M6.2: Least Cost Analysis

M6.2: Least Cost Analysis

Part 2 of the final assignment for GIS 4048. 

For the second part of the lab we went over Least Cost Analysis

Scenario 3 started with skills from Scenario 1 and 2 with tools Slope and Reclassify.

First encounter with the cost distance tool was a bit daunting. When looking for the tool I saw the backlink tool and thought that had to do be done separately. After a few iterations, I realized my misunderstanding and corrected from there.

Least Cost Analysis went fairly smoothly with the Cost Path and Raster to Polyline tools. I used the intersect tool to determine the river crossings.

The other tools used in the Scenario were Polyline to Raster and Raster Calculator.

For time constraints, I ended up using the world hillshade included with the Topographic base map for my screenshots. I attempted to create my own but this is the moment that my ArcPro really started having issues and kept getting stuck in the wheel of death.

After saving Analysis A-F, I closed out of ArcPro since it was being sluggish and restarted my computer.

I started Analysis G in a new map and did not have any issues with using the cost distance and corridor tools. My corridor looked pretty similar to the example. My only issue was the increased process time. I just figured it was due to the larger data set.

After determining the minimum values of the corridor - I went to change the symbology and every change took longer than the last and at the end, when everything was mathematically correct- my map didn't match the example. Which, Dr. Gallagher said to not get hung up on that, but mine was basically only showing a very small middle chunk... so I got hung up on it. I tried adjusting the values, redid all the steps with my desktop slowing to almost a crawl at some points. With no improvement and my desktop taking longer and longer to complete tasks- I quit for the night and moved on to Scenario 4 the next day with plans of returning to Scenario 3 at the end.

Scenario 4 started again with Slope, Euclidean Distance, and Reclassify. Weighted Overlay was used again- had a bit of an issue with getting the scale to output 1 through 10. Problem was with the zero in Landcover. After trying restricted and no data, setting it equal to 1 delivered the expected result.

Only issue I had with the inversion was my computer taking longer than expected to process it.

On the Scenario 4 corridor analysis, I realized where I had gone wrong with scenario 3. Again, ArcPro was processing every change very slowly but I was too far in to try and switch to Citrix. I completed Scenario 4 and started a new map to redo Scenario 3 from the beginning before doing the final layout. By the time I worked through everything again - it was very late. I was able to redo all my work fairly quickly on Thursday through Citrix and Friday on my desktop.

I am not usually a last day person, but, the universe had different plans.

I tried several different ways to troubleshoot the splatter of missing values but did not ever reach a successful attempt.

That's it for GIS 4048. The last assignment proved to be a challenge but with perseverance and slight lack of sleep-

I was able to adapt and overcome.

I have awarded myself a Gold Medal for sheer determination.

See you blog readers in 2 to 3 weeks!

Hopefully I'll be Security+ certified by then!