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Blake A Draper

Blake Draper is a Software Developer with the Web Informatics and Mapping (WIM) team at the Upper Midwest Water Science Center.

 

I have dedicated my career in the USGS to serving our mission of delivering actionable intelligence on Earth systems to relevant decision makers. I have always enjoyed working to promote and deliver USGS science through development of timely, useful, and intuitive web application and web service products.

My work is primarily client-side, developing web apps in Javascript/Typescript and the Angular framework. I also work on system administration and technology infrastructure maintenance for the WIM team. Much of my work requires configuring server environments and preparing GIS data for use in web services. My professional goal is to create useful, intuitive data visualization and data management products that advance and promote USGS science.

Professional Experience

  • Serve as lead developer and project manager for multi-year software development cycles

  • Interface with clients/cooperators to gather requirements, and present and manage development feedback

  • Author project proposals, technology specifications and software documentation

  • Lead efforts within team to implement standards and best practices approaches to agile collaborative development, workflow optimization, software testing, deployment pipelines, and software release cycles

  • Onboard, mentor and support junior developers with administrative and technical guidance

  • Assist in strategic decision-making for my team’s technology stack and software architecture planning as part of the Senior Dev Team

Education and Certifications

  • GIS Certificate, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 2012

  • M.A., Florida State University - International Affairs, 2009

  • B.A., Florida State University - International Affairs, 2007

Science and Products

Blake has worked on development of the projects below:

link
Colorado Basin Focus Area Study carousel

Integrated Water Availability Assessments (IWAAs)

The USGS Integrated Water Availability Assessments (IWAAs) are a multi-extent, stakeholder driven, near real-time census and prediction of water availability for both human and ecological uses at regional and national extents.
By
Water Resources
link

Integrated Water Availability Assessments (IWAAs)

The USGS Integrated Water Availability Assessments (IWAAs) are a multi-extent, stakeholder driven, near real-time census and prediction of water availability for both human and ecological uses at regional and national extents.
Learn More
link
Image of WHISPers home page showing map of data points in United States.

WHISPers

WHISPers, the Wildlife Health Information Sharing Partnership - event reporting system, is a partner-driven, web-based repository for sharing basic information about historic and ongoing wildlife mortality (death) and/or morbidity (illness) events. The information, such as county-level locations, onset and ending dates, species affected, and diagnosis has generously been shared with the USGS...
By
Ecosystems, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
link

WHISPers

WHISPers, the Wildlife Health Information Sharing Partnership - event reporting system, is a partner-driven, web-based repository for sharing basic information about historic and ongoing wildlife mortality (death) and/or morbidity (illness) events. The information, such as county-level locations, onset and ending dates, species affected, and diagnosis has generously been shared with the USGS...
Learn More
link
Screenshot of USGS Flood Event Viewer

USGS Flood Event Viewer: Providing Hurricane and Flood Response Data

During large, short-term floods, the USGS collects additional data to help document these high-water events. This data is uploaded to the USGS Short-Term Network (STN) for long-term archival, and served out to the public through the USGS Flood Event Viewer (FEV) which provides convenient, map-based access to storm-surge and other event-based data.
By
Water Resources
link

USGS Flood Event Viewer: Providing Hurricane and Flood Response Data

During large, short-term floods, the USGS collects additional data to help document these high-water events. This data is uploaded to the USGS Short-Term Network (STN) for long-term archival, and served out to the public through the USGS Flood Event Viewer (FEV) which provides convenient, map-based access to storm-surge and other event-based data.
Learn More
link
Image: How Much Water is Available?

National Water Census

The National Water Census is a USGS research program on national water availability and use that develops new water accounting tools and assesses water availability at the regional and national scales. Through the Water Census, USGS is integrating diverse research on water availability and use and enhancing the understanding of connection between water quality and water availability.
By
Water Availability and Use Science Program
link

National Water Census

The National Water Census is a USGS research program on national water availability and use that develops new water accounting tools and assesses water availability at the regional and national scales. Through the Water Census, USGS is integrating diverse research on water availability and use and enhancing the understanding of connection between water quality and water availability.
Learn More
link
View of Mount Ascutney, Connecticut River, and Cornish-Windsor Bridge

NorEaST: A Tool to Understand the Responses of Fish to Changes in Stream Temperature

Climate change is expected to alter stream temperature and flow regimes over the coming decades, and in turn influence distributions of aquatic species in those freshwater ecosystems. To better anticipate these changes, there is a need to compile both short- and long-term stream temperature data for managers to gain an understanding of baseline conditions, historic trends, and future projections.
By
Climate Adaptation Science Centers
link

NorEaST: A Tool to Understand the Responses of Fish to Changes in Stream Temperature

Climate change is expected to alter stream temperature and flow regimes over the coming decades, and in turn influence distributions of aquatic species in those freshwater ecosystems. To better anticipate these changes, there is a need to compile both short- and long-term stream temperature data for managers to gain an understanding of baseline conditions, historic trends, and future projections.
Learn More

Blake has worked on the following web applications:

Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Restoration Assessment Geonarrative

The Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Restoration Assessment (GLCWRA) uses principles of geodesign to identify, assess, and restore areas along the U.S. coast of the Great Lakes that have the most potential to restore coastal wetland habitat. This Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funded work supports land managers and restoration practitioners from site-specific to landscape scales.

