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Online Cartographic Resources: US Topo and Others US EPA Library Network Naonal Training Program Presenter: Marcus Elmore Thursday, March 15, 2012, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EDT Wednesday, March 28, 2012 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT Contact your library at: hp://intranet.epa.gov/desktop/comments.htm US Topo: hp://naonalmap.gov/ The US Topo project is the United States Geological Survey (USGS)’s iniave to provide for download digital topographical maps of the U.S. Maps are accessed through a Google Maps mashup at hp://naonalmap.gov/ustopo/index.html . • To download a map, click Download Maps (Map Store) in the navigaon bar on the leſt. • Navigate to the area of the map you want to focus on by using the zoom and recentering tools). • Click the MARK POINTS radio buon, and click on the desired quad to set the red map point. • Leſt click on the map point, and a menu bubble will appear, displaying all the different available maps for that quad. • Click the download link for the map you want, and it will download as a PDF file (the size of the file in MBs is the link you click to start the download). Once downloaded, the map can be viewed in Adobe Reader, turning on and off the various layers (geographical features, roads, boundaries, etc.) to tailor the map to a user’s needs. A planned three-year revision cycle will allow USGS to incorporate addional layers in an ongoing fashion. Seamless Data Warehouse: hp://seamless.usgs.gov Another USGS project is the Seamless Data Warehouse, which provides access to geospaal data through The Naonal Map. The base layer (the map itself) can be combined with addional layers in several categories, including places, structures, transportaon, boundaries, hydrography, orthoimagery, land cover, and elevaon. Although the data is intended primarily for GIS applicaons, it can also be accessed through the Seamless Map Viewer (hp://seamless.usgs.gov/website/seamless/viewer.htm), although performance is variable in my experience. Marcus Elmore Librarian, US EPA Region 8 Technical Library (ASRC Primus contractor) (303) 312-6119 / [email protected] (1)

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Online Cartographic Resources: US Topo and OthersUS EPA Library Network National Training Program

Presenter: Marcus ElmoreThursday, March 15, 2012, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EDT

Wednesday, March 28, 2012 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT

Contact your library at: http://intranet.epa.gov/desktop/comments.htm

US Topo: http://nationalmap.gov/ The US Topo project is the United States Geological Survey (USGS)’s initiative to provide fordownload digital topographical maps of the U.S. Maps are accessed through a Google Mapsmashup at http://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/index.html .

• To download a map, click Download Maps (Map Store) in the navigation baron the left.• Navigate to the area of the map you want to focus on by using the zoom andrecentering tools). • Click the MARK POINTS radio button, and click on the desired quad to set thered map point. • Left click on the map point, and a menu bubble will appear, displaying all thedifferent available maps for that quad. • Click the download link for the map you want, and it will download as a PDFfile (the size of the file in MBs is the link you click to start the download).Once downloaded, the map can be viewed in Adobe Reader, turning on and offthe various layers (geographical features, roads, boundaries, etc.) to tailor themap to a user’s needs. A planned three-year revision cycle will allow USGS toincorporate additional layers in an ongoing fashion.

Seamless Data Warehouse:http://seamless.usgs.gov

Another USGS project is the Seamless Data Warehouse, which provides access to geospatialdata through The National Map. The base layer (the map itself) can be combined with additionallayers in several categories, including places, structures, transportation, boundaries,hydrography, orthoimagery, land cover, and elevation. Although the data is intended primarilyfor GIS applications, it can also be accessed through the Seamless Map Viewer(http://seamless.usgs.gov/website/seamless/viewer.htm), although performance is variable inmy experience.

Marcus ElmoreLibrarian, US EPA Region 8 Technical Library (ASRC Primus contractor)(303) 312-6119 / [email protected] (1)

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National Geologic Map Database:http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/ngmdb/ngmdb_home.html

The USGS National Geologic Map Database provides access to more than 850,000 maps,images, and data sets relating to geology, hazards, earth resources, geophysics, geochemistry,geochronology, paleontology, and marine geology. In addition, it provides an online lexicon ofgeologic names of the US. Since the content is provided by 350+ different originators, it isavailable in a variety of forms, from paper maps to downloadable data sets. The GeoscienceMap Catalog can be seached by place name, state, or using a map interface with categoricallimiters (search can also be limited by publisher, map format, author, title, pub date, and mapscale).

US FWS National Wetlands Mapper:http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/Data/Mapper.html

The US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS)’s National Wetlands Mapper employs one of the cleanestand most functional interfaces, allowing a user to identify wetlands and riparian areas by mapinterface, address search, or latitude and longitude. Other controls allow toggling betweenseveral map modes (street map, topographic, satellite imagery) and the selection of differentlayers of data. At a sufficiently fine scale, the mapper displays annotations for individualwetland areas. The map print feature produces formatted 8-1/2 x 11 inch printable maps withlegends.

Geo.Data.gov:http://geo.data.gov/geoportal/catalog/main/home.page

Geo.Data.gov represents an effort to assemble in a single place the widest array of geospatialdata for use by government agencies and the general public. The site and the platform arecurrently undergoing dramatic change (in October 2011, the former geodata.gov site wasincorporated into the new data.gov umbrella site, hence the new URL: geo.data.gov). The next-generation browser, http://explore.data.gov/ , allows users interactive access to a huge varietyof data sets (including geospatial data), and to Communities, topical sub-sites devoted toeducation, ocean, energy, health, etc.

