Data integration across borders: a case study of the Abbotsford‐Sumas aquifer (British Columbia/Washington State)1

Abstract

Abstract: Integrating spatial datasets from diverse sources is essential for cross‐border environmental investigations and decision‐making. This is a little investigated topic that has profound implications for the availability and reliability of spatial data. At present, ground‐water hydrostratigraphic models exist for both the Canadian or for the United States (U.S.) portion of the aquifer but few are integrated across the border. In this paper, we describe the challenges of integrating multiple source, large datasets for development of a ground‐water hydrostratigraphic model for the Abbotsford‐Sumas Aquifer. Growing concerns in Canada regarding excessive withdrawal south of the border and in the U.S. regarding nitrate contamination originating north of the border make this particular aquifer one of international interest. While much emphasis in GIScience is on theoretical solutions to data integration, such as current ontology research, this study addresses pragmatic ways of integrating data across borders. Numerous interoperability challenges including the availability of data, metadata, data formats and quality, database structure, semantics, policies, and cooperation are identified as inhibitors of data integration for cross‐border studies. The final section of the paper outlines two possible solutions for standardizing classification schemes for ground‐water models – once data heterogeneity has been addressed.