Warsaw University of Technology
Hydrographic and Sozological Database as a source of
information on geographic environment in Poland
One
of the tasks of the State Geodetic and Cartographic Services, which are
subordinated to the Head Office of Geodesy and Cartography, concerns production
of official thematic maps, including the Hydrographic
Map of Poland at the scale of 1:50 000 and the Sozological
Map of Poland at the scale of 1:50 000. Since 2005 those maps, which are
accessible in both, digital and analogue forms, have been made basing on the
developed hydrographic and sozological
databases.
Whilst
“hydrography” is a universal and commonly known term,
the term „sozology”, which exists in the Polish
science, geography and cartography, requires some more explanation. This term
originates from the Greek language in which the word sozein means “to protect, to
safe”. It was firstly introduced in Poland in 1965 by Professor Walery Goetel for the science
related to protection of the nature and natural resources. Practically, the
scope of sozology, as the science, is much wider and
it also concerns research on investigations of natural transformations
resulting from antropopression and prevention against
their negative impacts.
1. Hydrographic
and sozological maps – the historical approach
The
precursor of production of the hydrographic map
in Poland was Professor M. Klimaszewski, who proposed
– at the beginning of the fifties of the 20th century - to make and
publish the hydrographic map of Poland basing on
field surveys. In the period 1954 – 64 four successive issues of instructions
concerning the development of the hydrographic map of
Poland at the scale of 1:50 000 were published under the auspices of the
Institute of Geography of the Polish Academy of Science. Basing on those
instructions, 45 map sheets were made and printed in the period 1958 – 69.
Further works concerning the development of that map were discontinued in 1968.
In
1980 the Head Office of Geodesy and Cartography initiated efforts concerning
the re-development and publication of the hydrographic
map of Poland. In the period 1983 – 85 several successive versions of
instructions and selected map sheets were elaborated. After the final version
of the instruction was approved, the hydrographic map
of Poland at the scale of 1:50 000 was made after 1986 as the analogue product.
In
1996 the content of the hydrographic map was the
subject of a questionnaire, which was filled by interested institutions and
organisations. Experiences gained in the course of making hydrographic
maps of high diversification of water conditions and phenomena, as well as the
access to information techniques, resulted in 1997 in development of modified
Technical Guidelines K-3.4 “The Hydrographic Map of
Poland at the scale of 1:50 000” with consideration of a new, digital form of
the map. The main technological changes were related to formal regulations
concerning rules of map making, preparation of transparencies in the digital
form and application of the triad printing technology (Karpińska, 2005).
In
the period 2002 – 2004 technical guidelines were modified again. Changes
introduced in that period referred both, to the substantial and technological
parts of the map making process, as well as the name of the Guidelines. Due to
the particular attention paid to development of thematic database, the name was
changed into “The GIS Technical Guidelines – 3, The Hydrographic
Map of Poland, 1:50 000 scale, in the analogue and digital forms” (the final
version in 2005).
Map
sheets have been made and published following the new GIS-3 Guidelines since
2004. It is estimated that currently about 50% of Poland is covered by the Hydrographic Map of Poland at the scale of 1:50 000.
The
first sozological maps in Poland, made at various
scales, first of all within the Małopolska
region, as cartographic approach of sozological
research works, were made as early as the beginning of the seventies of the 20th
century. Preparation and publication of the sozological
map of the then existing Leszno Province, at the
scale of 1:100 000, in the middle of the eighties, was of crucial importance.
Authors of that map proposed to make regional sozological
maps at the scale of 1:200 000. As a result of discussions performed during
scientific conferences the idea to make and publish the Sozological
Map of Poland at the scale of 1:50 000 was approved.
In
1987 the outline of technical guidelines, which – together with a model map
sheet – was distributed among scientific reviewers, as well as among
institutions and voivodship (provincial) offices. In
1990 the final version of the guidelines was approved, as “The Technical
Guidelines K-3.6 Sozological Map of Poland at the
scale of 1: 50 000”. In 1996 the sozological map
content was the subject of a questionnaire, the aim of which was to collect
opinions concerning its usefulness and to gather conclusions and proposals
related to its possible improvements.
Experiences
gained in the course of development of sozological
maps of various areas, as well as the access to information techniques,
resulted in 1997 in development of modified Technical Guidelines with
consideration of a new, digital form of the map. The main technological changes
were related to formal regulations concerning rules of map making, preparation
of transparencies in the digital form and application of the triad printing
technology (Karpińska, 2005).
In
2002 works concerning the new modification of the Guidelines were started.
Changes introduced in that period referred both, to the substantial and
technological parts of the map making process, as well as the name of the
Guidelines. Due to the particular attention paid to development of thematic
database, the name was changed into “The GIS Technical Guidelines – 4, The Sozological Map of Poland, 1:50 000 scale, in the analogue
and digital forms” (the final version in 2005).
Map
sheets have been made and published following the new GIS-4 Guidelines since
2004. It is estimated that currently about 50% of Poland is covered by the Sozological Map of Poland at the scale of 1:50 000.
