GIS Data Guide

The National Elevation Dataset (NED) is the primary elevation data product of the USGS. The NED is generated at various horizontal resolutions to serve the needs of local, regional and nationwide applications. These various resolutions, referred to as NED layers, are stored and distributed in geographic coordinates at 1/9, 1/3, 1, and 2 seconds of arc.

The ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model (ASTER GDEM) is a joint product developed and made available to the public by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) of Japan and the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It is generated from data collected from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), a spaceborne earth observing optical instrument. The ASTER GDEM is the only DEM that covers the entire land surface of the Earth at high resolution. Since the release of the Version 1 on June 29, 2009, the ASTER GDEM has been widely used by many users and it has greatly contributed to the global earth observing community.

The LIDAR collection has been acquired by the USGS through contracts, through partnerships with other Federal, state, tribal, or regional agencies, from direct purchases from private industry vendors, and through volunteer contributions from the science community. Product specifications such as nominal pulse spacing, area of coverage (footprint), file size, and projection will vary by project since the data come from a variety of sources. The USGS EROS Center manages and distributes LIDAR point cloud data dating back to 2000 for projects from across the United States.

GTOPO30 is a global digital elevation model (DEM) with a horizontal grid spacing of 30 arc seconds (approximately 1 kilometer). GTOPO30 was derived from several raster and vector sources of topographic information. GTOPO30, completed in late 1996, was developed over a three year period through a collaborative effort led by staff at the U.S. Geological Survey's Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS).

The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) was flown aboard the space shuttle Endeavour February 11-22, 2000. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) participated in an international project to acquire radar data which were used to create the first near-global set of land elevations.

Geographic features (for example, hypsography, hydrography, boundaries, roads, utility lines, etc), using USGS 7.5-minute, 15-minute, 2-arc-second (30- by 60-minute), and 1:2 million-scale topographic quadrangle maps.

Other small scale maps covering New Zealand and its offshore islands at 1:250,000 (Topo250) or 1:50,000 (Topo50) scale, some Pacific islands and Antarctica's Ross Sea region included. Other maps can be reached at http://www.linz.govt.nz/topography/topo-maps

Please roll down to Land-Form PANORAMA, and click next. You will need to fill an application form.

The National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS) provides, free of charge, aggregate census data and GIS-compatible boundary files for the United States between 1790 and 2012.

American FactFinder provides access to data about the United States, Puerto Rico and the Island Areas. The data in American FactFinder come from several censuses and surveys.

Mapping census geographic data based on data found in our MAF/TIGER database. Geodatabase format can be reached here: http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/tiger-data.html

Countries and lower level subdivisions such as provinces, departments, bundeslander, special areas, municipalities, counties, and thana.

Includes state, district, field office. Data can be downloaded via online map http://www.geocommunicator.gov/blmMap/MapLSIS.jsp

The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) serves as the definitive Landsat-based, 30-meter resolution, land cover database for the Nation. NLCD provides spatial reference and descriptive data for characteristics of the land surface such as thematic class (for example, urban, agriculture, and forest), percent impervious surface, and percent tree canopy cover.

The Global Land Cover by National Mapping Organizations (GLCNMO) version 2 is the data of 500m (15 arc seconds) grid with 20 land cover items.

Based on high-resolution elevation data obtained during a Space Shuttle flight for NASA's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) derivatives at multiple Scales(river networks, watershed boundaries, drainage directions, and flow accumulations)

Focuses in three coordinated levels on (1) large lakes and reservoirs, (2) smaller water bodies, and (3) wetlands.

Drainage area in USA

HYDRO1k is a geographic database developed to provide comprehensive and consistent global coverage of topographically derived data sets, including streams, drainage basins and ancillary layers derived from the USGS' 30 arc-second digital elevation model of the world (GTOPO30). HYDRO1k provides a suite of geo-referenced data sets, both raster and vector, which will be of value for all users who need to organize, evaluate, or process hydrologic information on a continental scale.

Each State data download is available as either a compressed file Geodatabase or a Shapefile. Both files are compressed by using the .zip format.

