbit.com
redcross
The American Red Cross provides different disaster preparedness apps in English and Spanish to deal with first aid emergencies, weather emergencies, and natural disasters. Users can download the apps for free at http://www.redcross.org/mobileapps.

If you would like to share a Challenge Statement where innovations in technology can be applied to improve our disaster response and recovery, please email disastertech@ostp.gov.

Open Data Open Data: Identify challenges where the release of local, state, and federal open data sets can improve disaster response and recovery efforts.
Sharing Economy Sharing Economy Platforms: Identify challenges where platforms enable us to better share resources and harness in-person and virtual volunteers.
PredictiveAnalytics Predictive Analytics: Identify challenges where predictive analytics can inform risk assessments and enable data-driven decisions before, during and after a disaster.
Crowdsoucing Social Media: Identify challenges where the utilization of social media can improve situational awareness and enhance disaster response and recovery.
Preparedness User-Centered Design: Identify challenges where innovation can improve community preparedness and resilience.

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NASA launches Earth Science Challenges http://www.data.gov/climate/nasa-launches-earth-science-challenges/ Fri, 25 Jul 2014 18:49:05 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=2042701 Through the Open NASA Earth Exchange, NASA is challenging innovators to use data from Earth’s satellites in new and creative ways, including for applications that help people understand climate change. Learn more.

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Through the Open NASA Earth Exchange, NASA is challenging innovators to use data from Earth’s satellites in new and creative ways, including for applications that help people understand climate change. Learn more.

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Featured Data http://www.data.gov/climate/foodresilience/foodresilience-resources Fri, 25 Jul 2014 15:16:42 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=2036431 Food production, distribution, safety, and international security are becoming increasingly vulnerable to changes in climate that can include increases or decreases in the amount as well as the rate of change in precipitation and temperature. The drought in California and … Continued

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Food production, distribution, safety, and international security are becoming increasingly vulnerable to changes in climate that can include increases or decreases in the amount as well as the rate of change in precipitation and temperature. The drought in California and north Texas in 2013 leading to loss of crops and increase in water restrictions is an example of an extreme climatic event that could become more frequent in the future under a changing climate. The 2014 National Climate Assessment provides background information to help producers, consumers, and distributors of food, from local to global scales, to prepare for a changing climate. Additional resources that may be helpful include:

Geospatial Data Gateway

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

The Geospatial Data Gateway (GDG) is the One Stop Source for environmental and natural resources data, at any time, from anywhere, to anyone. The Gateway allows a user to choose an area of interest, browse and select data from the catalog, customize the format, and have it downloaded or shipped on CD or DVD.

Quick Stats

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

Quick Stats is the most comprehensive tool for accessing agricultural data published by NASS. Quick Stats provides agricultural statistics profiles for a particular subject area or commodity. Data are currently available in the following areas: crops and plants, economics, livestock and animals.

Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) Farm Financial and Crop Production Practices

Economic Research Service (ERS)

ARMS is the USDA’s primary source of information on the financial condition, production practices, and resource use of America’s farm businesses and the economic well-being of America’s farm households. ARMS is a nationally representative survey administered using several phases—sample screener, field-level, and farm-level phases—targeting about 5,000 fields and 30,000 farms each year.

Crop Explorer

Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)

Crop Explorer provides access to imagery and modeled estimates of crop production, soil moisture, and weather for the US and globally. Crop Explorer provides near real-time information on crops and conditions by region, satellite images, live data and maps, with links to production estimates, area, yield, and crop assessments.

CropScape – Cropland Data Layer

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

CropScape is a web-based interactive map visualization, dissemination, and querying system for U.S. cropland. Capabilities include on-line geospatial crop information access, geospatial query and on-line analytics via interactive maps. CropScape provides crop-specific land cover data layers created annually for the continental United States using moderate resolution satellite imagery and extensive agricultural ground truth.

VegScape – Vegetative Condition Explorer

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

VegScape is an on-line, satellite-based, interactive mapping service that provides current information on crop conditions. It publicly disseminates geospatial vegetation conditions at daily, weekly, and biweekly time periods.

National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP)

Farm Service Agency (FAS)

NAIP provides annual natural color aerial imagery during the agricultural growing seasons for the lower 48 states. NAIP provides imagery products either as digital ortho quarter quad tiles (DOQQs) or compressed county mosaics (CCM).

2012 Census of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

The Census of Agriculture is the leading source of facts and figures about American agriculture. Conducted every five years, the Census provides a detailed picture of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. It is the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural data for every state and county in the United States. The 2012 Census of Agriculture collected information concerning all areas of farming and ranching operations, including production expenses, market value of products, and operator characteristics.

Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America

Economic Research Service (ERS)

Atlas of Rural and Small-town America provides a spatial interpretation of county-level, economic and social conditions along four dimensions: people, jobs, agriculture, and county classifications.

Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN)

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) provides an interactive process to identify and retrieve data from individual SCAN sites. The Soil Climate Analysis Network consists of automated remote sites that focus on agricultural areas of the U.S. monitoring and collecting soil temperature and soil moisture content at several depths, soil water level, air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, wind, precipitation, barometric pressure, and more.

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Title http://www.data.gov/climate/foodresilience/title/ Fri, 25 Jul 2014 15:06:57 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=2036391 Here you will find resources related to the impacts of climate change on the production and distribution of food. You will also find resources that show how climate change can impact international food security. Citizens, communities, businesses, and governments can … Continued

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Here you will find resources related to the impacts of climate change on the production and distribution of food. You will also find resources that show how climate change can impact international food security. Citizens, communities, businesses, and governments can use these resources to be better prepared for climate-related impacts.

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Food Resilience Data http://www.data.gov/climate/foodresilience/food-resilience-data-sets Fri, 25 Jul 2014 15:05:29 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=2036371 The U.S. Government and its partners have been collecting data relevant to the vulnerability of the food system to climate change for over a century. Useful datasets on this topic include the Census of Agriculture, the leading source of facts … Continued

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The U.S. Government and its partners have been collecting data relevant to the vulnerability of the food system to climate change for over a century. Useful datasets on this topic include the Census of Agriculture, the leading source of facts and figures about American agriculture that is collected every five years for every state and county in the United States. Another key resource is the current and historical data on production, supply and distribution of agricultural commodities for the US and key producing and consuming countries. Climate, including storms, pests, and soils data that influence food production, safety, and supply are also available here. International food security data are provided through Federal and global partnerships.

All Food Resilience

Food Production

Food Distribution

Food Safety and Nutrition

International Food Security

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Food Resilience Highlights http://www.data.gov/climate/foodresilience/highlights Fri, 25 Jul 2014 15:04:04 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=2036351 The post Food Resilience Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Weather Intro http://www.data.gov/weather/weather-intro/ Thu, 24 Jul 2014 22:45:34 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=1985811 Datasets related to weather, water, forecasts, and warnings

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Datasets related to weather, water, forecasts, and warnings

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Weather Highlights http://www.data.gov/weather/highlights Thu, 24 Jul 2014 22:43:52 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=1985791 The post Weather Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Infrastructure and Geographic Map Data for Climate-Preparedness http://www.data.gov/climate/infrastructure-geographic-map-data-climate-preparedness/ Wed, 16 Jul 2014 15:32:14 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=2042721 To help communities and citizens plan for the risks of coastal flooding and other climate-change-related impacts, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the U.S. Geological Survey have released new non-sensitive datasets containing … Continued

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To help communities and citizens plan for the risks of coastal flooding and other climate-change-related impacts, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the U.S. Geological Survey have released new non-sensitive datasets containing mapping information on hundreds of thousands of the Nation’s infrastructure units and geographical features. These data are being made available via user-friendly mapping services on Geoplatform.gov and Climate.data.gov.

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Launch of Food Resilience Theme http://www.data.gov/climate/launch-food-resilience-theme/ Wed, 16 Jul 2014 15:16:14 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=2042761 To help communities and individuals plan for the risks of drought, floods, and other climate-change-related impacts, the US government is releasing today a collection of datasets containing information relevant to the effects of climate change on the food system. Learn … Continued

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To help communities and individuals plan for the risks of drought, floods, and other climate-change-related impacts, the US government is releasing today a collection of datasets containing information relevant to the effects of climate change on the food system. Learn more.

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Contact US (Testing) http://www.data.gov/contact-internal Thu, 10 Jul 2014 15:29:40 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=831061 [contact-form-7]

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Apps & Tools http://www.data.gov/disasters/apps-tools/ Wed, 09 Jul 2014 16:18:04 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=262756 The White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative was first launched by the Administration in the wake of Hurricane Sandy to find the most effective ways technology can empower survivors, first responders, and local, state, tribal, territorial, and … Continued

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The White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative was first launched by the Administration in the wake of Hurricane Sandy to find the most effective ways technology can empower survivors, first responders, and local, state, tribal, territorial, and Federal Governments with critical information and resources.

This page features apps and tools shared at the White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Demo Day to help address the challenges that severe weather and other disasters can pose to our communities.

In response to the Administration’s call to better prepare and empower survivors and communities in the wake of a disaster, the public and private sectors announced the following technology initiatives and platforms:

 

Sharing economy and technology platform innovations to support survivors

Yammer

Yammer Survivor Network hosts private, online community spaces to serve as connection points and support networks for survivors and responders as they recover and rebuild.

taskrabbit

TaskRabbit Needs for First Responders is a web portal offering a real-time marketplace to connect local service providers with those that need assistance, without any fees. Those interested in joining the pilot program can email DisasterRelief@TaskRabbit.com.

airbnb

Airbnb, a community marketplace for housing, will pre-identify and activate hosts for displaced persons and disaster service workers when an emergency occurs. To learn more and engage this initiative, contact emergencyresponse@airbnb.com.

 

Crowdsourcing to improve disaster response and recovery

NGA

GeoQ crowdsources geo-tagged photos of disaster-affected areas to assess damage over large regions. Programmers can use the existing services and add features to customize the GeoQ code for their own community. GeoQ can be downloaded from http://github.com/ngageoint.

seeclickfix

SeeClickFix provides a database of citizen requests to help generate clear and actionable data on the state of infrastructure in the wake of a disaster. To learn more visit http://en.seeclickfix.com/.

EPA

The Incident Waste Decision Support Tool (I-WASTE) offers emergency responders, industry representatives, and officials reliable information on waste characterization, treatment, and disposal options, as well as guidance on how to incorporate waste management into disaster planning and response. I-WASTE is available online at http://www2.ergweb.com/bdrtool/login.asp.

usgs

ShakeMap and ShakeCast are post-earthquake information tools for rapid situational awareness, using data from seismic monitoring systems to help emergency managers gauge an earthquake’s impact and plan response activities. These tools can be found at earthquake.usgs.gov.

doe-logo

Lantern Live is a mobile app that allows users to report the operational status of local gas stations, find fuel, and look up power outage maps from local utilities, while also accessing useful tips and guidelines. Lantern Live is available for Android at Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.doe.lanternlive

FEMAapp

The FEMA mobile app for phones and tablets contains disaster safety tips, an interactive emergency kit list, storable emergency meeting locations, and a map with open shelters and open FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs). The app also has a Disaster Reporter feature, allowing you to take and submit GPS photo reports of disasters so they can be displayed on a public map for others to view. www.fema.gov/app

 

Apps using open data to coordinate emergency preparedness and care

Appallicious

Disaster Assistance and Assessment Dashboard (DAAD) from Appallicious visualizes nearby environmental hazards, and allows local government to identify community resources to aid in recovery. For a product demo, email info@appallicious.com.

state and aid

The USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) and the U.S. Department of State are supporting open data initiatives through the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT), MapGive, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) – Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX).

redcross

The American Red Cross provides different disaster preparedness apps in English and Spanish to deal with first aid emergencies, weather emergencies, and natural disasters. Users can download the apps for free at http://www.redcross.org/mobileapps.

 

Services to build a culture of preparedness, alert the public, and enable communications during disasters

city72

The City of San Francisco and IDEO are launching the City72 Toolkit, an open-source platform leveraging human-centered design, to enable cities to customize and build their own local preparedness tools. Johnson County, Kansas is already using the toolkit to launch JoCo72. Download the toolkit at http://toolkit.sf72.org.

weather-channel-logo

The Weather Company is building a localized alerting platform and API to enable state, local, and private authorities to manage and distribute alerts via The Weather Channel and existing local distribution points to two-thirds of the U.S. adult population. For more information contact globalalerts@weather.com.

nprlabs

NPR Labs has developed technology that utilizes secure satellite and over-the-air broadcasts to provide emergency information to the 36 million Americans who are deaf and hard-of-hearing using a battery-operated radio and Android tablet. This collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate, FEMA, and 25 local public radio stations in the Gulf Coast could be expanded to partnerships with other local, state, and regional entities.

twilio

Twilio is open sourcing a Rapid Response Kit for developers to stand up communications solutions during an emergency response, featuring SMS-powered volunteer signup and survivor surveys, flexible push and pull conference calling, and phone tree configuration. Users can start with $500 free credit by visiting Twilio.org to clone or download the Rapid Response Kit.

mitre

The MITRE Corporation tools for disaster response and recovery include Smart Phone Ad-hoc Networking (SPAN) communication when typical infrastructure is unavailable and Sociocultural Analytics for the Global Environment (SAGE) for real-time understanding of online and social media sources. Emergency managers may obtain these technologies under a simple license agreement through MITRE’s Technology Transfer Office.

civicninjas

Civic Ninjas’ Shining Light Project is a wearable device for emergency responder credentialing and disaster access control, with color-coded LEDs to indicate whether an emergency responder is allowed into an area based on geo-fenced GPS information. More details can be found at http://civicninjas.org/.

 

 

If you know of an app, tool, or other innovation that can help survivors, first responders, or government officials during, before, or after large-scale emergencies, please share via email to disastertech@ostp.gov and visit our Get Involved page.

 

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Disasters Introduction http://www.data.gov/disasters/disasters-introduction/ Wed, 09 Jul 2014 16:15:26 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=262749 This portal, first announced at the White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative Demo Day, features disaster-related datasets, tools, and updates on how to get involved. We look forward to your input to help make this site a valuable resource … Continued

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This portal, first announced at the White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative Demo Day, features disaster-related datasets, tools, and updates on how to get involved. We look forward to your input to help make this site a valuable resource for the community.

Map of Current Disaster Declarations (view larger map or get the data)

Are you ready for the next emergency or natural disaster? On this site, you’ll find tools and disaster-related data to be more prepared.  Please submit your feedback and ideas to disastertech@ostp.gov.

Watches, Warnings, and Advisories National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center feed of watches, warnings and advisories that are currently in force in the United States.
National Structures Dataset (NSD) The United States Geological Survey (USGS) structures data includes the name, function, location, and other characteristics of facilities, collected based on disaster planning and emergency response needs.
Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD) Locations  Map of weather radar sites gives access to data and products jointly owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, and Department of Defense.
twilioTwilio is open sourcing a Rapid Response Kit for developers to stand up communications solutions during an emergency response, featuring SMS-powered volunteer signup and survivor surveys, flexible push and pull conference calling, and phone tree configuration. Users can start with $500 free credit by visiting Twilio.org to clone or download the Rapid Response Kit. taskrabbitTaskRabbit Needs for First Responders is a web portal offering a real-time marketplace to connect local service providers with those that need assistance, without any fees. Those interested in joining the pilot program can email DisasterRelief@TaskRabbit.com. redcrossThe American Red Cross provides different disaster preparedness apps in English and Spanish to deal with first aid emergencies, weather emergencies, and natural disasters. Users can download the apps for free at http://www.redcross.org/mobileapps.

With the launch of disasters.data.gov, the Administration is announcing new opportunities and ways to get involved:

PredictiveAnalytics Call to Action for Data Stewards: Help us build a culture of open data to empower technologists, entrepreneurs, governments, volunteers, survivors, and community leaders with information that can improve disaster preparedness
Crowdsoucing Innovator Challenge: The Administration is unveiling Innovator Challenges that highlight pressing needs from the disaster preparedness community. The first challenge asks innovators across the Nation, “How might we leverage real-time sensors, open data, social media, and other tools to help reduce the number of fatalities from flooding?”
Preparedness Join the Movement: Whether you’re visiting this website as a tech entrepreneur, developer, hardware tinkerer, journalist, government official, survivor, first responder, or another role, there are numerous ways to join the Innovation for Disaster Preparedness effort

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Maps http://www.data.gov/disasters/maps/ Wed, 09 Jul 2014 16:14:32 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=262747 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi posuere nisi nec dui blandit eleifend. Nullam rhoncus nisi sem, eu tincidunt nisi pretium eget. Pellentesque semper, justo non auctor faucibus, purus tellus sollicitudin risus, quis pharetra est ipsum a mi. … Continued

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi posuere nisi nec dui blandit eleifend. Nullam rhoncus nisi sem, eu tincidunt nisi pretium eget. Pellentesque semper, justo non auctor faucibus, purus tellus sollicitudin risus, quis pharetra est ipsum a mi. Cras molestie nulla eget neque condimentum, et laoreet est ornare.

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Get Involved http://www.data.gov/disasters/get-involved/ Wed, 09 Jul 2014 16:13:57 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?page_id=262745 Strengthening our Nation’s resilience to disasters is a shared responsibility.  Every member contributes, including individuals, communities, the private and non-profit sectors, faith-based organizations, and all levels of government. Whether you’re a data steward who can unlock information and foster a culture … Continued

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Strengthening our Nation’s resilience to disasters is a shared responsibility.  Every member contributes, including individuals, communities, the private and non-profit sectors, faith-based organizations, and all levels of government.

Whether you’re a data steward who can unlock information and foster a culture of open data, an innovator who can help address disaster preparedness challenges, or a community member ready to join the movement today, we are excited to work with you.

With the launch of disasters.data.gov, the Administration is announcing new opportunities and ways to get involved:

PredictiveAnalytics

Call to Action for Data Stewards: Building a Culture of Open Data

Data sets relevant to disaster preparedness (including prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery) have traditionally been closed by default to the public.  To help empower technologists, entrepreneurs, governments, volunteers, survivors, and community leaders with information that can improve individual and community preparedness, the Administration is working with stakeholders to open a series of disaster related data sets:

  • Locations of schools and childcare centers
  • Locations of hospitals and medical care facilities
  • Locations of nursing homes
  • see more ideas and share yours

If you are a data steward interested in joining this Call to Action, please contact the White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative at disastertech@ostp.gov.

Crowdsoucing

Innovator Challenge: How Might We Help Reduce Flooding Fatalities?

To build compelling solutions for disaster preparedness, we need to engage with all members of our innovation ecosystem and focus on the “real world” needs shared by first responders, emergency managers, survivors, and other stakeholders.  The first challenge asks innovators across the nation: “How might we leverage real-time sensors, open data, social media, and other tools to help reduce the number of fatalities from flooding?”

Preparedness

Join The Movement: Innovation for Disaster Preparedness

In addition to showing support for our Call to Action for Data Stewards and our first Innovator Challenge, there are many other ways to get involved:

  • Share your tech and innovation news, ideas, and more on social media with #disastertech
  • Consider how technology and innovation can support building a kit and making a plan
  • Download free apps & tools that can help with disaster preparedness
  • Learn how you can participate in America’s PrepareAthon! and visit Ready.gov for tips and updates
  • Share an Innovator Challenge statement or any ideas where innovations in technology can be applied to improve disaster preparedness by emailing disastertech@ostp.gov
  • Check out even more ideas for developers, tech entrepreneurs, government officials, first responders, disaster survivors, and volunteers

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Announcing the White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative Demo Day http://www.data.gov/disasters/announcing-white-house-innovation-disaster-response-recovery-initiative-demo-day/ Wed, 02 Jul 2014 18:38:25 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?p=434340 As Hurricane Arthur reminded us last week, hurricane season is underway. To help address the challenges that severe weather brings to our communities, today we are announcing a White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative Demo Day, which … Continued

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As Hurricane Arthur reminded us last week, hurricane season is underway. To help address the challenges that severe weather brings to our communities, today we are announcing a White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative Demo Day, which will take place on July 29 at the White House. This event will bring together technologists, entrepreneurs, and members of the disaster response community to showcase tools that will make a tangible impact in the lives of survivors of large-scale emergencies. The White House Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative was first launched by the Administration in the wake of Hurricane Sandy to find the most effective ways technology can empower survivors, first responders, and local, state, tribal, territorial, and Federal government with critical information and resources.

This event is a follow-up to the preview the President received at his annual Hurricane Season Briefing. At the brief, the President viewed a demonstration of the “Lantern Live” mobile app, designed by Department of Energy Presidential Innovation Fellow Derek Frempong to enable survivors to report and access information on power outages, fallen power lines, and the availability of gas stations with fuel and powered pumps. Other presenters included representatives from the Commonwealth of Virginia and Orange County, Florida, who provided overviews of their mobile apps that assist residents before, during, and after emergencies. These apps help users develop their own emergency plans, receive emergency alerts, and access critical information, including evacuation routes, shelter locations, and ice and water distribution points.

The President recognizes what experience and research have repeatedly shown: citizen/survivors faced with emergencies seek information and take action to help themselves, their neighbors, and their communities to respond to and rebuild from a disaster. Passivity in the face of danger is almost non-existent. Historically,  a large part, if not most of the initial sheltering, feeding, relief, rescue, and transport of victims to hospitals was carried out by survivors in and near the affected area. The Federal Government aims to enable, empower, and strengthen these survivor efforts in the wake of a disaster.

To identify opportunities for the government to utilize technology to support disaster relief efforts, we hosted an all-day “Data Jam/Think Tank” at the White House in August 2013, worked with leading tech startups to find innovative ways their platforms could be leveraged during a disaster, and hired Presidential Innovation Fellows to build crowdsourcing apps. Companies including TaskRabbit, GetAround, and The Weather Channel have made commitments to support survivors and first responders, and we are excited to showcase the tools they have developed at the Demo Day.

If you have a technology that could be highlighted at the event, or if you would like to attend as part of the disaster response community, we encourage you to get involved! Send us a note at disastertech@ostp.gov with information about your work for consideration.

Brian Forde is Senior Advisor to the U.S. Chief Technology Officer

Heather King is Director for Preparedness Policy at the National Security Council

Meredith Lee is AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

(Originally published at WhiteHouse.gov)

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Climate FAQ http://www.data.gov/climate/faq/ Wed, 25 Jun 2014 20:43:05 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=2054061 Q: Where can I learn more about Data.gov? A: Please see the Data.gov Frequently Asked Questions.   Q: Where do I go if I have general questions about climate change? A: The focus of Climate.Data.gov is on providing data related … Continued

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Q: Where can I learn more about Data.gov?

A: Please see the Data.gov Frequently Asked Questions.

 

Q: Where do I go if I have general questions about climate change?

A: The focus of Climate.Data.gov is on providing data related to climate change that can help inform and prepare America’s communities, businesses, and citizens. You will find more general information about climate change and its impacts on America in the National Climate Assessment, and more information about administration plans for addressing them at the White House. You can also read an annotated description of Executive Order 13653: Preparing the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change.

 

Q: How do I get my dataset included on Climate.Data.gov?

A: Data.gov currently includes datasets from Federal agencies and from other public sector organizations. If you come from the public sector and would like to have a dataset considered, please respond to Feedback describing the dataset, who maintains it (including a link), and the reason why you think it would be helpful to users of Climate.Data.gov. On a selective basis, we may also expand the site to include datasets from nonprofits and private sector organizations that are critical to understanding climate change risks and impacts. If your dataset belongs in the latter category, please send details to our Feedback page. Our leads for each theme area of the Climate Data Initiative will be in touch.

 

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usa_search http://www.data.gov/uncategorized/usa_search/ Thu, 19 Jun 2014 18:40:12 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=187481 The post usa_search appeared first on Data.gov.

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Federal R&D Facilities: Open for Collaboration http://www.data.gov/manufacturing/federal-rd-facilities-open-collaboration/ Tue, 17 Jun 2014 09:50:20 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=187031 Today the Obama Administration is upgrading Research.Data.gov to include, for the first time in one place, machine-readable data on over 700 Federal R&D facilities that may be utilized by external entrepreneurs and innovators to research, prototype, and test new technologies. … Continued

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Today the Obama Administration is upgrading Research.Data.gov to include, for the first time in one place, machine-readable data on over 700 Federal R&D facilities that may be utilized by external entrepreneurs and innovators to research, prototype, and test new technologies. These facilities, operated by agencies like NASA, the Department of Energy (DOE), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), include cutting-edge research tools and together represent billions of dollars of taxpayer investment.

Each facility has its own set of use policies, so a contact person is included in the data wherever possible. For example, some entrepreneurs may be able to access NASA’s National Center for Advanced Manufacturing to produce the high-strength, defect-free joints required for cutting-edge aeronautics, and DOE’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for collaborative projects in additive manufacturing, composites and carbon fiber, and other leading clean energy technologies.

The Obama Administration is issuing a call to action for the developer community and other stakeholders to leverage these open data resources to build tools that will enhance the ability of innovators, entrepreneurs, and manufacturers to better utilize Federal R&D facilities and other resources.

Over time, Research.Data.gov will expand to include more comprehensive data on other important R&D assets, including federally funded intellectual property (IP). Moreover, as part of the President’s Management Agenda and Lab-to-Market initiative, the Administration will continue to accelerate and improve the transfer of new technologies from the laboratory to the commercial marketplace, including by reducing the time, cost, and complexity of licensing Federal IP and utilizing Federal R&D facilities, where appropriate and consistent with agency mission.

In the coming months, we will continue to convene the university and industry communities to work together on lowering the cost of innovation for manufacturing and other capital-intensive industries, accelerating R&D commercialization, and fueling economic growth.

Tell us what you’re building by leaving a note in the comments below, or by tweeting @usdatagov and @WhiteHouseOSTP.

Federal R&D Facilities Data:

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Federal R&D Facilities for Entrepreneurs and Innovators http://www.data.gov/manufacturing/federal-rd-facilities-entrepreneurs-innovators/ Tue, 17 Jun 2014 09:50:13 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=187061 As part of the Administration’s Lab-to-Market initiative, agencies are publishing machine-readable data on over 700 Federal R&D facilities that may be utilized by entrepreneurs and innovators to research, prototype, and test new technologies. These facilities, operated by NASA, the Department … Continued

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As part of the Administration’s Lab-to-Market initiative, agencies are publishing machine-readable data on over 700 Federal R&D facilities that may be utilized by entrepreneurs and innovators to research, prototype, and test new technologies. These facilities, operated by NASA, the Department of Energy (DOE), and the National Institute of Health (NIH), include cutting-edge research tools and together represent billions of dollars of taxpayer investment.

Each facility has its own set of use policies, so a contact person is included in the data wherever possible. For example, some entrepreneurs may be able to access NASA’s National Center for Advanced Manufacturing to produce the high-strength, defect-free joints required for cutting-edge aeronautics, or DOE’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for collaborative projects in additive manufacturing, composites and carbon fiber, and other leading clean energy technologies. Learn more…

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Water Column Sonar Data Collection http://www.data.gov/ocean/water-column-sonar-data-collection/ Mon, 09 Jun 2014 12:42:59 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=185161 NOAA collects and uses active acoustic (or sonar) data for a variety of mapping requirements. As the national archive for multibeam bathymetric data, NGDC manages over 15 million nautical miles of ship trackline data from sources worldwide. In 2011, NGDC, … Continued

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NOAA collects and uses active acoustic (or sonar) data for a variety of mapping requirements. As the national archive for multibeam bathymetric data, NGDC manages over 15 million nautical miles of ship trackline data from sources worldwide. In 2011, NGDC, in partnership with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), initiated a new archive for high resolution data collected with sonars capable of mapping the water column.

Water column sonar data are collected on NOAA fishery survey vessels and academic and international fleets, and are used to assess the physical and biological characteristics of the ocean. Primary uses include 3-D mapping of fish schools and other mid-water marine organisms, assessing biological abundance, species identification, and habitat characterization. These data are also useful for evaluating underwater gas seeps, remotely monitoring undersea oil spills, and bathymetry.

NGDC is working with scientists at NMFS and the Joint Hydrographic Center to ensure the long-term preservation and world-wide dissemination of these data.

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Hacking for Change? Tips for the National Civic Day of Hacking http://www.data.gov/developers/hacking-change-tips-national-civic-day-hacking/ Thu, 29 May 2014 02:12:05 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=181311 If you are participating in a hackathon or just looking to do something amazing with open data, here are some quick ways to get started. Find the Data To find the data you need: Search the catalog at Data.gov, which … Continued

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If you are participating in a hackathon or just looking to do something amazing with open data, here are some quick ways to get started.

Find the DataKeep calm and open data

To find the data you need:

  1. Search the catalog at Data.gov, which includes some local government and universities as well. If you need help searching, here are some tips.
  2. More local data can be found for cities, counties, and states.
  3. Having trouble finding the data you need? Tweet @usdatagov or contact us.
  4. Looking for data beyond the Data.gov catalog? Post a question to the Open Data Stack Exchange.

If you make an app, visualization, map, or activity with open data, post it below.  Best of luck!

Answer a Challenge

Challenges from the U.S. government are available at Challenge.gov.  Specifically for open data, check out:

Looking for Inspiration?

Not sure where to get started? Some suggestions for interesting datasets and APIs, may inspire you…

Highlighted Data

APIs

Participate in an Event

There are 123 events around the country.  The following are specifically organized around Federal activities:

Learn more about how the Federal government supports the National Civic Day of Hacking.

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Catalog Help http://www.data.gov/catalog-help/ Tue, 27 May 2014 16:10:15 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=180911 The catalog on Data.gov provides the ability to search and browse datasets, data series, tools, and products. Finding Data Data.gov federates data from hundreds of sources, including federal government, cities, counties, states, and universities. All contributing organizations are listed under … Continued

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The catalog on Data.gov provides the ability to search and browse datasets, data series, tools, and products.

Finding Data
Data.gov federates data from hundreds of sources, including federal government, cities, counties, states, and universities. All contributing organizations are listed under “Organizations” in the top right.

To find datasets, you can:

  • Enter key words in the search box on any page
  • Browse on the left side through types, tags, formats, organizations, and publishers.  Clicking on multiple items narrows your search.  When your results appear, you can click on the “x” to the side of any single item to remove it from the search, or “clear all” to remove all selected items in a category.
  • Search by a geospatial area, draw a boundary box on the map at the top left and click “Apply” to find all datasets that are tagged for that geographic area.

NOTE: when going to a specific dataset, you may be redirected to an organization’s web site, rather than getting a direct download.

Collaborating
There are many ways to provide feedback and contribute to the discussions on Data.gov and this catalog.

Technology
This catalog is built on an open source data management system (CKAN) and a content management system (WordPress).  All the source code on Data.gov is open source and available for download or contributions.

Counting Datasets

The total number of datasets reflects datasets plus data series and resources. A data series may contain a large number of additional products or files of the same type. Data resources are files that may be needed for context, formatting, or visualization of the dataset. (Note: The previous Data.gov catalog counted the individual datasets and not just the series and therefore displayed a higher total number of datasets.)

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Labs http://www.data.gov/labs/ Thu, 22 May 2014 21:32:17 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=180791 Welcome to Labs.Data.gov, a repository of shared services to prototype and provide developer resources to government agencies. Each tool uses web services and lightweight, open source code to provide powerful functionality. Agencies are encouraged to improve any project and submit pull requests in … Continued

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Welcome to Labs.Data.gov, a repository of shared services to prototype and provide developer resources to government agencies. Each tool uses web services and lightweight, open source code to provide powerful functionality. Agencies are encouraged to improve any project and submit pull requests in order to share the improvements with others.

Catalog Generator

Generate an agency’s data.json file.

Catalog Validator

Validate the agency’s data.json file.

CSV-to-API

Dynamically generate RESTful APIs from static CSVs. Provides JSON, XML, and HTML.

