A geographic information systems technique for monitoring contaminants in Galveston Bay, Texas. Presented at the First Thematic Conference on Remote Sensing for Marine and Coastal Environments, New Orleans, Louisiana, on 15-17 June 1992

A geographic information system (GIS) was used to compile a series of databases containing details concerning metal contamination and pollution sources to study their impacts on the Galveston Bay (TX) ecosystem. Using these databases, a series of maps with various overlays was created with ARC/INFO software. These maps allowed patterns of spatial distribution of numerous variables to be easily visualized so that the impacts of urbanization and industrialization on the natural resources could be examined. Resource managers can use these capabilities in their comprehensive plans for managing individual activities within an overall regulatory framework. The visual displays and cartographic output of the system can be used to locate and identify ecologically sensitive areas and to study trends in these areas over time. These vector GIS techniques have the potential to be integrated with aerial photography and other remotely sensed data for a more extensive overview of the environment and patterns of interaction.