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The Montana Association of Geographic Information Professionals (MAGIP) looks forward to your participation at this year’s 2025 Big Sky GeoCon!


Venue: Lewis Room clear filter
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Wednesday, April 16
 

8:25am MDT

Demographic and Economic Data for GIS Mapping and Analysis in Montana
Wednesday April 16, 2025 8:25am - 8:55am MDT
This presentation will explore demographic and economic data for geographic areas in Montana. We will walk through the most accurate and useful data sets from the U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. We will provide guidance on the usability of data at varying geographic levels (ex. block, city, county). Finally, we will review the best resources for obtaining and using tabular and GIS-enabled data including the U.S Census Bureau, ESRI Living Atlas via ArcGIS Online and the Montana Department of Commerce. 
Presenters
avatar for Dave Ritts

Dave Ritts

GIS Analyst, Montana Department of Commerce
Dave Ritts is a GIS Analyst with the Montana Department of Commerce.  He primarily works with demographic and economic data and maintains dashboards, web pages and databases for the Census and Economic Information Center (CEIC).  He has previously worked as a GIS Analyst for Oregon... Read More →
Wednesday April 16, 2025 8:25am - 8:55am MDT
Lewis Room

9:00am MDT

BIA-Rocky Mountain Region (RMR)Regional Geospatial Coordinator Program Update
Wednesday April 16, 2025 9:00am - 9:30am MDT
Regional Geospatial Coordinators Program:
The purpose of the Regional Geospatial Coordinators (RGCs) is to establish a partnership of the roles and responsibilities of the respective partners in the twelve Regions.
Within this presentation, RMR RGC will give an outline of how RMR RGC has worked to limit data silos and explores the critical aspects of GIS data management, focusing on the effective organization, storage, and manipulation of geographically referenced data within the BIA’s planning context. This emphasizes the importance of data validation and quality checks to ensure the accuracy and consistency of spatial data throughout the BIA’s geospatial system. 
Presenters
avatar for Ken Bixby

Ken Bixby

Regional Geospatial Coordinator, Department of Interior- Rocky Mountain Regional Office
I like to hunt, fish, and other outdoor activities. I really like talking about my 49ers, Celtics, and San Fran Giants. With work related, I like talking about AGOL, Collector, SDE Server (learning), parcel data, Metes and Bounds (COGO), and spatial analysis.
Wednesday April 16, 2025 9:00am - 9:30am MDT
Lewis Room

9:35am MDT

UAS Thermal Insights into Stream Dynamics
Wednesday April 16, 2025 9:35am - 10:05am MDT
Utilizing temperature of a tracer of ground water-surface water (GWSW) interaction has a long history in hydrology. Increasingly UAS thermal data is being used to evaluate high spatial resolution micro-scale (cm-level) GWSW interaction. Thermal UAS data can reveal areas of groundwater discharge, hyporheic zone interaction, and reaches of warmer water that can be barriers to fish movement and survival. UM and MTech conducted a 20-mile thermal UAS project on Thompson Creek in the summer of 2024. This work provides insights into the GWSW interaction along the creek and has implications for stream restoration in support of native fish populations. 
Presenters
JC

Jeremy Crowley

Autonomous Aerial Systems Office (AASO) at University of Montana
Jeremy Crowley is the Director of the Autonomous Aerial Systems Office (AASO) at the University of Montana (UM). He has worked in the private sector, state and federal agencies, and academia for over 20 years mostly focusing on geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing... Read More →
Wednesday April 16, 2025 9:35am - 10:05am MDT
Lewis Room