DataBeam

Dynamically generate RESTful APIs from the contents of database tables or CSV files. Provides JSON, XML, CSV, and HTML output and autogenerated documentation. Supports most popular databases.

DB-to-API

Turns a Database into a Secure, RESTful API.

PDF-Filler

PDF Filler is a RESTful service (API) to aid in the completion of existing PDF-based forms and empowers web developers to use browser-based forms and modern web standards to facilitate the collection of information.

Project Open Data Dashboard

The Project Open Data Dashboard helps track the status of each agency’s implementation of Project Open Data.

Simple API

Simple API is about empowering a controlled group with the ability to deploy simple APIs, without deploying any infrastructure. Users can select from a pre-defined set of API designs. Each API design lives as a Github repository and uses a JSON file as a data store. The API
design is generated using Swagger. Each repository contains a JSON data store, Swagger API definition and a home page to view and interact with API through its documentation.

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Webinar: “Monitoring the US Ocean and Great Lakes Economy” http://www.data.gov/ocean/webinar-monitoring-us-ocean-great-lakes-economy/ Thu, 22 May 2014 12:44:24 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=178541 Monitoring the US Ocean and Great Lakes Economy Wednesday, June 4, 2014 2:00 – 3:00pm EST Presenter(s): Jeff Adkins and Linwood Pendleton A lot of people’s livelihoods depend on the resources of the oceans and Great Lakes. Economics: National Ocean … Continued

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Monitoring the US Ocean and Great Lakes Economy

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

2:00 – 3:00pm EST

Presenter(s): Jeff Adkins and Linwood Pendleton

A lot of people’s livelihoods depend on the resources of the oceans and Great Lakes. Economics: National Ocean Watch (ENOW) is the only nationally consistent data set that is focused on monitoring the ocean and Great Lakes economy. These time-series data report the establishments, employment, wages, and gross domestic product for six ocean-dependent sectors. ENOW provides data for about 400 counties, 30 coastal states, 8 regions, and the nation. This webinar will be an interactive dialogue between Duke University Nicholas Institute scholar Linwood Pendleton and NOAA economist Jeff Adkins. They will be sharing highlights and data development methods, related international efforts, and ways in which the data can be used to improve coastal and ocean management.

In this webinar, participants will:

  • Get an overview of ENOW data and methods
  • Understand the value of the U.S. ocean and Great Lakes economy
  • Learn how to apply data for coastal and ocean management

Registration Link – LINK

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The Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) Is Good News for Financial Technology Developers http://www.data.gov/consumer/legal-entity-identifier-lei-good-news-financial-technology-developers/ Wed, 21 May 2014 13:41:37 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=178461 By Linda Powell, Chief Data Officer at the Office of Financial Research (OFR) in the U.S. Treasury Department and an OFR representative on the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) system’s Regulatory Oversight Committee The Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) is a unique, … Continued

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By Linda Powell, Chief Data Officer at the Office of Financial Research (OFR) in the U.S. Treasury Department and an OFR representative on the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) system’s Regulatory Oversight Committee

The Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) is a unique, 20-digit identifier, like a bar code, that will make it possible to identify all the legal entities involved in the thousands of financial transactions that happen around the world every day — and that’s good news for developers in the field of financial technology.

We expect the LEI to allow financial technology developers to delve into industry sector analysis, especially in the nonbank financial sector. Using the LEI, they also will be able to write applications that analyze connections and linkages between companies and datasets.

The LEI will allow the precise identification of financial institutions, which can sometimes have similar names. The LEI also should significantly reduce the burden and cost of cross-referencing data by becoming the key for linking financial datasets to one another.

In addition, this tool will allow developers to build data quality applications for reference data, which is basic information about legal entities.

In the future, the LEI is expected to enable developers to build applications that track the complex hierarchies and networks of ownership, and control of corporations and holding companies.

It sounds revolutionary, but essentially the LEI is nothing more than a static code of letters and numbers connected to basic information describing a company. Think of the LEI as a bar code identifier for entities that engage in financial market transactions.

Financial companies and information technology professionals worldwide have been attempting to develop a standard identification system for financial market participants for about a decade. But reaching consensus on such a huge undertaking was difficult.

The financial crisis showed industry and regulators the value of a global identifier system for risk management and regulatory oversight, and created an urgency to establish the LEI system.

Now the LEI is being adopted on a global scale. For example, its use is now required in swap data reporting, which is benefitting the public by supporting financial stability. Globally, a dozen early-stage registrars have issued more than 220,000 LEIs in 173 countries. In addition, the Global LEI Foundation recently nominated 16 directors, which is key to governance for the system.

Because the LEI is free, open source, and has no intellectual property restrictions, we anticipate financial technology developers to find it an excellent resource. The LEI is already having an effect in the marketplace. Some major information and data vendors already are beginning to incorporate LEI in their products.

Two helpful websites to search for LEI data include www.openleis.com and www.p-lei.org.
The technical specifications for the LEI are in ISO Standard 17442 (www.iso.org). To find the technical specifications for the overall global LEI system check the Regulatory Oversight Committee website at www.leiroc.org.

For more information about the LEI, see the LEI Primer by the Office of Financial Research (OFR) in the U.S. Treasury Department.

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Article: Altering Shipping Routes for Offshore Wind http://www.data.gov/agencies/article-altering-shipping-routes-offshore-wind/ Wed, 21 May 2014 13:32:55 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=178421 Rerouting ships to open up areas for offshore wind development could save billions of dollars in construction and operating costs for the renewable energy source, according to new findings by the University of Delaware’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment … Continued

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Rerouting ships to open up areas for offshore wind development could save billions of dollars in construction and operating costs for the renewable energy source, according to new findings by the University of Delaware’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment (CEOE).

Read More – LINK

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Five Years of Open Data—Making a Difference http://www.data.gov/agencies/five-years-open-data-making-difference/ Tue, 20 May 2014 07:00:52 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=178341 by Jeanne Holm In May 2009, Data.gov was an experiment. There were questions: would people use the data? would agencies share the data? and would it make a difference? We’ve all come a long way to answering those questions, starting … Continued

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by Jeanne Holm

In May 2009, Data.gov was an experiment. There were questions: would people use the data? would agencies share the data? and would it make a difference? We’ve all come a long way to answering those questions, starting with only 47 datasets and having 105,000 datasets today.  We realized that this was never simply about opening up government data, but rather about growing and nurturing an open data ecosystem to improve the lives of citizens.

Putting the Data to Work

Hundreds of companies, like those featured at the Open Data 500, are using data to create services and products.  From agriculture to housing—businesses of all shapes and sizes are reliant on government data. During the last five years, there have been moments when someone was poised to use open data at a moment of crisis or opportunity. Some of these highlights include:arc-hurricane

  • The Red Cross, working with the Department of Transportation, released a Hurricane App just as Hurricane Sandy touched ground—helping 700,000 people be safer that first day alone
  • Organizations have come to life around helping others and getting them data to inform their consumer decisions
  • A new level of digital democracy was reached when India and the United States, and later Canada and Ghana, created the Open Government Platform, a shared, open source system for open data portals
  • City, county, and state data was integrated with federal data to make Data.gov a truly a national open data portal

People today are using open data in even more creative ways. Civic hackers, designers, and developers, young and old, are being educated and connected through Code for America, Code Academy, and others that give them the tools to put the data to work and growing that ecosystem of developers and consumers of the data.

Making More Data Available

Much of the first year of Data.gov was spent on gathering the fuel for the ecosystem—open data. Open data teams at each agency and Data.gov worked together to change the culture from a “how will we release this data” to “what is the impact on Americans when we release this data.” With clear direction from the White House in the Presidential Transparency and Open Government memo, the Digital Government strategy, and the Executive Order for Open Data, people at 175 agencies and 77 other organizations today continue to release more data, more accessible data, and new web services and APIs.2 In using social media, sponsoring data jams and paloozas, creating and moderating the Open Data Stack Exchange, and transparently sharing code and issues on Github, Data.gov and data publishers are listening to and working directly with researchers, innovators, data scientists, and data journalists to create a better platform with more data every day.

Making a Difference

So, has the release of government data helped to improve the lives of Americans?  In just the last three years, Data.gov has grown to include:

  • 4.5 million unique visitors
  • 105,000 data collections
  • 447,000 data resources
  • 227 organizations publishing data
  • 4700 people attending the International Open Government Data Conference online and in person
  • 21 topics
  • Citizens from 195 countries have visited the site

Clearly, the answer is that people are working with open data, but there is still much more to do. Groups like the Sunlight Foundation and data journalists help to advocate for the release of new data in machine-readable formats, and citizen groups create activities and initiatives around the data. As one example, behind the topics highlighted on Data.gov (such as climate, health, safety, and ocean), are communities of people from around the country and around the world who strive together to get specific data released to help solve humanity’s challenges. The community behind Agriculture.Data.gov hosted an event last year that led to the formation of the Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN) initiative that focuses on food security and mitigating hunger in developed and developing nations.

What Is Your Story?

You’ve heard here about some of the open data stories powered by data on Data.gov.  Now, we are issuing a call for YOUR story. Tell the world what open data means to you.  What have you built? How have you made a difference? What still needs to be accomplished?  Answer the call for Open Data Stories: what we’ve accomplished, understood, and are still exploring after five years. Post a video, write a blog, or send a tweet (#OpenDataStory) and let us know.  We will connect the stories and highlight what you are doing. Be creative, be innovative, and let all of us celebrate your story.

Each person makes a difference—whether you are a researcher, developer, data scientist, business owner, innovator, data publisher, or citizen—each part of the ecosystem is important in our shared vision of making the world a better place through transparency, openness, and knowledge. Be part of the future and celebrate how far we’ve come—share your story, share your vision.

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Image Map http://www.data.gov/image-map/ Mon, 19 May 2014 15:04:48 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=177952 The post Image Map appeared first on Data.gov.

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Alaska/Artcic Region Caribbean Region Pacific Islands Region North East Region Mid Atlantic Region South Atlantic Region Gulf of Mexico West Coast Great Lakes

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Webinar: Vessel Tracking Data Used for Ocean Planning http://www.data.gov/ocean/webinar-vessel-tracking-data-used-ocean-planning/ Mon, 12 May 2014 12:37:46 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=175721 Vessel Tracking Data Used for Ocean Planning Monday, June 2, 2014, 3 to 4p.m. EasternPresenters: Daniel Martin, NOAA Coastal Services Center; Stephen Creed,Bureau of Ocean Energy Management; Kyle Ward, NOAA Office of Coast Survey;Andrea Dransfield, Channel Islands National Marine SanctuaryVessel … Continued

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Vessel Tracking Data Used for Ocean Planning

Monday, June 2, 2014, 3 to 4p.m. Eastern

Presenters: Daniel Martin, NOAA Coastal Services Center; Stephen Creed,
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management; Kyle Ward, NOAA Office of Coast Survey;
Andrea Dransfield, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

Vessel traffic data, or Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, are
collected by the U.S. Coast Guard through an onboard navigation safety
device that transmits and monitors the location and characteristics of
large vessels in real time. The MarineCadastre.gov project team has worked
with the Coast Guard and NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey to repurpose and
make available some of the most important data for use in ocean planning
applications. This webinar will provide an overview of the data available
and examples of how the MarineCadastre.gov AIS data are being used,
including scoping wind planning areas, evaluating ship anchorage areas, and
analyzing changes to shipping lanes through a national marine sanctuary.

In this webinar, participants will

  • Learn about the variety of vessel-tracking data products and tools and how to access them via MarineCadastre.gov
  • Gain a better understanding of how the products can be applied to a range of ocean-planning applications

Registration Link:
http://noaacsc.adobeconnect.com/june022014/event/registration.html

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Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery goes Global with State Department & USAID’s Tech Camp in the Philippines http://www.data.gov/disasters/innovation-disaster-response-recovery-goes-global-state-department-usaids-tech-camp-philippines/ Fri, 02 May 2014 18:35:33 +0000 https://uat-datagov.reisys.com/?p=434336 In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the Administration started the Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative to identify, develop and deploy technology based tools to support first responders, survivors, local, state and Federal officials. These efforts have included hosting … Continued

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In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the Administration started the Innovation for Disaster Response and Recovery Initiative to identify, develop and deploy technology based tools to support first responders, survivors, local, state and Federal officials. These efforts have included hosting an all-day “Data Jam/Think Tank” at the White House, working with leading tech startups to identify innovative ways their platforms could be leveraged during a disaster and hiring two Presidential Innovation Fellows to build crowdsourcing applications. Applications created by the Presidential Innovation Fellow include Lantern, a mobile app designed to allow survivors to report and access information on power outages, fallen power lines, and the status of gas stations; and “GeoQ”, a tool that crowd-sources geo-tagged photos of disaster-affected areas to help experts assess damage over large regions.

Earlier this week, the President arrived in the Philippines, a country that has been deeply impacted by recent natural disasters. On May 5 and 6, the U.S Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development will build on efforts to utilize innovation for disaster response and recovery efforts internationally by hosting a Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Building TechCamp in the Philippines. Local civil society groups and technologists will roll up their sleeves and join forces to create innovative, low-cost tech-solutions to natural disasters, such as Typhoon Haiyan and the recent 7.2 magnitude earthquake in the Philippines. With support from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the UN World Food Programme, Globe Labs, Open Data Philippines and other partners, these low-cost, easy-to-use technological tools and concepts will help encourage communities to focus on prevention, preparation and resilience.

TechCamp Philippines aims to provide a venue for sharing knowledge regarding Disaster Risk Reduction and Response efforts, and to identify practical actions for collaboration and partnerships. Technologists will discuss topics such as leveraging open data, crowdfunding, and interactive gaming.  In addition, these experts will address ways to effectively engage citizens through social media to solve detailed challenges in tracking relief and aid contributions in a transparent and systematic manner, disseminate early warning information for multiple hazards, and conduct damage and needs assessment.

The TechCamp will be followed by two hackathons, where technologists will work in teams to build practical applications based on the innovative projects/concepts that emerge from the TechCamp.  We look forward to collaborating with our partners in the Philippines on these innovative events.

To date, the U.S. Department of State has hosted more than 30 TechCamps around the globe on topics including: Open Government, Human Trafficking, Environment, Women’s/Youth Empowerment, Social Inclusion, Environment, Education, Crime and Security, and Disaster Response; and has trained more than 2000 organizations (civil society organizations, journalists and governments) from more than 100 countries to use tech-based tools to help them become more effective in accomplishing their goals.

Brian Forde is Senior Advisor to the U.S. Chief Technology Officer, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Jamie Findlater is New Media Advisor, Office of eDiplomacy, Department of State

Pritam Kabe is Technology Analyst, Office of eDiplomacy, Department of State

(Originally published at WhiteHouse.gov)

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Developers Highlights http://www.data.gov/developers/highlights Fri, 02 May 2014 02:02:24 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=173391 The post Developers Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Project Open Data Metrics http://www.data.gov/harvest-metrics Fri, 02 May 2014 00:53:30 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=173301 Federal Agencies reporting data on Data.gov site in support of Project Open Data

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Federal Agencies reporting data on Data.gov site in support of Project Open Data

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Webinar: “Using Participatory GIS to Map Ocean Uses in the Mid-Atlantic” http://www.data.gov/ocean/webinar-using-participatory-gis-map-ocean-uses-mid-atlantic/ Thu, 01 May 2014 12:53:12 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=161481 Using Participatory GIS to Map Ocean Uses in the Mid-Atlantic Thursday, May 1, 2014 from 2 to 3 p.m. Eastern Presenter(s): Mimi D’Iorio (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), Laura McKay (Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program), Nick Meade (Virginia Coastal Zone … Continued

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Using Participatory GIS to Map Ocean Uses in the Mid-Atlantic
Thursday, May 1, 2014 from 2 to 3 p.m. Eastern

Presenter(s): Mimi D’Iorio (National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration), Laura McKay (Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program),
Nick Meade (Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program), Jeanne Herb (Rutgers
University)

Description: Understanding human uses of the ocean is essential to successful marine
planning. Unfortunately, spatial data on ocean uses are often limited and
difficult to capture consistently over large areas. Participatory
geographic information system (PGIS) processes provide interactive ways to
capture local knowledge and ocean use patterns through specialized GIS
mapping tools. NOAA has been working with partners all over the country to
apply this method at local and regional scales. This webinar will be a
panel discussion with NOAA and its partners in the mid-Atlantic region
focused on the process, data, and lessons learned.

In this webinar, participants will:

– Learn about the NOAA PGIS method for capturing ocean use data and
where it has been applied;
– Hear insights from the mid-Atlantic team that has taken the process
from one state to the entire region for marine planning applications; and
– Gain a better understanding about the data, products, and often
unexpected outcomes of PGIS projects.

Registration Link

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Ocean – Regional Planning Efforts – Alaska/Arctic Region http://www.data.gov/ocean/alaska-arctic Tue, 29 Apr 2014 20:46:47 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=170171 Alaska Regional Ocean Partnership: Regional Data Portal: Alaska Ocean Observing System, Geographic Information Network of Alaska Alaska/Arctic Region When you click on these resources, you will be leaving Data.gov. State / Regional Coastal Atlases Alaska Shorezone Mapping Alaska State Geospatial … Continued

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Alaska
Regional Ocean Partnership:

Alaska/Arctic Region

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Ocean – Regional Planning Efforts – Caribbean Region http://www.data.gov/ocean/caribbean Tue, 29 Apr 2014 20:44:00 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=170151 U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico Regional Ocean Partnership: Caribbean Regional Ocean Partnership (CROP) Regional Data Portal: In Development Caribbean Region When you click on these resources, you will be leaving Data.gov. State / Regional Coastal Atlases Caribbean ERMA (Environmental Response … Continued

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U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico
Regional Ocean Partnership: Caribbean Regional Ocean Partnership (CROP)
Regional Data Portal: In Development

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Ocean – Regional Planning Efforts – Great Lakes Region http://www.data.gov/ocean/great-lakes Tue, 29 Apr 2014 20:40:33 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=170131 Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin Regional Ocean Partnership: Council of Great Lakes Governors Regional Data Portal: In Development Great Lakes Region When you click on these resources, you will be leaving Data.gov. State / Regional Coastal … Continued

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Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin
Regional Ocean Partnership: Council of Great Lakes Governors
Regional Data Portal: In Development

Great Lakes Region

When you click on these resources, you will be leaving Data.gov.

State / Regional Coastal Atlases

IOOS Regional Association

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Ocean – Regional Planning Efforts – Gulf of Mexico Region http://www.data.gov/ocean/gulf-of-mexico Tue, 29 Apr 2014 20:37:21 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=170111 Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas Regional Ocean Partnership: Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) Regional Data Portal: To be developed Gulf of Mexico Region When you click on these resources, you will be leaving Data.gov. State / Regional Coastal Atlases Florida … Continued

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Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas
Regional Ocean Partnership: Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA)
Regional Data Portal: To be developed

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Ocean – Regional Planning Efforts – Mid-Atlantic Region http://www.data.gov/ocean/mid-atlantic Tue, 29 Apr 2014 20:34:32 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=170091 Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia Regional Planning Body: Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Body Regional Ocean Partnership: Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Oceans (MARCO) Regional Data Portal: MARCO Data Portal Mid-Atlantic Region When you click on these resources, you will be leaving … Continued

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Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia
Regional Planning Body: Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Body
Regional Data PortalMARCO Data Portal

Mid-Atlantic Region

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Ocean – Regional Planning Efforts – Northeast Region http://www.data.gov/ocean/northeast Tue, 29 Apr 2014 20:30:37 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=170061 Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont Regional Planning Body: Northeast Regional Planning Body Regional Ocean Partnership: Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC) Regional Data Portal: Northeast Ocean Data Portal Northeast Region When you click on these resources, you will … Continued

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Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont
Regional Planning Body: Northeast Regional Planning Body
Regional Data Portal: Northeast Ocean Data Portal

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Ocean – Regional Planning Efforts – South Atlantic Region http://www.data.gov/ocean/south-atlantic Tue, 29 Apr 2014 20:27:41 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=170041 Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina Regional Ocean Partnership: Governors’ South Atlantic Alliance Regional Data Portal: GSAA Coast and Ocean Portal South Atlantic Region When you click on these resources, you will be leaving Data.gov. State / Regional Coastal Atlases … Continued

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Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina
Regional Ocean Partnership: Governors’ South Atlantic Alliance
Regional Data Portal: GSAA Coast and Ocean Portal

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Ocean – Regional Planning Efforts – West Coast Region http://www.data.gov/ocean/west-coast Tue, 29 Apr 2014 20:00:40 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=169991 California, Oregon, Washington Regional Ocean Partnership: West Coast Governors’ Alliance Regional Data Portal: West Coast Ocean Data Portal West Coast Region When you click on these resources, you will be leaving Data.gov. State / Regional Coastal Atlases California Ocean Uses … Continued

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California, Oregon, Washington
Regional Ocean Partnership: West Coast Governors’ Alliance

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Ocean – Regional Planning Efforts – Pacific Islands Region http://www.data.gov/ocean/pacific-islands Tue, 29 Apr 2014 19:57:20 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=169961 American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Marshall Islands, Palau Regional Planning Body: Pacific Islands Regional Planning Body Regional Ocean Partnership: Pacific Regional Ocean Partnership (PROP) Regional Data Portal: To be developed Pacific … Continued

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American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Marshall Islands, Palau
Regional Ocean Partnership: Pacific Regional Ocean Partnership (PROP)
Regional Data Portal: To be developed

Pacific Islands Region

When you click on these resources, you will be leaving Data.gov.

State / Regional Coastal Atlases

IOOS Regional Association

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NOAA’s Ship Tracker http://www.data.gov/ocean/noaas-ship-tracker/ Mon, 28 Apr 2014 16:51:33 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=168231 NOAA’s Ship Tracker is a viewer tool developed by the NOS Special Projects Office (SPO) for the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (NOAA OMAO) which shows information about the location, present and past, of NOAA’s ships. Ship location and … Continued

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NOAA’s Ship Tracker is a viewer tool developed by the NOS Special Projects Office (SPO) for the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (NOAA OMAO) which shows information about the location, present and past, of NOAA’s ships. Ship location and the conditions where the ship was located are maintained on this site for one year.

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video http://www.data.gov/video/ Wed, 23 Apr 2014 20:40:25 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=166321 https://www.data.gov/media/2012/11/Marine_planning_animation_FINAL.wmv

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Virginia Atlantic Coast Recreational Use http://www.data.gov/ocean/virginia-atlantic-coast-recreational-use/ Tue, 22 Apr 2014 13:58:05 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=164551 As a member of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO), Virginia, through its Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program, collected information on how the public uses the Atlantic coast of Virginia through a two day particpatory GIS workshop in … Continued

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As a member of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO), Virginia, through its Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program, collected information on how the public uses the Atlantic coast of Virginia through a two day particpatory GIS workshop in July of 2012.

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Ecosystems Highlights http://www.data.gov/ecosystems/highlights Wed, 16 Apr 2014 14:05:45 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=164091 The post Ecosystems Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Maritime Limits and Boundaries of the United States http://www.data.gov/ocean/maritime-limits-boundaries-united-states/ Wed, 09 Apr 2014 17:40:03 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=161421 NOAA is responsible for depicting on its nautical charts the limits of the 12 nautical mile Territorial Sea, 24 nautical mile Contiguous Zone, and 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The outer limit of each of these zones is … Continued

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NOAA is responsible for depicting on its nautical charts the limits of the 12 nautical mile Territorial Sea, 24 nautical mile Contiguous Zone, and 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The outer limit of each of these zones is measured from the U.S. normal baseline, which coincides with the low water line depicted on NOAA charts and includes closing lines across the entrances of legal bays and rivers, consistent with international law.

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Science & Research Highlights http://www.data.gov/research/highlights/ Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:49:54 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=161061 The post Science & Research Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Health Highlights http://www.data.gov/health/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:48:00 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=161031 The post Health Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Public Safety Highlights http://www.data.gov/safety/highlights/ Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:47:42 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=161011 The post Public Safety Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Global Development Highlights http://www.data.gov/development/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:47:27 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160991 The post Global Development Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Jobs & Skills Highlights http://www.data.gov/jobs-and-skills/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:46:50 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160951 The post Jobs & Skills Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Geospatial Highlights http://www.data.gov/geospatial/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:46:36 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160971 The post Geospatial Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Finance Highlights http://www.data.gov/finance/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:45:57 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160941 The post Finance Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Energy Highlights http://www.data.gov/energy/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:45:14 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160921 The post Energy Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Education Highlights http://www.data.gov/education/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:44:26 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160901 The post Education Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Consumer Highlights http://www.data.gov/consumer/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:43:32 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160881 The post Consumer Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Agencies Highlights http://www.data.gov/agencies/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:43:00 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160861 The post Agencies Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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States Highlights http://www.data.gov/states/highlights/ Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:41:26 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160841 The post States Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Ocean Highlights http://www.data.gov/ocean/highlights/ Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:40:51 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160821 The post Ocean Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Manufacturing Highlights http://www.data.gov/manufacturing/highlights/ Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:40:03 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160801 The post Manufacturing Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Law Highlights http://www.data.gov/law/highlights/ Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:39:09 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160781 The post Law Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Ethics Highlights http://www.data.gov/ethics/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:38:36 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160761 The post Ethics Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Counties Highlights http://www.data.gov/counties/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:37:55 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160731 The post Counties Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Coastal Flooding Highlights http://www.data.gov/climate/coastalflooding/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:37:31 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160711 The post Coastal Flooding Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Cities Highlights http://www.data.gov/cities/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:36:58 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160691 The post Cities Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Climate Highlights http://www.data.gov/climate/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:36:37 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160681 The post Climate Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Business Highlights http://www.data.gov/business/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:36:13 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160651 The post Business Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Agriculture Highlights http://www.data.gov/food/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:35:57 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160631 The post Agriculture Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Weather Highlights http://www.data.gov/weather/highlights Fri, 04 Apr 2014 21:34:38 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=160621 The post Weather Highlights appeared first on Data.gov.

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Open Data Census http://www.data.gov/cities/open-data-census/ Wed, 02 Apr 2014 12:56:13 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=159621 How is your city doing in open data and transparency? A recent survey looks at what data cities are sharing and not sharing and how they rank in transparency and accessibility. You can add your city to the census and … Continued

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How is your city doing in open data and transparency? A recent survey looks at what data cities are sharing and not sharing and how they rank in transparency and accessibility. You can add your city to the census and see others too.

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Mercaris http://www.data.gov/impact/mercaris/ Wed, 02 Apr 2014 00:04:41 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149801 Companies in the agricultural supply chain can use Mercaris’ market data service to find the true market value of organic products.

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Companies in the agricultural supply chain can use Mercaris’ market data service to find the true market value of organic products.

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FarmLogs http://www.data.gov/impact/farmlogs/ Wed, 02 Apr 2014 00:03:36 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149799 With FarmLogs, you can use visualizations of land and crops to get insight on how well fields perform.

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With FarmLogs, you can use visualizations of land and crops to get insight on how well fields perform.

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Climate Corporation http://www.data.gov/impact/climate-corporation/ Wed, 02 Apr 2014 00:01:34 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149796 Farmers can use Climate Corporation’s software and services to plan, manage, and protect crops by tracking growth and using their customized insights and weather-based insurance policies.

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Farmers can use Climate Corporation’s software and services to plan, manage, and protect crops by tracking growth and using their customized insights and weather-based insurance policies.

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LinkedIn http://www.data.gov/impact/linkedin/ Wed, 02 Apr 2014 00:00:13 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149794 LinkedIn lets you find and apply to jobs, connect with colleagues and recommendations, and learn about potential opportunities.

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LinkedIn lets you find and apply to jobs, connect with colleagues and recommendations, and learn about potential opportunities.

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Alltuition http://www.data.gov/impact/alltuition/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 23:57:44 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149790 You can use Alltuition to manage the financial aid process from start to finish by keeping track of deadlines and understanding which loans you qualify for and how much financial aid you’ll receive.

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You can use Alltuition to manage the financial aid process from start to finish by keeping track of deadlines and understanding which loans you qualify for and how much financial aid you’ll receive.

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Foursquare http://www.data.gov/impact/foursquare/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 23:56:29 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149788 Foursquare helps you discover new places and lets you ‘check in’ at different geographic locations and events.

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Foursquare helps you discover new places and lets you ‘check in’ at different geographic locations and events.

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Kayak http://www.data.gov/impact/kayak/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 23:54:12 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149786 You can use Kayak to comparison shop for the best deals on flights, hotels, and rental cars by simultaneously comparing hundreds of travel sites.

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You can use Kayak to comparison shop for the best deals on flights, hotels, and rental cars by simultaneously comparing hundreds of travel sites.

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Esri http://www.data.gov/impact/esri/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 23:52:21 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149784 Esri’s geographic information lets you create maps and data visualizations for better geospatial analysis.

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Esri’s geographic information lets you create maps and data visualizations for better geospatial analysis.

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Palantir http://www.data.gov/impact/palantir/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 23:48:06 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149782 With Palantir’s products, you can sift through data to create visualizations for better analysis.

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With Palantir’s products, you can sift through data to create visualizations for better analysis.

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Mapbox http://www.data.gov/impact/mapbox/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 23:46:44 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149780 Using Mapbox, you can design and publish maps to visualize topographical data.

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Using Mapbox, you can design and publish maps to visualize topographical data.

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Zillow http://www.data.gov/impact/zillow/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 23:45:28 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149778 With Zillow, you can see estimates of home and rental values at the neighborhood level so you can make more informed housing decisions.

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With Zillow, you can see estimates of home and rental values at the neighborhood level so you can make more informed housing decisions.

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Clean Power Finance http://www.data.gov/impact/clean-power-finance/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 23:44:06 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149774 Clean Power Finance connects solar professionals, distributors, and manufacturers needing financing with investors to help increase mass market access to residential solar.

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Clean Power Finance connects solar professionals, distributors, and manufacturers needing financing with investors to help increase mass market access to residential solar.

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SoFi http://www.data.gov/impact/sofi/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 20:42:43 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149771 SoFi can help you find student loans through its peer-to-peer loan platform that connects students and recent graduates with alumni and investors.

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SoFi can help you find student loans through its peer-to-peer loan platform that connects students and recent graduates with alumni and investors.

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Calcbench http://www.data.gov/impact/calcbench/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 20:40:59 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149769 With Calcbench, you can find detailed information on 8,500 companies listed on US-based stock exchanges and make more informed decisions on everything from business strategy to retirement investing.

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With Calcbench, you can find detailed information on 8,500 companies listed on US-based stock exchanges and make more informed decisions on everything from business strategy to retirement investing.

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BillGuard http://www.data.gov/impact/billguard/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 20:39:52 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149767 BillGuard helps you catch grey charges – deceptive and unwanted charges and fees on your bank statements – and remove them.

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BillGuard helps you catch grey charges – deceptive and unwanted charges and fees on your bank statements – and remove them.

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Propeller Health http://www.data.gov/impact/propeller-health-2/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 20:37:37 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149765 Using Propeller Health’s app and web services, you can better manage asthma symptoms, triggers, and medication use by syncing asthmatic events with environmental details.

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Using Propeller Health’s app and web services, you can better manage asthma symptoms, triggers, and medication use by syncing asthmatic events with environmental details.

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Humetrix http://www.data.gov/impact/humetrix-2/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 20:35:22 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149763 Humetrix’s iBlueButton app lets you download, view, and store personal health information on your smartphone or tablet so you can easily share it.

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Humetrix’s iBlueButton app lets you download, view, and store personal health information on your smartphone or tablet so you can easily share it.

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Archimedes Inc. http://www.data.gov/impact/archimedes-inc/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 20:33:29 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149761 Archimedes’ can help you discover healthcare and simulation data so you can make individualized health care decisions.

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Archimedes’ can help you discover healthcare and simulation data so you can make individualized health care decisions.

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Enigma.io http://www.data.gov/impact/enigma-io/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 20:30:12 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149759 Enigma.io lets you search through billions of public records so you can connect datasets and ideas.