Substantial
modifications introduced into technical guidelines of the hydrographic and the sozological maps resulted mainly from
harmonisation of the Polish law with the European Union standards. Patterns of
conventional symbols, used for those maps, were also modified.
Technological
modifications concerned:
-
modification
and development of the structure of thematic layers,
-
introduction
of a term „cartographic imagery” as a vector representation of an analogue map,
-
utilisation
of the VMAP Level2 database as the reference topographic database,
-
development
of a unified quality control system for data transferred to the data resources,
-
development
of software tools, which support the map making process,
-
reorganisation
of rules concerning development of external databases (TERYT, REGON),
-
maintenance
of technological continuity with the existing version of the Guidelines, by
means of automation of the process of archive data conversion to the new
structure of thematic layers (www.gugik.gov.pl).
2. Thematic Database
2.1. Hydrographic Database
The Hydrographic Database is a thematic spatial database, which
synthetically presents water circulation conditions in relation to the natural
environment, the level of investments and transformations of the environment.
It is developed basing on the reference database, into which results of field
mapping of phenomena and water structures, as well as soil permeability and
numerous information related to management of water resources, water quality
evaluation and the hydrosphere network monitoring results are overlaid.
The Hydrographic Database is maintained in the GIS technology
in MapInfo Professional environment. The VMAP Level2 database, of the geometric
accuracy which corresponds to 1:50 000 scale maps, is used as the reference
topographic database, to which layers of the Hydrographic
Map are referenced. The Spatial Database is an important component of the Hydrographic Map, allowing to perform complex spatial
analyses.
The Hydrographic
Database is not the product of research works only, which aim at registration
of phenomena and water or water-and-economic structures. It also contains study
materials to be used in the course of research works in the field of the
natural environmental sciences. The importance of this maps grows in the
conditions of growing degradation of the environment. It is addressed to
offices and institutions dealing with water-and-economic issues, physical
planning, as well as management and protection of the natural environment.
The hydrographic
database is useful for the needs of solution of such social-and-economic tasks,
as: water supply, designing locations of new settlements, as well as industrial
investments, investments in the water power engineering and water melioration
sectors, flood protection, prevention against flood impacts and for other
issues related to water management (www.gugik.gov.pl).
2.1. Sozological Database
The Sozological
Database is a thematic spatial database, which presents the conditions of the
natural environment as well as reasons and effects of – negative and positive –
changes which occur in the environment as a result of various processes,
including – first of all – man-made activities; it also presents the ways how
to protect natural values of the environment. The database is mainly addressed
to institutions and offices dealing with the environmental protection issues
and to decision makers and planners at regional, province (voivodship),
district and municipal levels.
The
Sozological Database is maintained in the GIS
technology in MapInfo Professional environment. The VMAP Level2 database, of
the geometric accuracy which corresponds to 1:50 000 scale maps is used as the
reference topographic database, to which layers of the Sozological
Map are referenced. The Spatial Database is an important component of the Sozological Map, allowing to perform complex spatial
analyses.
The
sozological database is useful as the source of
information on the level of pollution, environmental hazards, as well as the
tool for investigations and determination of the natural conditions with
respect to qualitative, systematising and forecasting aspects. It may be used
for determination of the synthetic index of the natural environmental
conditions of various spatial units; the digital version of this database
allows to acquire, store and visualise geographic data with permanent updating
of the database (www.gugik.gov.pl).
3. Hydrographic Map of Poland, 1:50 000
scale
Map sheets of the Hydrographic Map of Poland at the scale of 1:50 000 are
made and published in the digital and analogue forms, in the “1992” co-ordinate
system, basing on the Hydrographic Database.
Therefore it is useful for solutions of the same social-and-economic issues as
the Database. Besides, this map creates the study material for specified
research works concerning the natural environment; it is the document used for
registration of changes of hydrological processes, which corresponds to
topographic maps at the same scale. This map is also the source cartographic
product for making hydrographic maps at smaller
scales and for making related thematic maps.
The thematic content of the map
consists of the following groups of elements, ordered according to several
information levels:
- topographic
watersheds,
- surface waters,
- groundwater
outflows,
- underground waters
of the 1st level,
- soil permeability,
- phenomena and
structures related to water management,
- hydrometric points
of stationary measurements.
Each of the above elements is
represented by the group of water phenomena and structures, presented by
conventional symbols on a map.
Fig. 1 Hydrographic Map of Poland, 1:50 000 scale
Comments are prepared for each map
sheets, which are placed on the reverse side of the map; those comments contain
important information concerning water circulation, as well as features of
surface and groundwaters within the area covered by
the particular map sheet. The comments
are prepared by the scientific consultant of the given map sheet.
Comments contain the characteristics
of the following elements:
- natural conditions
of the area,
- geological and lithological structures,
- topographic
watersheds,
- rainfalls,
- surface waters,
- hydrological
conditions,
- groundwaters,
- hydro-climatic
conditions in the course of hydrographic surveys,
- surface water
pollution levels,
- transformation of
water conditions,
-
other information important for evaluation of hydrological conditions of the
selected area (GIS – 3 Technical
Guidelines).
