Utilizing and Understanding the GIS Toolbox of the WWAT Map Interface

Understanding how the WWAT map interface works will make it easier for you to locate your watershed withdrawal site. There are two key elements to the map interface, the first of which is the GIS Tool box.

GIS Toolbox:The GIS Toolbox is located in the top left corner of the map interface. This toolbox allows the user to manipulate and identify key features of the map.The Toolbox contains the following features.




This tool allows the user to zoom in on an area of the map. To zoom in on the map, activate the Zoom in button by clicking it once. Now find the area of the map you want to zoom in on, click and hold the mouse button down. Now drag the mouse over the area of interest (You will see a red box outlining the area of zoom.) and let go. The map will then reload with the new viewpoint.






This tool allows the user to zoom out from an area of the map. To move the viewpoint away from the map, activate the Zoom Out button. Find the area of the map that you want to zoom out from and click there. The map will now reload with the new viewpoint.






This tool allows the user to pan the map N, S, E, or W without zooming in/out. To pan the map you must activate the Move Map button. Once activated, click on the map and drag it in the desired direction. Upon release of the mouse click, the map will reload the new viewpoint.






This tool allows the user to go back to the previous map view. For example, if after you’ve zoomed in on a certain area and want to go back to the previous view, simply click the Back button.






This tool allows the user to clear away any added features from the map. For example, if you wanted to remove information displayed from the Identification tool, an address, or a measurement line, simply click the erase button once.






This tool allows the user to turn the map legend on and off.







This tool allows the user to turn the mini map of the State of Michigan on and off. If you look in the top left corner of the display map you can see a small map of Michigan. The purpose of this miniature map is to show you which area of Michigan is currently being displayed on the larger map. For example, if you were zoomed in close on an area, you can still look at the mini map to see which region of Michigan you are in.






This tool allows the user to change the display unit settings of the map. The default scale of the map is in miles, but can be changed to feet, meters, or kilometers. To change the scale of the map, click on the Set Scale button. This will bring up the set units menu, which is located underneath the display map. Select a scale from the drop down menu then click on the “set units” button to finalize your choice.




This tool allows the user to perform an address search for their watershed withdrawal site directly from the map interface. To find a location, click on the Address Button. This will bring up the address menu, which is located underneath the display map.

Fill in the required information and click the “locate” button. The address menu will return your query with links for all of the possible matches for that specific address. Find the address that is the best match and click on its corresponding link. The display map will load up the view of that chosen address.






This tool allows the user to print off a map of their current view. Whatever is in the map display window will be included in the print out.

Once satisfied with the current map display, click the Print button. A title window will open up underneath the map display. Type in what you want to call your map then click on the “create print page”. A new web page window will open up and display your map. To print off the map, go to file which is on the top left of the webpage, and then click on print.






This tool allows the user to measure distance on the display map. To measure a distance on the display map, click on the Measure button. If you look at the top left corner of the display map you can see 2 small text boxes called Total and Segment. The Total box will display the full length of all the segments you measure. The Segment box will display the length of each segment every time you measure.


Pick a starting point on the display map that you want to measure and click the mouse once. This spot is displayed as a red dot and is the now the focal point. Notice that whatever distance you move from the focal point is shown in the Segment box. Click the mouse again when you have determined the endpoint for your line. The distance of the line you just created is then displayed in the Total box. You can keep adding additional segments to the original line every time you click the mouse.






This tool allows the user to identify key features on the display map. The following key features can be identified: Counties, Roads, State Roads, Streams, Lakes, Watersheds, Reach Watersheds, and Existing wells. To identify a feature that is shown on the display map you must activate its corresponding data layer.



If you look at the bottom left hand side of the map interface you will see a box called Data Layers. To activate the layer you want, click on the name of that data layer. The little bubble next to the selected data layer should now be filled in and just below the display map you will see a message telling you which data layer is now the active layer. Now that the feature you’ve chosen has its corresponding data layer activated, click the Identify Button. Locate the feature on the map that you want to learn more information about and click on it. This information will be displayed just below the map.







The Query Builder Tool makes it possible to create and execute SQL statements right from the WWAT Map Interface. The main idea behind the Query Builder Tool is to allow the user to perform a search of the State of Michigan based on certain defined parameters. In other words, the tool makes it possible for the user to locate the area or areas that match the defined parameters of the search. To begin an SQL statement search, simply click the Query Builder button once. The area just below the display map will then load up the Query Builder menu which looks like the following.

There are four variables that make up an SQL statement: Field, Operator, Value, and Conditions. The Field variable refers to the subject that is going to be searched for. Basically it is the object or main focus of the search to be performed. There are 7 possible fields to choose from: County, Name, SQKM, SQ Miles, Acres, VER, and ID. Any one of these fields can be selected by clicking on the Field drop down menu.

The Operator Variable is an expression or statement that shows equality, inequality, or a combination of both. The type of operator that is used for this tool is called a Range operator. Range operators use the following symbols to compare equality: Greater than, less than, equal to, greater than or equal to, less than or equal to, and like (>, <, =, >=, <=, like). Any one of these operators can be selected by clicking on the Operator drop down menu.

The Value variable is the value that you are searching for. It is a value that you choose in combination with the Operator to get the desired result. Simply choose a value that you want to explore and type it in to the text box. If you are unsure of what value to use you can click the “Get Samples” button. When you click on the “Get Samples” button, the button will be replaced by a Sample Values drop down box.

Select a value from the drop down box and move on to the Conditions variable.

The Conditions variable specifies whether a condition is true, false, or unknown within a desired search. In other words, the conditions variable allows the user to put certain restrictions on a search so that the result is as accurate as possible. We often use conditions when we want to specify more than one condition in a SQL statement. There are three types of conditions and they are: And, Or, and Not. The And condition is used when you want to specify more than one condition in your SQL statement, while at the same time you want all conditions to be true. This means that you can put two separate conditions together using the And clause. Your result will contain the values that are true only for both conditions not one or the other. The Or condition is used in similar fashion and the major difference compared to the And condition is that the Or clause will return all results that satisfy any of the conditions listed. The Not condition is used to keep specific values out of a query. For example, if you wanted to do a search for all counties except a specific one, you would use the Not condition followed by the name of the county you don’t want to be included in the result.

It is important to note that you can utilize parentheses to narrow down the results a bit further. Keep in mind that the computer will always perform the functions in the parentheses first. Once you are satisfied with the selections that you’ve made, click the “Add to Query String” button, and then click the “Execute” button. The results of your query will load up just below the display map. To explore a result simply click on the corresponding hyperlink and the display map will immediately navigate to that location.







This tool allows the user to run a water withdrawal scenario at their chosen location. The New Withdrawal tool is the most important feature of the WWAT program. It is designed to estimate the likely impact of a proposed water withdrawal on nearby streams.

To begin a new water withdrawal scenario, click on the New Withdrawal button. Find the location of your watershed withdrawal site on the map and click there. A new webpage window will open up and present you with several scenario options.