A whole range of mapping and modeling programs are available. Now they're getting easier to use.

By Dan Rafter

Davis County in south central Iowa is home to one of the state's largest Amish communities. It features scenic byways, popular hunting spots, and historic homes. The county is also home to Soap Creek, a picturesque meandering stream of water that twists and turns past its towns and cities. Unfortunately Soap Creek has a problem: It floods.

That's where Norman Friedrich comes in. A civil engineer with the West Union, IA, office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Friedrich developed a series of dams and embankments to reduce the creek's flooding problem.

Last October, armed with watershed modeling software created by Eagle Point in Dubuque, IA, Friedrich created several models of a pond embankment that, when built, would replace a washed-out culvert that was doing nothing to stem the creek's flooding problems.

Friedrich was able to develop several different versions of this project in record time, weighing each one to determine which would prove to be the most cost-effective. In just a few hours, he completed this comparison phase of his project, a phase that would have been laborious if done by hand.

"For this project, I ran a lot of comparisons - at least a half dozen," Friedrich says. "We were able to come up with a design that optimized our costs. And with the software, I did it fast." He quickly gained approval for his pond embankment. Construction on it is scheduled to begin later this year.

Friedrich isn't the only civil engineer working in the field of erosion control who is using technology to do his job faster and more efficiently. And civil engineers aren't the only ones turning to mapping software, modeling programs, or CD-ROM illustrations. Hydrologists, contractors, landscape architects, geologists, and government officials - in short, most everyone working in the erosion control field—are using to software to help them survey streambeds, create accurate profiles of a lakeshore region, or assess long-term erosion patterns.

The problem? Many don't understand how to use the software properly, while others are using only a portion of the product's features. This phenomenon isn't limited to the field of erosion control, of course. Just ask real estate agents, for instance, how long it took them to master the art of using the Internet for marketing. Or ask mortgage loan officers how long it took them to meet the challenge of using software to quickly approve their clients for mortgage loans. It takes time for people to master new technology, no matter in which field they work.

The developers of erosion control software, though, and the engineers, hydrologists, landscape architects, and geologists who use it, say that those who ignore new technology do so at their own risk. To some, today's software might seem cumbersome, overly complex, and difficult to use. But those who take the time to master it will enjoy a big advantage over those who attempt to resist it. Erosion control and mapping software is designed to help people do their jobs faster - a big plus for any erosion control expert pressed for time.

"Technology is just going to become more important in our field as time goes on," Friedrich says. "The contractors we deal with right now, as time moves forward, will be getting more GPS-controlled construction equipment. Because of this, we need good software to be able to provide them with good data to put into their equipment. Technology is not going to slow down for anyone."

Recognizing the Need

A farm pond in Iowa

Fortunately the makers of erosion control software recognize that they have to develop products that are not only useful but also easy to use. Jon Dienst, production management engineer with Eagle Point, says this is a critical step for software developers. He uses his own company as an example: Eagle Point produces a diverse suite of software products used by professionals involved in erosion control. These products can help users survey large land areas, create conceptual designs, plan retention ponds, or draft entire site plans. And that's just a brief list of some of the tasks the company's software modules help users tackle. The company has created so much software, it now ranks as the largest Autodesk third-party software developer in the world. Because Eagle Point already offers such a wide range of products, company officials are now turning their attention toward a new goal: making their software easier to use.

"A lot of people now have the tools," Dienst says. "The problem is, people don't know how to use them. What can we do to try to minimize any 'hiccups' people might have in using our products? A lot of our clients may only touch 5% to 10% of the features we provide. They may get six modules but only end up using two. A lot of times they don't know they can use something else. We don't have to come up with new features; we just have to let our clients know what they already have."

Dienst isn't alone in this feeling. Russ Orsborn, vice president of sales with Spokane, WA - based PacificSoft Solutions, agrees. His company produces Corridor Optimizer, software that provides information designed to prevent workers from digging out too much dirt when undertaking excavation projects. He says his clients want software that does one thing: takes away some of the drudgery involved in their projects. They don't want software that, because it is so complicated, adds more work to their already-busy schedules.

"It is easy to get overwhelmed sometimes with the software that is out there," Orsborn says. "There is so much it can do. People start asking themselves, 'Where do we start?' They want to know how to use the software to do the routine parts of their job. They want to use the technology to take away the repetitious work."

David Franklin, vice president of Napa, CA's Metamorphosis, an erosion control contractor, is a frequent user of Eagle Point software. In May 2002, a private landowner hired Metamorphosis to help stem the flooding of a stream on his property in Yountville, CA. Franklin used the software to generate a professional-looking flood-control plan. He then submitted these plans to three local regulatory agencies, all of which quickly approved the project, paving the way for construction that has already ended.

For Franklin, the biggest benefit of the software is that it allows him to quickly make changes or adjustments to his plans. Changes that once took hours to incorporate into a proposal now take minutes.

He does have one complaint about the software, though. He wishes it were easier to use. "I found it very difficult to learn how to use this. We still have a lot to learn as far as utilizing the full power of it. Right now we are just using a few of the modules we have."

Franklin bought Eagle Point's software after a friend suggested he try it. To learn how to use the software, he called on the friend to help him create default templates to handle the tasks Franklin most frequently tackles with the program. And though he appreciates the way it helps him do his job faster and easier, he admits that he is still struggling to master all its features.

"The advice I have to the software people is this: Make your products as easy as possible," Franklin says, "or make consultants from your company available at reasonable fees to come in and help."

Helping Sell Your Design

A well-established buffer and other wildlife habitat in west center Iowa fit with terraces, pond, conservation tillage, and other conservation practices to form a conservation system on the land.

Even though the software can take some time to master, there's no doubt the programs that technology companies are creating are powerful. Merle Ash, president of Land Technologies in Arlington, WA, is a proponent of Visual Nature Studio, software developed by Arvada, CO - based 3D Nature. This program helps engineers, geologists, and others create realistic and appealing renderings of their projects.

How important is the software to Land Technologies? Last April, the company was struggling to earn approval for an erosion control project in Snohomish County, WA. The project was a big one: Land Technologies planned to expand an existing wetland area, adding a series of both synthetic and natural erosion and sediment control devices to help control erosion in a planned residential housing subdivision. The plans represented a new take on an old problem: Instead of building a large detention pond, the engineers at Land Technologies were aiming for something much more natural and visually appealing.

Unfortunately the regulatory bodies that needed to approve the project voted against the company's plans. Part of the problem, Ash says, was that members of those bodies struggled to understand just what his company planned to do. "We hadn't yet created our models or images with Visual Nature Studio. We just had our flat images, and it's awfully hard for most people to see what something is supposed to look like when they're just looking at a flat image."

But Ash and his fellow Land Technologies engineers didn't give up. They approached the same regulatory bodies with modified plans. This time, though, the engineers had created three-dimensional images and pictures. "That worked," Ash reports. "Everyone approved the project just like that."

With the necessary permits granted, Land Technologies transformed an existing small, low-quality wetland into one that now measures 11,000 ft.² The habitat features live vegetation, brush, and other erosion control measures. It also includes trails and gazebos to be enjoyed by the subdivision's residents. "Instead of creating a concrete bathtub surrounded by a chain-link fence, we ended up with a true recreational facility," Ash says.

This is just one example of how Land Technologies has used the software, Ash notes. "It really helps us to communicate with other people. There are some people out there who can imagine what a project is supposed to look like from a flat image. But most people cannot."

Chris Hanson, vice president of research and development for 3D Nature, points to his company as an example of a technology firm that is filling a specific need in the erosion control field rather than simply creating fancier and more feature-filled software.

"Our specialty is in visualization," he explains. "We're more about presenting research in an understandable form." In fact, many users of 3D Nature's other popular software program, World Construction Set, design video games for a living.

"Our product is for people who already know what they are planning on doing. They just need to communicate this to a larger group of people for their consent," Hanson says. "We're all about taking a proposed plan and illustrating it in a way that a layman would understand. We're not about calculating fill volumes; we're about presenting information to people who aren't in the field and don't understand how to read a site map. We all know how to read these plans, but most people out there see them as a blur of lines. And those are the people who need to approve these plans."

Ready-to-Use CAD Drawings

The most intriguing fact about erosion control software is that its manufacturers are developing such a wide range of products. Jason Olenick, resource specialist with WESTECH Environmental Services, a Helena, MT - based permitting company that works mainly with utility companies and state and federal agencies, is a frequent user of both Bio Draw 2.0 and Erosion Draw 4.0. These two software programs, created by Salix Applied Earthcare in Redding, CA, are essentially manuals published in CD-ROM form that contain CAD drawings that planners can insert into their own site plans.

Olenick says he and WESTECH's other engineers use the programs for inspiration while creating natural solutions to erosion problems, the firm's specialty. "We use it to create a lot of ideas in-house. I use the programs to help me determine what is the most efficient way to tackle a problem. I'll work out the cost of a variety of options. How much more will it cost us to use manmade products as opposed to natural vegetation to shore up an eroding streambank? In some situations, we'll find that manmade products are actually more efficient."

