Google Earth
Maximizing the Potential of Google Earth
Topics
• What is Google Earth
• Things we can do with the Google Earth
• Delineation/Digitization: Creating KML Files
1. What is Google Earth
• Google Earth is a computer program,
formerly known as Keyhole
EarthViewer, that renders a 3D
representation of Earth based primarily
on satellite imagery.
2. Things we can do with Google Earth
Viewing the Sky
Finding Places and Measuring
Directions Distances & Areas
Drawing Paths
and Polygons
Sharing Places
and Information
Marking Places
Touring Places
4. Quick Tour: Parts of the Google Earth
4. Quick Tour: Parts of the Google Earth
1. Search Panel
4. Quick Tour: Parts of the Google Earth
2. Menu Bar
4. Quick Tour: Parts of the Google Earth
3. Overview Map
4. Quick Tour: Parts of the Google Earth
4. My Places
4. Quick Tour: Parts of the Google Earth
5. Layers Pane
4. Quick Tour: Parts of the Google Earth
6. Layers Pane
4. Quick Tour: Parts of the Google Earth
7. Navigation Control
Layers Pane
4. Quick Tour: Parts of the Google Earth
8. Toolbars
a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. n.
a. Placemark
Layers Pane
b. Polygon
c. Path
d. Image Overlay
e. Record Tour
f. Time Slider
g. Sunlight
4. Quick Tour: Parts of the Google Earth
8. Toolbars
a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. n.
h. Switch
Layersbetween
Pane Earth, Sky, and Planets
i. Ruler
j. Email
k. Print
l. Save Image
m. View in Google Maps
n. View in Google Earth Web
Activity:
Irrigation System Digitization
Objective(s): • identify and digitize/delineate irrigation
system's source, service area, structures,
conveyance, and other remarkable features
Materials: • Computer with Google Earth
Software
Output: • Map of the Irrigation System
Time Allotment: • 2 Hours and 30 minutes
Locating Points: Intake, Stations, and Turn-Outs
1. Open Google Earth
software.
Layers Pane
Locating Points: Intake, Stations, and Turn-Outs
2. Under the Places
Pane, right click My
Places > Add > Folder. A
new window will appear,
then rename the folder Layers Pane
according to your chosen
Irrigation System. In this
example, we choose
SPCIS to be digitized and
named the folder 'SPCIS
Points’.
Locating Points: Intake, Stations, and Turn-Outs
2. Click the folder once
to highlight the folder.
This process ensures
that the digitized points
will be created in the Layers Pane
folder.
This step also organizes
the digitized points.
Locating Points: Intake, Stations, and Turn-Outs
3. Using the 'Add
Placemark Tool', click
this tool to create a
floating placemark on
the view map of google Layers Pane
earth. Move the
placemark by dragging it
to the precise location.
If the point if
identifiable, rename
them accordingly.
Locating Points: Intake, Stations, and Turn-Outs
3. Repeat these process
for locating remarkable
points of the Irrigation
System.
Layers Pane
Delineating the Conveyance System
1. Main canals, laterals,
and other manmade
waterways of the
Irrigation system can be
depicted by path. Layers Pane
Using the same process
in points, create a new
folder and rename it. For
example 'SPCIS Canals
and Laterals'.
Delineating the Conveyance System
2. Using the 'Add Path
Tool', start pointing from
the source of water (i.e.
intake / dam) to follow a
downstream manner.
Layers Pane
Manal Canal should go
first then proceed to the
laterals. Rename the
untitled path to "<name
of IS> Main Canal" (SPCIS
Main Canal).
Delineating the Conveyance System
3. For laterals, start by
precisely pointing from
the main canal down to
the tail end of a lateral.
Layers Pane
Repeat this process to
delineate the
conveyance of the
Irrigation System.
Digitizing the Service Area
1. Again, create a new
folder under My Places
and rename it example
SPCIS Service Area.
Layers Pane
Assume that all the
adjacent agricultural
areas are serviced by the
irrigation system.
Digitizing the Service Area
2. Using the 'Add Polygon'
tool, point the corner of a
visible land parcel. Move
the pointer to another
corner then click. In a
digitizing land parcel, a Layers Pane
clockwise or
counterclockwise direction
of pointing corners should
be made to avoid
overlapping sides.
Digitizing the Service Area
3. Complete 30 polygons
for this activity.
Layers Pane
