The water data services below are meant to facilitate the sharing of water information. The WSDL data services are built using the WaterML web services language technology of the CUAHSI Hydrologic Information System. The Web Feature Service (WFS), Web Coverage Service (WCS), and Web Map Service (WMS) data services are built using the standards and specifications of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). The Document services represent collections of documents organized using a DSpace digital archive.
A Web Service Definition Language URL allows the user to access XML code linked to a collection of data. The WSDL’s are all connected to hydrologic data contained in an Observation Data Model (ODM). These WSDL’s can be read with multiple web and desktop applications that allow the data within to be more readily accessed and queried. The HydroExcel worksheet is an example of an application that can ingest a WSDL that can be downloaded from this website.
A Web Feature Service (WFS) provides a generic way to access raw geographic data over the web. The URL provided with the WFS in the following catalog can be used to obtain data with the Interoperability Connection in ArcCatalog.
Web Coverage Services (WCS) provide a method by which individuals across the globe can readily access data in raster format remotely. WCS are provided by various public agencies and entities concerned with the collection of a variety of environmental variables ranging from geology to climatology.
A Web Map Service (WMS) provides a generic way to access raw geographic data over the web. A map document can be hosted that includes multiple layers and symbologies. With the correct URL these WMS’s can be remotely ingested into ArcCatalog in a similar fashion to a WCS and WFS. These map services can also be ingested within html code to create interesting dynamic maps within web pages.
Access to existing data and documents is a valuable and necessary tool for future scientific and engineering analyses. Some documentation is readily available through various means. Much is currently unavailable, however: a significant detriment to the advancement of science. In conjunction with the University of Texas Libraries, the DSpace digital repository system is used to capture, store, index, preserve, and redistribute documents.
| Data Service |
|---|
| WaterML Data Services |
| Web feature service (WFS) |
| Web coverage service (WCS) |
| Web map service (WMS) |
| Digital document archive |
| HydroPortal |
This site is based upon work supported by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), and the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc (CUAHSI).