GeoEFM is used in the spatial analyses phase of the EFM process to help manage and assess spatial data layers and to quantify the amount, quality, connectivity, and functionality of ecological habitats generated by different water management or ecosystem restoration scenarios.
GeoEFM was developed by HEC and the Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI) in recognition of both the power of GIS and the importance of ecological considerations in water systems.
A demonstration project for GeoEFM 3.0 is provided as part of the installation materials for EFM 6.0+ and includes an EFM project, a river hydraulics model, a GeoEFM project, and many of the layers shown herein. EFM and GeoEFM are available for download via https://www.hec.usace.army.mil/.
To access the GeoEFM demonstration project, install EFM and use the EFM Help - Install Demonstration Project… menu option to install a copy of the demonstration project. After the demonstration project is installed, the GeoEFM project can be opened with ArcGIS Pro and the GeoEFM Manage Project - Synchronize with EFM Project tool to synchronize the EFM and GeoEFM projects. The relative path and file name of the GeoEFM project is \Rolling_River\Spatial_GeoEFM_30\Rolling River - GeoEFM\Rolling River - GeoEFM.aprx.
Please note that the demonstration project folder for EFM 6.0 / GeoEFM 3.0 is titled “Rolling_River”. This is the first version of GeoEFM (i.e., 3.0) to have demonstration project materials included as part of the EFM demonstration project. Earlier versions of GeoEFM had separate demonstration projects. In GeoEFM 1.0, the demonstration project folder was titled “Rolling River - GeoEFM” and in GeoEFM 2.0 it was titled “RR_GeoEFM”.
The project management, habitat area and habitat suitability features of GeoEFM 3.0 support many habitat considerations commonly done in ecological restoration and management efforts and the habitat functionality and splicing features allow for more detailed analyses such as habitat bottlenecks, nesting sites, and habitat provision in diverse aquatic systems. Future development plans include habitat density measures for assessing habitat connectivity, calculators for considering spatial habitat preferences of biota and cumulative variables, incorporation of spatial hypothesis and confidence tracking, and incorporation of ecological indices based on habitat areas.
HEC-GeoEFM has been certified for use in USACE Planning Studies by USACE Headquarters as recommended by the National Ecosystem Planning Center of Expertise as being sound in contemporary theory, computationally correct, usable for Civil Works planning, and compliant with USACE policy.
Anyone with other ideas for enhancing GeoEFM is encouraged to submit suggestions to the EFM team via email at hec.efm@usace.army.mil.