1. Case study
Linked-data forLinked-data for
Integrated CatchmentIntegrated Catchment
ManagementManagement
Ian Dickinson
Epimorphics Ltd
ian@epimorphics.com
@ephemerian
Tom Guilbert
Environment Agency
tom.guilbert@
environment-agency.gov.uk

2. Agenda

context and aims
– catchment management data
– vision

integrated catchment linked-data project

conclusion

3. A better place for people and wildlife

4. Catchment management

5. Data overview
water bodies
risk assessments
classification results
reasons for failure
predicted outcomes
actions

7. 1. Data & evidence,
consultations, local
knowledge, model outputs
and plans collated in to a
shared central system “Local
Community CPS”
Local Community Catchment
Planning System
Local Community Catchment
Planning System
MonitoringMonitoring Local
Knowledge
Local
Knowledge ActionsActions
2. Contents of Local
Community CPS
published as Linked
Data alongside EA
and research
datasets
3. Linked Data (machine
readable data) could be
automatically combined by
applications such as the EVO,
CCM Hub and any number of
web apps
CCM
HUB
Slide used by kind permission of Michelle Walker, Rivers Trust

8. ICM: proof-of-concept project

9. ICM proof-of-concept project

16 weeks duration

project team:
– 1 FTE app dev
– 0.4 FTE user
research
– 0.5 FTE data

7400 water bodies

7.8m triples

agile principles
– four iterations
– 2-3 week sprints
– stakeholder
review

alpha/staging site
organizationscale

10. From data to linked open data
data modelling
extraction
transformation
publication
presentation
interpretationdownload
source data
SQL
Java
Apache Fuseki
explorer application
Elda

11. Modelling: considerations

every constant becomes a URI

plan for change

re-use vocabularies

complete is better than simple

12. Data complexity
WaterBody
SurfaceWater GroundWater
RiverOrLake Transitional Coastal
River Lake
SurfaceWaterTransfer Canal SSSI_Ditch

13. Data complexity
WaterBody
SurfaceWater GroundWater
RiverOrLake Transitional Coastal
River Lake
SurfaceWaterTransfer Canal SSSI_Ditch

14. Data transformation

in: CSV

out: RDF triples

iterative, so automate!

15. Data publishing

Baseline goal:
– provide access to the data

Practical considerations:
– Just “follow-your-nose” linked data?
– or SPARQL?
– or an API?
– ….

16. Published data: SPARQL
? 

17. Published data: linked-data API

18. Published data: linked-data API

19. Published data: linked-data API

20.  

21. ICM data explorer

present the data in a meaningful way

provide meaningful and useful interactions

22. Data explorer key features

search
– by name, catchment, location, ...

show classification items

filter by properties
– e.g. classification value

map and tabular output

basic reports

download data

23. Data explorer application
Specific
understanding
of user goals
and task
Generic
data-driven
interface
data explorer

24. Data explorer application
Interpretation
and
reporting
Extract
and
download
data explorer

25. Data explorer application
Easy for
novices
to get
started
Not too
frustrating
and slow
for experienced
users
data explorer

26. Typical user enquiry
“Please show me all:
– rivers and lakes
– near Glastonbury
– that had overall ecological classification as
moderate, poor or bad
– between 2009 and 2012.”

27. Dialogue moves
corresponding
SPARQL
query
selected
RDF
resources
corresponding
SPARQL
query
selected
RDF
resources
interaction
state
location,
classifications,
water-
body types,
...
interaction
state
add year constraint

30. Demo

31. Initial learnings

writing SPARQL by doing
– in context
– with feedback

hard to balance different user needs
– explore vs. guide
– real user input

download
– important
– RDF to useful CSV is hard

32. Dissemination

33. Conclusions & next steps

formal evaluation
– involve partner organizations eg Rivers Trust

“generated excitement”
– key engagement tool for catchment management
information
– summer 2014 draft river basin management plans

big picture
– reference spine for integrating data from other
environmental stakeholders

34. Photo courtesy of grisleyreg http://www.panoramio.com/photo/65014213 License CC BY-NA 3.0
Questions?