Build a marae emergency map

Research question: What spatial information would help a fictional marae operate when access, power, water or communications are disrupted?

Useful for: marae committees, asset teams, hauora/resilience planning, whānau volunteers and GIS practitioners supporting marae projects.

All assets in this teaching example are synthetic. The project demonstrates structure and map design without exposing real operational details.

What you will produce

1. A3 overview: marae, access, surrounding roads and selected public hazards.
2. Operational asset map: water, power, first aid, communications, storage and internal access.
3. Offline field/mobile copy: the minimum layers needed when connectivity is poor.
4. An asset and access register with checking dates and dependencies.
5. A practical map-test checklist.

The same source data can support all three map outputs, but the audience and detail differ.

Working structure

Create the working tables as part of the project rather than downloading a synthetic pack.

Table	Use
asset_register	Structure asset IDs, types, status, dependencies and map visibility.
access_register	Record entrances, routes and access dependencies separately from the asset layer.
map_test_checklist	Test print and offline outputs against practical questions.

For field observations, use the data fields described in Field GIS and adapt them to the actual marae workflow.

Source and checking

For public road or hazard context, retain provider, layer name, scenario/date and limitation. For local operational information, retain stable IDs and a checked_date so the map does not silently outlive the asset information.

Use Provenance and source checking. A public-map production flag should never substitute for the actual governance and audience decisions around real marae information.

Project structure

marae-emergency-map/
  01_source/
  02_working/
  03_project/
  04_outputs/

Keep original source material in 01_source, working GIS layers in 02_working, the QGIS project in 03_project and printable or mobile outputs in 04_outputs.

Step 1: define the operational questions

Do not begin by mapping every object at the marae. Start with questions such as:

• How do people reach the marae if the normal road is blocked?
• Where are water sources and isolation points?
• What equipment depends on electricity?
• Where is the generator and what does it supply?
• Where are first aid/AED resources?
• Which buildings are used for shelter, cooking, storage or communications?
• What needs to be visible on paper if phones fail?

Build the asset_register around the information needed to answer those questions.

Step 2: create the asset layer

Create a GeoPackage point layer marae_assets in EPSG:2193 with fields:

asset_id
asset_type
label
status
checked_date
power_dependency
water_dependency
public_map
notes

Use synthetic practice locations if you are completing the exercise without real marae data.

The public_map field is not a statement about what anybody is permitted to publish. It is simply a production flag allowing the project to create a less detailed public-facing derivative when needed.

Step 3: map access separately

Create separate line/point layers for:

• normal vehicle entrance
• alternate entrance
• internal vehicle route
• pedestrian access
• gate
• bridge/culvert or other route dependency

Add wider road information from an authoritative public source. If the project uses a council closure or hazard layer, record its date and scenario.

Step 4: bring in public hazard context

Choose only the hazard information relevant to the location: flood, tsunami, landslide, wildfire or another published layer.

Keep the provider's scenario intact. An evacuation zone, modelled flood extent and observed historical event are different datasets and should not be styled as if they mean the same thing.

Step 5: field-check the operational data

Use KoboToolbox, QField, Survey123 or Field Maps according to the organisation's existing environment.

For each asset, collect only what supports the map or maintenance workflow, for example:

• checked date
• condition/status
• photograph
• asset ID
• short operational note
• device-reported GPS accuracy where location precision matters

A phone coordinate is useful for many assets. It is not survey control.

Step 6: design three views

A3 overview

Show:

• marae location/buildings at useful scale
• main and alternate access
• surrounding road context
• selected public hazard layer
• assembly point where appropriate for the teaching example
• source/date note

Operational asset map

Show:

• water tanks, pumps or isolation points
• generator/power points
• first aid/AED
• communications
• storage
• gates and internal access

Avoid using tiny symbols that become unreadable when printed.

Offline mobile view

Limit basemap and layers to what is needed. Test the project after disabling network access.

Step 7: test the product, not just the GIS

Create a map_test_checklist and test the A3 print and offline copy against practical questions.

A person unfamiliar with the GIS should be able to answer key questions quickly. If the legend takes longer to interpret than the emergency information, simplify the map.

Test:

• black-and-white printing if colour printing may not be available
• A4 fallback
• offline mobile use
• whether labels are legible in low light
• whether the map still makes sense when the newest imagery is unavailable

Quality checks

• Every operational asset has a stable ID.
• A checked_date exists for important assets.
• Public hazard layers retain source, scenario and publication date.
• Alternate access is not assumed simply because a track appears on imagery.
• The print map works without clicking pop-ups.
• Sensitive operational detail is not accidentally copied into a broader-audience derivative.
• Teaching data and maps clearly state when example records are synthetic.

What the result means

The map is an operational information product. It can show where resources and access points are recorded and how those relate to public hazard information.

It does not replace emergency procedures, engineering assessment or official warning information. It is most useful when it remains connected to the people maintaining the assets and when the printed copy is updated after changes.

Continue with Marae emergency mapping, Marae GIS, Field GIS and Cartography.

Last reviewed: 4 September 2026