IT 242- Intro to Geographic Info Syst

IT 242 Spatial Problem One: Disaster Management

In light of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster of March 2011, state governments are being asked to develop new disaster management plans in the case of a meltdown at their own nuclear facilities. The state of Arizona is tasking you with providing a disaster management map to be quickly disseminated to the public in the case of a meltdown at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station near Tonopah, Arizona, less than 50 miles away from downtown Phoenix. Due to the proximity of this nuclear power plant to the sixth largest city in the United States, you have been asked to create three critical danger zones of 10 miles, 20 miles, and 25 miles from the power plant. Also, the Arizona state government would like you to identify hospitals within Maricopa County. These hospitals should have a patient capacity greater than 200 and be located outside of these critical danger zones. In addition to the hospitals, you are asked to identify any water bodies (lakes, rivers, streams) and symbolize their degree of likely contamination by where they fall within the critical danger zones. 

Special Parameters

The map should be specific to Maricopa County.

Symbolize the hospitals to demonstrate patient capacity.

Special Deliverables

Provide one map dedicated to water contamination.

Provide at least one map identifying hospitals.

Note: You may provide both deliverables in the same document as long as they are properly organized.

Question: describe the importance of the subject and how you will use cartographic techniques and spatial analysis to solve the above problem.  ¾ of a page to a page should be enough.