Module 5: Flowlines / Isarithmic Mapping

    

     For this module, we were tasked with creating an Isarithmic map that displayed the annual precipitation of Washington State over 30 years. We utilized data that had been processed through PRISM (Parameter-elevation Relationships on Independent Slopes Model) interpolation that accounted for the elevation differences. The map needed to implement hypsometric tints and hillshade effects. The hypsometric tints helped to show the differences in elevation and were aligned with the contour lines to be easily understood. To add some dimension, the hillshade effect was used to give the map some dimension and depth. Creating the hypsometric tints used the spatial analysis tool, Int(Spatial Analyst Tool), and to create the hillshade effects, a raster function was used. Inputting this raster function also taught me how to adjust the color properties with its transparency, specific color, and position. Once these different layers were implemented, we have a map that is just needing one more step: contour lines. This was relatively easy in that we used the contour list (spatial analyst tool) that was paired up with the hypsometric steps to give a clean look. the 10 classifications used a natural break (Jenks) method and its increment values equaled 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, 100, 140, and 180. 

    This module was fun and I learned a variety of tools that would help me in the future as well as when I worked on different maps and projects in the past. I had some difficulty with the 10 classifications because it would revert back to 9 and I would be unable to change it. This note was written in the lab and explained to change the methods which at first did not work for me but after switching the methods a few times and adjusting the upper values, it worked out to what I was wanting.