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The Microsoft
TerraServer Web site is a useful resource for obtaining an aerial photo with a reasonable scale
(approximately 1”= 200 ft) that will allow one to estimate the size and
location (latitude and longitude) of a closed, illegal, and abandoned disposal
(CIA) site in
California. See the following examples of TerraServer products:
Using the TerraServer site is not difficult. It requires that
you locate the site using either the address (street number, street name, city
and ZIP code) or geographical features (highways, roads,
landmarks, etc.). If you have geographic positioning system (GPS) latitude and
longitude coordinates, TerraServer will allow you to input these coordinates
and go directly to the location. Some patience is required in using
the site's "button" features to navigate in areas featured in
the aerial photo, manipulate the scale of the map, toggle between a USGS map
and an aerial photo, or obtain latitude and longitude information using the
image info button.
It should be noted that TerraServer is intended for use in applications for
real estate sales, appraisal and transaction and the aerial photos are limited
to incorporated areas and some rural areas. Remote areas with no real
estate interest, e.g. Bureau of Land Management property, etc. may not be covered by
TerraServer aerials.
There are obvious advantages to this resource:
a) You can develop a scaled site map for site investigation and
site mapping purposes (sample location map, site access, land use, locating
gas and water monitoring wells and control systems).
b) Using for field notes during investigations and
inspections (locating illegal disposal sites).
c) Comparing waste disposal area to property
boundaries (overlay parcel map with aerial photo).
d) Verifying or obtaining GPS latitude and longitude
coordinates for input into SWIS.
Producing TerraServer Aerial Photos and USGS
Maps with Latitude & Longitude Grid
To create an aerial photo or USGS topographic map with a latitude and
longitude coordinate grid that you can import and export to documents use the
following procedures:
- Ensure you have the
location or address for the site (TerraServer needs a location name, e.g.
city, town, county) or latitude and longitude (GPS info).
- Access the TerraServer Web site at http://terraserver.microsoft.com/.
- Select "Advanced Find."
- Select a "Search Type" (typically "Address" or
"Geographic Coordinate"). For an
address search, type in the street, city, state (CA), ZIP, and country (United
States) of the site. Typing in only the city and state will give you the
center of the city.
- Select the USGS aerial
photo hyperlink (typically dated 1992-95). The USGS topo map is a
topographic map, not a photo. You can toggle back and forth from the USGS map
to the corresponding aerial photo as a means of identifying street names,
landmarks, and elevation information. Also, for viewing purposes you can
select the "large" info button to increase the image size.
- When the photo comes up,
you can use the north, south, east, west arrows to navigate to the specific
location you are looking for (use highway, roads, rivers, etc. as geographical references--it helps to have a AAA map or Thomas Bros. Guide
map of the specific area). You can also use the USGS topo map under
"other images," which identifies street names, landmarks, and topographic
elevations. (For canyon fills and gravel pits, this map can be useful for
defining "prelandfill topography.") The USGS topo map can also have
latitudes and longitudes overlain by using the "image info" button. (The
same procedures that follow can apply to producing a USGS topo map with latitude and
longitude lines using TerraServer.)
- To zoom in, use the mouse to point and click on the specific
location on the aerial map, and keep left-mouse clicking until you reach a resolution of 1 meter (or 1 in = 200 feet). To
zoom out
to the next scale, click on the Resolution Icon Scale at the top of the
map (the button with the minus sign). The scale for the aerial photos and maps goes from 1 meter to 16
meters.
- Once you have found your
location, cut and paste the web site address to a file (e-mail, document, etc.) or
bookmark to favorites for future reference.
- To create an aerial
photo or USGS topographic map with the latitude and longitude coordinate grid
click on "Image Info" (at the top of the screen). Scroll down to
view the map.
- If you are satisfied with the map view;
left click and hold down the mouse and drag and highlight the aerial and
latitude and longitude info to put the quad on the clipboard. As you
drag across the image, it will "highlight" (darken). The darkened
image is what will be cut and copied to the clipboard.
- Open the Word application, and use the
page setup function (under "file" menu) to (a) set the paper size to
landscape, and (b) decrease the margin size to the minimum width possible (input .2 for top, bottom, left, and right
margins).
- Perform an Edit-Paste to your open
document and save your file to a desired directory.
If you have any questions on how to use this resource please contact any of
the CIA staff. There is no charge for accessing and using this site.
Historical Aerial Photos
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