10:10am MDT

ArcGIS Dashboard Use for Data and User Governance
Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:10am - 10:40am MDT
With many users across the continental US, the Terracon Data Solutions team provides tailored GIS
solutions for its many offices. A constant struggle is to maintain data standards when there is so much data being collected at any given time. Once it came time to discuss our next version upgrade, the team discussed ways to better efficiencies to speed up the process. We stumbled upon the idea that one needs to 'clean up' before moving from one house to the other. Taking inspiration from a past presentation, the Data Solutions Team and the Solutions Architecture team developed an Esri Dashboard that used Content scoring to demonstrate to users what data is worth keeping and what is not. This assisted the team in reducing content by nearly 50% in a brief period because users could see their aggregate scores and knew what needed improvement and what could be eliminated. We will discuss the creation of the dashboards, the user reception of the concept, and the lessons learned. 
Presenters
avatar for Brett Horr, GISP, LAVM

Brett Horr, GISP, LAVM

Corporate GIS Manager, Terracon Consulting
Brett is the Corporate GIS Manager for Terracon Consulting Engineers and has worked in the GIS field for over 2 decades. His duties include the management of GIS analysis, geohazard mapping, web and mobile mapping projects, & company GIS support. Brett is also a retired police officer... Read More →
Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:10am - 10:40am MDT
Lewis Room

11:10am MDT

The Modernized National Spatial Reference System is almost here!
Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
NOAA's National Geodetic Survey (NGS) defines, maintains, and provides access to the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS), which is a common foundation for geospatial data that serves as the basis for civilian surveying and mapping in the United States. Changes in technology and a better understanding of the dynamic earth have made it necessary to improve the NSRS to be of better use for modern applications. Currently, NGS is in the process of modernizing the NSRS, updating the existing horizontal datums with a suite of geometric reference frames and the vertical datums with a gravimetrically-derived geopotential datum. 
Presenters
avatar for Brian Shaw

Brian Shaw

Rocky Mountain Regional Geodetic Advisor, NOAA's National Geodetic Survey
Brian Shaw is NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey Rocky Mountain Regional Advisor. He began his career at NGS in 2002 and has a BS in Computer Science and an MS in Geographic Information Systems which made him the NGS geospatial go-to person. Brian emphasizes how GIS depends on geodesy... Read More →
Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
Lewis Room

1:45pm MDT

UAS Lidar Mission Planning and Applications
Wednesday April 16, 2025 1:45pm - 2:15pm MDT
Advancements in UAS hardware and Lidar technologies have provided opportunities for organizations to gather highly accurate and dense Lidar point clouds for small scale projects with quick turn around times. This presentation will outline a variety of projects, with varying challenges, specifications and client needs. We will review steps for planning successful UAS Lidar missions and detail UAS Lidar system specifications and applications. Assessing site suitability and the size of project area are important factors for UAS projects. Dense point clouds will be explored from engineering and water resource projects. 
Presenters
TK

Tyler Kaebisch

Geospatial Project Manager, Ayres
Tyler Kaebisch is a Geospatial Project Manager with Ayres. He has managed small and large-scale projects that apply remote sensing techniques to analyze features across the landscape.
Wednesday April 16, 2025 1:45pm - 2:15pm MDT
Lewis Room

2:20pm MDT

Helena Mobile Lidar Experience
Wednesday April 16, 2025 2:20pm - 2:50pm MDT
In October of 2024, approximately 26 road miles within Helena, MT city limits were captured with a state of the art mobile lidar sensor. This presentation will provide a summary of the Helena mobile lidar collection including the technology, collection considerations, desired feature collection and accuracy. And will review what the data will be used for by the City. We will review the types of projects this mobile lidar point cloud and imagery can support in a GIS like asset inventory and management, change detection and much more. 
Presenters
avatar for Melissa Christie

Melissa Christie

Senior Account Manager, West Coast, NV5 Geospatial
Melissa Christie is a Senior Account Manager for NV5 Geospatial and lives in El Dorado Hills, CA. She has a BS in Geography and a minor in Geology from the University of Nevada, Reno. Melissa began her career in the public sector, working for USGS Water Resources Division, Washoe... Read More →
Wednesday April 16, 2025 2:20pm - 2:50pm MDT
Lewis Room