NationalAtlas.gov:http://nationalatlas.gov/

The National Atlas, an interactive mapping site aimed at the general public, allows users tocreate maps on the fly using a variety of data layers, including data on agriculture, biology,climate, environment, geology, and water. Once created, maps can be printed, emailed, orsaved (though only within a given Web session, since the site does not provide for useraccounts).

Marcus ElmoreLibrarian, US EPA Region 8 Technical Library (ASRC Primus contractor)(303) 312-6119 / [email protected] (2)

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NASA Earth Observatory:http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

The Earth Observatory’s mission is to share with the public the images, stories, and discoveriesabout climate and the environment that emerge from NASA research, including its satellitemissions, in-the-field research, and climate models. Content includes enormous, super-high-resolution satellite images, interactive maps demonstrating climate change, and informativetopical features. The Earth Observatory is clearly aimed at the general public, and students inparticular.

USA.gov Maps Page:http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Maps.shtml

The USA.gov maps page provides access to a wide variety of cartographic resources providedby various federal government agencies and departments. Links to the individual onlineresources are grouped into broad categories (Community, Environmental, Health, Historical,etc.)

NOAA Online Chart Viewer:http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/NOAAChartViewer.html

This site provides access to NOAA's more than 1,000 nautical charts of U.S. coastal and GreatLakes waters. Updated weekly, the site includes all of the latest Notice to Mariners corrections.However, a notice on the site informs visitors that “Screen captures of the on-line viewablecharts available here do NOT fulfill chart carriage requirements for regulated commercial vesselsunder Titles 33 and 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Use official, full scale nautical chartsfor real-world navigation. “

United Nations Cartographic Section:http://www.un.org/depts/Cartographic/english/htmain.htm

This site hosts online maps of member countries and also maps of areas in which UN missionsare under way. Links from this site lead to the UN Dag Hammarskjöld Library Map Collection(http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/maplib/maplib.htm), the UN Programme on Global GeospatialInformation Management (http://ggim.un.org/), and the UN Geographical Information WorkingGroup (http://www.ungiwg.org/).

Marcus ElmoreLibrarian, US EPA Region 8 Technical Library (ASRC Primus contractor)(303) 312-6119 / [email protected] (3)

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LC Geography and Map Division’s American Memory – Maps:http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/

As part of the American Memory Project, the Library of Congress (LC)’s Geography and Map’sDivision has made available online a selection of historical maps, arranged in broad categories(Cities and Towns, Conservation and Environment, Transportation and Communication, etc.).Individual maps are accompanied by extensive historical notes.

National Geographic Society’s online maps collection:http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/maps

The National Geographic Society (NGS) makes available online both digitized versions of itshighly-regarded maps (you know, the ones you used to get inside each issue of NationalGeographic ) and also MapMachine, an online atlas which functions much like Google Maps,but draws on NGS atlas data.

David Rumsey Historical Map Collection Database:http://www.davidrumsey.com/

Finally, this spectacular site is the brainchild of wealthy map collector David Rumsey, who,dissatisfied with the online resources available, hired a team of developers to build a proprietaryonline database and set of tools to host the digitized versions of his extensive collection. Todate, more than 30,000 maps and images have been uploaded, with work on the projectcontinuing. The Luna map browser offers impressive functionality and performance, and thedigitized maps have extensive metadata attached. Free user accounts allow even morefunctionality, and the contents of the database can be downloaded for free and viewed in awide variety of applications, including MapRank Search, Google Earth, Google Maps, SecondLife, 2D GIS, 3D GIS, and the Insight Java Client. The Rumsey Collection demonstrates the greatvariety of useful methods for locating and using historical cartographic material.

For GIS data and applications lying beyond the scope of this presentation, please note that eachEPA Region has a designated GIS Coordinator:

Regional GIS Leads/Coordinators (as of 3/9/2012)

US EPA REGION 1: Tom Giffen 617-918-1444 / [email protected] Alexandra Dichter 617-918-1142 / [email protected]

US EPA REGION 2: Linda Timander212-637-3596 / [email protected]

Marcus ElmoreLibrarian, US EPA Region 8 Technical Library (ASRC Primus contractor)(303) 312-6119 / [email protected] (4)

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US EPA REGION 3: Don Evans 215-814-5370 / [email protected] Ruth Knapp 215-814-2191 / [email protected]

US EPA REGION 4: Phyllis Mann 404-562-8009 / [email protected]

US EPA REGION 5: Carmen Maso 312-886-1070 / [email protected]

US EPA REGION 6 : David Parrish 214-665-8352 / [email protected] Sharon Osowski 214-665-7506 / [email protected]

US EPA REGION 7: Casey McLaughlin913-551-7486 / [email protected]

US EPA REGION 8: Tony Selle303-312-6774 / [email protected]

US EPA REGION 9: Cheryl Henley 415-972-3586 / [email protected]

US EPA REGION 10: Scott Augustine 206-553-1795 / [email protected]

Additional EPA GIS resources can be found at the EPA National Geospatial Home:http://intranet.epa.gov/gis/index.html .

Marcus ElmoreLibrarian, US EPA Region 8 Technical Library (ASRC Primus contractor)(303) 312-6119 / [email protected] (5)