Geographic Information System

Madison County's Geographic Information System (GIS) is still in the early stages of development. The entire GIS Project is comprised of several sub-projects that are needed to support the county's GIS efforts.

Some of these sub-projects include:

  • Development of the GIS Network which currently consist of a UNIX, Windows NT, and Windows 95/98 networked environment, with access to the County's LAN . The storage arrays that store the GIS data has a total storage capability of over 120 gigabytes. The GIS software being used is Arc/Info and ArcView from Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI) Arc/Info is being used for the creation, editing, and analysis of our geographic data, and ArcView for our desktop GIS applications.
  • The conversion of the Chief County Assessment Office tax parcel maps from hardcopy mylar maps to "digital maps" to be used with the GIS.
  • Training County personnel how to access spatial data and create maps with the GIS.
  • Provide demonstrations of GIS to local municipalities.

What is a GIS?

A GIS is an organized collection of computer hardware, software, geographic data, and personnel designed to efficiently capture, store, update, manipulate, analyze, and display all forms of geographically referenced information. The result of this organized collection is an Interactive Computer Map, that allows users to visually see answers to their geographical or spatial questions.

What can a GIS do for Madison County?

A GIS will allow users to work with an interactive map to locate and view property maps along with a wide variety of other spatial features, such as streams, railroads, lakes, soil information, and flood zones. The user can use the tabular information related to these features to answer questions like the following:

  • Which properties are assessed over $100,000.00?
  • Which properties are within 500 feet of a stream or lake?
  • Which properties contain this type of soil?
  • Where are all the properties that are owned by churches or religious organizations?
  • Where are all the properties that are within 1 mile of a major highway and 5 miles of an airport?

The answers to these questions can be displayed on the computer screen or printed out as a hardcopy map. Now we can answer these questions that would have taken us months to gather the data, perform the calculations, and draw the results on a map, in a matter of hours or minutes.

Maps can be created to show the results of these queries and can be printed on paper or displayed as images like the County Map at this site.

Who to Contact?

Information Technology
Madison County Administration Building
157 North Main Street, Suite 29
Edwardsville, IL 62025-1962
(618) 296-4555

Or

Clayton Loraine, Manager of GIS and Programming
Madison County Administration Building
157 North Main Street, Suite 29
Edwardsville, IL 62025-1962
(618) 296-4701