Spatial Data Resource Guide
Over time, the Biodiversity Center has tracked down numerous spatial databases on behalf of desktop GIS users. This guide is an attempt to create some institutional memory about what is available and the most efficient way to access it.
Distribution Programs For Public Domain Data
Many organizations operate data distribution programs whose purpose is to get their spatial data out to the geospatial technology community. Federal and State agencies account for the bulk of formal data distribution programs, but sometimes educational and advocacy organizations share their data with the public as well. The guide lists the programs that we've come in contact with, the types of data they offer and the publication method (download portal, data-on-disk, map service). We try to flag those items that we have actually obtained for our programs. Those items can be obtained from our Spatial Data Library. We use the system of Topic Categories described in Bulletin #ISO 19115 of the International Organization for Standardization in the Distribution Program portion of the Data Resource Guide.
01 - Farming02 - Biota - "Flora and/or fauna in natural environment" - wildlife, vegetation, biological sciences, ecology, wilderness, sea life, wetlands, habitat, biological resources 03 - Boundaries - "Legal land descriptions" - political and administrative boundaries, governmental units, marine boundaries, voting districts, school districts, international boundaries 04 - Climate & Weather05 - Economy - "Economic activities, conditions, and employment" - production, labor, revenue, business, commerce, industry, tourism and ecotourism, forestry, fisheries, commercial or subsistence hunting, exploration and exploitation of resources such as minerals, oil and gas 06 - Elevation - "Height above or below sea level" - altitude, bathymetry, digital elevation models, slope, derived products, DEMs, TINs 07 - Environment - "Environmental resources, protection and conservation" - environmental pollution, waste storage and treatment, environmental impact assessment, monitoring environmental risk, nature reserves, landscape, water quality, air quality, environmental modeling 08 - Geoscientific Information - "Information pertaining to earth sciences" - geophysical features and processes, geology, minerals, sciences dealing with the composition, structure and origin of the earth's rocks, risks of earthquakes, volcanic activity, landslides, gravity information, soils, permafrost, hydrogeology, groundwater, erosion 09 - Health - "Health, health services, human ecology, and safety" - disease and illness, factors affecting health, hygiene, substance abuse, mental and physical health, health services, health care providers, public health 10 - Imagery & Basemaps11 - Intelligence & Military - "Military bases, structures, activities" - barracks, training grounds, military transportation, information collection |
12 - Inland Waters - "Inland water features, drainage systems and characteristics" - rivers and glaciers, salt lakes, water utilization plans, dams, currents, floods and flood hazards, water quality, hydrographic charts, watersheds, wetlands, hydrography 13 - Location - "Positional information and services" - addresses, geodetic networks, geodetic control points, postal zones and services, place names, geographic names 14 - Oceans - "Features and characteristics of salt water bodies excluding inland waters" - resources describing tides, tidal waves, coastal information, and reefs 15 - Planning & Cadastral - "Information used for appropriate actions for future use of the land" - land use maps, zoning maps, cadastral surveys, land ownership, parcels, easements, tax maps, federal land ownership status, public land conveyance records 16 - Society - "Characteristics of society and culture" - settlements, housing, anthropology, archaeology, education, traditional beliefs, manners and customs, demographic data, tourism, recreational areas and activities, parks, recreational trails, historical sites, cultural resources, social impact assessments, crime and justice, law enforcement, census information, immigration, ethnicity 17 - Structure - "Man-made construction" - buildings, museums, churches, factories, housing, monuments, shops, towers, building footprints, architectural and structural plans. 18 - Transportation - "Means and aids for conveying persons and/or goods" - roads, airports/airstrips, shipping routes, tunnels, nautical charts, vehicle or vessel location, aeronautical charts, railways 19 - Utilities & Communications - "Energy, water and waste systems and communications infrastructure and services" - hydroelectricity, geothermal, solar and nuclear sources of energy, water purification and distribution, sewage collection and disposal, electricity and gas distribution, data communication, telecommunication, radio, communication networks |
Data Collections
In some situations spatial data is published as a collection, with data from several categories in a single package. When it is relatively easy to do so, we split the package up according to ISO Topic Category (see above). Sometimes categorizing the data is more trouble than it's worth.
Apple/Plum Watershed StudiesBay of Green Bay StudiessBrown County Local Government GISCalumet County Local Government GISDoor County Local Government GISEsri Data and Maps ProgramForest County Local Government GISGreat Lakes Indicators StudiesGreen Bay Local Government GISHoward Local Government GIS |
Kingfisher Farm/Point Creek StudiesNicolet National Forest Habitat StudiesOconto County Local Government GISOutagamie County Local Government GISPanama Field StudiesPrice County Local Government GISSheboygan County Local Government GISToft Point/Ridges StudiesUWGB Campus StudiesWisconsin DNR GeoDisk 4 |