By
Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center
Headshot of Blake Draper
link
link

Science and Products

  • Science

    Blake has worked on development of the projects below:

    link
    Colorado Basin Focus Area Study carousel

    Integrated Water Availability Assessments (IWAAs)

    The USGS Integrated Water Availability Assessments (IWAAs) are a multi-extent, stakeholder driven, near real-time census and prediction of water availability for both human and ecological uses at regional and national extents.
    By
    Water Resources
    link

    Integrated Water Availability Assessments (IWAAs)

    The USGS Integrated Water Availability Assessments (IWAAs) are a multi-extent, stakeholder driven, near real-time census and prediction of water availability for both human and ecological uses at regional and national extents.
    Learn More
    link
    Image of WHISPers home page showing map of data points in United States.

    WHISPers

    WHISPers, the Wildlife Health Information Sharing Partnership - event reporting system, is a partner-driven, web-based repository for sharing basic information about historic and ongoing wildlife mortality (death) and/or morbidity (illness) events. The information, such as county-level locations, onset and ending dates, species affected, and diagnosis has generously been shared with the USGS...
    By
    Ecosystems, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, National Wildlife Health Center
    link

    WHISPers

    WHISPers, the Wildlife Health Information Sharing Partnership - event reporting system, is a partner-driven, web-based repository for sharing basic information about historic and ongoing wildlife mortality (death) and/or morbidity (illness) events. The information, such as county-level locations, onset and ending dates, species affected, and diagnosis has generously been shared with the USGS...
    Learn More
    link
    Screenshot of USGS Flood Event Viewer

    USGS Flood Event Viewer: Providing Hurricane and Flood Response Data

    During large, short-term floods, the USGS collects additional data to help document these high-water events. This data is uploaded to the USGS Short-Term Network (STN) for long-term archival, and served out to the public through the USGS Flood Event Viewer (FEV) which provides convenient, map-based access to storm-surge and other event-based data.
    By
    Water Resources
    link

    USGS Flood Event Viewer: Providing Hurricane and Flood Response Data

    During large, short-term floods, the USGS collects additional data to help document these high-water events. This data is uploaded to the USGS Short-Term Network (STN) for long-term archival, and served out to the public through the USGS Flood Event Viewer (FEV) which provides convenient, map-based access to storm-surge and other event-based data.
    Learn More
    link
    Image: How Much Water is Available?

    National Water Census

    The National Water Census is a USGS research program on national water availability and use that develops new water accounting tools and assesses water availability at the regional and national scales. Through the Water Census, USGS is integrating diverse research on water availability and use and enhancing the understanding of connection between water quality and water availability.
    By
    Water Availability and Use Science Program
    link

    National Water Census

    The National Water Census is a USGS research program on national water availability and use that develops new water accounting tools and assesses water availability at the regional and national scales. Through the Water Census, USGS is integrating diverse research on water availability and use and enhancing the understanding of connection between water quality and water availability.
    Learn More
    link
    View of Mount Ascutney, Connecticut River, and Cornish-Windsor Bridge

    NorEaST: A Tool to Understand the Responses of Fish to Changes in Stream Temperature

    Climate change is expected to alter stream temperature and flow regimes over the coming decades, and in turn influence distributions of aquatic species in those freshwater ecosystems. To better anticipate these changes, there is a need to compile both short- and long-term stream temperature data for managers to gain an understanding of baseline conditions, historic trends, and future projections.
    By
    Climate Adaptation Science Centers
    link

    NorEaST: A Tool to Understand the Responses of Fish to Changes in Stream Temperature

    Climate change is expected to alter stream temperature and flow regimes over the coming decades, and in turn influence distributions of aquatic species in those freshwater ecosystems. To better anticipate these changes, there is a need to compile both short- and long-term stream temperature data for managers to gain an understanding of baseline conditions, historic trends, and future projections.
    Learn More
  • Web Tools

    Blake has worked on the following web applications:

    Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Restoration Assessment Geonarrative

    The Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Restoration Assessment (GLCWRA) uses principles of geodesign to identify, assess, and restore areas along the U.S. coast of the Great Lakes that have the most potential to restore coastal wetland habitat. This Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funded work supports land managers and restoration practitioners from site-specific to landscape scales.

    By
    Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center
  • Multimedia
    Headshot of Blake Draper
    link
    link