Better Mapping and Reporting

TxDOT officials report that the logical relationships, geographic information, and artificial intelligence features of OTS make the tool especially useful for reporting and mapping. Users select from an array of views and formats to create the reports needed for compliance and decision making.

OTS can display, print, or save information in a graphic map format or in text-based reports. The map viewer offers an interactive screen that enables users to zoom, pan, and display a variety of geographic information. The map viewer includes access to political and organizational boundaries, aerial photography, roadways, topography, water bodies, floodplains, and land uses, as well as outfalls, crossing points, and contributing drainage areas.

Users also may generate maps in Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF) files, which can be printed, saved, or e-mailed to others. Outfalls that were inspected in the field are automatically color coded, based on inspection findings, to indicate the likelihood that an illicit discharge is present. TxDOT storm water managers have found the mapping feature to be a valuable tool for planning and prioritizing inspection activities as well as follow up investigations to eliminate illicit discharges.

Five standard, text-based report formats are available using the OTS data manager. TxDOT designed the reports, which feature tables of data, to provide storm water managers with information to support decisions, input into annual reports, and document compliance activities. The reports also can be used to manage and track inspection work performed by contractors and third parties. Standard reports include the following:

* Outfall Datasheets, which summarize an outfall's physical characteristics, location, mapping and inspection histories, latest inspection results, and hydrologic information to assist with maintenance and follow up inspections. These reports, and the Crossing Point Datasheets (below), are text-based and include two small embedded photographs.

* Crossing Point Datasheets, which provide a summary of a crossing point's physical characteristics, location, mapping history, and hydrologic information to assist with planning and maintenance activities.

* Outfall Inspection Activity Reports, which detail inspection activities on individual outfalls and indicate the location, date of inspection, inspection type, inspecting organization, discharge status, and status and date to manage contractors and keep track of inspection rates. These and the other reports listed below are text-based and appear in tabular format.

* Inspection Results Reports, which summarize physical observations recorded at an outfall, such as odor, color, size, and material to support follow up investigations to eliminate illicit discharges.

* Outfall Water Chemistry Reports, which list the chemical constituents (field-measured or laboratory-measured) present in any flow detected from an outfall to support follow up investigations to eliminate illicit discharges.

* Statewide Outfall Summary Reports, which summarize inspection activities statewide and indicate the location, date of inspection, inspection type, inspecting organization, discharge status, and status and date to manage contractors and keep track of inspection rates.

Standard reports have fixed column headings; however, they are designed to enable the user to select the data displayed under them. Users can restrict or sort the data by defining criteria such as date range, geographic area, outfall type, roadway, waterway, investigation status, discharge classification, or size category.