USGS:Biology Biological Informatics Program Vegetation Characterization Program Badlands National Park Boundary FAQ Metadata

Boundary FAQ Metadata

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Frequently-anticipated questions:

• What does this data set describe?
  1. How should this data set be cited?
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
• Who produced the data set?
  1. Who are the originators of the data set?
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
• Why was the data set created?
• How was the data set created?
  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
• How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?
  1. How well have the observations been checked?
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the data, including topology?
• How can someone get a copy of the data set?
  1. Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
  2. Who distributes the data?
  3. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
  4. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
  5. How can I download or order the data?
• Who wrote the metadata?

Title: Badlands National Park - Park Boundary

Abstract:

This metadata is for use with the Badlands National Park Boundary shapefile (filename: badlands_park_boundary) produced as part of the vulnerability study contracted by Badlands National Park to the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. This shapefile contains the boundary as seen by the National Park Service. As such, there may be conflicts with what is seen as the park's boundary by other agencies.

Supplemental_Information: NA

1. How should this data set be cited?

   National, Wind Cave Park, 20030813, Badlands National Park - Park Boundary: US Department of Interior, National Park Service, Badlands National Park, Badlands National Park, Hot Springs, SD.

   Online Links:

   • <http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/badl/index.html#geospatial_veg_info>

   Other_Citation_Details: NA

2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

   West_Bounding_Coordinate: -102.898649

   East_Bounding_Coordinate: -101.881166

   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 43.910727

   South_Bounding_Coordinate: 43.482521

   Description_of_Geographic_Extent: Badlands National Park, South Dakota

3. What does it look like?

4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

   Calendar_Date: 06-Oct-2000

   Currentness_Reference: date of publication

5. What is the general form of this data set?

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Map

6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
   1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      This is a Vector data set.

   2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator

      Universal_Transverse_Mercator:

      UTM_Zone_Number: 13

      Transverse_Mercator:

      Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -105

      Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 0

      False_Easting: 500000

      False_Northing: 0

      Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: .9996

      Planar coordinates are encoded using coordinate pair
      Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 1
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 1
      Planar coordinates are specified in meters

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is Geodedic Reference System 80.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257.
      

7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

   Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

   Three basic attributes are assigned to each park boundary: (1) a unique four character code; (2) a full park name; and (3) boundary source information. The four character code is generally a combination of the first two letters of the first two words in a park's name (or the first four letters if the park has a one word name). For example, Yosemite National Park is YOSE while Rocky Mountain National Park is ROMO. The park's full name is the actual given name of the park. The boundary source information provides the date, scale, and originator of the particular park boundary.

   Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:

   National Park Service/ National Biological Service Vegetation Mapping Project

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   • Wind Cave National Park

2. Who also contributed to the data set?

3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

   USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Coordinator
   U.S. Geological Survey, Center for Biological Informatics, MS 302, Room 8000, Building 810, Denver Federal Center
   Denver, Colorado 80225
   USA
   

   (303) 202-4220 (voice)
   (303) 202-4219 (FAX)
   gs-b-npsveg@usgs.gov
   

The purpose of this data set is to support park decision making. It is not intended to be a legal description of features.

1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

   DRG (source 1 of 1)

   Natl. Mapping Division U.S. Geological Survey, 19920101, Digital Raster Graphics: U.S. Geological Survey, USA.

   Type_of_Source_Media: Unknown

   Source_Scale_Denominator: 24000

   Source_Contribution:

   DRGs were used as a backdrop to update the BADL boundary. Contact BADL staff for more information.

2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

   Date: 15-Aug-2001 (process 1 of 5)

   Imported BADL Boundary shapefile from park staff.

   Data sources used in this process:

   • DRG

   Date: 15-Aug-2001 (process 2 of 5)

   Created coverage with SHAPEARC tool in ArcToolbox. Used BUILD to construct topology.

   Date: 15-Aug-2001 (process 3 of 5)

   Projected to UTM 13, meters, NAD83.

   Date: 31-Jul-2001 (process 4 of 5)

   Executed BBP.AML to add standard attribute fields, check for label errors, and BUILD polygon topology.

   Date: 31-Jul-2001 (process 5 of 5)

   Populated attribute fields in ArcView 3.2a.

3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

1. How well have the observations been checked?

   All attributes created during the creation process were verified by displaying the lines in both the database and the spatial coverage, but no formal tests were performed.

2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

   Unknown

3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

   None

4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

   The boundary is dependent on features delineated on USGS 7.5 minute Topographic Maps (converted into Digital Line Graph and Digital Raster Graphics, DLG and DRG, respectively) and professional survey data. Mapped features might change as the natural land changes or better maps and aerial photography become available.

5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

   These data are believed to be logically consistent, though no tests were performed.

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: None

Use_Constraints:

The National Park Service shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. These data and related graphics ("GIF" format files) are not legal documents and are not intended to be used as such.

The information contained in these data is dynamic and may change over time. The data are not better than the original sources from which they were derived. It is the responsibility of the data user to use the data appropriately and consistent within the limitations of geospatial data in general and these data in particular. The related graphics are intended to aid the data user in acquiring relevant data; it is not appropriate to use the related graphics as data.

The National Park Service gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data. It is strongly recommended that these data are directly acquired from an NPS server and not indirectly through other sources which may have changed the data in some way. Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the National Park Service, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the utility of the data on another system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data.

1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

   USGS Center for Biological Informatics
   USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Coordinator
   United States Geological Survey, Center for Biological Informatics
   Denver, Colorado 80225
   USA
   

   303 202-4220 (voice)
   303 202-4219 (FAX)
   gs-b-npsveg@usgs.gov
   

2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

   Digital data were compiled for use in NPS decision making.

3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

   The U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. These data and related graphics (if available) are not legal documents and are not intended to be used as such.

   The information contained in these data is dynamic and may change over time. The data are not better than the original sources from which they were derived. It is the responsibility of the data user to use the data appropriately and consistent within the limitations of geospatial data in general and these data in particular. Any related graphics (if available) are intended to aid the data user in acquiring relevant data; it is not approriate to use the related graphics as data.

   The U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data. It is strongly recommended that these data are directly acquired from an U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service servers and not indirectly through other sources which may have changed the data in some way. Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Geological Survey, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the utility of the data on another system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data. It is also strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this metadata report does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U. S. Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey and National Park Service.

4. How can I download or order the data?
   • Availability in digital form:

     Data format:	HTML
     Network links:	<http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/badl/index.html#geospatial_veg_info>

   • Cost to order the data: None

Dates:

Last modified: 04-Aug-2000
Last Reviewed: 02-Nov-2007

Metadata author:

USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Coordinator
U.S. Geological Survey, Center for Biological Informatics, MS 302,
Room 8000, Building 810, Denver Federal Center
Denver, Colorado 80225
USA

(303) 202-4220 (voice)
(303) 202-4219 (FAX)
gs-b-npsveg@usgs.gov

Metadata standard:

FGDC-STD-001.1-1999 Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata, 1998 Part 1: Biological Data Profile, 1999 (FGDC-STD-001-1998)

Metadata extensions used:

• <http://metadata.nbii.gov/portal/community/Communities/Toolkit/Metadata/FGDC_Metadata/>