3:20pm MDT

Navigating Innovation: Building Pickett’s Unmanned Hydrographic Survey Program
Wednesday April 16, 2025 3:20pm - 3:50pm MDT
Innovation is not a single event but a continuous process of learning, adapting, and refining ideas to reach the right solution. At Pickett and Associates, our journey to develop an unmanned hydrographic survey program demonstrates this iterative approach. Beginning with a custom-built prototype in 2014, our goal was to enhance safety and efficiency in surveying hazardous industrial mining ponds.
This presentation highlights the innovation process that carried us from a promising yet flawed prototype to the successful adoption of a commercially proven solution. Interdisciplinary collaboration and strategic partnerships with industry specialists were two key factors that helped facilitate this transformative journey. By viewing setbacks as opportunities to grow, we identified essential design criteria, conducted thorough market evaluations, and selected a system designed to withstand the extreme conditions of acidic mining ponds.
Throughout this process, we reaffirmed that true innovation demands adaptability and persistence. Valuable lessons emerged, including the necessity of engaging end-users, knowing when to pivot from custom solutions to established technologies, and maintaining a steadfast focus on safety and quality.
This case study provides actionable insights for fostering a culture of innovation that turns challenges into stepping stones for progress.

Takeaway:
Innovation is not linear but a journey defined by discovery and growth. By embracing challenges and refining our approach, Pickett successfully developed and implemented an unmanned hydrographic survey program that exemplifies the power of collaboration and persistence in achieving meaningful innovation. 
Presenters
avatar for Dan Mummert

Dan Mummert

Senior Engineer - Innovation, Pickett and Associates
Dan Mummert, PE, is a Senior Engineer leading the Innovation Program at Pickett and Associates, LLC (Pickett). He holds a degree and a Professional Engineering License in Civil Engineering, specializing in Geospatial Engineering. Dan has over two decades of comprehensive experience... Read More →
Wednesday April 16, 2025 3:20pm - 3:50pm MDT
Lewis Room

3:55pm MDT

Geomorphic change detection after flood events utilizing NAIP imagery supplemented with UAS
Wednesday April 16, 2025 3:55pm - 4:25pm MDT
Fluvial geomorphology and channel migration typically have been studied by relying on field observations or long-term, medium- to low-resolution remote sensing imagery acquired over extended intervals. The technology of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) allows for on-demand data collection with high spatial resolution. This study compares the measurements of aerial imagery produced by the National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) and the aerial imagery produced by a UAS, as well as their ability to capture and analyze land cover and geomorphic changes after flood events between 2017 and 2021 on the Sun River in Central Montana. 
Presenters
TT

Tanner Tompkins

GIS/Land Resources Specialist, Kroenke Ranches
Tanner Tompkins works for a ranch management company headquartered in Bozeman, managing GIS data for over 2 million acres of deeded/leased land. He also helps lead a stream restoration program for the ranch company via GPS surveying, geomorphic measurements, UAS data capture, GIS... Read More →
Wednesday April 16, 2025 3:55pm - 4:25pm MDT
Lewis Room

4:30pm MDT

Power Automate for ArcGIS Workflows
Wednesday April 16, 2025 4:30pm - 5:00pm MDT
Microsoft’s Power Automate is a low-code/no-code automation platform that integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 and a host of third-party applications and services, including ArcGIS. In this session, we’ll explore a real-world example as an overview of requirements, capabilities, and limitations of this integration. Key topics will include authentication methods, deployment patterns, common pitfalls, quirks, practical tips and tricks, and lessons learned. 
Presenters
avatar for Joe Rhodes

Joe Rhodes

Principal/Developer, CivicLens
Full-service Missoula-based GIS professional services provider offering affordable GIS development and solutions, ArcGIS Enterprise deployments and upgrades (cloud/on-premises), and ArcGIS Online/Portal backup solutions. We serve customers in nine countries across the globe, from... Read More →
Wednesday April 16, 2025 4:30pm - 5:00pm MDT
Lewis Room
 
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