Environment Canada, in co-operation with Agriculture Canada, is conducting research studies on agricultural chemicals in groundwater at Sheffield Farm Research Station in the Annapolis-Cornwallis Valley of Nova Scotia. The purpose of this project is to create a digital database for the Research Station by integrating data from several sources. A microcomputer-based geographic information system (GIS) called Spatial Analysis System (SPANS), was evaluated for handling digital data in different formats from several sources.The project involved data transfer between mini- and microcomputer based image analysis and geographic information systems. The results obtained through this geo-database creation and manipulation were multi-faceted and included identifying problems encountered in GIS application, and display of polygonal data, vector data and point data as thematic images. Thematic images generated were topographic maps, water table maps, geological cross-sections, soils maps and water quality maps.The data gathering/inputting/verifying processes played a major role in the establishment of a database before any GIS application could be carried out. This data integration can occur, but cannot be justified unless there is both a realization of the benefits in terms of long term savings and an improvement in the standards of the hydrogeologic studies. Conclusions of the demonstration project focused on the critical need for accuracy in geographic and attribute data and the need for a strong scientific basis to support the analysis.
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