In recent years, Web GIS has been widely applied in mapping and sharing spatial data. This paper introduces a Web GIS solution has been applied to establishing “The Mekong Delta Geographic Information Systems—MGIS”. The development and implementation of a web-based MGIS are a suitable technology for monitoring and managing the natural resources and environment that aims to achieve sustainable development in the Mekong Delta region. The proposed solution shows that Web GIS can be applied effective to for integrating and sharing data among administration agencies in order to provide fully integrated information of updated on the status of land cover changes and analyzing the trend of forest-cover changes in this region. Results of this study illustrate the MGIS’s applications in sharing of regional data that allows multiple users to use tools for displaying spatial distribution of forest-cover in the period from the year 1990 to 2015 and analyzing the trend of changes.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are a powerful set of tools for collecting, storing, analyzing, integrating and sharing spatial data among administration agencies. Adnan et al. (2010) have demonstrated that an important part of every web-based GIS application is its mapping or visualization technology, which makes it possible to show data in the form of maps [
Therefore, MGIS database management system must be established based on the technical conditions of each province so that ensures the efficiency of investment in providing data from a variety of sources. The choice of an appropriate database management model in the development a web-based GIS plays an important role in sharing and updating data synchronization. The Web GIS applications must be created by the user interfaces that provide online tools that allow specified users to display in the form of thematic maps, to edit data and to create solutions for supporting local leadership in decisions maker for planning and sustainable development in the Mekong Delta region. In addition, all end users can get the Web GIS applications based on integration of multiple different databases and agencies and flow logic to arrive at the desired result with minimal time and without expert GIS knowledge.
This paper introduces the development and implementation of a web-based GIS that can be used as a tool for planning socio-economic development, natural resources and environmental management at different levels in the region. The proposed method shows that Web GIS can be applied effective to for integrating and sharing data among administration agencies in order to provide fully integrated information of updated on the status of land cover changes and analyzing the trend of forest-cover changes in Mekong Delta region.
Mekong Delta has been selected as the research area as it is identified as significantly vulnerable to climate change. Mekong Delta is a region having very high risk of inundation. If sea-level rises 100 cm, approximately 38.9% of Mekong River Delta would be at risk of flooding [
The main MGIS project goal is to design and implement comprehensive information system tools which support regional and provincial government agencies in the Mekong Delta in their planning processes to develop the region and adapt to climate change in the context of sustainable development. MGIS has been divided into two phases in
MGIS database management system must be established so that can provide exact data when is required from a variety of sources. Base map (topographic maps), thematic maps (cadastral maps, land use maps) and remote sensing data are available can be used in different situations. A mixed-scale approach involving the integration of data was applied. All data were change in data format and projection (Datum: VN2000) for integrating and sharing data in response to different user requests.
Base map of Mekong Delta region has been generated from topographic map at 1:250,000 scale includes 7 basic layers: Mathematical basis, Boundary, Elevation, Transportation, Hydrology, Urban areas, Vegetation as shown in
Thematic maps have been established from the previous projects such as vegetation, transportation and hydrology networks, land use change, river bank change, as well as remote sensing data includes all image of the fact of floods and salinity intrusion. The thematic database is established to provide data layers that create useful information for supporting local leadership in decisions maker in planning and sustainable development in the Mekong Delta region.
The database standard of MGIS is an important key for sharing among 12 provinces and a city in Mekong Delta region. Because base maps can be used to develop GIS applications by administration agencies and also allows multiple users and integrate information as management requirements at the macro level in order to display in the form of thematic maps based on Web GIS applications. Therefore, the National Geospatial Standards of Vietnam have been applied for building MGIS to serve operation and management that aims to avoid wasteful overlapping investment and to create GIS database based on the technical conditions of each province to serve for sustainable development of this region. MGIS’s geospatial data consist of base maps and thematic maps of different scales in
MGIS database management system must be established so that can provide exact data when is required from a variety of sources. The Web GIS applications will be created mainly for sharing and updating data synchronization and providing online tools that allow specified users to display in the form of thematic maps, to edit data and to create solutions for mapping and monitoring the natural resources changes in order to support management. The MGIS system architecture follows a client-server architecture in
The MGIS information system implements a three-tier architecture as shown in
Software Application | Version | Function |
---|---|---|
PostgreSQL 9.5 | 10.1 | Object relational database |
PostGIS | 2.4.1 | Spatial database extension |
GeoServer | 2.12.1 | Share geospatial data |
OpenLayers APIs libraries | 4.3.2 | Development of geographic user interface |
.NET Core/ASP.NET Core | 2.1 | Framework for building Internet-connected applications |
The MGIS information system hosted on the https://mgis.vn in
Thematic data group of MGIS includes forest-cover thematic maps of Mekong Delta in the period from the year 1990 to 2015 in
The online mapping application was developed that is mainly composed of data handling tools for analyzing the trend and displaying spatial distribution of forest-cover change. The result in
Web GIS demonstrated an efficient solution for visualization of a very large amount of thematic data of MGIS that show the area of the forest-cover has decreased with the average cover rate.
The result in
No. | Name of province | Area (1990) (ha) | Area (2005) (ha) | Area (2015) (ha) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | An Giang | 18,922 | 17,581 | 7209 |
2 | Bac Lieu | 2636 | 2815 | 875 |
3 | Ben Tre | 9627 | 5687 | 3260 |
4 | Ca Mau | 130,102 | 96,038 | 72,260 |
5 | Can Tho | 0 | 0 | 0 |
6 | Dong Thap | 24,116 | 9594 | 10,661 |
7 | Hau Giang | 2841 | 0 | 0 |
8 | Kien Giang | 73,860 | 78,796 | 33,735 |
9 | Long An | 89,594 | 56,334 | 22,419 |
10 | Soc Trang | 11,162 | 8251 | 7542 |
11 | Tien Giang | 27,949 | 15,097 | 2182 |
12 | Tra Vinh | 17,599 | 2128 | 2305 |
13 | Vinh Long | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Year | Area (ha) | Forest-cover rate (%) |
---|---|---|
1990 | 409,428 | 10.4 |
2005 | 296,417 | 7.5 |
2015 | 162,752 | 4.1 |
Web GIS solution for integrating and sharing data among administration agencies on the status and changes in forest-cover rate opens up a new way of developing GIS applications whereby the GIS server produces the thematic maps and then specialists of administration agencies can add some more information to it. This can assist the researchers and operational analysts to undertake further analysis regarding natural resources management that aims to achieve sustainable development in the Mekong Delta region.
MGIS plays the important role in sharing and integrating database among administration agencies with framework that can be used to build other applications that aims to achieve sustainable development in the Mekong Delta region. The proposed solution with standards of technology concerned with the actual development of the MGIS’s applications that can apply efficiently for developing GIS of 12 provinces and a city in this region. Database of MGIS can be shared and presented within a web browser, without the need for any additional software, to provide information quickly for state management that ensures the efficiency of investment. This solution can bring more value on understanding the regional level situation and analyzing the trend of forest-cover change of each province. The development a web-based MGIS also contributes to create good opportunity for international organizations to undertake further analysis regarding land cover/land use change in this region.
This project has received funding from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam’s Science and Technology for the sustainable development of Mekong Delta region program (KHCN-TNB/14-19), under grant agreement No. KHCN-TNB.ĐT/14-19/C03.
The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.
Van Trung, L. and Tam, D.M. (2018) Web GIS Solution for Monitoring the Forest-Cover in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Journal of Geographic Information System, 10, 491-502. https://doi.org/10.4236/jgis.2018.105026