Interactive Risk Map Tutorial

This tutorial is for first time users of our interactive atrazine risk map. The information in the tutorial consists of 1) an explanation of tool bar functions; 2) a brief explanation of the map legend; and 3) a brief explanation on using the interactive features of this interactive geographical information system (IGIS).

1. TOOL BAR

The tool bar consists of a number of buttons as displayed below that assist you in using the risk maps. The tool bar is located above the map. You can perform any of the following functions listed below by clicking on that button to activate its function. 

Pan
By clicking the "Pan" button, you can move the viewing window in any direction. After clicking on the "Pan" button,  you can click any location on the map and hold your left mouse button to drag and move it around so that other areas previously outside the window can be brought inside the window for viewing.
 
Zoom-In
This button allows you look at the current viewing window in greater detail. After clicking the "Zoom-In", you can draw a box (a rectangle area) on the map with your left mouse button and the area will be shown in a greater detail in the viewing window.

Zoom-Out
Zoom-Out button is the opposite of the Zoom-In feature. When the "Zoom-Out" is activated, you can draw a box on the map and the map decreases the scale with the selected area appearing in the center of the map.
 
Info
The info button is used to identify or describe a feature in the active layer by its attributes. After clicking on this button, click on the map and the attributes of the current active layer will be displayed in the window below the map.

Back
This button allows you to return to the previously viewed window.

Forward
This button allows you go to the next window view.

Home
This button allows you to return to the initial map which shows the entire county.

Print
By clicking this button, a printable map will be created in a separate window.

Refresh
Reload the map.

Stop
Stop loading the map.

2. MAP LEGEND

In a column on the left hand side of the map is the legend that identifies the data layers that can be displayed on the map. You can click on the button to activate (and a check mark appears)  or deactivate (check mark disappears) any layer. When a layer is activated, it will be displayed on the map. When it is deactivated, it will be removed from the map. You can view one layer or any combination of layers you select.

Please note that the data layer "Leaching1" and "Leaching2" present the same data. The only difference is the presentation format. "Leaching1" presents the data in solid colors as shown above and "Leaching2" presents the same data with transparent colors as shown above. "Poto1" and "Poto2" are two digital photos for two different sections of St. Joseph county.

 3. AREA OF INTEREST

To view a specific area that you are interested in, click the "Zoom-In" button in the tool bar above the map. Then press and hold your left mouse button to draw a box on the map that covers the area you are interested in and then release. You will then see the area you selected in a greater detail. You can also select the data layers you want to view (listed in the legend on the left) and deselect those you don't want to view. You can also draw another smaller box on the map to enlarge the area and view it in finer detail.

You can also move the area around by clicking the "Pan" button on the tool bar, and dragging the map to move it around (pressing and holding your left mouse button). If you want to return to the initial map, click the "Home" button in the tool bar.