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Enigma.io lets you search through billions of public records so you can connect datasets and ideas.

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Panjiva http://www.data.gov/impact/panjiva/ Tue, 01 Apr 2014 14:38:19 +0000 http://uat-wp-datagov.reisys.com/?p=149751 Using Panjiva, companies can find suppliers and potential customers around the globe — and stay current on global trade trends.

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Using Panjiva, companies can find suppliers and potential customers around the globe — and stay current on global trade trends.

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Trulia http://www.data.gov/impact/trulia/ Mon, 31 Mar 2014 23:00:56 +0000 http://datagov-staging.civicagency.org/?p=149754 You can use Trulia to see hyperlocal insights and market trends on potential neighborhoods and housing options.

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You can use Trulia to see hyperlocal insights and market trends on potential neighborhoods and housing options.

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Simple Energy http://www.data.gov/impact/simple-energy/ Mon, 31 Mar 2014 16:52:50 +0000 http://datagov-staging.civicagency.org/?p=149750 Using the Simple Energy mobile app, you can compare your energy consumption to your neighbors’.

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Using the Simple Energy mobile app, you can compare your energy consumption to your neighbors’.

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NASA Invites Citizens to Collaborate on Coastal Flooding Challenge http://www.data.gov/climate/nasa-invites-citizens-collaborate-coastal-flooding-challenge/ Fri, 21 Mar 2014 17:21:46 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=156001 by Ellen Stofan.  Today I was honored to represent NASA at the Climate Data Initiative launch at the White House. Along with NOAA, Google, and many partners from other government agencies and the private sector, we opened the climate.data.gov gateway … Continued

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by Ellen Stofan. 

Today I was honored to represent NASA at the Climate Data Initiative launch at the White House. Along with NOAA, Google, and many partners from other government agencies and the private sector, we opened the climate.data.gov gateway with more than 100 curated, high-quality datasets, web services, and tools that can be used by local officials, emergency management personnel and innovators to help communities prepare for the effects of our changing climate change.

For decades, NASA has shown great leadership in assembling a one-stop-shop of space-based Earth science and climate change data. across all disciplines of Earth Systems Science. Given our experience with this type of large-scale data integration, we welcomed the challenge to take on a leadership role in the first phase of the Climate Data Initiative, which integrates government-wide federal datasets across all disciplines that may have an impact on coastal flooding, and to make these datasets easily available.

At NASA, we are working proactively to protect our own national assets along the coasts from the potential impacts of climate change. From Wallops Island, Virginia, to the Space Coast of Florida, we are bringing together our Earth science researchers and our strategic infrastructure managers to provide climate-related decision support in the face of sea level rise and other serious coastal changes. The launch of climate.data.gov opens the door for citizen scientists to get involved in this type of work, in support of coastal communities around the nation.

NASA has a long history of engaging generations of global citizens to use publicly available data to design creative solutions to improve life on Earth, and enable humans to live and work in space. At the Climate Data Initiative launch event, I was delighted to announce that today, NASA and NOAA are together launching a new opportunity for citizens to work with us on this very important topic of coastal flooding.

This coastal flooding challenge is part of NASA’s third International Space Apps Challenge - a two-day global mass collaboration event on April 12-13, 2014. During these two days, citizens around the world are invited to engage directly with NASA to develop awe-inspiring software, hardware, and data visualizations. Last year’s event involved more than 9,000 global participants in 83 locations. This year will introduce more than 60 robust challenges clustered in five themes: asteroids, Earth watch, human spaceflight, robotics, and space technology.

The Coastal Inundation In Your Community challenge is one of four climate-related challenges using data provided by NASA, NOAA and EPA. It invites citizens, students, and all others to create data visualizations and simulations to help people understand their exposure to coastal-inundation hazards. Solutions developed through this challenge could have many potential impacts, including helping coastal businesses determine if they are currently at risk from coastal inundation, and if they will be impacted in the future due to sea level rise and coastal erosion.

I encourage you to roll up your sleeves and get involved in this challenging and energizing event by visiting spaceappschallenge.org.

The Coastal Inundation in Your Community challenge and today’s rollout of coastal flooding data sets are just the beginning. I look forward to the rollout of additional data sets in climate.data.gov, and the opportunity to continue working with this esteemed community of my colleagues at every level of government, our public and private-sector partners and the world’s citizen scientists. And I’m even more also excited about NASA’s upcoming year of major Earth science milestones, including the launch of five missions to study the most important planet in our solar system — ours.

At NASA, we are known for exploring new worlds with rovers on Mars, scientific experiments on the International Space Station, and a vast array of missions exploring our Sun, our neighboring planets and the distant universe. Of all the planets we have explored, none yet have matched the dynamic complexity of our own Earth.

We have a long history of exploring our home planet. For decades we have designed, built, and launched Earth-observing missions to return valuable information about this complex planet we call home. In 2014, we are building on this legacy with five new Earth-observing missions – more than NASA has conducted in a single year in over a decade. These missions will provide global measurements of precipitation, soil moisture, atmospheric carbon dioxide, winds, clouds and aerosols. Your planet is changing. We’re on it.

The author is NASA’s Chief Scientist.

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What Kind of Climate Data Can I Find? http://www.data.gov/climate/types-climate-datasets/ Wed, 19 Mar 2014 04:03:41 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=136721 In this emerging climate data resource, you can find datasets and web services, as well as tools, related to coastal flooding and sea level rise. We are featuring key resources to help you get started building data layers and tools … Continued

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In this emerging climate data resource, you can find datasets and web services, as well as tools, related to coastal flooding and sea level rise. We are featuring key resources to help you get started building data layers and tools on this area of climate impact at the resources section.

Using the data, tools, and maps tabs, you can find more datasets related to coastal flooding risks to communities. If you are an entrepreneur or innovator looking for a problem to solve, visit the challenges.

Here you can find datasets related to coastal flooding risks to communities. In the coming months, we’ll feature datasets, services, and tools related to:

  • Climate change and human health
  • Vulnerability of food systems to climate change
  • Vulnerability of the energy supply to climate change
  • Vulnerability of ecosystems
  • …and more

Your input will help make Climate.Data.gov as useful as possible—please share your feedback.

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NOAA and NASA Launch Coastal Vulnerability Innovation Challenge http://www.data.gov/climate/space-apps-challenge/ Wed, 19 Mar 2014 04:02:13 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=143231 Coastal communities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the risk of damage from coastal inundation. We only have to remember the recent impact of Hurricane Sandy on communities in the northeast to see the potential damage that a single storm can … Continued

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Coastal communities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the risk of damage from coastal inundation. We only have to remember the recent impact of Hurricane Sandy on communities in the northeast to see the potential damage that a single storm can cause. Your challenge is to create tools and provide information so communities can prepare for coastal inundation. Through the use of data, visualizations, and simulations, you can help people understand their exposure to coastal inundation hazards and their increased vulnerability due to population increase and sea level rise. This challenge is part of the International Space Apps Challenge, a global collaboration to solve challenges facing humanity–both on and off Planet Earth. Join a team for the event on April 12-13, 2014! Visit the Resources section to find datasets, web services, and tools that will help you compete in this challenge related to coastal flooding and climate change.

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Welcome to Climate.Data.gov! http://www.data.gov/climate/welcome-climate-data-gov/ Wed, 19 Mar 2014 04:01:25 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=146041 In this new and pilot-stage of Climate.Data.gov, you will find resources to help companies, communities, and citizens understand and prepare for the impacts of coastal flooding and sea level rise. Over time, you’ll find more datasets, web services, and tools, … Continued

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In this new and pilot-stage of Climate.Data.gov, you will find resources to help companies, communities, and citizens understand and prepare for the impacts of coastal flooding and sea level rise. Over time, you’ll find more datasets, web services, and tools, as well as other themes such as the vulnerability of the food supply and the threats to human health from climate change.

Check out the data catalog to browse relevant datasets. If you are looking for a streamlined list, the resources page features datasets and services on coastal vulnerability.

Looking for information to help you and your community plan for coastal flooding and sea level rise? Please review our list of tools, which will grow over time.

If you are a problem-solver or entrepreneur who wants to take on a big challenge to help communities and citizens be more aware and prepared for climate change, check out the challenges.

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US Department of Transportation Data Challenge http://www.data.gov/safety/us-department-transportation-data-challenge/ Tue, 18 Mar 2014 21:36:21 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=150781 Cross-posted from the Smart Chicago Collaborative Blog The US Department of Transportation has issued a data challenge for civic app developers to build apps that address public safety, access to transportation, and that help the Department of Transportation better understand … Continued

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Cross-posted from the Smart Chicago Collaborative Blog

The US Department of Transportation has issued a data challenge for civic app developers to build apps that address public safety, access to transportation, and that help the Department of Transportation better understand and reduce traffic congestion.

Goal: Develop tools to help people make decisions about transportation.

Specifically, the Department is looking at three categories for the challenge.

  •  Safety: how can we address safety concerns and challenges? What communities have the safest roads and transit, and why?
  •  Transportation Access: how can planners improve the way transportation connects people to jobs, school, housing, and community resources?
  •  Traffic Management and Congestion: how can we better understand and reduce traffic, congestion, and emissions?

US DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx had this to say about the challenge:

    It’s all part of a balanced and responsible approach to improving our transportation system. Yes, we need to continue investing in infrastructure, but we also need to make better use of the resources we already have, and one of the most valuable resources we have is data.

    Over the last few years, there has been a tremendous change in government at all levels–rather than sitting on their datasets, from city to county to state and across the agencies that make up our federal government, organizations are making their data publicly available in formats that make it easier for innovators to convert that data into information and useful tools for the public, urban planners, policymakers, journalists, and others.

    Even with thousands of datasets open to the public, we still need innovators like you with the vision to develop tools that help people use data to make decisions.

Prize:

The winning team will be invited to US DOT headquarters to take part in a special ceremony with Secretary Foxx and other senior officials.

Deadline: April 30th, 2014

Data Resources:

The US Department of Transportation has over 1600 transportation related data sets at data.gov along with several developer resources. These developer resources include:

At the local level, Chicago also has several sets of data related to transportation including:

The State of Illinois’ Department of Transportation also publishes data on transportation including:

Examples of Transportation Related Apps:

SpotHero: SpotHero is a civic startup that efficiently connects parking demand and parking supply. SpotHero allows parking spot owners to earn income by renting their spot when it’s unoccupied.

SpotHero was the winner of the Apps for Metro Chicago Challenge in 2012. Since then, they’ve graduated from TechStars/Excelerate, raised 2.5 million in VC funding, expanded to seven cities and has hired twenty people.

Chicago Bike Crash Map: Crash data for Chicago in 2005-2012 where a bicyclist or pedestrian was the first point of impact by a driver’s automobile, as collected by responding law enforcement and maintained by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

TextMyBus – Built by Code for America for the  the Detroit Department of Transportation. This app lets riders text a number to see when the next bus is.

Questions about the challenge

Q: Do I have to build something specifically for this challenge?

No, this challenge is all about highlighting the great work being done around using transportation data. So, if you’ve built a transportation app already, feel free to submit it!

Q: Do I have to have a fully completed app?

The apps need to have a working prototype, but beta versions are more than OK.

Q: Is there a place I can have my app user tested?

Yes, if you’re in Chicago and want to utilize the Civic User Testing group to test your app you can submit your app for testing here.

Q: If I win, will the Department of Transportation use my app?

Winners will be featured on the Department of Transportation website and your app will be accessible by the public through that website.

If you have other questions about the US DOT Data Challenge, you can email datachallenge@dot.gov with your questions.

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http://www.data.gov/agencies/2042741/ Sun, 16 Mar 2014 20:43:51 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=2042741 To help communities and citizens plan for the risks of coastal flooding and other climate-change-related impacts, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the U.S. Geological Survey are releasing today a collection of … Continued

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To help communities and citizens plan for the risks of coastal flooding and other climate-change-related impacts, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the U.S. Geological Survey are releasing today a collection of non-sensitive datasets containing mapping information on hundreds of thousands of the Nation’s infrastructure units and geographical features, including bridges, roads, railroad tunnels, canals, and river gauges. These data are being made available via user-friendly mapping services on Geoplatform.gov and Climate.data.gov.

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Release of Infrastructure and Geographic Map Data for Climate-Preparedness http://www.data.gov/climate/release-infrastructure-geographic-map-data-climate-preparedness/ Sun, 16 Mar 2014 20:43:38 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=150501 To help communities and citizens plan for the risks of coastal flooding and other climate-change-related impacts, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the U.S. Geological Survey are releasing today a collection of non-sensitive … Continued

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To help communities and citizens plan for the risks of coastal flooding and other climate-change-related impacts, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the U.S. Geological Survey are releasing today a collection of non-sensitive datasets containing mapping information on hundreds of thousands of the Nation’s infrastructure units and geographical features, including bridges, roads, railroad tunnels, canals, and river gauges. These data are being made available via user-friendly mapping services on Geoplatform.gov and Climate.data.gov.

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Introducing OpenFDA from the Food and Drug Administration http://www.data.gov/food/introducing-openfda-food-drug-administration/ Tue, 11 Mar 2014 15:44:46 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=148111 Welcome to the new home of openFDA! We are incredibly excited to see so much interest in our work and hope that this site can be a valuable resource to those wishing to use public FDA data in both the … Continued

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Welcome to the new home of openFDA! We are incredibly excited to see so much interest in our work and hope that this site can be a valuable resource to those wishing to use public FDA data in both the public and private sector to spur innovation, further regulatory or scientific missions, educate the public, and save lives.

Through openFDA, developers and researchers will have easy access to high-value FDA public data through RESTful APIs and structured file downloads. In short, our goal is to make it simple for an application, mobile, or web developer, or all stripes of researchers, to use data from FDA in their work. We’ve done an extensive amount of research both internally and with potential external developers to identify which datasets are both in demand and have a high barrier of entry. As a result, our initial pilot project will cover a number of datasets from various areas within FDA, defined into three broad focus areas: Adverse Events, Product Recalls, and Product Labeling. These API’s won’t have one-on-one matching to FDA’s internal data organizational structure; rather, we intend to abstract on top of a myriad of datasets and provide appropriate metadata and identifiers when possible. Of course, we’ll always make the raw source data available for people who prefer to work that way (and it’s good to mention that we also will not be releasing any data that could potentially be used to identify individuals or other private information).

The openFDA initiative is one part of the larger Office of Informatics and Technology Innovation roadmap. As part of my role as FDA’s Chief Health Informatics Officer, I’m working to lead efforts to move FDA in to a cutting edge technology organization. You’ll be hearing more about our other initiatives, including Cloud Computing, High Performance Computing, Next Generation Sequencing, and mobile-first deployment in the near future.

As we work towards a release of openFDA we’ll begin to share more about our work and how you can get involved. In the meantime, I suggest you sign up for our listserv (on our home page) to get the latest updates on the project. You can also reach our team at open@fda.hhs.gov if there is a unique partnership opportunity or other collaboration you wish to discuss.

 

Dr. Taha Kass-Hout is the Chief Health Informatics Officer of FDA

taha@fda.hhs.gov | @DrTaha_FDA

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Climate Intro http://www.data.gov/climate/climate-intro/ Mon, 10 Mar 2014 23:45:31 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=147871 Here you can find data related to climate change that can help inform and prepare America’s communities, businesses, and citizens. Initially, in this pilot phase, you can find data and resources related to coastal flooding, food resilience, water and ecosystem vulnerability. Over … Continued

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Here you can find data related to climate change that can help inform and prepare America’s communities, businesses, and citizens. Initially, in this pilot phase, you can find data and resources related to coastal floodingfood resilience, water and ecosystem vulnerability. Over time, you will be able to find additional data and tools relevant to other important climate-related impacts, including risks to human health, and energy infrastructure. Please share your feedback.

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Share Your Feedback Form Confirmation http://www.data.gov/climate/climate-feedback-form-confirmation-page Mon, 10 Mar 2014 21:48:06 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=147811 Your feedback has been submitted. Go back to the form

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Your feedback has been submitted.

Go back to the form

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Do you have questions or feedback for the Climate Topic? http://www.data.gov/climate/contact/ Mon, 10 Mar 2014 21:04:29 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=147791 You can use this form to contact the Climate Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address. [contact-form-7]

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You can use this form to contact the Climate Topic leads. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information (such as a social security number), other than your email address.

[contact-form-7]

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Climate Data in Action http://www.data.gov/climate/climate-data-action/ Thu, 06 Mar 2014 19:34:03 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=146071 These post-Superstorm Sandy maps for New York City and New Jersey and New York states show how the floodplain will change under different scenarios of sea level rise. Surging Seas uses government data to project sea level rise scenarios for … Continued

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These post-Superstorm Sandy maps for New York City and New Jersey and New York states show how the floodplain will change under different scenarios of sea level rise.

Surging Seas uses government data to project sea level rise scenarios for the coastal United States.

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Coastal Flooding Intro http://www.data.gov/climate/coastalflooding/coastal-flooding-intro/ Thu, 06 Mar 2014 17:49:49 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=143161 Here you will find resources that help shed light on the risks of near-term coastal flooding and future sea level rise scenarios. You can find tools from inside and outside government on coastal vulnerability and related climate change risks and … Continued

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Here you will find resources that help shed light on the risks of near-term coastal flooding and future sea level rise scenarios. You can find tools from inside and outside government on coastal vulnerability and related climate change risks and impacts. We welcome your feedback on how we can make these data and resources more useful.

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Featured Content http://www.data.gov/climate/water/water-resources Wed, 26 Feb 2014 19:29:54 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=140271 The 2014 National Climate Assessment provides background information to help communities, water utilities, resource managers, and food and energy producers prepare for a changing climate. Given a need to develop resilience strategies based on an uncertain future, many experts look … Continued

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The 2014 National Climate Assessment provides background information to help communities, water utilities, resource managers, and food and energy producers prepare for a changing climate. Given a need to develop resilience strategies based on an uncertain future, many experts look to past climate extremes for information to help guide and constrain decision-making. Information resources that may be helpful to provide characterization of the past and insight into the future include:

National Water Information System

National Water Information System

NWIS provides access to water-resources data collected at approximately 1.5 million sites in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.The USGS investigates the occurrence, quantity, quality, distribution, and movement of surface and underground waters and disseminates the data to the public, State and local governments, public and private utilities, and other Federal agencies involved with managing our water resources.

National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service

National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service

AHPS is a web-based suite of accurate and information-rich forecast products. They display the magnitude and uncertainty of occurrence of floods or droughts, from hours to days and months, in advance. These graphical products are useful information and planning tools for many economic and emergency managers. These new products will enable government agencies, private institutions, and individuals to make more informed decisions about risk based policies and actions to mitigate the dangers posed by floods and droughts.

National Ground-Water Monitoring Network

National Ground-Water Monitoring Network

The NGWMN Data Portal provides access to groundwater data from multiple, dispersed databases in a web-based mapping application. The portal contains current and historical data including water levels, water quality, lithology, and well construction.

Water Quality Portal

Water Quality Portal

The Water Quality Portal (WQP) is a cooperative service sponsored by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Water Quality Monitoring Council (NWQMC). It serves data collected by over 400 state, federal, tribal, and local agencies.

Downscaled CMIP3 and CMIP5 Climate and Hydrology Projections

Downscaled CMIP3 and CMIP5 Climate and Hydrology Projections

“Downscaled” (finer-resolution) versions of monthly and daily temperature and precipitation from most of the GCM simulations in the PCMDI CMIP3 and CMIP5 archives, for CONUS, using two downscaling methods. In addition, derived simulations of surface hydrology are provided.

National Climatic Data Center Climate Data Online

National Climatic Data Center Climate Data Online

Climate Data Online (CDO) provides free access to NCDC’s archive of historical weather and climate data in addition to station history information. These data include quality controlled daily, monthly, seasonal, and yearly measurements of temperature, precipitation, wind, and degree days as well as radar data and 30-year Climate Normals.

USDA FS Climate Change Resource Center

USDA FS Climate Change Resource Center

The Climate Change Resource Center (CCRC) is a web-based, national resource that connects land managers and decisionmakers with useable science to address climate change in planning and application.

NASA Hydrology Data and Information Services Center

NASA Hydrology Data and Information Services Center

The Hydrology DISC supports data products generated by Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center Hydrological Sciences Branch. Data products from the North America Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) and the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) can be accessed through several interfaces. NLDAS and GLDAS systems integrate data from multiple space-based Earth observing systems using advanced land surface modeling and assimilation techniques. These products support weather and climate forecast experiments, water resources applications, and water and energy cycle research.

Global Lake Temperature Collaboration

Global Lake Temperature Collaboration

The Global Lake Temperature Collaboration database is a compilation of lake summer surface water temperatures from 235 lakes around the world over a 25-year period.

Forced Evaporation from Water Surface

Forced Evaporation from Water Surface

The Forced Evaporation from Water Surface (FEWS) model estimates forced evaporation – the evaporation from surface waters caused by heat from cooling systems at thermoelectric power plants. The FEWS model provided estimates of consumption at approximately 400 power plants in the U.S. for 2010. Based on FEWS, withdrawal and consumption of water by thermoelectric power plants in the United States for 2010 are described in the associated report, which can be accessed at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2013/5188/

Groundwater depletion in the United States (1900−2008)

Groundwater depletion in the United States (1900−2008)

A natural consequence of groundwater withdrawals is the removal of water from subsurface storage, but the overall rates and magnitude of groundwater depletion in the United States are not well characterized. This study evaluates long-term cumulative depletion volumes in 40 separate aquifers or areas and one land use category in the United States, bringing together information from the literature and from new analyses. Depletion is directly calculated using calibrated groundwater models, analytical approaches, or volumetric budget analyses for multiple aquifer systems. Estimated groundwater depletion in the United States during 1900–2008 totals approximately 1,000 cubic kilometers (km3). Furthermore, the rate of groundwater depletion has increased markedly since about 1950, with maximum rates occurring during the most recent period (2000–2008) when the depletion rate averaged almost 25 km3 per year (compared to 9.2 km3 per year averaged over the 1900–2008 timeframe). Link to associated USGS report: http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/sir20135079.

California drought, visualized with open data

California drought, visualized with open data

The State of California is experiencing one of the most severe droughts on record, which has implications for citizens of California and beyond. Many State, Federal, and Tribal agencies make routine observations of the water cycle. This website graphically visualizes these data to help understand the effect of drought on rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs. Below, learn more about water use and changes in the water cycle due to the current drought in California. The data presented here are drawn from free and publicly accessible sources. In addition, the analytical, graphical, and software tools used are open-source and available for public re-use.

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Featured Data http://www.data.gov/climate/coastalflooding/coastalflooding-resources Wed, 26 Feb 2014 18:42:22 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=140241 Coastal communities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the risk of damage from coastal inundation. In the northeast, Hurricane Sandy was a stark reminder of the potential damage a single storm can cause. These additional resources listed below will allow you … Continued

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Coastal communities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the risk of damage from coastal inundation. In the northeast, Hurricane Sandy was a stark reminder of the potential damage a single storm can cause. These additional resources listed below will allow you to create tools and provide information to help communities prepare for coastal inundation. Through the use of data, visualizations, and simulations, you can help people understand their exposure to coastal inundation hazards and their increased vulnerability due to population increase and sea level rise.

Current Flood Risk: The FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer

Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts

Future Flood Risk Information for New York and New Jersey (Post-Sandy)

ArcGIS Online Maps

Coastal Erosion and Vulnerability

Coastal Flood Frequency

This dataset depicts the extent of flood-prone coastal areas based on predicted water levels exceeding specific tidal heights as issued by local National Weather Service offices.

Socio-Economic Data

Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI) Census Block Groups (2000)University of South Carolina Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute

Index measuring the social vulnerability of Census block groups to environmental hazards

Economics: National Ocean Watch (ENOW)

Contributing Partners: Bureau of Economic Analysis, NOAA Coastal Services Center, Bureau of Labor Statistics

ENOW is time-series data on the Ocean and Great Lakes Economy, which includes six economic sectors that depend on the oceans and Great Lakes. ENOW is available for counties, states, and the nation in a wide variety of formats.

Historical Hurricane Tracks

Contributing Partners: NOAA Coastal Services Center

Enables viewers to find tropical cyclone data in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Basins

U.S. Geoplatform

Contributing Partners: U.S. Geological Survey

Geospatial resources are available from the geoplatform.

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Challenges http://www.data.gov/climate/foodresilience/foodresilience-challenges Wed, 26 Feb 2014 18:40:13 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=140211 Data and innovation challenges issued by public, private, nonprofit, and other organizations can help catalyze new, data-driven solutions that help communities understand and build resilience to climate change. Is your organization hosting an innovation challenge for entrepreneurs and developers to … Continued

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Data and innovation challenges issued by public, private, nonprofit, and other organizations can help catalyze new, data-driven solutions that help communities understand and build resilience to climate change. Is your organization hosting an innovation challenge for entrepreneurs and developers to help increase awareness of and preparedness for climate change impacts?

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Challenges http://www.data.gov/climate/water/water-challenges Wed, 26 Feb 2014 18:39:37 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=140201 The post Challenges appeared first on Data.gov.

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Challenges http://www.data.gov/climate/coastalflooding/coastalflooding-challenges Wed, 26 Feb 2014 18:39:25 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=140171 Data and innovation challenges issued by public, private, nonprofit, and other organizations can help catalyze new, data-driven solutions that help communities understand and build resilience to climate change. Is your organization hosting an innovation challenge for entrepreneurs and developers to … Continued

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Data and innovation challenges issued by public, private, nonprofit, and other organizations can help catalyze new, data-driven solutions that help communities understand and build resilience to climate change. Is your organization hosting an innovation challenge for entrepreneurs and developers to help increase awareness of and preparedness for climate change impacts? Let us know.

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http://www.data.gov/ecosystems/ecohighlight/ Wed, 26 Feb 2014 17:48:22 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=140351 Biodiversity Resource Hub Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation Ecosystem Services Resource Hub EnviroAtlas Land Cover Dynamics Resource Hub Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium

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Biodiversity Resource Hub

Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation

Ecosystem Services Resource Hub

EnviroAtlas

Land Cover Dynamics Resource Hub

Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium

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Maps http://www.data.gov/climate/foodresilience/foodresilience-maps Wed, 26 Feb 2014 03:56:50 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=139921 Here are a few examples of the many maps available on the internet that illustrate the vulnerability of food production, distribution, food safety, and international food security to changes in climate. Crop Explorer CropScape – Cropland Data Layer VegScape – … Continued

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Here are a few examples of the many maps available on the internet that illustrate the vulnerability of food production, distribution, food safety, and international food security to changes in climate.


Crop Explorer

Crop Explorer

CropScape - Cropland Data Layer

CropScape – Cropland Data Layer

VegScape - Vegetative Condition Explorer

VegScape – Vegetative Condition Explorer

NAIP (2013)

NAIP (2013)

Poverty Mapping Project: Poverty and Food Security Case Studies

Poverty Mapping Project: Poverty and Food Security Case Studies

Poverty Mapping Project: Global Subnational Prevalence of Child Malnutrition

Poverty Mapping Project: Global Subnational Prevalence of Child Malnutrition

Food Environment Atlas

Food Environment Atlas

Food Access Research Atlas

Food Access Research Atlas

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Data System

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Data System

Atlas of Rural and Small-town America

Atlas of Rural and Small-town America

Geospatial Data Gateway

Geospatial Data Gateway

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Maps http://www.data.gov/climate/water/water-maps Wed, 26 Feb 2014 03:56:37 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=139911 Here are a few examples of the many maps available on the Internet that illustrate historical conditions and potential climate impacts on water resources. Streamer National Weather Service Flood Inundation Map Libraries NRCS National Water and Climate Center Integrated Climate … Continued

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Here are a few examples of the many maps available on the Internet that illustrate historical conditions and potential climate impacts on water resources.


Streamer

Streamer

National Weather Service Flood Inundation Map Libraries

National Weather Service Flood Inundation Map Libraries

NRCS National Water and Climate Center

NRCS National Water and Climate Center

Integrated Climate and Land Use Scenarios

Integrated Climate and Land Use Scenarios

National Integrated Drought Information System

National Integrated Drought Information System

National Climate Change Viewer

National Climate Change Viewer

Climate Wizard

Climate Wizard

U.S. Geological Survey Flood Inundation Map Library

U.S. Geological Survey Flood Inundation Map Library

Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas

Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas

USGS Derived Downscaled Climate Projection Portal

USGS Derived Downscaled Climate Projection Portal

USGS Water Watch

USGS Water Watch

USGS Groundwater Watch

USGS Groundwater Watch

Groundwater Depletion in the United States (1900–2008)

Groundwater Depletion in the United States (1900–2008)

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Maps http://www.data.gov/climate/coastalflooding/coastalflooding-maps Wed, 26 Feb 2014 03:55:47 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=139881 Here are mapping tools and data layers to help you analyze and assess vulnerabilities in your or other coastal communities to the combination of sea level rise, storm surges, and sinking lands. These resources aim to help coastal communities identify … Continued

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Here are mapping tools and data layers to help you analyze and assess vulnerabilities in your or other coastal communities to the combination of sea level rise, storm surges, and sinking lands. These resources aim to help coastal communities identify and reduce vulnerabilities to inundation and improve their resilience. This map gallery is in a pilot stage. Please let us know how we can make it more useful.

Sea Level Rise Planning Tool - New York City
Sandy SLR Planning Tool – New York City
Sandy SLR Planning Tool - New Jersey and New York State
Sandy SLR Planning Tool – New Jersey and New York State
SLR and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer
SLR and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer
Historical Hurricane Tracks Tool
Historical Hurricane Tracks Tool
International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS)
International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS)
NOAA's nowCOAST Web Mapping Portal to Near-Real-Time Coastal Information
NOAA’s nowCOAST Web Mapping Portal to Near-Real-Time Coastal Information
NOAA's Coastal Change Analyis Program (C-CAP) Regional Land Cover Data
NOAA’s Coastal Change Analyis Program (C-CAP) Regional Land Cover Data
FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer (Official)
FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer (Official)
FEMA’s Hazus Average Annualized Loss Viewer
FEMA’s Hazus Average Annualized Loss Viewer
FEMA MOTF-Hurricane Sandy Impact Analysis
FEMA MOTF-Hurricane Sandy Impact Analysis
Coastal Change Hazards Portal
Coastal Change Hazards Portal

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Tools http://www.data.gov/climate/foodresilience/foodresilience-tools Wed, 26 Feb 2014 03:48:55 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=139781 There are a large number of government and non-government software tools available to help analyze and assess the vulnerabilities of food production and distribution systems, food safety, and international food security to changes in climate. With software tools, users can … Continued

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There are a large number of government and non-government software tools available to help analyze and assess the vulnerabilities of food production and distribution systems, food safety, and international food security to changes in climate. With software tools, users can make changes in how data are shown on screen or save the data to a file, according to their needs. Please let us know if there are other tools that should be listed here.

Food Production
Food Distribution
Food Safety and Nutrition
International Food Security

Food Production

  • Agricultural Baseline database: Provides longrun, 10-year projections from USDA’s annual long-term projections report. The database covers projections for major field crops (corn, sorghum, barley, oats, wheat, rice, soybeans, and upland cotton), and livestock (beef, pork, poultry and eggs, and dairy).
  • CDC WONDER: Daily Air Temperatures and Heat Index: Provides Daily Air Temperature and Heat Index data available on CDC WONDER that are county-level daily average air temperatures and heat index measures spanning the years 1979-2010. Temperature data are available in Fahrenheit or Celsius scales. Reported measures are the average temperature, number of observations, and range for the daily maximum and minimum air temperatures, and also percent coverage for the daily maximum heat index. Data are available by place (combined 48 contiguous states, region, division, state, county), time (year, month, day) and specified maximum and minimum air temperature, and heat index value.
  • Climate Data Online (CDO): Provides access to climate data products through a simple, searchable online web mapping service. Users can find a variety of NCDC products via CDO including the Global Historical Climatology Network-Daily and the new 1981-2010 Annual, Monthly and Daily 30-year Normals.
  • Crop Explorer: Provides access to imagery and modeled estimates of crop production, soil moisture, and weather for the US and globally.
  • CropScape – Cropland Data Layer: Provides crop-specific land cover data layer created annually for the continental United States using moderate resolution satellite imagery and extensive agricultural ground truth.
  • Feed Grains Database: Contains statistics on four feed grains (corn, grain sorghum, barley, and oats), foreign coarse grains (feed grains plus rye, millet, and mixed grains), hay, and related items.
  • Gridded Model Ouput Statistics (GMOS) Forecast Guidance: Provides access to weather forecasts in digital form from a central location. Anyone with a computer and access to the Internet can download information from the NDFD to suit his or her needs. No longer do you have to wait for the timed broadcast of weather information, but can always get the specific information needed according to your schedule. The NDFD will provide what you want, when you need it, including access to official NWS forecasts produced by forecasters at local weather offices and national centers. Model Output Statistics (MOS) is a technique used to objectively interpret numerical model output and produce site-specific guidance. This page lists Gridded MOS Forecast Guidance.
  • Historical Hurricane Tracks Tool: Provides an interactive mapping application that searches and displays global tropical cyclone data. Users are able to query storms by the storm name, ZIP Code, city, state, geographic region, or latitude/longitude coordinates. Provides access to storm reports written by hurricane specialists at the National Hurricane Center.
  • NAIP (2013): Most current year 1-meter natural color NAIP web services for the lower 48 states, served by USDA-FSA Aerial Photography Field Office. In addition, there are reference points to how to download NAIP CCMs and how to order uncompressed NAIP digital ortho quarter quad tiles (DOQQs), historical NAIP, and other historical imagery dating back to 1955.
  • National Integrated Drought Information System: Provides access to US drought data, forecasts, and information from across federal and state agencies, tribes, universities, and other partners. Data is provided using visualization tools within the Portal or as links directly to an appropriate website from the data’s host institution
  • National Water Information Systems: Provides information about water quantity and quality collected at over 1.5 million sites around the U.S. As a long-term database and information delivery system, NWIS provides continual access to data collected over the last 100+ years, as well as real-time data on streamflow, etc.=
  • NOAA’s Weather and Climate Toolkit: Provides simple visualization and data export of weather and climatological data archived at NCDC. The Toolkit also provides access to weather/climate web services provided from NCDC and other organizations
  • Quick Stats: Programmatic interface to the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s (NASS) online database containing results from the 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012 Censuses of Agriculture as well as the best source of NASS survey published estimates.
  • Quick Stats API: Programmatic interface to the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s (NASS) online database containing results from the 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012 Censuses of Agriculture as well as the best source of NASS survey published estimates.
  • Severe Weather Data Inventory: SWDI provides the ability to search through all of these data to find records covering a particular time period and geographic region, and to download the results of your search in a variety of formats. The formats currently supported are Shapefile (for GIS), KMZ (for Google Earth), CSV (comma-separated), and XML
  • SNOTEL: Provides an interactive process to identify and retrieve data custom individual SNOTEL sites. The user does not need to know the ID for the site but must know either it’s general location or the name of the site
  • Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN): Provides an interactive process to identify and retrieve data from individual SCAN sites. The user does not need to know the ID for the site but must know either it’s general location or the name of the site
  • The NOMADS Ensemble Probability Tool: The NOMADS Ensemble Probability Tool is a tool that is designed to allow users to interrogate the high volume NCEP Global Ensemble (GENS) weather forecast model data without downloading the data itself. The tool allows the user to describe a set of conditions and determine the probability that that set of conditions will occur at a given location.
  • VegScape – Vegetative Condition Explorer: Provides vegetative condition at daily, weekly, and biweekly intervals.

Food Distribution

  • CDC WONDER: Daily Air Temperatures and Heat Index: Provides Daily Air Temperature and Heat Index data available on CDC WONDER that are county-level daily average air temperatures and heat index measures spanning the years 1979-2010. Temperature data are available in Fahrenheit or Celsius scales. Reported measures are the average temperature, number of observations, and range for the daily maximum and minimum air temperatures, and also percent coverage for the daily maximum heat index. Data are available by place (combined 48 contiguous states, region, division, state, county), time (year, month, day) and specified maximum and minimum air temperature, and heat index value.
  • Climate Data Online (CDO): Provides access to climate data products through a simple, searchable online web mapping service. Users can find a variety of NCDC products via CDO including the Global Historical Climatology Network-Daily and the new 1981-2010 Annual, Monthly and Daily 30-year Normals.
  • Freight Analysis Framework: Contains state primary and secondary roads, National Highway System (NHS), National Network (NN) and several intermodal connectors as appropriate for freight network modeling.
  • Gridded Model Ouput Statistics (GMOS) Forecast Guidance: Provides access to weather forecasts in digital form from a central location. Anyone with a computer and access to the Internet can download information from the NDFD to suit his or her needs. No longer do you have to wait for the timed broadcast of weather information, but can always get the specific information needed according to your schedule. The NDFD will provide what you want, when you need it, including access to official NWS forecasts produced by forecasters at local weather offices and national centers. Model Output Statistics (MOS) is a technique used to objectively interpret numerical model output and produce site-specific guidance. This page lists Gridded MOS Forecast Guidance.
  • Historical Hurricane Tracks Tool: Provides an interactive mapping application that searches and displays global tropical cyclone data. Users are able to query storms by the storm name, ZIP Code, city, state, geographic region, or latitude/longitude coordinates. Provides access to storm reports written by hurricane specialists at the National Hurricane Center.
  • National Highway Planning Network: Comprehensive network database of the nation’s major highway system. The data set covers the 48 contiguous States plus the District of Columbia, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
  • National Integrated Drought Information System: Provides access to US drought data, forecasts, and information from across federal and state agencies, tribes, universities, and other partners. Data is provided using visualization tools within the Portal or as links directly to an appropriate website from the data’s host institution
  • NOAA’s Weather and Climate Toolkit: Provides simple visualization and data export of weather and climatological data archived at NCDC. The Toolkit also provides access to weather/climate web services provided from NCDC and other organizations
  • Quick Stats API: Programmatic interface to the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s (NASS) online database containing results from the 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012 Censuses of Agriculture as well as the best source of NASS survey published estimates.
  • Severe Weather Data Inventory: SWDI provides the ability to search through all of these data to find records covering a particular time period and geographic region, and to download the results of your search in a variety of formats. The formats currently supported are Shapefile (for GIS), KMZ (for Google Earth), CSV (comma-separated), and XML
  • SNOTEL: Provides an interactive process to identify and retrieve data from individual SNOTEL sites. The user does not need to know the ID for the site but must know either it’s general location or the name of the site
  • The NOMADS Ensemble Probability Tool: The NOMADS Ensemble Probability Tool is a tool that is designed to allow users to interrogate the high volume NCEP Global Ensemble (GENS) weather forecast model data without downloading the data itself. The tool allows the user to describe a set of conditions and determine the probability that that set of conditions will occur at a given location.

Food Safety and Nutrition

  • Atlas of Rural and Small-town America: View the diversity of challenges and opportunities across America’s counties within different types of rural regions and communities.
  • CDC WONDER: Daily Air Temperatures and Heat Index: Provides Daily Air Temperature and Heat Index data available on CDC WONDER that are county-level daily average air temperatures and heat index measures spanning the years 1979-2010. Temperature data are available in Fahrenheit or Celsius scales. Reported measures are the average temperature, number of observations, and range for the daily maximum and minimum air temperatures, and also percent coverage for the daily maximum heat index. Data are available by place (combined 48 contiguous states, region, division, state, county), time (year, month, day) and specified maximum and minimum air temperature, and heat index value.
  • Climate Data Online (CDO): Provides access to climate data products through a simple, searchable online web mapping service. Users can find a variety of NCDC products via CDO including the Global Historical Climatology Network-Daily and the new 1981-2010 Annual, Monthly and Daily 30-year Normals.
  • Food Environment Atlas: Provides a spatial overview of a community’s ability to access healthy food and its success in doing so.
  • Food Access Research Atlas: Presents a spatial overview of food access indicators for low-income and other census tracts using different measures of supermarket accessibility, provides food access data for populations within census tracts, and offers census-tract-level data on food access that can be downloaded for community planning or research purposes
  • Food-a-pedia: Provides the calorie content of any food or beverage.
  • Gridded Model Ouput Statistics (GMOS) Forecast Guidance: Provides access to weather forecasts in digital form from a central location. Anyone with a computer and access to the Internet can download information from the NDFD to suit his or her needs. No longer do you have to wait for the timed broadcast of weather information, but can always get the specific information needed according to your schedule. The NDFD will provide what you want, when you need it, including access to official NWS forecasts produced by forecasters at local weather offices and national centers. Model Output Statistics (MOS) is a technique used to objectively interpret numerical model output and produce site-specific guidance. This page lists Gridded MOS Forecast Guidance.
  • Historical Hurricane Tracks Tool: Provides an interactive mapping application that searches and displays global tropical cyclone data. Users are able to query storms by the storm name, ZIP Code, city, state, geographic region, or latitude/longitude coordinates. Provides access to storm reports written by hurricane specialists at the National Hurricane Center.
  • National Integrated Drought Information System: Provides access to US drought data, forecasts, and information from across federal and state agencies, tribes, universities, and other partners. Data is provided using visualization tools within the Portal or as links directly to an appropriate website from the data’s host institution
  • NOAA’s Weather and Climate Toolkit: Provides simple visualization and data export of weather and climatological data archived at NCDC. The Toolkit also provides access to weather/climate web services provided from NCDC and other organizations
  • Poverty Mapping Project: Global Subnational Prevalence of Child Malnutrition: Consists of estimates of the percentage of children with weight-for-age z-scores that are more than two standard deviations below the median of the NCHS/CDC/WHO International Reference Population. Data are reported for the most recent year with subnational information available at the time of development.
  • Poverty Mapping Project: Poverty and Food Security Case Studies: Consists of small area estimates of poverty, inequality, food security and related measures for subnational administrative units in Mexico, Ecuador, Kenya, Malawi, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Vietnam.
  • Quick Stats API: Programmatic interface to the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s (NASS) online database containing results from the 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012 Censuses of Agriculture as well as the best source of NASS survey published estimates.
  • Severe Weather Data Inventory: SWDI provides the ability to search through all of these data to find records covering a particular time period and geographic region, and to download the results of your search in a variety of formats. The formats currently supported are Shapefile (for GIS), KMZ (for Google Earth), CSV (comma-separated), and XML
  • SNOTEL: Provides an interactive process to identify and retrieve data from individual SNOTEL sites. The user does not need to know the ID for the site but must know either it’s general location or the name of the site
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Data System: Provides time-series data on State and county-level estimates of SNAP participation and benefit levels, combined with area estimates of total population and the number of persons in poverty.
  • The NOMADS Ensemble Probability Tool: The NOMADS Ensemble Probability Tool is a tool that is designed to allow users to interrogate the high volume NCEP Global Ensemble (GENS) weather forecast model data without downloading the data itself. The tool allows the user to describe a set of conditions and determine the probability that that set of conditions will occur at a given location.

International Food Security

  • Climate Data Online (CDO): Provides access to climate data products through a simple, searchable online web mapping service. Users can find a variety of NCDC products via CDO including the Global Historical Climatology Network-Daily and the new 1981-2010 Annual, Monthly and Daily 30-year Normals.
  • Global Agricultural Information Network: Information reports on agricultural situations in more than 130 countries submitted by overseas offices of USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.
  • Gridded Model Ouput Statistics (GMOS) Forecast Guidance: Provides access to weather forecasts in digital form from a central location. Anyone with a computer and access to the Internet can download information from the NDFD to suit his or her needs. No longer do you have to wait for the timed broadcast of weather information, but can always get the specific information needed according to your schedule. The NDFD will provide what you want, when you need it, including access to official NWS forecasts produced by forecasters at local weather offices and national centers. Model Output Statistics (MOS) is a technique used to objectively interpret numerical model output and produce site-specific guidance. This page lists Gridded MOS Forecast Guidance.
  • Historical Hurricane Tracks Tool: Provides an interactive mapping application that searches and displays global tropical cyclone data. Users are able to query storms by the storm name, ZIP Code, city, state, geographic region, or latitude/longitude coordinates. Provides access to storm reports written by hurricane specialists at the National Hurricane Center.
  • NOAA’s Weather and Climate Toolkit: Provides simple visualization and data export of weather and climatological data archived at NCDC. The Toolkit also provides access to weather/climate web services provided from NCDC and other organizations
  • Poverty Mapping Project: Global Subnational Prevalence of Child Malnutrition: Consists of estimates of the percentage of children with weight-for-age z-scores that are more than two standard deviations below the median of the NCHS/CDC/WHO International Reference Population. Data are reported for the most recent year with subnational information available at the time of development.
  • Poverty Mapping Project: Poverty and Food Security Case Studies: Consists of small area estimates of poverty, inequality, food security and related measures for subnational administrative units in Mexico, Ecuador, Kenya, Malawi, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Vietnam.
  • The NOMADS Ensemble Probability Tool: The NOMADS Ensemble Probability Tool is a tool that is designed to allow users to interrogate the high volume NCEP Global Ensemble (GENS) weather forecast model data without downloading the data itself. The tool allows the user to describe a set of conditions and determine the probability that that set of conditions will occur at a given location.
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
Crop Explorer
URL:
http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/cropexplorer/Default.aspx
Summary:
Crop Explorer provides near real-time information on crops and conditions by region, satellite images, live data and maps, with links to production estimates, area, yield, and crop assessments.
How it works:
Crop Explorer provides users with agricultural analysis information using satellite imagery and ancillary information quickly and cost effectively. Crop Explorer automates the processing and extraction of certain agro-meteorological indicators from source data. Information is presented using thematic maps and time series charts for weather, crop model, soil moisture and vegetation indices.
Application:
U.S. and international producers, traders, researchers, and the public can access remote sensing information used by agricultural economists and scientists who predict crop production worldwide.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
CropScape – Cropland Data Layer
URL:
http://nassgeodata.gmu.edu/CropScape/
Summary:
CropScape is a web-based interactive map visualization, dissemination, and querying system for U.S. cropland. Capabilities include on-line geospatial crop information access, geospatial query and on-line analytics via interactive maps.
How it works:
CropScape provides a crop-specific land cover data layer that is created annually for the continental United States using moderate resolution satellite imagery and extensive agricultural ground truth.
Application:
CropScape provides easier access to geospatial products for exploring croplands. It delivers data visualization tools directly into the hands of the agricultural community without the need for specialized expertise, GIS software, or high-end computers.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
VegScape – Vegetative Condition Explorer
URL:
http://nassgeodata.gmu.edu/VegScape/
Summary:
VegScape is an on-line, satellite-based, interactive mapping service that provides current information on crop conditions. It publicly disseminates geospatial vegetation conditions at daily, weekly, and biweekly time periods.
How it works:
VegScape uses moderate resolution satellite imagery to identify crop conditions with the Normalized Difference Plant Index measuring and monitoring plant growth, vegetative cover, and biomass production.
Application:
The tool allows users to compare current crop conditions to conditions at a previous time.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
NAIP (2013)
URL:
http://datagateway.nrcs.usda.gov/
Summary:
NAIP is a program that provides “leaf on” aerial imagery during the peak growing season. NAIP provides imagery products either as digital ortho quarter quad tiles (DOQQs) or compressed county mosaics (CCM).
How it works:
NAIP imagery is acquired at a one-meter ground sample distance (GSD) with a horizontal accuracy that matches within six meters of photo-identifiable ground control points, which are used during image inspection.
Application:
NAIP is used by many non-FSA public and private sector customers for a wide variety of projects. A detailed study is available in the Qualitative and Quantitative Synopsis on NAIP Usage from 2004 -2008, http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/naip_usage.pdf
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
SNOTEL
URL:
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/
Summary:
SNOTEL is an automated system of snowpack and related climate sensors that conduct snow surveys for the purpose of water supply forecasting.
How it works:
There are over 600 SNOTEL sites in 13 states that measure snow water content, accumulated precipitation, and air temperature. Some sites also measure snow depth, soil moisture and temperature, wind speed, solar radiation, humidity, and atmospheric pressure.
Application:
SNOTEL data are used to forecast yearly water supplies, predict floods, and for general climate research.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN)
URL:
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/scan/
Summary:
The Soil Climate Analysis Network consists of automated remote sites that focus on agricultural areas of the U.S. monitoring and collecting soil temperature and soil moisture content at several depths, soil water level, air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, wind, precipitation, barometric pressure, and more.
How it works:
Current network has over 150 stations in 39 states and other global locations that provide hourly data.
Application:
SCAN data are used by global climate modelers, soil scientists, ecologists, drought managers, and farmers to support various activities including soil surveys, water management and irrigation schedules, crop production models, planting schedules, and other natural resource management issues.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USGS
Name:
National Water Information Systems
URL:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis
Summary:
The National Water Information System provides access to water-resources data collected at approximately 1.5 million sites in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
How it works:
The web service allows for the automated sharing of water monitoring data via a common format and terminology.
Application:
The USGS investigates the occurrence, quantity, quality, distribution, and movement of surface and underground waters and disseminates the data to the public, State and local governments, public and private utilities, and other Federal agencies involved with managing our water resources.
Preview:
Sponsor:
NOAA
Name:
Historical Hurricane Tracks Tool
URL:
http://csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/hurricanes/
Summary:
The Historical Hurricane Tracks Tool provides an interactive mapping application that searches and displays global tropical cyclone data and delivers access to storm reports written by hurricane specialists at the National Hurricane Center.
How it works:
Users are able to query storms by the storm name, ZIP Code, city, state, geographic region, or latitude/longitude coordinates.
Application:
Custom queries can track storms of interest and allow for data extraction and download. Displays coastal population data and hurricane strike data for coastal counties from Maine to Texas.
Preview:
Sponsor:
NOAA
Name:
Climate Data Online (CDO)
URL:
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cdo-web/search
Summary:
Climate Data Online (CDO) provides free access to National Climatic Data Center’s archive of historical weather and climate data in addition to station history information.
How it works:
Climate Data Online (CDO) provides access to climate data products through a simple, searchable online web mapping service. These data include quality controlled daily, monthly, seasonal, and yearly measurements of temperature, precipitation, wind, and degree days as well as radar data and 30-year Climate Normals.
Application:
Users can find a variety of NCDC products via CDO including the Global Historical Climatology Network-Daily and the new 1981-2010 Annual, Monthly and Daily 30-year Normals.
Preview:
Sponsor:
NOAA
Name:
Gridded Model Ouput Statistics (GMOS) Forecast Guidance
URL:
http://graphical.weather.gov/gmos/index.php
Summary:
Gridded Model Ouput Statistics (GMOS) Forecast Guidance provides access to weather forecasts in digital form from a central location.
How it works:
Model Output Statistics (MOS) is a technique used to objectively interpret numerical model output and produce site-specific guidance.
Application:
Anyone with a computer and access to the Internet can download information from the National Digital Guidance Database to suit his or her needs.
Preview:
Sponsor:
NOAA
Name:
National Integrated Drought Information System
URL:
http://www.drought.gov/drought/
Summary:
National Integrated Drought Information System provides access to US drought data, forecasts, and information from across federal and state agencies, tribes, universities, and other partners.
How it works:
Data is provided using visualization tools within the Portal or as links directly to an appropriate website from the data’s host institution.
Application:
NIDIS provides an accessible and usable drought information system that can facilitate informed decision-making by resource managers and others.
Preview:
Sponsor:
NOAA
Name:
NOAA’s Weather and Climate Toolkit
URL:
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/wct/
Summary:
NOAA’s Weather and Climate Toolkit (WCT) is free, platform independent software distributed from NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). The WCT allows the visualization and data export of weather and climate data, including Radar, Satellite and Model data.
How it works:
The WCT provides tools for background maps, animations and basic filtering. The export of images and movies is provided in multiple formats. The data export feature supports conversion of data to a variety of common formats including KMZ, Shapefile, Well-Known Text, GeoTIFF, ESRI Grid and Gridded NetCDF.
Application:
The Weather and Climate Toolkit offers access to traditionally hard-to-use weather data in an accessible, visual format. If you’re someone with NOAA data but don’t know how to process it into something usable, the Weather and Climate Toolkit is a great first step to getting that data into a workable format. Likewise, if you have NOAA data and want to get it into a format you’re already familiar with, the toolkit quickly allows you to do that.
Preview:
Sponsor:
NOAA
Name:
Severe Weather Data Inventory
URL:
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/swdi/#TileSearch
Summary:
The Severe Weather Data Inventory (SWDI) is an integrated database of severe weather records for the United States. The records in SWDI come from a variety of sources in the NCDC archive.
How it works:
SWDI provides the ability to search through NCDC data to find records covering a particular time period and geographic region, and to download the results of your search in a variety of formats. The formats currently supported are Shapefile (for GIS), KMZ (for Google Earth), CSV (comma-separated), and XML.
Application:
The Severe Weather Data Inventory (SWDI) Web Service provides programmatic access to an integrated database of severe weather records for the United States.
Preview:
Sponsor:
NOAA
Name:
The NOMADS Ensemble Probability Tool
URL:
http://nomads.ncdc.noaa.gov/EnsProb/
Summary:
The NOMADS Ensemble Probability Tool is designed to allow users to interrogate the high volume NCEP Global Ensemble weather forecast model data.
How it works:
The NOMADS Ensemble Probability Tool queries the 21 member GFS ensemble dataset located on the NCEP NOMADS High Availability server. The data is passed via OpenDAP back to the application, where it is read using the Java NetCDF library, and then the probabilities are calculated.
Application:
The tool allows the user to describe a set of conditions and determine the probability that that set of conditions will occur at a given location.
Preview:
Sponsor:
CDC
Name:
CDC WONDER: Daily Air Temperatures and Heat Index
URL:
http://wonder.cdc.gov/nasa-nldas.html
Summary:
CDC WONDER’s North America Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) Daily Air Temperatures and Heat Index provides daily air temperature and heat Index data that are county-level daily average air temperatures and heat index measures spanning the years 1979-2010.
How it works:
Reported measures are the average temperature, number of observations, and range for the daily maximum and minimum air temperatures, and also percent coverage for the daily maximum heat index. Data are available by place (combined 48 contiguous states, region, division, state, county), time (year, month, day) and specified maximum and minimum air temperature, and heat index value.
Application:
Users can produce tables, maps, charts, and data extracts along with average temperature, the number of observations, range, and percent coverage. Data are organized into three levels of geographic detail: the 48 contiguous states, state (including multi-state regions and divisions) and county.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
Quick Stats
URL:
http://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/
Summary:
Quick Stats is the most comprehensive tool for accessing agricultural data published by NASS. Quick Stats provides agricultural statistics profiles for a particular subject area or commodity. Data is currently available in the following areas: crops and plants, economics, livestock and animals.
How it works:
Quick Stats provides a programmatic interface to the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s (NASS) online database containing results from the 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012 Censuses of Agriculture as well as the best source of NASS survey published estimates.
Application:
Quick Stats allows user to discover exactly the information they desire, whether it is based on commodity, location, or time period. User can then visualize the data on a map, manipulate and export the results, or save a link for future use.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
Quick Stats API
URL:
http://quickstats.nass.usda.gov/api
Summary:
QuickStats application programming interface (API) provides direct access to the statistical information in the Quick Stats database.
How it works:
The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) offers Quick Stats, an on-line database containing official published aggregate estimates related to U.S. agricultural production. NASS develops these estimates from data collected through hundreds of sample surveys and the Census of Agriculture.
Application:
Users may use the NASS API to develop a service to search, display, analyze, retrieve, view and otherwise ‘get’ information from NASS data.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
Global Agricultural Information Network
URL:
http://gain.fas.usda.gov/Lists/Advanced%20Search/AllItems.aspx
Summary:
Global Agricultural Information Network reports on agricultural situations in more than 130 countries submitted by overseas offices of USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.
How it works:
U.S. Foreign Service officers working at posts overseas collect and submit information on the agricultural situation in more than 130 countries to USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), which maintains the GAIN reports.
Application:
Allows access to GAIN reports.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
Agricultural Baseline database
URL:
http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/agricultural-baseline-database/custom-queries.aspx
Summary:
Agricultural Baseline database provides long run, 10-year projections from USDA’s annual long-term projections report. The database covers projections for major field crops (corn, sorghum, barley, oats, wheat, rice, soybeans, and upland cotton), and livestock (beef, pork, poultry and eggs, and dairy).
How it works:
The data in the database have been published in annual USDA long-term projections since 2000. Each year’s projections include 2 years of history and 10 years of projections. The most recent projections from February 2014 cover the period 2012/13 to 2023/24.
Application:
Agricultural Baseline database provides long run, 10-year projections from USDA’s annual long-term projections report.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
Feed Grains Database
URL:
http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/feed-grains-database/feed-grains-custom-query.aspx
Summary:
Feed Grains Database contains statistics on four feed grains (corn, grain sorghum, barley, and oats), foreign coarse grains (feed grains plus rye, millet, and mixed grains), hay, and related items. This includes data published in the monthly Feed Outlook and previously annual Feed Yearbook.
How it works:
Feed Grains Database contains data that has been collected monthly, quarterly, and/or annual depending upon the data series. Available data include: supply, demand, prices, quantities fed, feed-price ratios, and more.
Application:
This is the data behind a corresponding interactive query and reporting tool. Tables previously published annually in the Feed Yearbook are available and updated continuously as data are added to the database.
Preview:
Sponsor:
NOAA
Name:
Fisheries One Stop Shop (FOSS)
URL:
http://foss.nmfs.noaa.gov/
Summary:
Fisheries One Stop Shop (FOSS) is an online query tool for accessing the most current and comprehensive national summary statistics on U.S. commercial and recreational fisheries landings.
How it works:
The FOSS query tool allows scientists, managers, and the public to query non-confidential commercial and recreational fisheries landings (three or more vessels or companies) for U.S. vessels in both domestic and foreign ports, as well as for recreational shore anglers.
Application:
The FOSS query tool allows scientists, managers, and the public to query non-confidential commercial and recreational fisheries landings (three or more vessels or companies) for U.S. vessels in both domestic and foreign ports, as well as for recreational shore anglers.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDOT
Name:
Freight Analysis Framework
URL:
http://www.bts.gov/programs/geographic_information_services/
Summary:
The FAF provides a comprehensive national picture of freight flows, trends, and a baseline forecast to support policy studies. The FAF informs States and localities about their major trading partners and the volumes and sources of traffic passing through their jurisdictions at the corridor level.
How it works:
The FAF integrates data from a variety of sources to create a comprehensive picture of freight movement among states and major metropolitan areas by all modes of transportation. With data from the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey and additional sources, FAF provides estimates for tonnage, value, and domestic ton-miles by region of origin and destination, commodity type, and mode for 2007, the most recent year, and forecasts through 2040.
Application:
The FAF has been created to help users understand how the movement of freight affects the transportation system and where problems with the transportation system could affect the flow of freight. By combining FAF estimates with other data and models, analysts and planners can examine relationships between freight movement and congestion, economic activity, infrastructure wear, safety risk exposure, energy consumption, and environmental issues.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDOT
Name:
National Highway Planning Network
URL:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/processes/tools/nhpn/
Summary:
The National Highway Planning Network (NHPN) is a geospatial network database that contains line features representing just over 450,000 miles of highways in the United States. The NHPN contains geospatially referenced information on the National Highway System (NHS), the Eisenhower Interstate System, the Strategic Highway Network (STRAHNET), and NHS Intermodal Connectors.
How it works:
The NHPN is typically used in a geographic information system (GIS) to visually display the network and to perform various geospatial analyses. It is also used in modeling traffic flows in the U.S. at a national scale.
Application:
The NHPN has been used to produce maps of the NHS, maintain information of what roads are on the NHS, and serve as a base road network for other mapping and GIS purposes within FHWA. It has also been used for modeling freight flows across the United States as part of the FHWA Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) and as the default road network in the state version of the FHWA Highway Economic Requirements System – State Version (HERS-ST).
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
Food-a-pedia
URL:
https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/foodapedia.aspx
Summary:
Food-A-Pedia provides quick access to food information including food groups, calories, and comparison of two foods.
How it works:
Food-A-Pedia offers detailed nutritional information on more than 8,000 foods. Unlike the manufacturer-derived nutrition facts found on product labels, the information on Food-A-Pedia comes from chemical analyses performed by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service.
Application:
Food-A-Pedia provides consumers access to a detailed analysis of the vitamins, minerals and Omega-3s contained in their food.
Preview:
Sponsor:
NASA
Name:
Poverty Mapping Project: Poverty and Food Security Case Studies
URL:
http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/povmap-poverty-food-security-case-studies/data-download
Summary:
The Global Poverty Mapping Project seeks to enhance current understanding of the global distribution of poverty and the geographic and biophysical conditions of where the poor live.
How it works:
Spatially explicit data sets are available for selected proxy measures of poverty at global and national scales. The global data are of varying resolution, but primarily coarse; the national data sets are of considerably higher resolution. The project also includes poverty maps at a number of spatial scales (global, regional, national, and urban areas) and for a variety of poverty measures.
Application:
The project aims to assist policy makers, development agencies, and the poor themselves in designing interventions to reduce poverty.
Preview:
Sponsor:
NASA
Name:
Poverty Mapping Project: Global Subnational Prevalence of Child Malnutrition
URL:
http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/povmap-global-subnational-prevalence-child-malnutrition/data-download
Summary:
The Global Poverty Mapping Project seeks to enhance current understanding of the global distribution of poverty and the geographic and biophysical conditions of where the poor live.
How it works:
Spatially explicit data sets are available for selected proxy measures of poverty at global and national scales. The global data are of varying resolution, but primarily coarse; the national data sets are of considerably higher resolution. The project also includes poverty maps at a number of spatial scales (global, regional, national, and urban areas) and for a variety of poverty measures.
Application:
The project aims to assist policy makers, development agencies, and the poor themselves in designing interventions to reduce poverty.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
Food Environment Atlas
URL:
http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-environment-atlas/go-to-the-atlas.aspx
Summary:
The Food Environment Atlas assembles statistics on food environment indicators to stimulate research on the determinants of food choices and diet quality and provides a spatial overview of a community’s ability to access healthy food and its success in doing so.
How it works:
The Atlas currently includes 90 indicators of the food environment in three broad categories – food choices, health and well-being, and community characteristics. Data set includes an interactive mapping tool plus bulk data download.
Application:
These data sets could be sorted and mapped to get a more comprehensive understanding of a county’s food environment. Users could pull the Atlas data and build their own custom food environment maps, or compare the food environments across different counties.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
Food Access Research Atlas
URL:
http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas.aspx
Summary:
Food Access Research Atlas presents a spatial overview of food access indicators for low-income and other census tracts using different measures of supermarket accessibility, provides food access data for populations within census tracts, and offers census-tract-level data on food access that can be downloaded for community planning or research purposes.
How it works:
Estimates in the Atlas are based on a 2010 list of supermarkets, the 2010 Decennial Census, and the 2006-10 American Community Survey.
Application:
Users can create maps showing food access indicators by census tract using different measures and indicators of supermarket accessibility, view indicators of food access for selected subpopulations, and download census-tract-level data on food access measures.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Data System
URL:
http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-(snap)-data-system/go-to-the-map.aspx
Summary:
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Data System provides time-series data on State and county-level estimates of SNAP participation and benefit levels, combined with area estimates of total population and the number of persons in poverty, and selected socio-demographic characteristics of the population.
How it works:
All data, except program benefit amounts, are for a selected point in time each year; program benefit levels are total benefits issued over the course of a calendar year. The most recent year of full data availability is 2012 for State-level SNAP participation and benefits, 2010 for county-level SNAP participation, and 2010 for county-level SNAP benefits.
Application:
Users can use the interactive web-based mapping application to map program participation and benefit levels with county-level detail for all 50 states.
Preview:
Sponsor:
USDA
Name:
Atlas of Rural and Small-town America
URL:
http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/atlas-of-rural-and-small-town-america/go-to-the-atlas.aspx
Summary:
Atlas of Rural and Small-town America provides a spatial interpretation of county-level, economic and social conditions along four dimensions: people, jobs, agriculture, and county classifications.
How it works:
The Atlas assembles statistics on four broad categories of socioeconomic factors: people, jobs, agriculture, and county classifications.
Application:
Allows users to view county-level maps and data for over 60 socioeconomic indicators.
Preview:

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Tools http://www.data.gov/climate/water/water-tools Wed, 26 Feb 2014 03:48:02 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=139761 There is a range of software tools available to help analyze and assess impacts of a changing climate on the water cycle. These tools provide users with convenient data access capabilities, common data transformation utilities, and analysis methods for data … Continued

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There is a range of software tools available to help analyze and assess impacts of a changing climate on the water cycle. These tools provide users with convenient data access capabilities, common data transformation utilities, and analysis methods for data and related information. Please let us know if there are other tools that should be listed here.

  • National Stormwater Calculator: EPA’s National Stormwater Calculator (SWC) is a desktop application that estimates the annual amount of rainwater and frequency of runoff from a specific site anywhere in the United States (including Puerto Rico). Estimates are based on local soil conditions, land cover, and historic rainfall records.
  • Sponsor:
    EPA
    Name:
    National Stormwater Calculator
    URL:
    http://www2.epa.gov/water-research/national-stormwater-calculator
    Summary:
    EPA’s National Stormwater Calculator (SWC) is a desktop application that estimates the annual amount of rainwater and frequency of runoff from a specific site anywhere in the United States (including Puerto Rico). Estimates are based on local soil conditions, land cover, and historic rainfall records.
    How it works:
    The Calculator accesses several national databases that provide soil, topography, rainfall, and evaporation information for the chosen site. The user supplies information about the site’s land cover and selects the types of low impact development (LID) controls they would like to use.
    Application:
    It is designed to be used by anyone interested in reducing runoff from a property, including site developers, landscape architects, urban planners, and homeowners.
    Preview:

  • BASINS (Better Assessment Science Integrating point & Non-point Sources): Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources (BASINS) is a multipurpose environmental analysis system designed to help regional, state, and local agencies perform watershed- and water quality-based studies.
  • Sponsor:
    EPA
    Name:
    BASINS (Better Assessment Science Integrating point & Non-point Sources)
    URL:
    http://water.epa.gov/scitech/datait/models/basins/index.cfm
    Summary:
    Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources (BASINS) is a multipurpose environmental analysis system designed to help regional, state, and local agencies perform watershed- and water quality-based studies.
    How it works:
    A geographic information system (GIS) provides the integrating framework for BASINS. GIS organizes spatial information so it can be displayed as maps, tables, or graphics. GIS allows the user to analyze landscape information and display relationships among data.
    Application:
    BASINS is a useful tool for those interested in watershed management, development of total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), coastal zone management, nonpoint source programs, water quality modeling, and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NDPES) permitting.
    Preview:

  • Geo Data Portal: The Geo Data Portal helps scientists and decisionmakers construct ensembles and compare climate hind casts and future projections for particular spatial areas. It helps with data management for modeling and assessing the impacts of future climate conditions.
  • Sponsor:
    EPA
    Name:
    Geo Data Portal
    URL:
    http://cida.usgs.gov/gdp/
    Summary:
    The Geo Data Portal helps scientists and decisionmakers construct ensembles and compare climate hind casts and future projections for particular spatial areas. It helps with data management for modeling and assessing the impacts of future climate conditions.
    How it works:
    “The portal allows a user to process data by:
    1. selecting areas of interest by uploading a polygon
    shapefile or drawing on a map,
    2. choosing from a searchable list of historical and
    future climate datasets,
    3. selecting the variables and time period of interest
    from the dataset, and
    4. configuring processing to return raw data or spatially
    averaged summaries.”
    Application:
    Interest in the impacts of future climate conditions on water resources is growing. Spatially continuous representations of historical climate time-series datasets are required for calibrating hydrologic models. After calibration, climate projec tions can be applied to the model, and model outputs like soil moisture and streamflow can be produced for projected future conditions. The portal can be used to assist in generating time series of climate data, past and future, attributed to watershed polygons or other hydrologic modeling units.
    Preview:

  • Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU): EPA’s Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative assists the water sector, which includes drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities, in addressing climate change impacts.
  • Sponsor:
    EPA
    Name:
    Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU)
    URL:
    http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/watersecurity/climate/index.cfm
    Summary:
    EPA’s Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative assists the water sector, which includes drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities, in addressing climate change impacts.
    How it works:
    Through the development of practical and easy-to-use tools, EPA promotes a clear understanding of climate science and adaptation options by translating complex climate projections into accessible formats. This information helps utility owners and operators better prepare their systems for the impacts of climate change.
    Application:
    The impacts of events such as Hurricane Sandy pose challenges to water sector utilities. Extreme weather events, sea level rise, shifting precipitation patterns and temperature variability, all intensified by climate change, have significant implications for the sustainability of the water sector. By planning for, assessing and adapting to these challenges, the water sector can fulfill their public health and environmental missions and begin the process of becoming climate ready.
    Preview:

  • National Water Census Data Portal: The National Water Census Data Platform, enables integration and delivery of water budget information alongside other data of interest to managers, such as water use data or ecological assessment criteria.
  • Sponsor:
    USGS
    Name:
    National Water Census Data Portal
    URL:
    http://cida.usgs.gov/nwc/
    Summary:
    The National Water Census Data Platform, enables integration and delivery of water budget information alongside other data of interest to managers, such as water use data or ecological assessment criteria.
    How it works:
    End users of water budget data (i.e. management agencies and decision-makers) are be able to access an integrated online database in a form that enables them to construct local and regional water budgets.
    Application:
    Using the National Water Census Portal, a user can select their local watershed or stream gage and access water budget information in web visualizations or tabular data downloads. Streamflow statistics of observed and modeled daily streamflow can also be accessed.
    Preview:

  • National Integrated Drought Information System Tools: National Integrated Drought Information System provides access to US drought data, forecasts, and information from across federal and state agencies, tribes, universities, and other partners.
  • Sponsor:
    USDA
    Name:
    National Integrated Drought Information System Tools
    URL:
    http://drought.gov/drought/content/tools
    Summary:
    National Integrated Drought Information System provides access to US drought data, forecasts, and information from across federal and state agencies, tribes, universities, and other partners.
    How it works:
    Data is provided using visualization tools within the Portal or as links directly to an appropriate website from the data’s host institution.
    Application:
    NIDIS provides an accessible and usable drought information system that can facilitate informed decision-making by resource managers and others.
    Preview:

  • Exploration and Graphics for RivEr Trends (EGRET): Exploration and Graphics for RivEr Trends (EGRET): An R-package for the analysis of long-term changes in water quality and streamflow, including the water-quality method Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS)
  • Sponsor:
    USGS
    Name:
    Exploration and Graphics for RivEr Trends (EGRET)
    URL:
    https://github.com/USGS-R/EGRET
    Summary:
    Exploration and Graphics for RivEr Trends (EGRET): An R-package for the analysis of long-term changes in water quality and streamflow, including the water-quality method Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS)
    How it works:
    EGRET can obtain data from enterprise data systems or user-siupplied files. It has all of the existing WRTDS functionality – computing concentrations, fluxes, flow normalized versions of those, trends in those and graphics to show results and to explore the behavior of the data (by season, by flow class…). It has additional statistics and graphics to help evaluate the possibility that flux estimates may be biased and to evaluate historical streamflow characteristics.
    Application:
    WRTDS is a method of analysis for long-term surface water quality data. It is intended for use with data sets of more than about 200 observations of water quality over a time span of about 20 years or more.
    Preview:

  • NOAA Weather and Climate Toolkit: NOAA’s Weather and Climate Toolkit (WCT) is free, platform independent software distributed from NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). The WCT allows the visualization and data export of weather and climate data, including Radar, Satellite and Model data.
  • Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    NOAA Weather and Climate Toolkit
    URL:
    http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/wct/
    Summary:
    NOAA’s Weather and Climate Toolkit (WCT) is free, platform independent software distributed from NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). The WCT allows the visualization and data export of weather and climate data, including Radar, Satellite and Model data.
    How it works:
    The WCT provides tools for background maps, animations and basic filtering. The export of images and movies is provided in multiple formats. The data export feature supports conversion of data to a variety of common formats including KMZ, Shapefile, Well-Known Text, GeoTIFF, ESRI Grid and Gridded NetCDF.
    Application:
    The Weather and Climate Toolkit offers access to traditionally hard-to-use weather data in an accessible, visual format. If you’re someone with NOAA data but don’t know how to process it into something usable, the Weather and Climate Toolkit is a great first step to getting that data into a workable format. Likewise, if you have NOAA data and want to get it into a format you’re already familiar with, the toolkit quickly allows you to do that.
    Preview:

  • Global Precipitation Measurement Education Tools: This website, presented by NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, provides students and educators with resources to learn about Earth’s water cycle, weather and climate, and the technology and societal applications of studying them.
  • Sponsor:
    NASA
    Name:
    Global Precipitation Measurement Education Tools
    URL:
    http://pmm.nasa.gov/education/
    Summary:
    This website, presented by NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, provides students and educators with resources to learn about Earth’s water cycle, weather and climate, and the technology and societal applications of studying them.
    How it works:
    Education tools include videos, websites, interactive applications, and lesson plans for a K-12 audience. Topics covered include the water cycle, climate and weather, global water cycle observing technology, and societal applications for these data.
    Application:
    Users of the GPM education resources will find materials targeted for specific age ranges, interests, and learning modalities.
    Preview:

  • Geospatial Data Abstraction Library: The Geospatial Data Abstraction Library is a translator library for raster and vector geospatial data formats.
  • Sponsor:
    NASA
    Name:
    Geospatial Data Abstraction Library
    URL:
    http://www.gdal.org/
    Summary:
    The Geospatial Data Abstraction Library is a translator library for raster and vector geospatial data formats.
    How it works:
    As a library, it presents a single raster abstract data model and vector abstract data model to the calling application for all supported formats.
    Application:
    GDAL can be used by software developers and sciencetists as a library in an existing software project. It also comes with a variety of useful commandline utilities for data translation and processing.
    Preview:

  • Giovanni – Interactive Visualization and Analysis: Giovanni is a Web application to provide a simple, intuitive way to visualize, analyze, and access vast amounts of Earth science remote sensing data, particularly from satellites, without having to download the data.
  • Sponsor:
    NASA
    Name:
    Giovanni – Interactive Visualization and Analysis
    URL:
    http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/giovanni/overview/index.html
    Summary:
    Giovanni is a Web application to provide a simple, intuitive way to visualize, analyze, and access vast amounts of Earth science remote sensing data, particularly from satellites, without having to download the data.
    How it works:
    Giovanni consists of several portals tailored to meet the needs of different Earth science research communities. A user selects from a list of datasets then selects spatial and temporal subsets and a visual summary type. Giovanni then automatically and repeatably creates the visualization.
    Application:
    Giovanni includes data for aerosols, atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric temperature and moisture, and rainfall. Giovanni also includes output from assimilation models covering a wealth of atmospheric, land surface and oceanographic parameters.
    Preview:

  • Federal Support ToolboxThe Federal Support Toolbox for integrated Water Resources is a USACE initiative that started in 2005 prior to Building Strong Collaborative Relationships for a Sustainable Water Future project. It is supported by multiple stakeholders participating in the project who are interested in its capability to deepen knowledge and understanding, build capabilities and foster collaboration opportunities – especially integrated water resources management.
  • Sponsor:
    USACE
    Name:
    Federal Support Toolbox
    URL:
    http://www.watertoolbox.us/intro/f?p=689:10:0::NO
    Summary:
    The water challenges facing the nation are compelling and the needs are great and managing water resources as a collaborative endeavor is crucial to effectively address these challenges and water needs.
    How it works:
    Resources information applicable to integrated water resources management was collected by the USACE Team and provided by federal agencies, states, interstate entities, Tribal Governments, non-governmental organizations, and other water agencies across the United States.
    Application:
    This website serves as a leading-edge resource for information sharing, best management practices, collaboration and more for the water resources community. Your participation is welcome and encouraged. Learn more about what the federal support toolbox website offers, below.
    Preview:

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Tools http://www.data.gov/climate/coastalflooding/coastalflooding-tools Wed, 26 Feb 2014 03:36:03 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=139701 Here are a few government and non-government software tools to help coastal communities and others analyze and assess vulnerabilities of sea level rise, storm surges, and sinking lands. Please let us know if there are other tools we should list … Continued

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Here are a few government and non-government software tools to help coastal communities and others analyze and assess vulnerabilities of sea level rise, storm surges, and sinking lands. Please let us know if there are other tools we should list here.

  • Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) Land Cover Atlas: Provides access to regional land cover and land cover change information.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    C-CAP Land Cover Atlas
    URL:
    https://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/lca
    Summary:
    This online data viewer provides user-friendly access to regional land cover and land cover change information developed through NOAA’s Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP).
    How it works:
    The Land Cover Atlas eliminates the need for desktop geographic information system software, or advanced technical expertise, by processing C-CAP data for the user and providing easy access to that distilled information.
    Application:
    The tool summarizes general change trends (such as forest losses or new development) and can highlight specific changes of interest (salt marsh losses to open water, or evergreen forest losses to development, for instance).
  • CanVis: A visualization program used to “see” potential impacts from coastal development or sea level rise.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    CanVis
    URL:
    http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/canvis/
    Summary:
    CanVis is a visualization program used to “see” potential impacts from coastal development or sea level rise. Users can download background pictures and insert the objects (hotel, house, marina, or other objects) of their choosing. The software is used by municipalities to brainstorm new ideas and policies, undertake project planning, and make presentations.
    How it works:
    Incorporates docks, buildings, rising waters, and other objects into user photographs to see potential scenarios. Allows users to quickly brainstorm “what if” scenarios with this easy-to-use tool. Requires minimal computer knowledge and is easy to use.
    Application:
    Used to visualize landscape changes, build out scenarios, and water level increases and decreases.
  • Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT): Provides information on climate impacts to assist water utilities to assess future risks and vulnerabilities.
    Sponsor:
    EPA
    Name:
    Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT)
    URL:
    http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/watersecurity/climate/creat.cfm
    Summary:
    CREAT assists drinking water and wastewater utility owners and operators in understanding potential climate change threats and in assessing the related risks at their individual utilities. CREAT provides users with access to the most recent national assessment of climate change impacts for use in considering how these changes will impact utility operations and missions.
    How it works:
    CREAT provides three climate scenarios that provide localized projections on temperature, annual precipitation, intense precipitation events, and sea level rise. Using either this data, or by inputing other climate projections, users identify threats to assets over different time periods. Users then weigh risks, costs, and other metrics when comparing adaptation options and packages.
    Application:
    Water utilities can plan and prepare for climate change impacts that threaten assets and operations.
  • Coastal Change Hazards Portal: The U.S. Geological Survey is uncovering the science behind coastal change hazards and providing data, tools, and scientific knowledge to help coastal planners as they work to reduce risk along our coastlines.
    Sponsor:
    USGS
    Name:
    Coastal Change Hazards Portal
    URL:
    http://marine.usgs.gov/coastalchangehazardsportal/
    Summary:
    Welcome to the U.S. Geological Survey Coastal Change Hazards beta site.Coastal change can dramatically alter ecosystems, cause damage to billions of dollars’ worth of coastal development, and even threaten human life. Through projects like the National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards and regional studies of near shore processes, the U.S. Geological Survey conducts research on coastal change hazards and provides data, tools, and scientific knowledge to help coastal planners as they work to reduce risk along our coastlines.

    If you see changes needed or have ideas for improving use of this USGS data, please email cch_help@usgs.gov.

    How it works:
    This beta portal allows users to search for and view USGS coastal change hazards products that provide assessments of storm, coastal erosion, and sea level rise vulnerability.
    Application:
    Use map viewer to explore extreme storms, shoreline change, and sea level rise data.
  • Coastal County Snapshots: Turns complex data into easy-to-understand stories, complete with charts and graphs.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Coastal County Snapshots
    URL:
    http://csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/flood-exposure
    Summary:
    The purpose of this mapping application is to provide a preliminary look at exposure to common types of coastal flooding. The viewer is a screening-level tool that uses nationally consistent data sets and analyses.
    How it works:
    Within the Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper, selected data layers associated any of the four different sections available: Flood Hazards, Societal Exposure, Infrastructure Exposure and Ecosystem Exposure. Overlay those maps to assess the community exposure to different flood hazards, and print them or shared them as PDF files.
    Application:
    The tool provides a preliminary assessment of a community’s vulnerability to flood related hazards. Users can pick and choose the best maps to get the flood exposure conversation started in your community.
  • Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper: Provides access to different Flood Exposure Maps showing flood hazards and different aspects of community exposure.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper
    URL:
    http://csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/flood-exposure
    Summary:
    The purpose of this mapping application is to provide a preliminary look at exposure to common types of coastal flooding. The viewer is a screening-level tool that uses nationally consistent data sets and analyses.
    How it works:
    Within the Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper, selected data layers associated any of the four different sections available: Flood Hazards, Societal Exposure, Infrastructure Exposure and Ecosystem Exposure. Overlay those maps to assess the community exposure to different flood hazards, and print them or shared them as PDF files.
    Application:
    The tool provides a preliminary assessment of a community’s vulnerability to flood related hazards. Users can pick and choose the best maps to get the flood exposure conversation started in your community.
  • Coastal Resilience: Delivers geospatial information on coastal ecosystems, socioeconomics, community vulnerability, and coastal hazards (including sea level rise and storm surge) via an internet mapping application that is a data viewer, data discovery tool, and a future scenario mapper.
    Sponsor:
    The Nature Conservancy
    Name:
    Coastal Resilience
    URL:
    http://www.coastalresilience.org
    Summary:
    Adaptation to coastal hazards has traditionally been undertaken using shoreline hardening and engineered defenses. Alternative approaches to building infrastructure, such as ecosystem-based adaptation, are necessary as part of an overall strategy for creating resilient human communities in the face of climate change. Coastal Resilience was developed to help practitioners and stakeholders understand how they can make informed decisions about marine and coastal conservation, land protection, and coastal development, and implement ecosystem-based adaptation strategies. Coastal Resilience helps users visualize future conditions so they can design, build, and discuss alternative future scenarios that address sea level rise, storm surge, social and ecological vulnerability, and conservation priorities.
    How it works:
    The Coastal Resilience project delivers geospatial information on coastal ecosystems, socioeconomics, community vulnerability, and coastal hazards (including sea level rise and storm surge) via an internet mapping application that is a data viewer, data discovery tool, and a future scenario mapper. Coastal Resilience also includes a summary tool for calculating economic and ecological loss in specific geographies within the study area given different future scenarios. Coastal Resilience provides decision support to local decision-makers who are conducting their own comprehensive or post-storm redevelopment plans, and serves as an educational tool to inform stakeholders on the risks of sea level rise and storm surge.
    Application:
    Coastal Resilience has been used for data exploration with the New York State Emergency Management Office, and local towns and villages on Long Island and the Connecticut shores interested in including this information as part of their comprehensive plans.
  • Digital Coast: Provides relevant data and tools necessary to assess coastal management issues such as coastal inundation, offshore renewable energy planning, coastal wetlands conservation, and sea level rise adaptation.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Digital Coast
    URL:
    http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/
    Summary:
    The Digital Coast is used to address timely coastal issues, including land use, coastal conservation, hazards, marine spatial planning, and climate change. One of the goals behind the creation of the Digital Coast was to unify groups that might not otherwise work together. This partnership network is building not only a website, but also a strong collaboration of coastal professionals intent on addressing coastal resource management needs. Website content is provided by numerous organizations, but all must meet the site’s quality and applicability standards.
    How it works:
    The strength of the Digital Coast lies in its focus on the broad coastal resource management community. The Digital Coast Partnership is continuously working to grow the Digital Coast by defining, prioritizing, and obtaining relevant website content.
    Application:
    The Digital Coast provides relevant data and tools necessary to assess coastal management issues, such as coastal inundation, offshore renewable energy planning, coastal wetlands conservation, and sea level rise adaptation.
  • Ecosystem-Based Management Tools Network Database: Search or browse to find tools for coastal and marine management and conservation projects, case studies of projects that have used tools, potential collaborators, and other resources.
    Sponsor:
    PlaceMatters
    Name:
    Ecosystem-Based Management Tools Network Database
    URL:
    http://www.ebmtoolsdatabase.org/
    Summary:
    Human activities on land and in the ocean are changing coastal and marine ecosystems and threatening their ability to provide important benefits to society, such as healthy and abundant seafood, clean beaches, and protection from storms and flooding. Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) is an innovative management approach to address these challenges. It considers the whole ecosystem, including humans and the environment, rather than managing one issue or resource in isolation. The EBM Tools Network is an alliance of EBM tool users, providers, and researchers to promote the use and development of tools for EBM in coastal and marine environments and the terrestrial environments that affect them. The EBM Tools Database provides the most comprehensive source of information about tools and other resources for EBM.
    How it works:
    Users can search or browse the database to find tools for their coastal and marine management and conservation projects, case studies of projects that have used tools, potential collaborators, and other resources. They can also contribute information about their own tools, projects, and expertise. Use is completely free.
    Application:
    EBM tools are software or other highly documented methods that can help implement EBM by providing models of ecosystems or key ecosystem processes; generating scenarios illustrating the consequences of different management decisions on natural resources and the economy; and facilitating stakeholder involvement in planning processes.
  • Extreme Water Levels: Provides annual and monthly exceedance probability levels for select Center for Operational and Oceanographic Products and Services water level stations with at least 30 years of data.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Extreme Water Levels
    URL:
    http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/est/
    Summary:
    Extremely high or low water levels at coastal locations are an important public concern and a factor in coastal hazard assessment, navigational safety, and ecosystem management. .
    How it works:
    When used in conjunction with real time station data, exceedance probability levels can be used to evaluate current conditions and determine whether a rare event is occurring.
    Application:
    This information may also be instrumental in planning for the possibility of dangerously high or low water events at a local level. Because these levels are station specific, their use for evaluating surrounding areas may be limited.
  • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) GeoPlatform: Providing geospatial data and analytics in support of emergency management.
    Sponsor:
    FEMA
    Name:
    FEMA Geoplatform
    URL:
    http://fema.maps.arcgis.com/home
    Summary:
    Provides links to geospatial data and analytics in support of winter storms, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, biohazards, man made hazards and earthquakes.
    How it works:
    This is FEMA’s instance on the National Geoplatform. Users can choose the hazard and get connected to a host of maps and data from FEMA.
    Application:
    Provides access to FEMA geospatial data for specific hazards. Links to web mapping services provided by FEMA that can be used in other mapping applications.
  • FEMA Region II Coastal Analysis and Mapping: View FEMA Flood Hazard Data for New Jersey and New York.
    Sponsor:
    FEMA
    Name:
    FEMA Region II Coastal Analysis and Mapping
    URL:
    http://www.region2coastal.com/bestdata
    Summary:
    View available FEMA flood hazard data for your location. Learn why FEMA flood hazard data is important to you. Explore ways you can take action now.
    How it works:
    Provides explanation of the various flood risk products FEMA developed in the wake of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey and New York. Provides links to best available flood risk information.
    Application:
    Property owners can understand where flood risk exists and decide whether to build to higher standards based on what has been learned from Hurricane Sandy.
  • Hawaii Tsunami Hazard Information Service: Online access to Hawaii tsunami evacuation zone maps, as well as information about potential risks, how to prepare, and what to do in the event of a tsunami.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Hawaii Tsunami Hazard Information Service
    URL:
    http://www.csc.noaa.gov/psc/riskmgmt/tsunami.html
    Summary:
    The Tsunami Hazard Information Service provides residents and visitors of the State of Hawai`i easy, online access to the State’s tsunami evacuation zone maps as well as information about potential risks, how to prepare, and what to do in the event of a tsunami.
    How it works:
    Search by address or Island area to find out if you are in tsunami evacation zone.
    Application:
    Used by emergency managers and the public to locate areas that have risk of being inundated by a tsunami.
  • Hurricane SANDY Response Imagery: This rapid response imagery product was generated for use by emergency managers for visual analysis of damage in the Sandy impact area.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Hurricane SANDY Response Imagery
    URL:
    http://ngs.woc.noaa.gov/storms/sandy/
    Summary:
    This imagery was acquired by the NOAA Remote Sensing Division to support NOAA national security and emergency response requirements. It is not intended for mapping, charting or navigation. In addition, it will be used for ongoing research efforts for testing and developing standards for airborne digital imagery.
    How it works:
    This viewer provides visual access to a large catalog of aerial imagery collected by NOAA National Geodetic Survey immediately after Hurricane Sandy. Users can choose imagery from different dates and pan and zoom to see areas that were impacted by the storm.
    Application:
    This imagery is used to determine areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy. The imagery is also used to do before and after comparisons to determine areas to concentrate response, recovery operations.
  • Inundation Analysis Tool: Helps in determining the frequency (or occurrence of high waters for different elevations above a specified threshold) and duration (or the amount of time that the specified location is inundated by water) of observed high waters (tides).
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Inundation Analysis Tool
    URL:
    http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/inundation/
    Summary:
    Coastal storms and other meteorological phenomenon can have a significant impact on how high water levels rise and how often. The inundation analysis program is extremely beneficial in determining the frequency (or the occurrence of high waters for different elevations above a specified threshold) and duration (or the amount of time that the specified location is inundated by water) of observed high waters (tides).
    How it works:
    The data output of this tool provides summary statistics, which includes the number of occurrences of inundation above the threshold (events) and length of duration of inundation of each events above the threshold elevation for a specified time period. In addition to summary statistics, graphical outputs are provided using three plots.
    Application:
    Statistical output from these analyses can be useful in planning marsh restoration activities. Additionally, the analyses have broader applications for the coastal engineering and mapping community, such as, ecosystem management and regional climate change. Since these statistical outputs are station specific, use for evaluating surrounding areas may be limited.
  • MarineCadastre.gov: Provides spatial context needed to address issues such as alternative energy and other types of marine planning efforts.
    Sponsors:
    Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and NOAA
    Name:
    MarineCadastre.gov
    URL:
    http://www.www.marinecadastre.gov/
    Summary:
    MarineCadastre.gov provides many of the data and analysis tools needed for ocean energy and marine planning in one location. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) developed the MarineCadastre.gov initiative to meet the requirements of the United States Energy Policy Act of 2005 and partnered with other organizations to bring together the most useful and relevant resources.
    How it works:
    MarineCadastre.gov contains authoritative and regularly updated data, including offshore boundary, infrastructure, human use, energy potential, biological, and other data of interest. The data registry provides quick access to data, and the map viewers enable users to visualize data and areas of potential conflict, particularly for renewable energy development. MarineCadastre.gov is strategically aligned with the White House Digital Government Strategy, as well as a major contributor to the ocean community on Data.gov, Digital Coast, and the National GeoPlatform.
    Application:
    The combination of marine cadastral and regionally specific data provides users with the spatial context needed to address issues such as alternative energy and other types of marine planning efforts.
  • National Stormwater Calculator (SWC): Estimates the annual amount of rainwater and frequency of runoff from a specific site anywhere in the United States (including Puerto Rico).
    Sponsor:
    EPA
    Name:
    National Stormwater Calculator (SWC)
    URL:
    http://epa.gov/nrmrl/wswrd/wq/models/swc/
    Summary:
    SWC is a desktop application that estimates the annual amount of rainwater and frequency of runoff from a specific site anywhere in the United States (including Puerto Rico). Estimates are based on local soil conditions, land cover, and historic rainfall records. A recent update allows users to consider how runoff may vary based on historical weather and potential future climate..
    How it works:
    The Calculator accesses several national databases that provide soil, topography, rainfall, and evaporation information for the chosen site. The user supplies information about the site’s land cover and selects the types of low impact development (LID) controls they would like to use.
    Application:
    It is designed to be used by anyone interested in reducing runoff from a property, including site developers, landscape architects, urban planners, and homeowners.
  • Planning for Changing Sea Levels: Helps the public understand, in a general way, some potential future vulnerabilities to changing sea levels, waves, tides, and surges in the New York and New Jersey areas.
    Sponsor:
    USACE
    Name:
    Planning for Changing Sea Levels
    URL:
    http://www.corpsclimate.us/Sandy/
    Summary:
    More than 8 million people live in areas at risk of coastal flooding. Along the U.S. Atlantic Coast alone, almost 60 percent of the land that is within a meter of sea level is planned for further development, with inadequate information on the potential rates and amount of sea level rise.
    How it works:
    User identifies what their base flood elevation (BFE) is and enters that into the tool. The tool calculates how much SLR will be added on top of the BFE for different sea level rise scenarios.
    Application:
    There is a simple tool to help understand the effects of changing sea levels over time, and a more detailed tool to help understand the effects of changing sea levels over time
  • Sea Level Rise Tool For Sandy Recovery: Addresses flood risk based on current conditions and has immediate, short-term benefits to communities, but does not adequately account for increasing flood risk resulting from sea level rise.
    Sponsors:
    NOAA, FEMA, USACE, USGCRP
    Name:
    Sea Level Rise Tool For Sandy Recovery
    URL:
    http://www.globalchange.gov/what-we-do/assessment/coastal-resilience-resources
    Summary:
    NOAA, in partnership with FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has created a set of map services to help communities, residents, and other stakeholders consider risks from future sea level rise in planning for reconstruction following Hurricane Sandy.
    How it works:
    Uses the best available science and data, federal agencies jointly developed a tool to help state and local officials, understand possible future flood risks from sea level rise.
    Application:
    Provides guidance for post-Sandy rebuilding. Supported scenario planning to help planners adapt to uncertainties. Showed risk associated with projected scenarios of sea level rise.
  • Sea Level Rise Viewer: A slider bar shows how various levels of sea level rise will impact coastal communities.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Sea Level Rise Viewer
    URL:
    http://www.csc.noaa.gov/slr
    Summary:
    Being able to visualize potential impacts from sea level rise is a powerful teaching and planning tool, and the Sea Level Rise Viewer brings this capability to coastal communities. A slider bar is used to show how various levels of sea level rise will impact coastal communities. Additional coastal counties will be added in the near future. Maps are not available for Alaska due to elevation data accuracy and vertical datum transformation gaps.
    How it works:
    Displays potential future sea levels. Provides simulations of sea level rise at local landmarks. Communicates the spatial uncertainty of mapped sea levels. Models potential marsh migration due to sea level rise. Overlays social and economic data onto potential sea level rise. Examines how tidal flooding will become more frequent with sea level rise
    Application:
    Many agencies, states, communties using for education and ourtreach. Inundation layers are being used for adaptation planning and vulnerability assessments of potential SLR impacts.
  • Sea Level Trends: Illustrates regional trends in sea level, with arrows representing the direction and magnitude of change. Click on an arrow to access additional information about that station.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Sea Level Trends
    URL:
    http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/sltrends.html
    Summary:
    The Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services has been measuring sea level for over 150 years, with tide stations of the National Water Level Observation Network operating on all U.S. coasts. Changes in Mean Sea Level (MSL), either a sea level rise or sea level fall, have been computed at 128 long-term water level stations using a minimum span of 30 years of observations at each location. These measurements have been averaged by month to remove the effect of higher frequency phenomena (e.g. storm surge) in order to compute an accurate linear sea level trend. The trend analysis has also been extended to 240 global tide stations using data from thePermanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL).
    How it works:
    Use map viewer to explore individual tide gages. Arrows represent the direction and magitude of sea level change.
    Application:
    The mean sea level (MSL) trends measured by tide gauges that are presented on this web site are local relative MSL trends as opposed to the global sea level trend. Tide gauge measurements are made with restpect to a local fixed reference level on land; therefore, if there is some long-term vertical land motion occurring at that location, the relative MSL trend measured there is a combination of the global sea level rate and the local vertical land motion.
  • State of the Coast: Offers quick facts and more detailed statistics through interactive indicator visualizations that provide highlights of what we know about coastal communities, coastal ecosystems, and the coastal economy, and about how climate change might impact the coast.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    State of the Coast
    URL:
    http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/
    Summary:
    Our well-being as a nation depends on a suite of benefits that flow from healthy coasts: food, clean water, jobs, recreation, and protection from hurricanes. NOAA’s State of the Coast is a simple and engaging website that fosters increased awareness of the crucial importance of healthy coastal ecosystems to a robust U.S. economy, a safe population, and a sustainable quality of life for coastal residents.
    How it works:
    State of the Coast offers quick facts and more detailed statistics through interactive indicator visualizations that provide highlights of what we know about coastal communities, coastal ecosystems, and the coastal economy, and about how climate change might impact the coast. The site also offers case studies and management success stories that highlight often complex connections across four themes: coastal communities, coastal ecosystems, coastal economies, and climate.
    Application:
    Explore NOAA’s State of the Coast site to gain a deeper appreciation of the connections among healthy coastal ecosystems, a robust U.S. economy, a safe population, and a sustainable quality of life for coastal residents… and the consequent need to better understand, manage, and protect our nation’s coastal resources.
  • Surging Seas: Provides local regions and policy makers with the tailored local information they need to understand and respond to the risks of sea level rise and coastal flooding.
    Sponsors:
    Climate Central
    Name:
    Surging Seas
    URL:
    http://sealevel.climatecentral.org/
    Summary:
    In March 2012, Climate Central released Surging Seas, its first analysis of sea level rise and coastal flood threats in the United States. In October of 2013, Climate Central released Surging Seas Risk Finder, its second generation web tools and analysis for the states of New Jersey and New York. Climate Central released the web tool and analysis on November 7, 2013 for the state of Florida, and throughout 2014 will roll out the tools on a state-by-state basis for all U.S. coastal states including Hawaii and Alaska.
    How it works:
    The Surging Seas Risk Finder presents searchable complete results in detail, divided into four areas:
    When: Projections of sea level rise and flood risk
    Where: Interactive zooming map of sea level and flood risk zones
    What: Detailed analysis of exposed population, assets and infrastructure by individual location, from zip to state level
    Compare: Comparisons of exposure across the whole state or selected county
    Application:
    The Risk Finder is designed to provide local regions and policy makers with the tailored local information they need to understand and respond to the risks of sea level rise and coastal flooding.
  • United States Interagency Elevation Inventory: Displays availability of high-accuracy topographic and bathymetric data for the United States and its territories.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    United States Ingteragency Elevation Inventory
    URL:
    http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/inventory
    Summary:
    The project is a collaborative effort of NOAA and the U.S. Geological Survey, with contributions from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This resource is a comprehensive, nationwide listing of known high-accuracy topographic data, including lidar and IfSAR, and bathymetric data, including NOAA hydrographic surveys, multibeam data, and bathymetric lidar. This inventory was completed August 2013 and will be updated annually.
    How it works:
    Provides and index of elevation data. Includes both topographic and bathymetric data and covers the entire nation. Allows users to query by county or zoom to an area of interest and print a report
    Application:
    Used to locate high-accuracy elevation and topographic data resources.

