Vegetation Management GIS Spatial Data Analysis

Locating vegetation points and assessing their potential threat is a key part, and challenge, of efforts to remove dangerous vegetation near power lines to mitigate wildfire risk. Our client’s need to accurately identify vegetation points and clear all possible environmental holds is of utmost importance. The utility recognizes that critical decisions rely on accurate and verifiable data and data management processes and procedures.

 

Our Solutions

As a trusted utility advisor, TRC led the development of a GIS analysis program to identify all potential risk areas over thousands of acres, quantifying locations of vegetations points, areas of stakeholder impacts, levels of potential threats in each area, and natural wildlife needing protection. Using both our own available tools and public information, we worked closely with our utility client and the State’s local operation centers to efficiently determine all environmental holds associated with vegetation points in and around areas at risk of wildfires.

 

Benefits

Our information scientists understand the ins and outs of data visualization and are experienced in the vegetation management market. The GIS data management system TRC put into place is helping the utility continuously advance its wildfire mitigation program. Benefits include:

• Streamlined process to identify and clear constraints for work and removal
• Improved ability to determine permitting needs for work areas
• Tools to support right of way identification and stakeholder concerns
• Millions of data pieces organized and detailed on geospatial maps located in one unique data system
• Thousands of natural species identified, located, and preserved
• Safest routes identified for contractors going out into the field to gather data
• GIS data that follows industry standards and practices
• Establishment of administrative, environmental, and logistical practices
• Continuous monitoring and evaluation to ensure accuracy and reliability