T108 Geologic Maps, Digital Geologic Maps, and Derivatives from Geologic and Geophysical Maps (Posters)

Monday, 1 November 2010
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Hall D

SHOWCASING NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DIGITAL GEOLOGIC DATA: TURNING A DATABASE INTO A MAP

Paper number: T108-2
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Authors

Abstract

The Geologic Resources Inventory (GRI), a National Park Service (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) funded program, compiles and creates comprehensive geologic GIS datasets and geologic reports for 270 NPS units containing significant natural resources. Through a cooperative agreement, NPS Geologic Resources Division geologists work along-side geologists from Colorado State University to compile and produce high quality, informative digital geologic maps and reports, and to also devise ways to increase the accessibility and overall utility of geospatial data.

Recently, the GRI team designed and began production of geologic map layouts that accompany a geologic report, providing an overview of the digital geologic data available for a specific park. These layouts, provided as a paper hard copy and electronically in Adobe PDF format, are produced using Environmental Research Systems Institute (ESRI) ArcGIS 9.3 software. These maps display typical cartographic elements such as legends, scale bars, north arrows, as wells as utilize hillshading and geographic features, such as roads, political boundaries, and relevant structures. Both GIS and non-GIS users can benefit from these layouts as they provide an overview of the data contained within the digital GIS dataset, allowing them to easily determine how to best integrate this geologic GIS information into the science-based natural resource stewardship mission of the NPS.