Olenick also has used Bio Draw and Erosion Draw to help educate his clients in the use of natural erosion control techniques. "I've used the drawings to inspire people to look at erosion control in a different way. A lot of people don't necessarily think of biological products. They usually think of manmade products first. We like to put a lot of different ideas out there for people."

Daria Hoyer, marketing director for Salix Applied Earthcare, says her company sells about 100-150 pieces of erosion control software every year. In fact, before she went to work for Salix, Hoyer had worked for a resource conservation district that also used the programs. "They had a copy of the software. I remember when we needed permits, we would cut and paste photos and images from the programs into our own erosion control plan. And that's what our products were made for."

As with 3D Nature, Salix says its software's goal is to help people in the erosion control field more easily communicate their intentions to regulatory bodies and the general public. "People are always using our products to put together bid packages for the permitting process," Hoyer says. "People take drawings from our CDs and then use them to help explain to people what they are trying to do."

Up-to-Date Maps

Some technology helps engineers and geologists study areas over a long period of time to measure the impact of erosion. If a major storm has hit an area, technology can help these same experts study the impact of short-term erosion.

Maptech, a technology company based in Amesbury, MD, produces Terrain Navigator Pro. Released in early 2003, the software holds all the topographic maps for a specific state or region on a CD-ROM. Users also can log on to Maptech's Web site to view aerial photographs from the same region. This feature gives users the ability to view topographic maps and aerial shots side by side.

Jim Pence, a hydrologic technician with the United States Forest Service, often uses Terrain Navigator, the predecessor of Terrain Navigator Pro, in his work at the Winema National Forest in Oregon. Not only does he use the program's maps to find his way around the forest, he also uses it when printing out reports.

"These maps are a real plus for us," Pence says. "A lot of the old printed maps are out of date or inaccurate." In fact, Pence remembers one instance when, before he began using software, he was called out to a water basin deep in the forest to study discharge data from a stream. The only problem? The person who sent him out to the stream was using an old map and accidentally had Pence measure data at the wrong location.

"We really could have saved a lot of time if we had the program back then," Pence says. "If we were using Maptech's program, we would have known right away that we were in the wrong place."

Martin Fox, public-relations manager with Maptech, says Terrain Navigator Pro clients can purchase maps for whatever state or region of the country that interests them. The maps for each state sell for $300. When a client purchases the New York CD-ROM, for instance, he gets all the US Geological Survey (USGS) topographic maps for the state of New York. He then, through Maptech's Web site, can access aerial photos for New York as well. "Basically we're just trying to make mapping as easy as possible," Fox says. Users of the software include fire departments, police departments, the military, and real estate agents.

"You can perform a watershed analysis with the help of our maps," says Fox. "You might go into the field and find that changes have occurred since the USGS topographic map was done. You can make those changes on the maps we give you and then download the new map, with changes, back into your computer."

The users of software such as that provided by Maptech, Eagle Point, or Salix say they are looking forward to the future when technology becomes even easier to use. For now, though, they are giving thanks that the days of hand-drafting and other archaic practices are long gone.

"It's hard to even think back to the days when we didn't have products like the surveying and drafting modules that I use from Eagle Point," Friedrich says. "These programs save so much time. It's amazing the difference they make."

"You have to remember that communication is the key and [Visual Nature Studio] is an enormous help to us in communicating to regulatory bodies and the public," Ash says. "I don't care how many dang pictures, charts, and plans you show someone, they aren't going to get it unless they can look at something in three dimensions."

Users such as Ash and Friedrich needn't worry about the pace of technology slowing any either. According to those providing the software, manufacturers are going to continue to push for changes in both functionality and ease of use.

In fact, the only thing that might halt the pace of technology, however slightly, might be the country's still-sluggish economy. After all, software makers need to make money, and if the economy continues to slump, geologists, engineers, and hydrologists might decide to curtail their technology spending.

"Obviously the economy impacts us," says Orsborn from PacificSoft Solutions. "If the economy is not doing well, people won't buy software such as ours. Then if no one is buying a product, it doesn't get implemented." But he doubts this scenario will play out. "Since the early 1980s, I've never seen a slowdown process in technology improvements. The rate at which technology is released is amazing. I don't see that ever changing."

Dienst, from Eagle Point, notes that it's not enough for software manufacturers to produce more technology; they also must heed the calls of their users and make this technology easier to use. "There are companies out there who will come up with more gimmicks. But our market has told us that they are not so much interested in new features right now. They want software that works, does what it advertises, and is easy to use. That's what we are going to concentrate on."

Dan Rafter is a writer based in Indiana.

EC - May/June 2003