Focuses in three coordinated levels on (1) large lakes and reservoirs, (2) smaller water bodies, and (3) wetlands.

Amphibians, mammals, threatened birds, reef-building corals, seasnakes, seagrasses, mangroves, some of the marine fish and reptile species that have been assessed.

EPA employees or contractors may login at the top right to see all content.

Download link are in layers of interactive map in Canada, United States and Mexico.

Oil&gas, coal, other energy included

Spatial data is under data tab- spatial data. Online map can be reached through http://energy.usgs.gov/Tools/EnVisionSplash.aspx

Click on data resources tab to get more maps

Data from OneGeology may eigher be visualized via a web mapping service or downloaded as a KML.

MRDS is a collection of reports describing metallic and nonmetallic mineral resources throughout the world. Included are geochemistry, geophysics and mineral resource maps and data. (for approximately 180 countries.)

Scale: 1:10 000, 1:25 000, 1:50 000, 1:250 000 and 1:625 000 are available.

Soils and other components that have unique properties, interpretations.Maps can only be viewed and downloaded by using Esri Arcmap at 1:12,000 to 1:63,360. Click on the color region, and you will see the download link.

The National Geophysical Data Center archives and assimilates tsunami, earthquake and volcano data. Long-term data, including photographs, can be used to establish the history of natural hazard occurrences and help mitigate against future events.

The National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) dataset of effective DFIRM databases and Letters of Map Change (LOMCs). Useful information of natural hazard data can also be viewed in the Library of Texas A&M :http://library.tamu.edu/about/collections/map-gis-collections-services/gis-data-online-interactive-maps/gis-online-data.html and NCSU: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/gis/fema.html (North Carolina flooding data only)

LiDAR can also be downloaded.

Flood zone, base flood elevation and the floodway status for a particular location listed in the webpage.

data extracts from the Geographic Names Information System for download as pipe-delimited text

Data about the earth's land surface. Aapplication form is required.

SPOTMaps products provide nationwide or regional coverage, orthorectified. Log in required, derived from SPOT 5 colour satellite images at a resolution of 2.5 metres. You can also download from clicking "Download the kml file of SPOTMaps coverage": http://www.astrium-geo.com/spotmaps/

80-meter multispectral data from Landsats 1 to 5.(1972 to 1992). Log in required

30- to 120-meter multispectral data from Landsat 4 and 5 (1982 to present). Log in required.

High-resolution (15- to 60-meter) multispectral data from Landsat 7 (1999 to present). Log in required.

Moderate-resolution (250- to 1000-meter) multispectral data. Log in required, data from the Terra Satellite (2000 to present) and Aqua Satellite (2002 to present).

High-resolution (15- to 90-meter) multispectral data from the Terrasatellite (2000 to present). Log in required.

1-km multispectral data from the NOAA satellite series (1979 to present). Log in required.

Past, current, and future conditions based on output from the Global Climate Mode.

Global climate data in 5 degree x 5degree tiles.

Global weather history data

High-resolution global raster climate data related to rainfall deficit for potential vegetative growth. The Global-PET and Global-Aridity datasets are provided for non-commercial use in standard ARC/INFO Grid format, at 30 arc seconds (~ 1km at equator).

Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model climate mapping system.

Biosphere portal from the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment. Free donwload, application form required.

NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) is responsible for preserving, monitoring, assessing, and providing public access to the Nation's treasure of climate and historical weather data and information.

Geophysics & Marine Geology (WDC-GMG) free donwloaded data.

Bathymetric data north of 64° North. Detailed and accurate knowledge of the depth and the shape of the Arctic seabed are provided.

Sea floor topography. You can also download by clicking "Download KMZ Images File".

Oceannography raster data by UCSD

Shapes of the seafloor are provided. Please scroll down to Distribution Information, you can also view this in google map.

Ocean Biogeographic Inforamtion System Spatial Ecological Analysis. Follow the instruction in "how to download" to reach the data: http://seamap.env.duke.edu/help/2.5/download.html