Post on 10-May-2017
GIS Analysis of the
Bobwhite-Manatee
Transmission Line Erin S. Ganzenmuller
May 1, 2014
UWF GIS4043/L
Table of Contents
• Frequently Asked Questions
• FPL Service Area
• Project Background
• Study Area
• Line project cartographic model
• Objectives:
• Homes within proximity of the transmission line
• Schools within proximity of the transmission line
• Imposition on communities, land owners or parcels, and
environmentally sensitive lands
• Length of the transmission line (related to engineering/cost).
• Questions / Comments
• Resources
FAQs: Planning for a Brighter Future The Role Power Lines Play
• Why are power plants, lines and substations necessary?
• Florida Power & Light Company provides an essential service. We take our obligation to serve
residents, businesses, and governmental entities throughout the state very seriously. FPL is
regulated by the Florida Public Service Commission and must construct basic electric facilities in
order to distribute electricity from generating plants to our customers.
• How does electricity arrive at my home?
• Just like roads and water and sewer facilities, electrical lines and facilities are a necessary part of
every community’s infrastructure. Much like our highway system, FPL's massive 71,500-mile power-
line grid is made up of large and small lines. If rolled out, these lines would wrap around the earth’s
equator not once or twice – but three times. Transmission lines are larger and operate somewhat
like interstate highways and expressways. Distribution lines are smaller than transmission lines and
function similar to streets and avenues that crisscross communities and neighborhoods.
• Isn't it better to place power lines underground?
• FPL does not oppose placing lines underground. However, it is important to note that there are both
pros and cons to building lines overhead and underground. The reliability of overhead and
underground lines is comparable. For example, both underground and overhead lines are subject to
lightning damage. Although overhead lines may have more exposure than underground lines to wind
damage or collisions, underground facilities are prone to flood damage, especially in coastal areas
where exposure to salt water could cause an outage. The key difference between underground and
overhead lines is that it typically takes more time with underground lines to diagnose the problem
and make repairs. This difference in repair time is best characterized in days rather than hours.
FLP Service Area
• This graphic shows the FPL service area
• Includes Manatee and Sarasota Counties
Background of Project
•230-kilovolt transmission line
•Many paths considered using Geographic Information
Systems (GIS)
•1,275 alternatives evaluated
•Community members contacted for input
•Comments considered by FPL’s project team
•Route chosen provides ability to serve new customers in
growing areas of Manatee and Sarasota Counties east of
I-75
•Can be built for reasonable cost
Study Area • Manatee and Sarasota
counties are in central Florida on the western side of the peninsula
• Manatee County Population: 322,833 (2010)
• Sarasota County Population: 379,448 (2010)
• Study Area
• Parts of central Manatee and northern Sarasota County
• Transmission line runs approx. 24.5 miles
Bobwhite-Manatee Transmission Line Project
Cartographic Model The goal of this project is to find a feasible and acceptable route for a transmission line crossing the Manatee
– Sarasota County boundary and analyze specific factors originally considered in locating the transmission line.
Criteria 1:
Identify homes within proximity of
the transmission line.
Criteria 2:
Identify schools within proximity of
the transmission line.
Criteria 3:
Identify possible impact to communities and
environmentally sensitive lands
Criteria 4:
Identify length of the line
(related to engineering/cost).
DOQQ imagery, conservation lands, county boundaries, major roads, NWI study area information, Manatee and Sarasota
county parcels, preferred parcels , buffer zones of residences and schools near transmission line
Base map to include land use covers, county
boundaries, major roads, and
environmentally sensitive lands.
Length of measure for
transmission line
Use buffer tool to create a proximity of transmission line in
regards to residential and school properties and public land
use.
Map showing a proximity
buffer of transmission line
impacting residences.
Map showing a proximity buffer
of transmission line impacting
schools.
Use intersect tool to find
parcels and environmentally
sensitive lands that fall within
transmission line area.
Measure segments of
transmission line, add
up to find total
length.
Map showing length of
the transmission line. Map showing where
transmission line is placed and
what impact it may have on
certain land use types and
environmentally sensitive
areas.
Analyze if current location meets community needs and
minimizes effects on the local area.
