GIS technologies use digital information, for which various digitized data creation methods are used. The most common method of data creation is digitization, where a hard copy map or survey plan is transferred into a digital medium through the use of a computer-aided design (ArcGIS) program, and geo-referencing capabilities. With the wide availability of ortho-rectified imagery (both from satellite and aerial sources), heads-up digitizing is becoming the main avenue through which geographic data is extracted. Heads-up digitizing involves the tracing of geographic data directly on top of the aerial imagery instead of by the traditional method of tracing the geographic form on a separate digitizing tablet (heads-down digitizing).

GIS has become a particularly useful and important tool in hydrology and to hydrologists in the scientific study and management of water resources. Climate change and greater demands on water resources require a more knowledgeable disposition of arguably one of our most vital resources. As every hydrologist knows, water is constantly in motion. Because water in its occurrence varies spatially and temporally throughout the hydrologic cycle, its study using GIS is especially practical. GIS systems previously were mostly static in their geospatial representation of hydrologic features. Today, GIS platforms have become increasingly dynamic, narrowing the gap between historical data and current hydrologic reality.

GIS technology can be used for scientific investigations, resource management, asset management, environmental impact assessment, urban planning, cartography, marketing, logistics, prospectively land uses, renewable natural resources mapping besed on soils characteristics, and other purposes. For example, GIS might allow emergency planners to easily calculate emergency response times (i.e. logistics) in the event of a natural disaster. As scientists and environmental managers, we use GIS to study the environment, report on environmental phenomena, and model how the environment is responding to natural and man-made factors.

Experts at Ecology Development Bureau are proficiently to:

• Manage multiple types of geographic data.
• Assess relationships such as runoff and groundwater purity.
• Measure change such as wildlife habitat encroachment.
• Model events such as drought impact on forest health.
• Improve workflow processes, from data gathering and analysis to publication and distribution of findings.