4. Sozological Map of Poland, 1:50 000 scale
Map sheets of the Sozological Map of Poland at the scale of 1:50 000 are made
and published in the digital and analogue forms, in the “1992” co-ordinate
system, basing on the Sozological Database. Therefore
it is useful for solutions of the same social-and-economic issues as the
Database. The sozological map is particularly useful in physical planning
activities for locating new industrial and municipal objects (including
dwelling houses) as well as recreation centres etc.
This map, made at the
scale of 1:50 000, is also the source cartographic product for making sozological maps at smaller scales and for making related
thematic maps.
The
thematic content of the map consists of the following groups of elements,
ordered according to several information levels:
- forms of protection
of the natural environment,
- degradation of
components of the natural environment,
- counteractions
against degradation of the natural environment,
- re-cultivation of
the natural environment,
- wastelands,
- auxiliary symbols
and markings.
Each of the above elements is
represented by the group of water phenomena and objects presented by means of
conventional symbols on the map.
Comments are prepared for each map
sheets, which are placed on the reverse side of the map; those comments contain
important information in the form of tables, diagrams and descriptions which
simplify the perception and amends the map content. The comments are prepared
by the scientific consultant of the given map sheet.
Fig.2 Sozological Map of Poland, 1:50 000 scale
Comments contain:
-
characteristics of the basic components of the natural environment and their
selected features, according to the following sub-sections:
physical-and-geographical locations, geological structure, terrain relief,
geo-morphology, surface waters, groundwaters, soils,
vegetation cover, fauna, climate,
-
wider information for particular information levels of the map, according
information levels, specified in the map content (text, tables, additional
maps),
-
general characteristics of the natural environmental conditions and levels of
their degradation,
-
guidelines concerning management and protection of the environment,
-
other important information and results of evaluation, e.g. wind rose,
information on location of natural resources, data concerning the subject of
control in monitoring sites and address information of those sites (GIS – 4 Technical Guidelines).
5. Hydrographic and Sozological Maps in a digital form
Maps in the digital form are
characterised by the following features:
- the multi-layer
structure,
- each layer contains
vector objects from a selected thematic range,
- a descriptive part
is assigned to each layer – it is the database of a specified structure,
-
databases combined with particular vector objects, which characterise those
data with respect to quantitative and qualitative features,
-
compatibility of particular map sheets with the analogue map,
-
the possibility to combine adjacent map sheets in bigger vector objects (e.g.
provinces, districts and municipalities). This requires the settlement of
object identifiers in particular thematic layers. (www.gugik.gov.pl).
Final remarks
The Hydrographic
and Sozological Databases and maps generated from
those databases at the scale of 1:50 000 contain a lot of information which
originates from numerous sources, such as: field surveys, photointerpretation
of aerial and satellite images, as well as from research works in the field of hydrography, ecology and environmental protection.
Information contained in those databases presents the complex conditions of the
geographic environment in Poland. Those works are used for the needs of
research works, for analyses related to physical planning, designing of new
investments etc.
Information included
in those databases quickly becomes out-of-date, therefore some information does
not always correspond to the reality. The best solution would be to develop a
system allowing for permanent updating of the database content. Due to mutual
covering of some information in both databases, works concerning the idea of
creating one, uniform database on conditions of the geographic environment,
have been continued. Such a database would cover the thematic content of the Hydrographic and Sozological
Databases, enriched by other issues related to management of the geographic
environment.
References
1.
The General Surveyor of Poland, 2005 – “The
GIS Technical Guidelines – 3, The Hydrographic Map of
Poland, 1:50 000 scale in the analogue and digital forms”., The Head Office
of Geodesy and Cartography (GUGiK), Główny Geodeta Kraju, 2005 – Wytyczne techniczne GIS – 3, Mapa Hydrograficzna Polski skala 1:50 000 w formie analogowej i numerycznej,
Główny Urząd
Geodezji i Kartografii, Warszawa,
2.
The General Surveyor of Poland, 2005 – The
GIS Technical Guidelines – 4, The Sozological Map of
Poland, 1:50 000 scale in the analogue and digital forms, The Head Office
of Geodesy and Cartography (GUGiK), Główny Geodeta Kraju, 2005 – Wytyczne techniczne GIS – 4, Mapa Sozologiczna Polski skala 1:50 000 w formie analogowej i numerycznej,
Główny Urząd
Geodezji i Kartografii, Warszawa,
3. Karpińska
J., 2005 – Poland at various scales, in:
60th Anniversary of the Head Office of Geodesy and Cartography (GUGiK), Polska w różnych skalach, w:
60 lat Głównego Urzędu
Geodezji i Kartografii, GUGiK, Warszawa.
4. www.gugik.gov.pl – the Head Office of
Geodesy and Cartography, Główny Urząd Geodezji i Kartografii.