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Honoring African American History by Increasing Access to Information Protecting and Promoting Your Health http://www.data.gov/health/honoring-african-american-history-by-increasing-access-to-information-protecting-and-promoting-your-health/ Fri, 21 Feb 2014 22:35:00 +0000 https://www.data.gov/health/honoring-african-american-history-by-increasing-access-to-information-protecting-and-promoting-your-health/ African-American History Month offers the opportunity to reflect on the contributions of African Americans in various ways, both in our local communities and on a national scale. We should also use this month of observance to note the public health … Continued

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African-American History Month offers the opportunity to reflect on the contributions of African Americans in various ways, both in our local communities and on a national scale.

We should also use this month of observance to note the public health disparities that continue in underrepresented and underserved communities. Current CDC health statistics highlight poorer health outcomes for the African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian American, Hispanic American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.

FDA’s Office of Minority Health (OMH), established in 2010 as a mandate of the Affordable Care Act, works to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities and to support achieving the highest standard of health for all. A key effort to advance this mission is to promote effective communication and the dissemination of information to the public, particularly underserved, vulnerable populations.

FDA’s website has a wealth of resources to help minority communities use safe medicines, foods, and other products the Agency regulates. Whether you are a patient, student, health professional or caregiver, reading in English or Spanish, our website has resources to help you stay informed and stay healthy.

We are continually working to improve user experience on FDA.gov. We recently launched the mobile version, as our increasingly mobile stakeholders and workforce require creative approaches to keep our data and systems accessible on mobile platforms. We are also working to significantly improve the search capabilities on the website, as well as ensuring that www.FDA.gov content is accessible to people with disabilities. OMH also works to improve and strengthen the research and evaluation of subgroup demographic data associations with race and ethnicity in clinical trial participation, safety and effectiveness evaluations. As a participant in FDA’s Data Standards Council, OMH helps to coordinate the evaluation, development, maintenance, and adoption of health and regulatory data standards for race and ethnicity to ensure that common data standards are used throughout the agency.

FDA’s Office of Information Management and Technology is engaged in various ways to improve the availability of data for consumers, researchers, developers, and industry. More than 80 resources are currently indexed publicly, many updated daily, including adverse drug events, reports involving medical devices, searchable listings of over-the-counter tests cleared or approved by the FDA, and a database of accredited mammography facilities.

Our goal is to increase the transparency of FDA data to the public through the openFDA initiative, which is being run by the newly-established Office of Informatics and Technology Innovation. We plan to provide access to multiple high-value structured data sets to consumers, including the mobile app and software developer community, starting in Summer 2014.

FDA believes that access to this data will further the Agency’s regulatory mission and, most importantly, will help inform minority and underserved populations—as well as the general population—on ways to improve their health. In support of this goal, we must break many of the traditional technology infrastructure barriers by implementing cloud technologies to better support the exponential growth of data we are managing. We are also leveraging this ingenuity to address, for example, analyzing and sharing large amounts of information such as applying Next Generation Sequencing for generating, analyzing, reviewing, and sharing genetic information.

I encourage all of us to commemorate this month by not only reflecting on the drive and inspirational spirit of past and present African Americans, but to also taking the time to think of how we can apply that same drive and spirit to our mission of protecting and promoting public health.

Walter Harris, Deputy Commissioner for Operations and Acting Chief Information Officer, Food and Drug Administration. This blog is cross-posted on the FDA Voice Blog.

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Coastal Flooding http://www.data.gov/climate/coastal-flooding Thu, 20 Feb 2014 15:16:33 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=139021 The post Coastal Flooding appeared first on Data.gov.

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Resources http://www.data.gov/climate/climate-resources Thu, 20 Feb 2014 14:44:40 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=138991 Coastal communities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the risk of damage from coastal inundation. In the northeast, Hurricane Sandy was a stark reminder of the potential damage a single storm can cause. These additional resources listed below will allow you … Continued

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Coastal communities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the risk of damage from coastal inundation. In the northeast, Hurricane Sandy was a stark reminder of the potential damage a single storm can cause. These additional resources listed below will allow you to create tools and provide information to help communities prepare for coastal inundation. Through the use of data, visualizations, and simulations, you can help people understand their exposure to coastal inundation hazards and their increased vulnerability due to population increase and sea level rise.

Current Flood Risk: The FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer

Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts

Future Flood Risk Information for New York and New Jersey (Post-Sandy)

ArcGIS Online Maps

Coastal Erosion and Vulnerability

Coastal Flood Frequency

This dataset depicts the extent of flood-prone coastal areas based on predicted water levels exceeding specific tidal heights as issued by local National Weather Service offices.

Socio-Economic Data

Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI) Census Block Groups (2000)University of South Carolina Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute

Index measuring the social vulnerability of Census block groups to environmental hazards

Economics: National Ocean Watch (ENOW)

Contributing Partners: Bureau of Economic Analysis, NOAA Coastal Services Center, Bureau of Labor Statistics

ENOW is time-series data on the Ocean and Great Lakes Economy, which includes six economic sectors that depend on the oceans and Great Lakes. ENOW is available for counties, states, and the nation in a wide variety of formats.

Historical Hurricane Tracks

Contributing Partners: NOAA Coastal Services Center

Enables viewers to find tropical cyclone data in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Basins

U.S. Geoplatform

Contributing Partners: U.S. Geological Survey

Geospatial resources are available from the geoplatform.

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Challenges http://www.data.gov/climate/climate-challenges Thu, 20 Feb 2014 14:43:43 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=138971 Data and innovation challenges issued by public, private, nonprofit, and other organizations can help catalyze new, data-driven solutions that help communities understand and build resilience to climate change. Is your organization hosting an innovation challenge for entrepreneurs and developers to … Continued

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Data and innovation challenges issued by public, private, nonprofit, and other organizations can help catalyze new, data-driven solutions that help communities understand and build resilience to climate change. Is your organization hosting an innovation challenge for entrepreneurs and developers to help increase awareness of and preparedness for climate change impacts? Let us know.

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Tools http://www.data.gov/climate/climate-tools Thu, 20 Feb 2014 14:40:14 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=138951 Here are a few government and non-government software tools to help coastal communities and others analyze and assess vulnerabilities of sea level rise, storm surges, and sinking lands. Please let us know if there are other tools we should list … Continued

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Here are a few government and non-government software tools to help coastal communities and others analyze and assess vulnerabilities of sea level rise, storm surges, and sinking lands. Please let us know if there are other tools we should list here.

  • Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) Land Cover Atlas: Provides access to regional land cover and land cover change information.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    C-CAP Land Cover Atlas
    URL:
    https://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/lca
    Summary:
    This online data viewer provides user-friendly access to regional land cover and land cover change information developed through NOAA’s Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP).
    How it works:
    The Land Cover Atlas eliminates the need for desktop geographic information system software, or advanced technical expertise, by processing C-CAP data for the user and providing easy access to that distilled information.
    Application:
    The tool summarizes general change trends (such as forest losses or new development) and can highlight specific changes of interest (salt marsh losses to open water, or evergreen forest losses to development, for instance).
  • CanVis: A visualization program used to “see” potential impacts from coastal development or sea level rise.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    CanVis
    URL:
    http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/canvis/
    Summary:
    CanVis is a visualization program used to “see” potential impacts from coastal development or sea level rise. Users can download background pictures and insert the objects (hotel, house, marina, or other objects) of their choosing. The software is used by municipalities to brainstorm new ideas and policies, undertake project planning, and make presentations.
    How it works:
    Incorporates docks, buildings, rising waters, and other objects into user photographs to see potential scenarios. Allows users to quickly brainstorm “what if” scenarios with this easy-to-use tool. Requires minimal computer knowledge and is easy to use.
    Application:
    Used to visualize landscape changes, build out scenarios, and water level increases and decreases.
  • Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT): Provides information on climate impacts to assist water utilities to assess future risks and vulnerabilities.
    Sponsor:
    EPA
    Name:
    Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT)
    URL:
    http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/watersecurity/climate/creat.cfm
    Summary:
    CREAT assists drinking water and wastewater utility owners and operators in understanding potential climate change threats and in assessing the related risks at their individual utilities. CREAT provides users with access to the most recent national assessment of climate change impacts for use in considering how these changes will impact utility operations and missions.
    How it works:
    CREAT provides three climate scenarios that provide localized projections on temperature, annual precipitation, intense precipitation events, and sea level rise. Using either this data, or by inputing other climate projections, users identify threats to assets over different time periods. Users then weigh risks, costs, and other metrics when comparing adaptation options and packages.
    Application:
    Water utilities can plan and prepare for climate change impacts that threaten assets and operations.
  • Coastal Change Hazards Portal: The U.S. Geological Survey is uncovering the science behind coastal change hazards and providing data, tools, and scientific knowledge to help coastal planners as they work to reduce risk along our coastlines.
    Sponsor:
    USGS
    Name:
    Coastal Change Hazards Portal
    URL:
    http://marine.usgs.gov/coastalchangehazardsportal/
    Summary:
    Welcome to the U.S. Geological Survey Coastal Change Hazards beta site.Coastal change can dramatically alter ecosystems, cause damage to billions of dollars’ worth of coastal development, and even threaten human life. Through projects like the National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards and regional studies of near shore processes, the U.S. Geological Survey conducts research on coastal change hazards and provides data, tools, and scientific knowledge to help coastal planners as they work to reduce risk along our coastlines.

    If you see changes needed or have ideas for improving use of this USGS data, please email cch_help@usgs.gov.

    How it works:
    This beta portal allows users to search for and view USGS coastal change hazards products that provide assessments of storm, coastal erosion, and sea level rise vulnerability.
    Application:
    Use map viewer to explore extreme storms, shoreline change, and sea level rise data.
  • Coastal County Snapshots: Turns complex data into easy-to-understand stories, complete with charts and graphs.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Coastal County Snapshots
    URL:
    http://www.csc.noaa.gov/snapshots/
    Summary:
    The flood snapshot provides local officials with a quick look at a county’s demographics, infrastructure, and environment within the flood zone.
    How it works:
    Choose flood exposure, ocean jobs, or wetland benefits snapshot and select coastal county to get an easy to read and print report.
    Application:
    This tool can be used to do a quick assessment of your counties exposure to flooding.
  • Coastal Resilience: Delivers geospatial information on coastal ecosystems, socioeconomics, community vulnerability, and coastal hazards (including sea level rise and storm surge) via an internet mapping application that is a data viewer, data discovery tool, and a future scenario mapper.
    Sponsor:
    The Nature Conservancy
    Name:
    Coastal Resilience
    URL:
    http://www.coastalresilience.org
    Summary:
    Adaptation to coastal hazards has traditionally been undertaken using shoreline hardening and engineered defenses. Alternative approaches to building infrastructure, such as ecosystem-based adaptation, are necessary as part of an overall strategy for creating resilient human communities in the face of climate change. Coastal Resilience was developed to help practitioners and stakeholders understand how they can make informed decisions about marine and coastal conservation, land protection, and coastal development, and implement ecosystem-based adaptation strategies. Coastal Resilience helps users visualize future conditions so they can design, build, and discuss alternative future scenarios that address sea level rise, storm surge, social and ecological vulnerability, and conservation priorities.
    How it works:
    The Coastal Resilience project delivers geospatial information on coastal ecosystems, socioeconomics, community vulnerability, and coastal hazards (including sea level rise and storm surge) via an internet mapping application that is a data viewer, data discovery tool, and a future scenario mapper. Coastal Resilience also includes a summary tool for calculating economic and ecological loss in specific geographies within the study area given different future scenarios. Coastal Resilience provides decision support to local decision-makers who are conducting their own comprehensive or post-storm redevelopment plans, and serves as an educational tool to inform stakeholders on the risks of sea level rise and storm surge.
    Application:
    Coastal Resilience has been used for data exploration with the New York State Emergency Management Office, and local towns and villages on Long Island and the Connecticut shores interested in including this information as part of their comprehensive plans.
  • Digital Coast: Provides relevant data and tools necessary to assess coastal management issues such as coastal inundation, offshore renewable energy planning, coastal wetlands conservation, and sea level rise adaptation.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Digital Coast
    URL:
    http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/
    Summary:
    The Digital Coast is used to address timely coastal issues, including land use, coastal conservation, hazards, marine spatial planning, and climate change. One of the goals behind the creation of the Digital Coast was to unify groups that might not otherwise work together. This partnership network is building not only a website, but also a strong collaboration of coastal professionals intent on addressing coastal resource management needs. Website content is provided by numerous organizations, but all must meet the site’s quality and applicability standards.
    How it works:
    The strength of the Digital Coast lies in its focus on the broad coastal resource management community. The Digital Coast Partnership is continuously working to grow the Digital Coast by defining, prioritizing, and obtaining relevant website content.
    Application:
    The Digital Coast provides relevant data and tools necessary to assess coastal management issues, such as coastal inundation, offshore renewable energy planning, coastal wetlands conservation, and sea level rise adaptation.
Sponsor:
PlaceMatters
Name:
Ecosystem-Based Management Tools Network Database
URL:
http://www.ebmtoolsdatabase.org/
Summary:
Human activities on land and in the ocean are changing coastal and marine ecosystems and threatening their ability to provide important benefits to society, such as healthy and abundant seafood, clean beaches, and protection from storms and flooding. Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) is an innovative management approach to address these challenges. It considers the whole ecosystem, including humans and the environment, rather than managing one issue or resource in isolation. The EBM Tools Network is an alliance of EBM tool users, providers, and researchers to promote the use and development of tools for EBM in coastal and marine environments and the terrestrial environments that affect them. The EBM Tools Database provides the most comprehensive source of information about tools and other resources for EBM.
How it works:
Users can search or browse the database to find tools for their coastal and marine management and conservation projects, case studies of projects that have used tools, potential collaborators, and other resources. They can also contribute information about their own tools, projects, and expertise. Use is completely free.
Application:
EBM tools are software or other highly documented methods that can help implement EBM by providing models of ecosystems or key ecosystem processes; generating scenarios illustrating the consequences of different management decisions on natural resources and the economy; and facilitating stakeholder involvement in planning processes.

 

  • Extreme Water Levels: Provides annual and monthly exceedance probability levels for select Center for Operational and Oceanographic Products and Services water level stations with at least 30 years of data.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Extreme Water Levels
    URL:
    http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/est/
    Summary:
    Extremely high or low water levels at coastal locations are an important public concern and a factor in coastal hazard assessment, navigational safety, and ecosystem management. .
    How it works:
    When used in conjunction with real time station data, exceedance probability levels can be used to evaluate current conditions and determine whether a rare event is occurring.
    Application:
    This information may also be instrumental in planning for the possibility of dangerously high or low water events at a local level. Because these levels are station specific, their use for evaluating surrounding areas may be limited.
  • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) GeoPlatform: Providing geospatial data and analytics in support of emergency management.
    Sponsor:
    FEMA
    Name:
    FEMA Geoplatform
    URL:
    http://fema.maps.arcgis.com/home
    Summary:
    Provides links to geospatial data and analytics in support of winter storms, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, biohazards, man made hazards and earthquakes.
    How it works:
    This is FEMA’s instance on the National Geoplatform. Users can choose the hazard and get connected to a host of maps and data from FEMA.
    Application:
    Provides access to FEMA geospatial data for specific hazards. Links to web mapping services provided by FEMA that can be used in other mapping applications.
  • FEMA Region II Coastal Analysis and Mapping: View FEMA Flood Hazard Data for New Jersey and New York.
    Sponsor:
    FEMA
    Name:
    FEMA Region II Coastal Analysis and Mapping
    URL:
    http://www.region2coastal.com/bestdata
    Summary:
    View available FEMA flood hazard data for your location. Learn why FEMA flood hazard data is important to you. Explore ways you can take action now.
    How it works:
    Provides explanation of the various flood risk products FEMA developed in the wake of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey and New York. Provides links to best available flood risk information.
    Application:
    Property owners can understand where flood risk exists and decide whether to build to higher standards based on what has been learned from Hurricane Sandy.
  • Hawaii Tsunami Hazard Information Service: Online access to Hawaii tsunami evacuation zone maps, as well as information about potential risks, how to prepare, and what to do in the event of a tsunami.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Hawaii Tsunami Hazard Information Service
    URL:
    http://www.csc.noaa.gov/psc/riskmgmt/tsunami.html
    Summary:
    The Tsunami Hazard Information Service provides residents and visitors of the State of Hawai`i easy, online access to the State’s tsunami evacuation zone maps as well as information about potential risks, how to prepare, and what to do in the event of a tsunami.
    How it works:
    Search by address or Island area to find out if you are in tsunami evacation zone.
    Application:
    Used by emergency managers and the public to locate areas that have risk of being inundated by a tsunami.
  • Hurricane SANDY Response Imagery: This rapid response imagery product was generated for use by emergency managers for visual analysis of damage in the Sandy impact area.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Hurricane SANDY Response Imagery
    URL:
    http://ngs.woc.noaa.gov/storms/sandy/
    Summary:
    This imagery was acquired by the NOAA Remote Sensing Division to support NOAA national security and emergency response requirements. It is not intended for mapping, charting or navigation. In addition, it will be used for ongoing research efforts for testing and developing standards for airborne digital imagery.
    How it works:
    This viewer provides visual access to a large catalog of aerial imagery collected by NOAA National Geodetic Survey immediately after Hurricane Sandy. Users can choose imagery from different dates and pan and zoom to see areas that were impacted by the storm.
    Application:
    This imagery is used to determine areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy. The imagery is also used to do before and after comparisons to determine areas to concentrate response, recovery operations.
  • Inundation Analysis Tool: Helps in determining the frequency (or occurrence of high waters for different elevations above a specified threshold) and duration (or the amount of time that the specified location is inundated by water) of observed high waters (tides).
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Inundation Analysis Tool
    URL:
    http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/inundation/
    Summary:
    Coastal storms and other meteorological phenomenon can have a significant impact on how high water levels rise and how often. The inundation analysis program is extremely beneficial in determining the frequency (or the occurrence of high waters for different elevations above a specified threshold) and duration (or the amount of time that the specified location is inundated by water) of observed high waters (tides).
    How it works:
    The data output of this tool provides summary statistics, which includes the number of occurrences of inundation above the threshold (events) and length of duration of inundation of each events above the threshold elevation for a specified time period. In addition to summary statistics, graphical outputs are provided using three plots.
    Application:
    Statistical output from these analyses can be useful in planning marsh restoration activities. Additionally, the analyses have broader applications for the coastal engineering and mapping community, such as, ecosystem management and regional climate change. Since these statistical outputs are station specific, use for evaluating surrounding areas may be limited.
  • MarineCadastre.gov: Provides spatial context needed to address issues such as alternative energy and other types of marine planning efforts.
    Sponsors:
    Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and NOAA
    Name:
    MarineCadastre.gov
    URL:
    http://www.www.marinecadastre.gov/
    Summary:
    MarineCadastre.gov provides many of the data and analysis tools needed for ocean energy and marine planning in one location. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) developed the MarineCadastre.gov initiative to meet the requirements of the United States Energy Policy Act of 2005 and partnered with other organizations to bring together the most useful and relevant resources.
    How it works:
    MarineCadastre.gov contains authoritative and regularly updated data, including offshore boundary, infrastructure, human use, energy potential, biological, and other data of interest. The data registry provides quick access to data, and the map viewers enable users to visualize data and areas of potential conflict, particularly for renewable energy development. MarineCadastre.gov is strategically aligned with the White House Digital Government Strategy, as well as a major contributor to the ocean community on Data.gov, Digital Coast, and the National GeoPlatform.
    Application:
    The combination of marine cadastral and regionally specific data provides users with the spatial context needed to address issues such as alternative energy and other types of marine planning efforts.
  • National Stormwater Calculator (SWC): Estimates the annual amount of rainwater and frequency of runoff from a specific site anywhere in the United States (including Puerto Rico).
    Sponsor:
    EPA
    Name:
    National Stormwater Calculator (SWC)
    URL:
    http://epa.gov/nrmrl/wswrd/wq/models/swc/
    Summary:
    SWC is a desktop application that estimates the annual amount of rainwater and frequency of runoff from a specific site anywhere in the United States (including Puerto Rico). Estimates are based on local soil conditions, land cover, and historic rainfall records. A recent update allows users to consider how runoff may vary based on historical weather and potential future climate..
    How it works:
    The Calculator accesses several national databases that provide soil, topography, rainfall, and evaporation information for the chosen site. The user supplies information about the site’s land cover and selects the types of low impact development (LID) controls they would like to use.
    Application:
    It is designed to be used by anyone interested in reducing runoff from a property, including site developers, landscape architects, urban planners, and homeowners.
  • Planning for Changing Sea Levels: Helps the public understand, in a general way, some potential future vulnerabilities to changing sea levels, waves, tides, and surges in the New York and New Jersey areas.
    Sponsor:
    USACE
    Name:
    Planning for Changing Sea Levels
    URL:
    http://www.corpsclimate.us/Sandy/
    Summary:
    More than 8 million people live in areas at risk of coastal flooding. Along the U.S. Atlantic Coast alone, almost 60 percent of the land that is within a meter of sea level is planned for further development, with inadequate information on the potential rates and amount of sea level rise.
    How it works:
    User identifies what their base flood elevation (BFE) is and enters that into the tool. The tool calculates how much SLR will be added on top of the BFE for different sea level rise scenarios.
    Application:
    There is a simple tool to help understand the effects of changing sea levels over time, and a more detailed tool to help understand the effects of changing sea levels over time
  • Sea Level Rise Tool For Sandy Recovery: Addresses flood risk based on current conditions and has immediate, short-term benefits to communities, but does not adequately account for increasing flood risk resulting from sea level rise.
    Sponsors:
    NOAA, FEMA, USACE, USGCRP
    Name:
    Sea Level Rise Tool For Sandy Recovery
    URL:
    http://www.globalchange.gov/what-we-do/assessment/coastal-resilience-resources
    Summary:
    NOAA, in partnership with FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has created a set of map services to help communities, residents, and other stakeholders consider risks from future sea level rise in planning for reconstruction following Hurricane Sandy.
    How it works:
    Uses the best available science and data, federal agencies jointly developed a tool to help state and local officials, understand possible future flood risks from sea level rise.
    Application:
    Provides guidance for post-Sandy rebuilding. Supported scenario planning to help planners adapt to uncertainties. Showed risk associated with projected scenarios of sea level rise.
  • Sea Level Rise Viewer: A slider bar shows how various levels of sea level rise will impact coastal communities.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Sea Level Rise Viewer
    URL:
    http://www.csc.noaa.gov/slr
    Summary:
    Being able to visualize potential impacts from sea level rise is a powerful teaching and planning tool, and the Sea Level Rise Viewer brings this capability to coastal communities. A slider bar is used to show how various levels of sea level rise will impact coastal communities. Additional coastal counties will be added in the near future. Maps are not available for Alaska due to elevation data accuracy and vertical datum transformation gaps.
    How it works:
    Displays potential future sea levels. Provides simulations of sea level rise at local landmarks. Communicates the spatial uncertainty of mapped sea levels. Models potential marsh migration due to sea level rise. Overlays social and economic data onto potential sea level rise. Examines how tidal flooding will become more frequent with sea level rise
    Application:
    Many agencies, states, communties using for education and ourtreach. Inundation layers are being used for adaptation planning and vulnerability assessments of potential SLR impacts.
  • Sea Level Trends: Illustrates regional trends in sea level, with arrows representing the direction and magnitude of change. Click on an arrow to access additional information about that station.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    Sea Level Trends
    URL:
    http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/sltrends.html
    Summary:
    The Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services has been measuring sea level for over 150 years, with tide stations of the National Water Level Observation Network operating on all U.S. coasts. Changes in Mean Sea Level (MSL), either a sea level rise or sea level fall, have been computed at 128 long-term water level stations using a minimum span of 30 years of observations at each location. These measurements have been averaged by month to remove the effect of higher frequency phenomena (e.g. storm surge) in order to compute an accurate linear sea level trend. The trend analysis has also been extended to 240 global tide stations using data from thePermanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL).
    How it works:
    Use map viewer to explore individual tide gages. Arrows represent the direction and magitude of sea level change.
    Application:
    The mean sea level (MSL) trends measured by tide gauges that are presented on this web site are local relative MSL trends as opposed to the global sea level trend. Tide gauge measurements are made with restpect to a local fixed reference level on land; therefore, if there is some long-term vertical land motion occurring at that location, the relative MSL trend measured there is a combination of the global sea level rate and the local vertical land motion.
  • State of the Coast: Offers quick facts and more detailed statistics through interactive indicator visualizations that provide highlights of what we know about coastal communities, coastal ecosystems, and the coastal economy, and about how climate change might impact the coast.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    State of the Coast
    URL:
    http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/
    Summary:
    Our well-being as a nation depends on a suite of benefits that flow from healthy coasts: food, clean water, jobs, recreation, and protection from hurricanes. NOAA’s State of the Coast is a simple and engaging website that fosters increased awareness of the crucial importance of healthy coastal ecosystems to a robust U.S. economy, a safe population, and a sustainable quality of life for coastal residents.
    How it works:
    State of the Coast offers quick facts and more detailed statistics through interactive indicator visualizations that provide highlights of what we know about coastal communities, coastal ecosystems, and the coastal economy, and about how climate change might impact the coast. The site also offers case studies and management success stories that highlight often complex connections across four themes: coastal communities, coastal ecosystems, coastal economies, and climate.
    Application:
    Explore NOAA’s State of the Coast site to gain a deeper appreciation of the connections among healthy coastal ecosystems, a robust U.S. economy, a safe population, and a sustainable quality of life for coastal residents… and the consequent need to better understand, manage, and protect our nation’s coastal resources.
  • Surging Seas: Provides local regions and policy makers with the tailored local information they need to understand and respond to the risks of sea level rise and coastal flooding.
    Sponsors:
    Climate Central
    Name:
    Surging Seas
    URL:
    http://sealevel.climatecentral.org/
    Summary:
    In March 2012, Climate Central released Surging Seas, its first analysis of sea level rise and coastal flood threats in the United States. In October of 2013, Climate Central released Surging Seas Risk Finder, its second generation web tools and analysis for the states of New Jersey and New York. Climate Central released the web tool and analysis on November 7, 2013 for the state of Florida, and throughout 2014 will roll out the tools on a state-by-state basis for all U.S. coastal states including Hawaii and Alaska.
    How it works:
    The Surging Seas Risk Finder presents searchable complete results in detail, divided into four areas:
    When: Projections of sea level rise and flood risk
    Where: Interactive zooming map of sea level and flood risk zones
    What: Detailed analysis of exposed population, assets and infrastructure by individual location, from zip to state level
    Compare: Comparisons of exposure across the whole state or selected county
    Application:
    The Risk Finder is designed to provide local regions and policy makers with the tailored local information they need to understand and respond to the risks of sea level rise and coastal flooding.
  • United States Interagency Elevation Inventory: Displays availability of high-accuracy topographic and bathymetric data for the United States and its territories.
    Sponsor:
    NOAA
    Name:
    United States Ingteragency Elevation Inventory
    URL:
    http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/inventory
    Summary:
    The project is a collaborative effort of NOAA and the U.S. Geological Survey, with contributions from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This resource is a comprehensive, nationwide listing of known high-accuracy topographic data, including lidar and IfSAR, and bathymetric data, including NOAA hydrographic surveys, multibeam data, and bathymetric lidar. This inventory was completed August 2013 and will be updated annually.
    How it works:
    Provides and index of elevation data. Includes both topographic and bathymetric data and covers the entire nation. Allows users to query by county or zoom to an area of interest and print a report
    Application:
    Used to locate high-accuracy elevation and topographic data resources.

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Million Hearts Epi-Exchange http://www.data.gov/health/cmscdc-epi-exchange/ Fri, 14 Feb 2014 20:32:00 +0000 https://www.data.gov/health/cmscdc-epi-exchange/ Every year, Americans suffer approximately 1.5 million heart attacks and strokes at a cost of more than $312 billion in health care expenditure and lost productivity annually. Cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) also causes premature death, serious illness, disability, … Continued

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Every year, Americans suffer approximately 1.5 million heart attacks and strokes at a cost of more than $312 billion in health care expenditure and lost productivity annually. Cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) also causes premature death, serious illness, disability, and decreased quality of life. The good news, however, is that many of the major risk factors for these conditions can be prevented and controlled. For example, high blood pressure (hypertension) is one of the leading causes of heart disease and stroke. Lifestyle choices, such as eating healthy and exercising regularly, can help control blood pressure and health care professionals may prescribe other treatments (antihypertensive medication) if lifestyle changes are not enough. However, nearly 1 in 3 Americans, or about 67 million adults, have high blood pressure and, despite the availability of antihypertensive medications, only half have it under control (<140/90). The ability of people to continue using their medications as prescribed by their doctor—also known as medication adherence—is a key challenge.

