Open Source QGIS
The Advanced GIS course at Utah State University provides students with opportunities to gain proficient skills in GIS--proficient enough to work alone, and to figure out new software/problems. This map did exactly that. Shown on the left is an elevation model of Powder River, Wyoming, this is a very flat area. Contour lines, or lack thereof, show the minimal change in elevation with only two produced from the data. The map on the left shows Indian Henry Hunting Ground in Washington State. Completed with open source QGIS software this project presented many new challenges for me. Familiarity with open source GIS software is an essential skill, Even though this project would have been simpler and faster in ArcGIS, I'm grateful for my familiarity with QGIS.
In addition to experimenting with new software and learning how to apply well known concepts in a new software, I learned how to find, collect, and prepare LIDAR data for use as a DEM.
Link to high resolution PDFs: