Viewing Your Site Assessment on Google Earth Pro

Viewing and Working with KMZ Files

Your Site Assessment Report is provided as a KMZ file — a Google Earth format that displays all your site analysis spatially.

To open:

1. Download the Site Assessment Report KMZ from your Workspace

2. Open with Google Earth desktop (use the most up-to-date version)

3. Your site and all assessments will load automatically

Assessment Menu

The KMZ contains a menu of all your site analyses.

When you open the file, you'll see a sidebar menu with all available assessment layers. Toggle layers on/off by clicking the checkboxes to view different analyses.

Legends

Topography and Hydrology analyses include legends.

Legends explain:

• Color coding for elevation, slope, and aspect

• Stream order classification

• Catchment area boundaries

Legends appear alongside the relevant layers in the menu.

Adjust Opacity of Layers

You can adjust the opacity of any overlay to see underlying terrain or combine multiple layers.

To adjust transparency:

• Select "Adjust Opacity"

• Use the slider to change transparency level

This is useful for:

• Viewing contour lines over satellite imagery

• Comparing multiple analysis layers

• Customizing your view for presentations

Layer Positioning and Altitude Control

Adjust the position and vertical height of analysis layers for custom views.

To access layer controls:

• Right-click on the desired layer in the menu

• Select "Get Info"

From here, you can:

Reposition the Overlay

• Move the layer to a different location on screen (by clicking on the green plus sign)

• Useful for viewing multiple assessments side by side

Adjust Altitude

• Go to the "Altitude" tab

• Select "Absolute"

• Use the slider to adjust height between ground level and space

• Useful for creating custom viewpoints for presentations

IMPORTANT: Adding Your Own Layers

If you want to add custom design layers, drawings, or annotations to your site analysis, create a separate design file rather than editing the Site Assessment KMZ directly.

Best practice:

• Keep the Site Assessment KMZ as-is (do not save changes)

• Create a new KMZ file for your own design layers, notes, and annotations

• Open both files together in Google Earth when viewing your site

This ensures your Site Assessment KMZ remains portable and functional, while keeping your custom design work separate and organized.

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