To tackle this important issue, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) teamed up to discuss how to improve antihypertensive medication adherence. This effort became known as the Million Hearts ® Epi-Exchange because of the similarities to CDC’s “Epi-Aid” program which provides epidemiological support within the United States and throughout the world to assist with emergency responses, investigate infectious and environmental disease outbreaks, and quantify impact of diseases.

The Epi-Exchange is a part of the larger Million Hearts® initiative, co-led by CMS and CDC, to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017.  Million Hearts® aims to focus, coordinate, and enhance prevention activities across a wide variety of sectors, and includes many public and private partners.  Core to the prevention of heart disease and stroke is the focus on the ABCS—aspirin use, blood pressure control, cholesterol management, and smoking cessation.  We selected high blood pressure as the main topic for the Epi-Exchange, because substantial efforts are already underway to improve blood pressure control.  Lessons learned during the Epi-Exchange can readily be used to help evaluate disease risk, along with other leading heart disease and stroke risk factors.

We decided to focus the Epi-Exchange on expanding the ability of Million Hearts® to use pharmaceutical claims data (billing data collected when a person has a prescription filled) to guide current and future activities. The use of pharmaceutical claims data to assess the burden of illness in the population and identify possible areas for intervention is relatively new.  However, pharmaceutical claims data can be used as an alternate way to evaluate appropriate and evidenced-based treatment of health conditions.  In addition, through the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program, which provides prescription drug coverage to the majority (>60%) of US adults ages 65 and older, CMS has a valuable source of pharmaceutical claims data. Focusing on pharmaceutical data was also a good fit because it meant that we could combine CMS’ detailed understanding of the Part D program (variations across health plans, deductibles, coverage gaps) with CDC’s expert clinical knowledge of pharmaceutical products and hypertension treatment. To facilitate the sharing of information between CDC and CMS we decided to hold an in-person meeting in late October 2013. Over the course of only a few months, several preparatory meetings involving CMS and CDC subject matter experts were held to identify priority areas for the in-person meeting, which was held from October 23–25 at the CMS offices in Baltimore, MD.

The main objectives of the Epi-Exchange included: (1) coordinating Million Hearts® research activities across CMS and CDC, (2) developing a plan for Million Hearts® public health surveillance using Part D data, and (3) identifying opportunities for CMS and CDC scientist collaboration.

For the first objective, we held several discussions regarding the alignment and coordination of CMS and CDC surveillance and research methodologies.  It was quickly determined that selecting the appropriate populations (e.g., denominators) allows for consistent messaging and reporting.  While the group was excited to see that there was already much consistency in the state-of-the-art research methodologies being employed despite working independently in different agencies, we agreed that continued movement towards standardization across platforms and methodologies is imperative to a successful collaboration.  Also, consistency in the manner in which medication adherence is regularly reported by CMS using a validated and standardized approach was discussed, and it was determined that it can be replicated and tracked for Million Hearts® surveillance, and applied to other CDC data assets as well.

The second objective involved the broad understanding of CMS pharmaceutical data availability, which included a common understanding of available data files to aid in analyses as well as linkage options with other data assets.  This portion of the collaboration involved a live programming session in which a representative Part D sample was used to replicate antihypertensive medication surveillance questions CDC has used with another prescription medication data asset (IMS Health data).  Statistical code developed during this session was provided to CDC to allow for additional analysis replication.

The final objective focused on enhanced opportunities for consistent communication of Million Hearts® messages across agencies.  During this session, we reviewed the Million Hearts® Dashboard.  The Dashboard is being developed to track Million Hearts® related events, like heart attack hospitalizations, among Medicare beneficiaries.  Subject matter experts made informed decisions to select appropriate reporting measures and align the Dashboard with other CMS surveillance activities.

Overall, this Epi-Exchange event resulted not just in increased transparency of institutional knowledge and information, which is expected to lead to incremental improvements in the way the Million Hearts® program will be monitored, but it also validated that open-data approaches and research collaboration can provide synergies that may not be possible in our usual research silos.  Lessons learned and methodologies from this Epi-Exchange are currently guiding the development of an informed data use agreement between CMS and CDC to gain expanded access to CMS data through the CMS Virtual Research Data Center.  Collaborations are also continuing through the Million Hearts® initiative.

 

Authors: Christopher Powers, PharmD, Acting Director, Information Products Group, Office of Information Products and Data Analytics, CMS; Fleetwood Loustalot, PhD, FNP, Lead, Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Services Team, Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, CDC; Matthew Ritchey, DPT, MPH, Epidemiologist, Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Services Team, Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, CDC


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Ecosystems Data Categories http://www.data.gov/ecosystems/ecosystems-categories/ Wed, 12 Feb 2014 21:27:31 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=137051 Ecosystems Community data topic categories are based on the following thematic organization: Biodiversity Biological Communities Genetic Diversity Species Ecosystems Ecosystem Services and Processes Ecosystem and Habitat Assessments Ecosystem Change Drivers Climate Change Invasive Species Land Conversion and Fragmentation Overexploitation Plant … Continued

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Ecosystems Community data topic categories are based on the following thematic organization:

  • Biodiversity
    • Biological Communities
    • Genetic Diversity
    • Species
  • Ecosystems
  • Ecosystem Services and Processes
  • Ecosystem and Habitat Assessments
  • Ecosystem Change Drivers
    • Climate Change
    • Invasive Species
    • Land Conversion and Fragmentation
    • Overexploitation
    • Plant and Animal Diseases
    • Pollutants and Toxicants
  • Land Cover and Land Use
  • Fire Regimes
  • Atmospheric, Earth and Ocean Sciences
    • Atmospheric Chemistry
    • Chemical and Physical Oceanography
    • Climatology and Meteorology
    • Geology and Topography
    • Hydrology
    • Soils, Sediments

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African American History Month: A Time for Reflections on Health Disparities http://www.data.gov/health/african-american-history-month-a-time-for-reflections-on-health-disparities/ Wed, 12 Feb 2014 04:23:00 +0000 https://www.data.gov/health/african-american-history-month-a-time-for-reflections-on-health-disparities/ February is Black History Month–an opportunity to reflect not only on our social and economic history, but also on the history of poor health status for America’s minority populations and the potential of using 21st century health information technology to … Continued

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February is Black History Month–an opportunity to reflect not only on our social and economic history, but also on the history of poor health status for America’s minority populations and the potential of using 21st century health information technology to assure optimal care for everyone.

The disparity in health status between minorities and white Americans was not new when it was so well documented in the 1985 Secretary’s Task Force Report on Black and Minority Health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1985). In 1906, W.E.B. Du Bois edited a volume, The Health and Physique of the Negro American, that call attention to the disparities. In 1914, Booker T. Washington, founder of the Tuskegee Institute, addressed the issue by offering up some startling facts concerning excessive illnesses and death among blacks and the cost to the nation that were a result of this disease burden. A hundred years later we find ourselves still wrestling with disparities in health outcomes for blacks and other minorities.

We have inherited a health care system in which subsets of Americans, many of whom are African American, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans, are having their lives adversely affected by health disparities, higher rates of disease when contrasted to the general population. These health disparities degrade life’s quality while raising risk for premature death.

One of the great challenges for those working to eliminate health disparities in minority communities is their underrepresentation in clinical trials. Increased diversity in clinical trials helps researchers find better treatments and better ways to fight diseases that disproportionately impact certain populations and may be important for safe and effective use of therapies. For example:

  • African American men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer as Caucasians[1], but represent only 4 percent of prostate cancer clinical trials participants[2];
  • Asian Americans have a higher risk of developing diabetes than Caucasians, but from 1998-2001, no Asian Americans were represented in diabetes clinical trials[3]; and
  • Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans have more than double the prevalence of diabetes than Caucasian, non-Hispanics, but represented only 4 percent of clinical trial participants from 1998-2001.[4]

As noted by the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Minority Health, genetic differences can make a cancer treatment more toxic in one ethnic group than it would be in another. These variations can also make drugs like antidepressants and blood-pressure medications less effective in one group than another. For this reason, it is vitally important that the process used to test the effectiveness of new medicines accurately reflects the patient population that will eventually take them.

Clinical trials are also an important piece of the scientific framework of evidence-based medicine, which inform clinical guidelines and quality measures that direct how we manage most medical disorders. Unfortunately, the underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native American and Asian Americans in clinical trials can mean that those guidelines and quality measures are frequently silent or must rely on lower levels of evidence to determine their benefit for minority patients.

There is also a paucity of databases (registries) drawn from clinical practices from which we can learn the benefits and risks of using many important, new therapies in minority populations, further compromising the ability of health care systems to make definitive statements and recommendations about optimal care for people of color.

This latter information gap was hard to overcome in the age of analog medicine when medical records were recorded in ink, stored in paper file folders, which were hard to access for medical research. But we live in the digital information age and the reality of digital medicine is here. Minorities own mobile personal digital devices – smartphones, tablets, e-readers. They are using apps to plan, monitor the inner workings of their bodies, and communicate with their health provider. Healthcare providers record information on electronic health records. Every day we are purchasing networked, biometric devices for our homes and to wear on our person that can continuously monitor and capture information about our health status. All of this health information can be stored “in the cloud”, making it readily accessible by the consumer, and the health care providers and researchers they designate. This growing body of information (big data it is called), coupled with new knowledge about genetics, biochemistry and molecular biology, can help pioneering companies create innovative medicines to improve the quality of care that is available. Digital medicine holds out many promises that can do a lot to remedy the health disparities that Dubois, Washington and the Secretary’s Task Force Report documented.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and my organization, The National Minority Quality Forum, have given considerable thought to the problem of underrepresentation of minority in clinical trials and we are taking two bold steps to rectify the problem. First, we are launching a public engagement initiative, designed to raise awareness and educate about the importance of diversity in clinical trials, overcome distrust in the minority community, and encourage minorities to enroll in a patient registry. Secondly, we have collaborated on the development of the Clinical Trial Engagement Network (CTEN) to enhance diversity in participation in clinical trials. The CTEN is envisioned to be a cloud-based, life-long community of patients, patient advocacy organizations, medical providers and researchers built around data warehouses, and state-of-the art analytic and communications systems.

CTEN will take advantage of many health information technology programs initiated by the Department of Health and Human Services such as the Blue Button Movement, Meaningful Use, View Download and Transmit, Clinical Trials.gov, and the Health Data Initiative. Taken together these programs, coupled with the unprecedented health care access that is guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act, create the opportunity to build a 21st health care system that is disparities free.

Gary Puckrein, PhD PhD, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Minority Quality Forum.

[1] National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health. “Cancer Health Disparities” Fact Sheet. 2008. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/disparities/cancer-health-disparities. [Accessed 2013 Sept 19].

[2] Food and Drug Administration. “FDA Report: Collection, Analysis, and Availability of Demographic Subgroup Data for FDA-Approved Medical Products, August 2013.” Available from here. [Accessed 2013 Aug 20].

[3] Evelyn B, Gray K, Rothwell R (Office of Special Health Issues US FDA). US Black participation in clinical trials: a review of selected new molecular identities approved 1998-2001. Presented at the NMA meeting, 2002, Honolulu, Hawaii.

[4] Ibid.

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Maps http://www.data.gov/climate/hurricanes-tropical-storms/ Tue, 11 Feb 2014 14:50:04 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=136621 Here are mapping tools and data layers to help you analyze and assess vulnerabilities in your or other coastal communities to the combination of sea level rise, storm surges, and sinking lands. These resources aim to help coastal communities identify … Continued

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Here are mapping tools and data layers to help you analyze and assess vulnerabilities in your or other coastal communities to the combination of sea level rise, storm surges, and sinking lands. These resources aim to help coastal communities identify and reduce vulnerabilities to inundation and improve their resilience. This map gallery is in a pilot stage. Please let us know how we can make it more useful.

Sea Level Rise Planning Tool - New York City
Sandy SLR Planning Tool – New York City
Sandy SLR Planning Tool - New Jersey and New York State
Sandy SLR Planning Tool – New Jersey and New York State
SLR and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer
SLR and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer
Historical Hurricane Tracks Tool
Historical Hurricane Tracks Tool
International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS)
International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS)
NOAA's nowCOAST Web Mapping Portal to Near-Real-Time Coastal Information
NOAA’s nowCOAST Web Mapping Portal to Near-Real-Time Coastal Information
NOAA's Coastal Change Analyis Program (C-CAP) Regional Land Cover Data
NOAA’s Coastal Change Analyis Program (C-CAP) Regional Land Cover Data
FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer (Official)
FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer (Official)
FEMA’s Hazus Average Annualized Loss Viewer
FEMA’s Hazus Average Annualized Loss Viewer
FEMA MOTF-Hurricane Sandy Impact Analysis
FEMA MOTF-Hurricane Sandy Impact Analysis
Coastal Change Hazards Portal
Coastal Change Hazards Portal

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Leading Pharmacies and Retailers Join Blue Button Initiative http://www.data.gov/health/leading-pharmacies-and-retailers-join-blue-button-initiative/ Mon, 10 Feb 2014 20:23:00 +0000 https://www.data.gov/health/leading-pharmacies-and-retailers-join-blue-button-initiative/ The following post is by Nick Sinai, U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, & Adam Dole, Presidential Innovation Fellow at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Today, as part … Continued

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The following post is by Nick Sinai, U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, & Adam Dole, Presidential Innovation Fellow at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Today, as part of the growing movement to help customers access and securely share their own health information, several of the Nation’s largest retail pharmacy chains and associations are pledging to support the Blue Button initiative—a public-private partnership between the health care industry and the Federal Government that aims to empower all Americans with access to their own electronic health information. These steps will help patients access their prescription information and further empower millions of Americans to better manage their healthcare.

The concept behind Blue Button is simple: consumers should be able to securely access their own health information and share it with health care providers, caregivers, and others they trust.

In 2010, with the support of the White House, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) launched the Blue Button initiative to give veterans the ability to access and download their health records on a secure, online patient portal. Since then, the initiative has expanded and more than 150 million Americans today are able to use Blue Button-enabled tools to access their own health information from a variety of sources including healthcare providers, health insurance companies, medical labs, and state health information networks.

An increasingly important part of the Blue Button initiative is making patient information available in secure, simple, standard formats to help spur the development of innovative consumer applications and devices that can help patients better manage their own health care and facilitate the electronic sharing of data with trusted partners, such as medical specialists who might not otherwise have direct access to relevant records.

That’s why the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)—with input from more than 70 organizations—recently released “Blue Button+”, a set of technical guidelines to help providers structure their data in standardized machine-readable formats. And the vast majority of doctors and hospitals will be working to use the Blue Button+ standards beginning this year as part of their participation in the Federal Electronic Health Record incentive program.

In parallel, as part of today’s announcement, the following companies are committing to work over the next year towards standardizing patient prescription information to fuel the growth of private-sector applications and services that can add value to this basic health information:

  • Walgreens, which currently provides its customers with the ability to view and download their prescription history from a Blue Button-branded online portal, plans to adopt BlueButton+ guidelines to make it easier for customers to easily and securely share their data with others, including third-party applications to help people better manage their health and coordinate their healthcare. Walgreens also recently announced a new partnership with the VA which gives veterans convenient, online access to a broader set of personal health data, including immunization records.
  • Kroger, which provides approximately half of its customers access to their own pharmacy records through a secure online portal, will be launching a secure portal for the remainder of its stores, many of which operate under local banner names—including Smiths and Fry’s—in addition to developing new functionality that will enable all of its customers to download a copy of their records, and is exploring plans to provide customers with a machine-readable copy of their records that can be shared and uploaded into third-party applications and services.
  • CVS Caremark currently provides its customers with the ability to securely access and download their medication lists and prescription history, as well as refill prescriptions through its various online portals, including CVS.com and caremark.com.
  • Rite Aid, through its MyPharmacy online portal, currently provides its customers with electronic access to their own prescription history, tools to better manage their prescriptions, and medication management reminders via phone, email or text message. Rite Aid has committed to improving patient engagement and empowerment through expanded access to their own health data and an evolving set of online service capabilities.
  • Safeway, one of the newest members of the Blue Button community, is committing to enable its customers to securely access and share their own electronic pharmacy records.

The following national pharmacy associations are also joining the Blue Button initiative and committing to promote the adoption and use of Blue Button among the pharmacies they represent:

  • National Association Chain Drug Stores, which represents traditional drug stores, supermarkets, and mass merchants with pharmacies. Chains operate more than 41,000 pharmacies and employ more than 3.8 million employees, including 132,000 pharmacists.
  • Pharmacy Health IT Collaborative, which represents nine national pharmacy professional associations representing more than 250,000 members.
  • National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations, which promotes leadership, sharing, learning, and policy exchange among state pharmacy associations and pharmacy leaders nationwide.

These commitments from some of the Nation’s largest retail pharmacy chains and associations promise to provide a growing number of patients with easy and secure access to their own personal pharmacy prescription history and allow them to check their medication history for accuracy, access prescription lists from multiple doctors, and securely share this information with their healthcare providers.

As companies move towards standard formats and the ability to securely transmit this information electronically, Americans will be able to use their pharmacy records with new innovative software applications and services that can improve medication adherence, reduce dosing errors, prevent adverse drug interactions, and save lives. The World Health Organization estimates that poor medication adherence alone costs the United States up to $300 billion dollars a year.

In another important step, earlier this week HHS issued a rule allowing labs to provide patients or their representatives direct access to their test results upon request. Building on the availability of tools like Blue Button, patients will soon have expanded access to their own laboratory results, giving them critical information to track health care progress, spot errors, and make health decisions. Laboratories are encouraged to provide the lab results, at a patient’s request, in machine-readable formats, making the information usable in a variety of applications and health IT tools.

The Blue Button initiative is one of several MyData Initiatives launched and supported by the Administration to provide Americans with secure access to their personal data in useful, digital formats.

For more information about Blue Button, including ways you can participate, please visit: www.healthIT.gov/bluebutton, or view a fact sheet on key milestones here.

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Suggest a Dataset http://www.data.gov/suggest Fri, 07 Feb 2014 02:44:31 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=135981 The post Suggest a Dataset appeared first on Data.gov.

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Disrupting Post-Acute Care With Data: A Q&A With Aidin’s CEO, Russ Graney http://www.data.gov/health/disrupting-post-acute-care-with-data-a-qa-with-aidins-ceo-russ-graney/ Wed, 05 Feb 2014 21:55:00 +0000 https://www.data.gov/health/disrupting-post-acute-care-with-data-a-qa-with-aidins-ceo-russ-graney/ Today, hospital patients choose their nursing home, home health agency, or other post-acute care (PAC) provider with little to no information about them. Most hospital case management teams present patients with a list of PAC names, phone numbers and addresses … Continued

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Russ Graney

Today, hospital patients choose their nursing home, home health agency, or other post-acute care (PAC) provider with little to no information about them. Most hospital case management teams present patients with a list of PAC names, phone numbers and addresses to choose from, leaving patients to do their own research, if any. As a result, most patients simply choose the PAC closest to home.

Recently I chatted with Russ Graney (pictured to the right), CEO and Co-founder of Aiden. Teaming up with partners Mike Galbo and Janan Rajeevikaran, Russ founded Aidin to improve the patient placement process for hospital care managers, post-acute providers and patients alike. Below is the transcript from our discussion.

Bryan: How is Aidin disrupting the post-acute space?

Russ: What we discovered with Aidin is that when you present patients with quality data about their PAC options, 80% will use that data to choose a high-performing provider – which as it turns out, we’re seeing has a significant impact on readmissions and hospital social worker efficiency.

Aidin is ‘disruptive’ because it re-aligns hospital, patient and PAC incentives around quality. By making patients knowledgeable consumers about their PAC decisions and allowing PACs to compete for referrals based on their outcomes, Aidin creates a direct financial incentive for the PACs in your area to focus more of their time on quality and outcomes, and less on radio ads and billboards.

Bryan: What data are you sharing with patients, and how do they access it?

Russ: Social workers with access to Aidin present patients with a 1-page profile for every PAC that offers them placement. The profile has a few sections:

  1. Nursing Home Compare and Home Health Compare – The starting place for our data is Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Nursing Home Compare and Home Health Compare. Combining these publicly available data sets with diagnoses and demographics we know about each patient entered in our system, Aidin combs through these public datasets to calculate how each provider performed with patients similar to you in the past.
  2. Patient Outreach and Hospital Integration – Aidin tracks readmission rates for each PAC in our clients’ areas as well as patient ratings and reviews from every patient discharged through the system. Like the CMS data, readmission rates and patient reviews are filtered for every patient to show data from previous patients with health needs similar to theirs.
  3. Provider Content: Pictures, Maps and Missions – Aidin encourages PACs to share photos, service offerings and their missions to be included on their provider profile. This information helps patients get a sense for each facility or agency without leaving their hospital bed and leads to faster and more informed decisions.

Bryan: What results do you see in hospitals adopting your solution?

Russ: Combined with a workflow we designed specifically to introduce quality data into every patient choice conversation, our latest pilots show that implementing Aidin can lead to readmission reductions between 3 and 11 points and an average time savings of 2-4 hours every day for every social worker and case manager.

To learn more about Aidin, watch their demo video at www.myAidin.com/demo.html.

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Suggest Dataset http://www.data.gov/suggest-dataset Tue, 04 Feb 2014 23:07:26 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=134291 [customcontact form=11]

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ACEP’s Report Card on America’s Emergency Care Environment http://www.data.gov/health/aceps-report-card-on-americas-emergency-care-environment/ Mon, 03 Feb 2014 23:51:00 +0000 https://www.data.gov/health/aceps-report-card-on-americas-emergency-care-environment/ Jon Mark Hirshon, MD, MPH, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine University of Maryland School of Medicine The American College of Emergency Physicians’ (ACEP) recently released a Report Card on America’s Emergency Care Environment painting an alarming picture of … Continued

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Jon Mark Hirshon, MD, MPH, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine
University of Maryland School of Medicine

The American College of Emergency Physicians’ (ACEP) recently released a Report Card on America’s Emergency Care Environment painting an alarming picture of the current state of support for emergency care. Overall, the nation received a D+ for its support of emergency care and emergency patients, with states’ grades ranging from a B- to an F.

The report is based on 136 objective measures that reflect the most recent data available, many from federal government sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Agency (SAMHSA) (see Data Sources). The 136 metrics are divided into 5 categories: Access to Emergency Care (30%); Quality & Patient Safety (20%); Medical Liability (20%); Public Health & Injury Prevention (15%); and Disaster Preparedness (15%). The measures were selected because they represent factors vital to life-saving emergency care. Also, the use of the federal data was critical, as these data met the key data requirements of relevance, reliability, validity, reproducibility and consistency across the states.

The use of data and guidelines from the Department of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies were important for many of the categories. For example, CDC data were particularly helpful in the Public Health and Injury Prevention Category and formed the basis for measures such as percent of children and the elderly immunized as well as for the development of disparity ratios, such as for cardiovascular disease. In addition, data from the CDC’s National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) were invaluable in portraying the critical issues facing emergency patients. CMS data was important in analyzing the number of emergency departments and the number of emergency visits to help portray the competing pressures of shrinking resources and increasing demand. Additionally, the U.S. Census data was used to develop denominators for many of the metrics.

It’s important to note that the Report Card is not a study on individual hospitals or physicians, but rather a study of how well the emergency care system is currently being supported through policies, regulations and governmental activities.

Emergency departments play a critical role within the American health care system, delivering life and limb saving care daily to thousands of patients. The moment when you, as a patient, need acute lifesaving interventions is not the time to evaluate the support for the emergency care system. If the emergency department down the street has closed because of a lack of trained physicians, or there are no hand or neurosurgeons on call because of medical liability concerns, your emergency care may be delayed.

Projected increasing demand, as well as flat or decreasing resources, are straining a system already “at the breaking point” (according to the Institute of Medicine). The increased demand is multi-factorial, including the referral by physicians of patients with acute medical needs, the utilization of the emergency department as a primary source of evaluation and stabilization of patients requiring hospitalization and the source for health care by recently insured individuals who are unable to obtain timely medical care elsewhere because of primary care shortages and/or the unpopularity of Medicaid among physicians.

ACEP’s 2014 Report Card highlights the critical need for policymakers and the public to take seriously the vital role of emergency care within the U.S. health care system. The multitude of federal data sources has helped the American College of Emergency Physicians to develop this assessment of the current environment supporting — or not supporting — emergency care.

This state-by-state Report Card is the result of a comprehensive, focused study of the emergency care environment in the United States using data from the federal government and other sources. It demonstrates how data help drive health policy at the state and national levels. Following the 2009 Report Card, state responses included passage of a motorcycle helmet law, passage of medical liability reform, funding for a statewide trauma system and establishment of new emergency medicine residency programs.

Emergency physicians and other health care providers are proud to be there to serve you, but the system urgently needs help. The reality is, access to emergency care is an unfunded federal mandate under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). It is time to support the emergency care system.

See the Report Card at www.emreportcard.org

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The Need For A Smart Approach To Big Health Care Data http://www.data.gov/health/the-need-for-a-smart-approach-to-big-health-care-data/ Thu, 30 Jan 2014 19:59:00 +0000 https://www.data.gov/health/the-need-for-a-smart-approach-to-big-health-care-data/ by David Newman, Carolina Herrera, Amanda Frost and Stephen Parente Today, academic medicine and health policy research resemble the automobile industry of the early 20th century — a large number of small shops developing unique products at high cost with … Continued

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Newman-Figure1

by David Newman, Carolina Herrera, Amanda Frost and Stephen Parente

Today, academic medicine and health policy research resemble the automobile industry of the early 20th century — a large number of small shops developing unique products at high cost with no one achieving significant economies of scale or scope. Academics, medical centers, and innovators often work independently or in small groups, with unconnected health datasets that provide incomplete pictures of the health statuses and health care practices of Americans.

Health care data needs a “Henry Ford” moment to move from a realm of unconnected and unwieldy data to a world of connected and matched data with a common support for licensing, legal, and computing infrastructure. Physicians, researchers, and policymakers should be able to access linked databases of medical records, claims, vital statistics, surveys, and other demographic data. To do this, the health care community must bring disparate health data together, maintaining the highest standards of security to protect confidential and sensitive data, and deal with the myriad legal issues associated with data acquisition, licensing, record matching, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

Just as the Model-T revolutionized car production and, by extension, transit, the creation of smart health data enclaves will revolutionize care delivery, health policy, and health care research. We propose to facilitate these enclaves through a governance structure know as a digital rights manager (DRM). The concept of a DRM is common in the entertainment (The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers or ASCAP would be an example) and legal industries. If successful, DRMs would be a vital component of a data-enhanced health care industry.

Giving birth to change. The data enhanced health care industry is coming, but it needs a midwife.There has been explosive growth in the use of electronic medical records, electronic prescribing, and digital imaging by health care providers. Outside the physician’s office, disease registries, medical associations, insurers, government agencies, and laboratories have also been gathering digital pieces of information on the health status, care regimes, and health care costs of Americans. However, little to none of these data have been integrated, and most remain siloed within provider groups, health plans, or government offices.

In the past, technical and cost issues have restricted efforts to share and integrate health care datasets. However, advances in technology permit a bold vision of a new infrastructure involving shared access to big data, computing power, and analytic tools. The resources exist to access and analyze extremely large health data sets in the secure, HIPAA compliant, computing environments of data enclaves. Data enclaves are a “secure computing environment, firewalled from outside intrusion, accessible only by authorized users, that allows for remote access to microdata where the inflow and outflow are controlled and monitored by either experienced confidentiality officers or by algorithms, whereby users have access to analytic tools and only those data they are licensed to use.”

The governance issues. What remain to be resolved is how to legally and administratively bring the data together:

  1. how multiple stakeholders will provide data under standard contribution agreements;
  2. how to link extremely large and multi-year files, match records across datasets, and provide statistical deidentification where necessary; and
  3. how to license these data to multiple researchers under standard use agreements.

As stated above, we suggest that these tasks be solved by a digital rights manager.

How the DRM will work. Data owners, such as provider groups, are reasonably concerned about unfettered access to data. Therefore, the DRM’s most important job will be to provide a low-cost, reliable, and technically and legally protective environment in which data owners are comfortable placing their data. The DRM will negotiate data contribution agreements with each data owner, and the DRM will grant access to data users consistent with these agreements. Thus, a DRM will reduce the burden on potential data contributors giving them greater incentive to participate and share data by allowing them to deal with a single responsible party.

The DRM will also have a responsibility for fulfilling all the legal requirements that must be met—under HIPAA, state law, or otherwise—relative to the uses of the data. The DRM will also negotiate software-licensing agreements and arrange for commonly required intermediate value added services such as encrypted provider or individual identifiers or statistical de-identification. To do so, the DRM will require specialized expertise in the HIPAA, statistical de-identification, and an enhanced institutional review board with an understanding of big data risks and opportunities.

Under this governance structure, health data owners who want to generate useful insights from their health data can do so securely. Their data, when shared, will be secure, their confidential information will remain protected, and they will not be burdened with administrative expenses associated with distribution, licensing, or oversight associated with their data. In essence, all of these tasks can be efficiently contracted out to a common technology platform entity so as to reduce the burden on data owners, thereby making more likely that they will share their data. Thus, together, the DRM and the data enclave can transform health data into smart data (Figure 1).

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Great benefits and manageable risks. The potential benefits of smart health data are great, but data must be actionable. To that end, the previously outlined governance structure removes barriers and creates new opportunities. For patients, the enclave will be an opportunity to receive better care from evidence-based practice and personalized medicine. For physicians, more complete and accurate patient information will enable the delivery of better care. For health policy researchers and policymakers, linked data will allow for a better understanding of trends and the impacts of policy initiatives. As a result, the enclave offers an efficient setting in which to engage in comparative and cost effectiveness research.

Some may question the wisdom of hosting so much data. We believe that smart data enclaves will mitigate the risks to patients and providers. As a country, we are missing an opportunity to maximize the gains from the already expended effort to create EHRs and from nearly two decades of HIPAA compliant health data use. Entire generations of medical professionals and researchers are unfamiliar with administrative claims and registry data due to the absence of cost-reducing shared infrastructure. The question should not be whether we should have a smart health data world, but how soon can we make it happen.

The following is a repost from the Health Affairs Blog from January 27, 2014. The orignal post can be found here. Copyright

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]]> Data Hubs http://www.data.gov/ecosystems/data-hubs/ Wed, 29 Jan 2014 16:38:32 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=133881 EcoINFORMA’s Resource Hubs are data hubs that serve as primary entry points for access and visualization of data around common ecosystem-related themes and their corresponding communities of practice. Established resource hubs of EcoINFORMA can be accessed below. Biodiversity Resource Hub … Continued

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EcoINFORMA’s Resource Hubs are data hubs that serve as primary entry points for access and visualization of data around common ecosystem-related themes and their corresponding communities of practice. Established resource hubs of EcoINFORMA can be accessed below.

Biodiversity Resource Hub

Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation

Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON) is a web-based information system allowing users to find, explore, and download biological occurrence data for species (e.g. plants, animals, fungi) that occur at a particular location and time in the United States (U.S.) and Territories. BISON, a product of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), offers over 168 million species occurrence records from a large collection of datasets provided by participating institutions.

Learn More

Ecosystem Services Resource Hub

EnviroAtlas

EnviroAtlas is a web-based decision-support tool consisting of maps, graphs, analysis tools, and interpretive information about ecosystem services and their role in maintaining sustainable and healthy communities of the contiguous United States (lower 48 states). EnviroAtlas is a collaborative project developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the U.S. Forest Service, and LandScope America.

Learn More

Land Cover Dynamics Resource Hub

Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium

The Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium (MRLC) provides land cover and land cover dynamics information at the national scale for a wide variety of environmental, land management, and modeling applications. MRLC is composed of a group of federal agencies that coordinate and generate nationally complete, current and consistent land cover information products.

Learn More

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Ecosystems Intro http://www.data.gov/ecosystems/ecosystems-intro/ Wed, 29 Jan 2014 15:18:23 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=133821 Discover and explore data resources on ecosystems and biodiversity, including ecosystem components, functions, and services.

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EcosystemsImg
Discover and explore data resources on ecosystems and biodiversity,
including ecosystem components, functions, and services.

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Tom Frieden: Data Wonk http://www.data.gov/health/tom-frieden-data-wonk/ Tue, 28 Jan 2014 00:53:00 +0000 https://www.data.gov/health/tom-frieden-data-wonk/ I love data. Is there anything more fulfilling than a deep dive into numbers? Following the trends, thinking about what we can do better, seeing where we’ve done a great job – it’s so satisfying. Yes, I admit it. Proudly. … Continued

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I love data. Is there anything more fulfilling than a deep dive into numbers? Following the trends, thinking about what we can do better, seeing where we’ve done a great job – it’s so satisfying.

Yes, I admit it. Proudly. I am a data wonk.

I’m always eager to get my hands on new data, and nothing frustrates me more than having to wait. Last year, my staff was looking at new data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. It was the first time we were reporting data that included cell phone only households. I asked many people to send me the data for a sneak peek, but, sigh, no one would give it up.

One of my favorite parts of the job as director of CDC is my monthly “Conversation with the Director” where I meet one-on-one with CDC staff. For years I’ve been citing a scientist’s data on heart disease deaths since 1980. When I found out he was a CDC employee, I couldn’t wait to sit down and go over his analyses. That’s my idea of a great way to spend an hour.

As America’s health protection agency, CDC has a unique role as both a data collector and a data generator, identifying national health trends and reporting on interventions.

Data help us report on success stories such as these examples of progress we made in protecting Americans’ health in 2013:

  • We saw a 32 percent decrease in overall bloodstream infections and a 54 percent decrease in vascular access-related bloodstream infections because of CDC 2013 prevention guidelines;
  • More than 100,000 Americans quit smoking because of CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers national ad campaign; and
  • We, along with our partners, achieved the milestone of preventing HIV infection in 1 million babies around the world over the past 10 years.

Identifying national health trends helps us identify new problems and areas that need more work. The trends we’re seeing in prescription drug overdose, obesity and autism, for example, are focusing our work in those areas.

Our collecting and reporting data supports the crucial participation of state and local health departments, because all data is in some way local.

We believe wholeheartedly that openness of data is inspiring entrepreneurship and innovation, fueling the ideas of creative individuals and organizations. We expect the information will drive policy development, system and environmental changes to improve health.

Here are two examples of how we’re providing open access to more of our data and information:

  • Sortable Stats is an interactive data set of behavioral risk factors and health indicators compiled for the 50 states, DC, and U.S. territories from various published CDC and federal sources. The data is presented in a format that allows users to view, sort, and analyze data at state, regional, and national levels. Yes, I suggested it and we patterned it after baseball statistics (of course, baseball is also a data wonk’s dream).
  • Data.CDC.gov hosts some of the CDC’s most popular data sets. In addition to increased access to data, Data.CDC.gov is powered by the Socrata platform that allows users to filter syndicate and create easy visualizations with the data.

We believe CDC is in a unique position to help systematically improve the ways we increase the health security of our nation and protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. It’s a passion that makes us feel fortunate to do the work we do.

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]]> EcoINFORMA http://www.data.gov/ecosystems/ecoinforma/ Mon, 27 Jan 2014 16:09:59 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?page_id=133552 Resource Hubs Biodiversity Hub Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON) Ecosystem Services Hub EnviroAtlas Land Cover Dynamics Hub Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium (MRLC)   EcoINFORMA implementation vision: Primary data providers contribute data to a small number of central resource Hubs. These … Continued

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ECOINFORMA.Overview

Resource Hubs

 

EcoINFORMA implementation vision: Primary data providers contribute data to a small number of central resource Hubs. These Hubs serve as the primary access points for high quality, interoperable data, standards, tools and applications within focused communities of practice comprised of data providers, users and other stakeholders. A core Web site, the Ecosystems.data.gov Community, provides information about the overarching EcoINFORMA initiative as well as direct links to the resource Hubs and the integrating geospatial capabilities of Geoplatform.gov, thereby serving as an outreach, marketing and coordination entry point to EcoINFORMA.   


Ecoinformatics-based Open Resources and Machine Accessibility (EcoINFORMA) is an initiative recommended by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) in their 2011 report to the President on Sustaining Environmental Capital: Protecting Society and the Economy*. This initiative is aimed at sustainably expanding the availability and interoperability of Federal and non-Federal biodiversity, ecosystems, and ecosystem services information for use by researchers, the public, and government decision-makers.EcoINFORMA implementation is proceeding under the guidance of the Biodiversity and Ecosystems (BioEco) Informatics Working Group, a working group of the Subcommittee on Ecological Systems (SES) under the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Sustainability (CENRS).

The primary implementation components of EcoINFORMA are its resource hubs. These central resource hubs consist of focused and comprehensive communities of practice that encourage increased participation by data providers and users, and facilitate data interoperability through common standards, efficiencies of scale, and enhanced data curation. Resource hubs are envisioned to include data, software, hardware, and the team of professionals needed to develop and maintain these integrated resources. EcoINFORMA’s resource hubs will be supported by multi-agency teams of data acquisition, mobilization, integration, and curation professionals, as well as subject matter, community engagement, and coordination experts.

Visibility and coordinated access to EcoINFORMA will be provided via the Ecosystems Community here on Data.gov. This site serves as an entry point for access to EcoINFORMA’s resource hubs and other biodiversity, ecosystems, and ecosystems services data. This site is not envisioned to serve as a repository or archive of datasets and data products, but rather to supplement EcoINFORMA’s outreach, marketing, and coordination efforts by linking to existing resources.

*Executive Office of the President, President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, Report to the President: Sustaining Environmental Capital: Protecting Society and the Economy, July 2011

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]]> The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress, Five Decades of Data http://www.data.gov/health/the-health-consequences-of-smoking-50-years-of-progress-five-decades-of-data/ Thu, 23 Jan 2014 23:22:00 +0000 https://www.data.gov/health/the-health-consequences-of-smoking-50-years-of-progress-five-decades-of-data/ Fifty years after the release of the first Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health in 1964, remarkable progress has been made. Over the last five decades, smoking prevalence among U.S. adults has been reduced by half. Unfortunately, tobacco use … Continued

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Fifty years after the release of the first Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health in 1964, remarkable progress has been made. Over the last five decades, smoking prevalence among U.S. adults has been reduced by half. Unfortunately, tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States. The latest report The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress indicates the nation has seen adult smoking rates fall from about 42% at the time of the first report to about 18% today. Over those five decades, Surgeon General’s reports have utilized the best available evidence to expand our understanding of the health consequences of smoking and involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke.

The conclusions from these reports have evolved from a few causal associations in 1964, to a robust body of data and evidence documenting the health consequences from varying levels of tobacco exposure in a range of diseases and organ systems. Numerous kinds of cancer, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and adverse reproductive outcomes are some of the direct consequences of tobacco smoking and second hand smoke inhalation.

The evidence and data used in the report comes from private and public sources including research organizations and multiple departments in the federal government. Highlighting federal resources, the Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) supply data including:

Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of premature disease and death in the United States. On this anniversary of the landmark first ever Surgeon General’s report on smoking and health, this nation must rededicate itself not only to carrying forward the successful tobacco control efforts that have long been under way, but also to expanding and accelerating those efforts in full recognition of the challenge that remains.

To learn more visit SurgeonGeneral.gov/Initiatives/Tobacco .

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HHS 2013 Year in Health Data Highlights http://www.data.gov/health/hhs-2013-year-in-health-data-highlights/ Thu, 16 Jan 2014 19:42:00 +0000 https://www.data.gov/health/hhs-2013-year-in-health-data-highlights/ 2013 was another landmark year for open data! Across the Federal government all agencies worked to better manage data and information as assets for broader use by the public, private sector, developers and innovators in every industry while finding pathways … Continued

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2013 was another landmark year for open data! Across the Federal government all agencies worked to better manage data and information as assets for broader use by the public, private sector, developers and innovators in every industry while finding pathways for individuals to access their personal information from public and private sources. In health data, HHS outlined its Strategy & Execution plan detailing commitments to making its data assets openly available, implement or alter policies that support openness and transparency, and informing and educating contributors to creative innovations across the health and human services landscape. In an effort to feature the progress made this past year, we’re revising a few of the top stories in health data from HHS:

  1. Transparency in Hospital Inpatient and Outpatient Charges: In May and June 2013, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released data on the average charges for the 100 most common Medicare hospital inpatient procedures and 30 selected outpatient procedures. These data show significant variation in what hospitals charge for common services both across the country and within communities
  2. Social Services Entries Into the Publicly-Accessible Data World: 2013 Saw a significant increase in the volume of social services data the department made available. Leading the charge the Administration for Children and Families cataloged over 25 datasets, building the capacity in social service data including a Head Start location application programming interface (API), Child Care Development Fund, and Refugee resettlement data.
  3. County Level Geographic Variation and Chronic Condition Data: Also in June 2013, CMS released new data sets at the county level: one on Medicare spending and utilization, and another on Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions. Both data sets enabled researchers, data innovators and the public to better understand Medicare spending and service use, spurring innovation and increasing transparency, while protecting the privacy of beneficiaries.
  4. Geographic Variation Dashboard: In June 2013, CMS launched an interactive dashboard that presents information on state-level variation in standardized per-capita costs for the Medicare fee-for-service population. The interactive format allows users to select the indicator and year they want to display. Users can also compare data for a given state to the national average.
  5. Launch of Data.CDC.gov – In mid-August the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched Data.CDC.gov is the new data repository that hosts some of the CDC’s most popular data sets. In addition to increased access to data, Data.CDC.gov is powered by the Socrata platform that allows users to filter syndicate and create easy visualizations with the data. These newly Application Programming Interface (APIs)-enabled data can be displayed using visualization tools.
  6. CMS Supporting Researchers: In November 2013, the CMS launched the Virtual Research Data Center (VRDC) a secure and efficient means for researchers to virtually access and analyze CMS’s vast store of health care data. The VRDC offers researchers several advantages over the traditional shipped encrypted data files, including lower data costs and access to more recent data. The VRDC also offers greater security for CMS to share data with researchers.
  7. Big Data to Knowledge (BD2K): The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) announced the BD2K program which aims to tackle the challenges of increasing volumes of scientific data. The goal of this trans-NIH initiative is to develop new tools to analyze, organize, and standardize data so that it is easy for scientists to share and access. The program includes: a new data scientist leadership position, scientific data council for governance and oversight; new funding opportunities for creative minds to generate new tools; and plans to support workshops and training sessions to prepare our scientific workforce for this new era of high-volume biomedical data.
  8. Project Tycho: In late November the University of Pittsburgh Project Tycho announced it had unlocked 125 years of epidemiologic data using CDC datasets. The project created a large data set that includes all weekly surveillance reports of nationally notifiable diseases for all U.S. cities and states published since 1888, and we have made these data publicly available (Level 1 and Level 2 data) The data set consists of 87,950,807 reported individual cases, each localized in space and time.
  9. Integrating Data Catalogs: The catalog of data available on HealthData.gov crossed the 1000 dataset milestone underscoring the Department’s goal of making the platform a true discovery zone for health and social services data. Throughout 2013 HHS worked to expand the catalog of public data resources available on the platform. Health data catalogs from various states, beginning with New York with later additions from Maryland, Colorado, and Washington, expanded the catalog and laid the foundation for broader data federation in 2014.
  10. Engaging the Developer Community to Build Blue Button Enabled Apps: During the summer the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) Consumer e-Health Program hosted two sold-out Developer Forums in New York and San Francisco to teach practical skills necessary to use Blue Button + standards within patient applications and tools. To make Blue Button + standards easier to use, ONC released thousands of synthetic sample data sets and new Dev training and testing tools. ONC also had a vibrant year with challenges and codeathons including: The Blue Button Co-Design Challenge to expand our understanding of how patients want to use their clinical data and to increase the number of Blue Button + standards-enabled tools and applications. The “Power to the Patient” Codeathon at Health 2.0’s annual conference, explored the future of Blue Button by making patient claims and Explanation of Benefitsdata easier to use and understand, and patient generated data useful in the clinical setting.

Looking ahead, 2014 promises to be another incredibly productive year for the development of applications and services powered by openly available health data. They’re all part of the positive disruption that expanded uses of health data are having on the delivery of health care and human services nationwide. The Department will continue to implement policies that further drive openness and transparency of the data it collects and curates. We look forward to hearing more from you about the leading-edge ideas you have as contributors to this vibrant ecosystem of health innovation. Share your innovative use of public data here!

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Data tells a safety story http://www.data.gov/safety/data-tells-safety-story/ Wed, 15 Jan 2014 15:54:31 +0000 https://www.data.gov/?p=133061 Posted byGreg Winfree For the past few years, it is has been my privilege to see firsthand a dramatic change in government culture: the public availability and application of data. This rapid increase of Open Data is not valuable in … Continued

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Posted byGreg Winfree
For the past few years, it is has been my privilege to see firsthand a dramatic change in government culture: the public availability and application of data. This rapid increase of Open Data is not valuable in and of itself; its value lies in the ability of data to tell a story, guide how we direct our resources during a disaster, and help consumers make more informed decisions.

At DOT, we’ve been leaders of Data.Gov’s Safety community. And yesterday, at the second annual Safety Datapalooza, innovators from government and the private sector shared some of the achievements in public safety made possible by this revolution in Open Data.

 

DataGov

In the transportation sphere, leaders of two startups using safety data –Keychain Logisitcs and Bustr–shared how they’ve taken the data DOT makes publicly available and created useful apps for consumers as well as business owners.

Keychain is a matchmaker between freight shippers and commercial carriers. When shippers have cargo that needs to be delivered, they can consult Keychain to locate available carriers and check carrier and driver safety records. The safety data comes from our Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

It’s easy to see the value of Keychain’s service as a way of keeping the freight that fuels our economy moving efficiently. But thanks to the safety data incorporated into Keychain, shippers–many of them small businesses–have added confidence that their goods will get where they need to safely. Keychain also helps the safer and more reliable trucking companies and commercial drivers–many of whom are also small businesses–stand out.

Bustr also uses FMCSA safety data–for buses and drivers–to help those looking to charter a motorcoach for group travel. FMCSA makes available carrier and driver records, but by law is prohibited from putting an evaluative grade on a driver or carrier’s record. Bustr is free to do exactly that, which makes DOT data more useful to trip planners. And again, it also helps the small businesses who own and operate motorcoaches to stand out based on their relative safety merits.

Feed-the-developers

I’m very proud of DOT’s leadership in the Data.Gov community and the value our safety data provides. But in addition to transportation apps, I was also impressed at yesterday’s Safety Datapalooza by the many apps and tools that help guide first responders and survivors in the wake of disasters; that help consumers shop for products and services where business owners have a strong record of workplace safety; and that help keep our nation’s law enforcement officers safe while they are keeping the rest of us safe.

The story is not just that the free buffet of data is being put to terrific and convenient use; it’s that government is actively encouraging that use by making the data accessible in the first place and working with private sector developers to transform that data into actionable, practical information in the palm of our hands.

So, no one should be at all surprised if you hear someone say, “I’m from the government, and I’m here to innovate.”

Greg Winfree is Administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration.

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CMS Modifies Policy on Disclosure of Physician Payment Information http://www.data.gov/health/cms-modifies-policy-on-disclosure-of-physician-payment-information/ Tue, 14 Jan 2014 23:03:00 +0000 https://www.data.gov/health/cms-modifies-policy-on-disclosure-of-physician-payment-information/ Today the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) took a step forward in making Medicare data more transparent and accessible, while maintaining the privacy of beneficiaries. Today’s Federal Register notice modifies the administration’s policy on disclosure of physician payment … Continued

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Today the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) took a step forward in making Medicare data more transparent and accessible, while maintaining the privacy of beneficiaries. Today’s Federal Register notice modifies the administration’s policy on disclosure of physician payment information. Going forward, CMS will evaluate requests for individual physician payment information (or requests for information that combined with other publicly available information could be used to determine total Medicare payments to a physician) on a case-by-case basis. The new policy released today will take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. In addition, CMS will generate and make available aggregate data sets regarding Medicare physician services for public consumption.

In making the decision to replace the prior policy, the agency considered the more than 130 comments representing the views of over 300 organizations and individuals we received (http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/Medicare-Provider-Charge-Data/Downloads/PublicComments.pdf). Numerous of these comments identified ample benefits to releasing Medicare physician payment data, including use of the data by:

  • Providers to collaborate on improved care management and the delivery of healthcare at lower costs;
  • Consumers to gain broader, more reliable measures of provider quality and performance which drives innovation and competition while informing consumer choice; and
  • Journalists and others to identify waste, fraud, and abuse as well as unsafe practices.

The decision to modify the policy also takes into account HHS’ strong commitment to greater data transparency over the past several years. In 2010, HHS launched the Health Data Initiative to promote transparent, innovative, and safe data use. As part of this effort, CMS has engaged with a wide range of public, non-profit, and private sector stakeholders to foster the availability and use of health care data to drive innovations that improve health and health care.

Given the advantages of releasing information on Medicare payment to physicians and the agency’s commitment to data transparency, we believe replacing the prior policy with a new policy in which CMS will make case-by-case determinations is the best next step for the agency. However, CMS also recognizes the valid concerns raised by many stakeholders over protecting the integrity of the data. As CMS makes a determination about how and when to disclose any information on a physician’s Medicare payment, we intend to consider the importance of protecting physicians’ privacy and ensuring the accuracy of any data released as well as appropriate protections to limit potential misuse of the information. And as always, we are committed to protecting the privacy of Medicare beneficiaries.

This policy change follows other CMS efforts to make more data available to the public. Since 2010, the agency has released an unprecedented amount of aggregated data in machine-readable form, with much of it available at www.healthdata.gov. These data range from previously unpublished statistics on Medicare spending, utilization, and quality at the state, hospital referral region, and county level, to detailed information on the quality performance of hospitals, nursing homes, and other providers.

In May 2013, CMS released information on the average charges for the 100 most common inpatient services at more than 3,000 hospitals nationwide http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/Medicare-Provider-Charge-Data/Inpatient.html.

In June 2013, CMS released average charges for 30 selected outpatient procedureshttp://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/Medicare-Provider-Charge-Data/Outpatient.html.

The following post is cross-posted from The CMS Blog and is a follow up from a previous post on HealthData.gov.

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Designing for Open Data: Improvements to Data.gov http://www.data.gov/developers/designing-open-data-improvements-data-gov/ Mon, 13 Jan 2014 03:25:25 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?p=132912 By Marion Royal We’ve written a few times about the changes that we’ve been working on for Data.gov to make it easier for users to find, understand, and use government data. Today you’ll notice even more changes to Data.gov – … Continued

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By Marion Royal

We’ve written a few times about the changes that we’ve been working on for Data.gov to make it easier for users to find, understand, and use government data. Today you’ll notice even more changes to Data.gov – here’s a quick rundown of some of the main changes you’ll see, and why.

Works on your mobile device

Old phone view New phone view
Then Now



The site is now responsive to the device you’re using. Pull up Data.gov on your smartphone or tablet and you will see the content adapts to your screen size. And we’ll continue to make more improvements on this over time.

Refreshed design

old logo new logo
Then Now



In this refresh, we emphasized a simpler design with more white space. We also made design decisions based on whether they helped or hurt users trying to complete tasks, and will be updating the look and feel regularly.

Curated by topic

old hero new hero
Then Now



On the front page, we featured a rotating carousel and a list of the latest datasets as they were published by different agencies.

The updated site now has icons representing the subject areas that we’ve heard are most important to you. The new approach helps you quickly get to relevant datasets and examples.

Under the hood

Previously, the website was built on a mix of open and proprietary systems, but the development, as with so many government websites, wasn’t done publicly. Now we’re using open source systems, including WordPress and CKAN. Most importantly, the development is public from the beginning on GitHub so you can see how the site came to be, and will continue to grow. We’ve already had significant help from the open source community and look forward to more.

Your help

We’ve expanded our user testing and cannot wait to do more. Huge thanks to the people who participated!

What’s next

While we’re excited about these improvements, we recognize there’s a lot more work to do. A few things on our horizon include:

  • Regular user feedback and testing sessions (if you’re interested in volunteering, let us know!);
  • Continuing to refine the site content and layout to ensure it works with the rest of the site’s responsive design; and
  • Usability review and upgrade of individual datasets.

Did we miss something? Open an issue on GitHub!

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Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index: Proof of Concept http://www.data.gov/development/womens-empowerment-agriculture-index-proof-concept/ Mon, 13 Jan 2014 03:12:27 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?p=132892 The index tracks change in women’s empowerment that occurs as a direct or indirect result of Feed the Future interventions in targeted geographic zones within the initiative’s 19 focus countries. Data for the WEAI will be collected every two years in all … Continued

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The index tracks change in women’s empowerment that occurs as a direct or indirect result of Feed the Future interventions in targeted geographic zones within the initiative’s 19 focus countries. Data for the WEAI will be collected every two years in all 19 countries, and baselines were collected in 2011 and 2012. USAID and partners will conduct data analyses to understand the relationships among empowerment, livelihoods, and food security, as well as relationships among the various components of the index.

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Finance Feedback Form Confirmation http://www.data.gov/finance/finance-feedback-form-confirmation-page Mon, 13 Jan 2014 00:46:31 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=132811 Your feedback has been submitted. Go back to the form

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Data Harvesting http://www.data.gov/developers/harvesting Fri, 10 Jan 2014 23:17:34 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=132651 Data.gov is organized around metadata published by government offices. This metadata is harvested from external websites and aggregated on data.gov so that it’s easier to browse and search. However, some applications may want to consume this metadata programatically and there … Continued

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Data.gov is organized around metadata published by government offices. This metadata is harvested from external websites and aggregated on data.gov so that it’s easier to browse and search. However, some applications may want to consume this metadata programatically and there are two ways of doing that. The first option is to access the metadata in aggregate as it exists on catalog.data.gov. This can be done via the CKAN API. The second option is to go directly to the metadata source. Every harvested source of metadata is listed at http://catalog.data.gov/harvest. As part of Project Open Data most government offices are transitioning to make all of their metadata available via a standard schema contained by a data.json file. These are treated just as any other harvest source.

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An Introduction to Smart Disclosure Policy http://www.data.gov/consumer/introduction-smart-disclosure-policy/ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 18:11:33 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=130248 Smart Disclosure Is a New Approach to an Old Problem: The Difficulty of Being an Informed Consumer Today’s consumers face complex choices, whether they are searching for colleges, health insurance, credit cards, airline flights, or energy providers. It takes time … Continued

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Smart Disclosure Is a New Approach to an Old Problem: The Difficulty of Being an Informed Consumer

Today’s consumers face complex choices, whether they are searching for colleges, health insurance, credit cards, airline flights, or energy providers. It takes time and energy for consumers to seek out the best deal. Too often, the effort to sift through all the relevant information is so great that consumers choose in the dark—and then pay the price. They may overpay, miss out on a better product, or find themselves surprised by hidden fees.

High search costs do not just hurt people’s pocketbooks. Poor choices reduce overall market efficiency and economic growth. Properly functioning consumer markets depend on consumers’ ability to make informed choices. Consumer choices also have consequences for issues of vital national importance. Consumers’ decisions about higher education, energy consumption, and mortgages, for example, can affect the entire nation’s competitiveness, security, and fiscal health.

Smart Disclosure Works by Enabling New Consumer Services and Interactive Tools

Technology has made possible a new category of tools that help consumers shop smarter, such as search engines, comparison shopping websites, and mobile shopping applications. These tools—sometimes referred to as “choice engines”—have become a part of daily life for the American consumer. For example, a consumer can quickly find airline flights on one of the many travel search websites. The mobile phone is allowing consumers to access a wide range of shopping tools even while they browse in stores. Unfortunately, innovation in this category of tools is limited by an important bottleneck: access to data. Entrepreneurs and businesses serving consumers need data to thrive. Government and private sector leaders can help address this bottleneck by promoting access to the data needed to fuel new consumer tools. Smart disclosure will not just benefit consumers—it will also spur innovation, economic growth, and job creation in this emerging industry for consumer tools.

Both Government and Private Companies Can Promote Access to Smart Disclosure Data on Products and Services

Agencies. Agencies already collect large amounts of information relevant to consumers. Smart disclosure involves giving consumers access to this data so that it can be put to work. The federal government has led numerous efforts in this area. For example, agencies publish data on colleges, product recalls, hospital and physician quality, broadband services, airline on-time performance, and energy efficiency of appliances.

Companies. Companies can also release Smart disclosure data in ways that empower consumers to make better informed decisions. For example, companies can release information on the products they sell in machine-readable formats so customers can find them more easily. Government can play a role in promoting Smart disclosure by companies, such as by encouraging firms to adopt Smart Disclosure or by helping to establish machine-readable data standards for disclosures.

Personal Data Can Empower Consumers to Make Better Choices

One important focus for Smart disclosure is a person’s own data. Access to one’s own information in useable data formats can make consumer choices dramatically easier. Patients can use their medical claims data to choose new health coverage. Homeowners can use their energy usage data to find ways to save on electricity. Consumers increasingly have access to new kinds of tools that analyze their data to provide personalized recommendations. For example, consumers use personal financial management tools to get personalized advice on bank accounts and credit cards. Both government agencies and companies hold personal data of great potential value to consumers. Giving consumers access to their own data—with comprehensive privacy and security safeguards—can empower consumers to make better choices.

Federal agencies have pioneered efforts to give individuals access to their own data. For example, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Department of Defense allow veterans, Medicare beneficiaries, and members of the military to download their personal health data through a click of a Blue Button.

The federal government has worked with private sector partners to promote efforts to provide the consumer access to his or her own data. For example, utilities across the country have committed to allowing customers to download their energy usage through the Green Button, in response to a White House call to action. Many banks now allow customers to download their transaction history in spreadsheets, and private companies have made commitments to provide students with downloadable access to their own education data.

Federal Steps to Promote Smart Disclosure 

The United States committed to promoting the use of Smart Disclosure in the first U.S. Open Government National Action Plan. In September 2011, the White House Office of Management and Budget released guidance to agencies on informing consumers through Smart Disclosure. A dedicated Task Force on Smart Disclosure was also established under the National Science and Technology Council. The Task Force issued its final report in May 2013, which provides an overview of the ways in which smart disclosure can empower consumers and increase market transparency; describes smart disclosure activities being undertaken by Federal agencies and partners; provides context about government policies that guide and support those activities; and presents examples of concrete steps already being taken by Federal agencies to advance smart disclosure in domains such as health, education, energy, finance, and public safety. There are now a number of initiatives underway on Smart Disclosure in different consumer sectors, including initiatives to empower consumers by giving them access to their own personal data.

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5 Reasons Why Good Governments Should Embrace Open Data http://www.data.gov/cities/5-reasons-good-governments-embrace-open-data/ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 12:44:13 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?p=130190 Jonathan Reichental is the CIO of the City of Palo Alto, Calif., and one of the world’s leading proponents of open data. Why is he so big the idea of giving citizens access to the data their governments collect? Because … Continued

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Jonathan Reichental is the CIO of the City of Palo Alto, Calif., and one of the world’s leading proponents of open data. Why is he so big the idea of giving citizens access to the data their governments collect? Because even in times of recession and debt, he said on our Structure Show podcast this week, the one thing governments always have in abundance is data. And it belongs to the people.

More…

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Safety Intro http://www.data.gov/safety/safety-intro/ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 11:39:11 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=130170 Whether you are interested in crime, roadway safety, or safety in the workplace, we have something for you. Check out the data, browse and use the apps, and be part of the discussion.

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Whether you are interested in crime, roadway safety, or safety in the workplace, we have something for you. Check out the data, browse and use the apps, and be part of the discussion.

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Weather Intro http://www.data.gov/weather/weather-intro/ Thu, 09 Jan 2014 03:25:44 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=130162 Datasets related to weather, water, forecasts, and warnings

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Datasets related to weather, water, forecasts, and warnings

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Federal Register http://www.data.gov/law/federal-register/ Wed, 08 Jan 2014 01:07:05 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?p=130082 What did your government do today? The Federal Register is a daily summary of the rules, notices and regulations issued by all the agencies of the Federal Government that day, as well as documents signed by the President. On January … Continued

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What did your government do today? The Federal Register is a daily summary of the rules, notices and regulations issued by all the agencies of the Federal Government that day, as well as documents signed by the President. On January 7, 2014, the Federal government took action on everything from school lunches, protecting fisheries off the Alaskan coast, regulating greenhouse gases, issuing guidance on over-the-counter medical supplies, and enforcing trade regulations, to name just a few.

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Request Data http://www.data.gov/request Tue, 07 Jan 2014 22:38:44 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=130068 Need a dataset you can’t find? We’re in the process of providing a new data request process. In the meantime, please contact us or send a tweet and we’ll lend a hand.

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Need a dataset you can’t find?

We’re in the process of providing a new data request process. In the meantime, please contact us or send a tweet and we’ll lend a hand.

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New Datasets from Department of Justice http://www.data.gov/law/new-datasets-from-department-of-justice/ Tue, 07 Jan 2014 22:33:07 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?p=130067 The Department of Justice recently highlighted the datasets they have made available to inform the public about the Department’s core mission of enforcing federal law and protecting the rights of citizens. Data is available on everything from multi-year records of … Continued

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The Department of Justice recently highlighted the datasets they have made available to inform the public about the Department’s core mission of enforcing federal law and protecting the rights of citizens. Data is available on everything from multi-year records of arrests nationwide and in local areas; population data on federal and state correctional facilities; civil rights actions; Freedom of Information Act cases; and briefs filed by the Solicitor General in United States Supreme Court cases.

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EPA Consent Decrees http://www.data.gov/law/epa-consent-decrees/ Tue, 07 Jan 2014 22:31:21 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?p=130065 What are the latest actions by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enforce environmental laws like the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act? The EPA Consent Decree dataset provides updated information on EPA enforcement actions to stop violations … Continued

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What are the latest actions by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enforce environmental laws like the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act? The EPA Consent Decree dataset provides updated information on EPA enforcement actions to stop violations of environmental laws. The settlements and consent decrees dataset provides full information about the location of the violation, the company involved, the settlement terms and penalties, and the health and environmental benefits that will result from the enforcement action.

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Agency Developer Resources http://www.data.gov/developers/agencies Tue, 07 Jan 2014 20:53:30 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=130061 If you’re looking for developer resources associated with a specific dataset, you should consult the developer page provided by the relevant agency. As part of the Government Digital Strategy, each Federal Agency provides a developers page. Those pages are listed … Continued

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If you’re looking for developer resources associated with a specific dataset, you should consult the developer page provided by the relevant agency. As part of the Government Digital Strategy, each Federal Agency provides a developers page. Those pages are listed below:

Agencies

Independent Agencies

Programs

Suggest more

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Detailed Sitemap http://www.data.gov/detailed-sitemap/ Tue, 07 Jan 2014 18:49:32 +0000 http://www.data.gov/?page_id=130023 Pages#40739 (no title) 2020 Goal AAPI Data Catalog About Data.gov About Ocean Community Accessibility Additional Resources Additional Resources Agencies Highlights Agencies Intro Agency Developer Resources Agency Let’s Talk Agency Resources agriculture Agriculture Highlights Agriculture Intro Agriculture Page Agriculture: About Agriculture: … Continued

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