Basemap to include aerial images, county boundaries,
major roads, cities, parcels and buffer zones.
Objective 1 - Homes
Relatively few homes in
close proximity
• 41 homes identified
• 30 homes within 400’
buffer
• 11 homes within corridor
• 75% of homes identified
outside of corridor
Objective 2 - Schools
Generally avoids schools and school sites No schools directly impacted by corridor
• 5 Schools identified in study area
• Closest school within 1 mile
• Robert Willis Elementary School
• All other schools 2+ miles
• Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranch
• Witt Elementary School
• McNeal Elementary School
• R. Dan Nolan Middle School
Objective 2 – Daycares
Generally avoids schools
and school sites
No daycare sites directly impacted
• 3 Daycare facilities
identified
• Sprouts Child Development
Center (0.25 miles)
• The Goddard School(2.5
miles)
• Broadbent Family Day Care
Home (2.5 miles)
Land Cover
• Land cover of Manatee
and Sarasota Counties
diverse
•Most of the new line
follows property lines or
co-located with road
rights-of-way
Corridor Land Cover
• Focused view of land
cover within preferred
corridor
• Broken up into three
sections:
• Northern Corridor
• Central Corridor
• Southern Corridor
• Primary land cover type:
Row/Field Crops
Impacted Parcels
Study Area: Parcels Acres
Manatee County 10,886 106,965
Sarasota County 1,474 27,736
Total: 12,360 134,701
Within Preferred
Corridor: Parcels Acres
Manatee County 132 28,458
Sarasota County 30 3,996
Total: 162 32,454
Within 400ft
Buffer: Parcels Acres
Manatee County 202 29,298
Sarasota County 53 5,666
Total: 255 34,964
<2% of Parcels in Study Area are
impacted by Corridor +/or Buffer
Objective 3 - Conservation Lands
Avoids large areas of
environmentally sensitive lands
• 10,395 Acres of Conservation
Lands within Study Area
• Impacted Conservation Areas:
• Lake Manatee Lower Watershed-
10 acres
• Lake Manatee State Park- 63
acres
• Heritage Ranch Conservation
Easement- 91 acres
• Less than 1.6% of conservation
lands in study area impacted
Objective 3- Wetlands and Uplands
Avoids large areas of environmentally sensitive lands
• Study Area covers 137,720 acres
• Unimpacted:
• 80.5% Uplands
• 11.5% Wetlands
• Impacted:
• 5.6% Uplands impacted
• 2.4% Wetlands impacted
Objective 4 - Length and Cost
Line can be built along route for reasonable cost
*Unit cost per mile shown is based on flat
land/rural setting, engineering and construction
costs only. Environmental, Permitting, and
Right of way Acquisition costs are not
included.
Ng, P. (2009, February 26). Cost Guide for Transmission Lines. Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Retrieved May 1, 2014, from http://www.caiso.com/2360/23609c2864470.pdf
New
Transmission
Line
Unit
230kV
Double Circuit,
Strung on both
sides,
Lattice Tower
Per mile $1,600,000
Total Cost: 24.5 miles $39.2 Mil
Summary
• Ideal route after consideration of 1,275 alternatives
•Meets objectives
• Relatively few homes in close proximity
• Generally avoids schools and school sites
• Avoids large areas of environmentally sensitive lands
• Line can be built along route for reasonable cost
•24.5 Miles at cost of $39.2 Million
Questions or Comments? You may contact FPL regarding this project at Bobwhite-Manateeproject@FPL.com or call us toll free at 1-800-693-3267
References http://www.fpl.com/
http://www.fpl.com/environment/lines/bobwhite.shtml
http://www.fgdl.org/metadataexplorer/explorer.jsp
http://www.caiso.com/2360/23609c2864470.pdf
http://support.esri.com/em/knowledgebase/techarticles/detail/30806
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.2/#/Multiple_Ring_Buffer/00080000001p000000/
http://www.gps.caltech.edu/gislab/HowTo/Creating%20and%20Editing%20Shapefiles%20in%20ArcMap.pdf
http://data.labins.org/2003/
http://uwf.edu/abloechle/GIS4043/Final_Project/bobwhite_110306.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manatee_County,_Florida
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarasota_County,_Florida