Making Google Earth Work Better

[Zack Hoyt]

I know I am not the only one who surfs Google Earth looking for creeks and new areas of lakes to fish. This program is perfect for directions, aerials, and gaining a tad more information, but there are a lot of people out there who have added options to make it really work better. There are .kmz and .kml files that run in conjunction with the program to add useful info. Tourist locations, peoples pictures, info, etc. It is really endless. I figured it would be beneficial to have a place here where we can list the add ons we use. I will start with a few I find very useful.

Topographic Map Overlay

This add on brings the quad or topo maps from the whole US and will overlay them on the location you are looking at. Very useful when charting a hike or looking at how the land curves. I accessed this at the Ark Game and Fish website. It is titled "Topographic Map Overlay".

http://www.agfc.com/data-facts-maps/maps/googleearth.aspx

Stream Guages

This gives you links to the various stream guages across Arkansas. Very handy to figure out amount of rainfall, rise or fall of CFS, etc. It is titled "Stream Guages".

http://www.agfc.com/data-facts-maps/maps/googleearth.aspx

Real Time Weather

There are a few different addons for this. I prefer using this route by the National Weather Service. Go to the main page(http://www.nws.noaa.gov/) and input the desired location Zip Code. When it brings up the forecast and radar for your location, scroll about 3/4 way down the page. On the right hand side you will see two icons, one will say KML and one will say XML. You want to click the KML and it will automatically open Google Earth. This adds real time radar options to your google earth. I am looking for a nationa wide radar, but this covers a wide range around the zip code you provide.

Bull Shoals Accesses

This next one was made by Mr Scott Branyan. Most of you know the acceses and runs by heart, but this is great have as backup info or to pass along to new fisherman. He mentioned it as well as the AGFC files in his Reachcast Newsletter(if you dont subscribe, i recommend you do). Go to his website(http://www.flyflinger.com/whiteriveraccesses.php) and under Google Maps you ahve files for both Upper and Lower Bull Shoals. These open like the others and will bring up your Google Earth Application.

Buffalo National River and Upper White(Fayetteville)

This add on is put out by the Itinerant Angler. They have a few add ons for different waters. This one not only adds placemarks, it also gives you info about the area.

http://www.itinerantangler.com/podcasts/google_earth/

I plan on adding more as I remember where I foudn them. Hope this helps a tad.

[eric1978]

Good stuff. I really like the topo. MDC also has a program that you can use with GE which shows you MDC accesses and conservation areas.

[Zack Hoyt]

Thanks Eric. I figured most states have them, but hadnt searched MO yet.

Missouri Dept of Conservation

This shows all conservation and MDC accesses:

http://www.mdc.mo.gov/atlas/google_earth/

Corp of Engineers Lakes

This gives locations and access information to all the CoE Lakes. Also gives links to the lakes websites for further information:

http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/visitors.cfm