USGS:Biology Biological Informatics Program Vegetation Characterization Program Walnut Canyon National Monument Boundary FAQ Metadata

Boundary FAQ Metadata

Metadata also available as - [Outline] - [Text] - [Adobe Acrobat pdf file]

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: Boundary: Walnut Canyon National Monument, AZ

Abstract: Current boundary of Walnut Canyon National Monument.

1. How should this data set be cited?

   Flagstaff Area National Monuments, 2004, Boundary: Walnut Canyon National Monument, AZ.

   Online Links:

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

   This is part of the following larger work.

   M. Hansen, J. Coles, K. Thomas, D. Cogan, M. , 2004, USGS-NPS National Vegetation Mapping Program: Walnut Canyon National Monument, Arizona, Vegetation Classification and Distribution.

2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

   West_Bounding_Coordinate: -111.544622

   East_Bounding_Coordinate: -111.444628

   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 35.208852

   South_Bounding_Coordinate: 35.151768

   Description_of_Geographic_Extent: Walnut Canyon National Moument, Arizona

3. What does it look like?

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

   Calendar_Date: 12-Nov-1996

   Currentness_Reference: ground condition

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

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data

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. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):

      • Complete chain (2)
      • Entity point (1)
      • GT-polygon composed of chains (1)
      • Point (4)

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

      Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator

      Universal_Transverse_Mercator:

      UTM_Zone_Number: 12

      Transverse_Mercator:

      Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: 0.999600

      Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -111.000000

      Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 0.000000

      False_Easting: 500000.000000

      False_Northing: 0.000000

      Planar coordinates are encoded using coordinate pair
      Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.000016
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.000016
      Planar coordinates are specified in meters

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222.
      

7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

   waca_bndry.aat

   Walnut Crater National Monument Vegetation Mapping Project: Monument Boundary Coverage Arc Attribute Table (Source: None)

   FID

   Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI)

   Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   Shape

   Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI)

   Coordinates defining the features.

   FNODE#

   Internal node number for the beginning of an arc (from-node). (Source: ESRI)

   Whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   TNODE#

   Internal node number for the end of an arc (to-node). (Source: ESRI)

   Whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   LPOLY#

   Internal node number for the left polygon. (Source: ESRI)

   Whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   RPOLY#

   Internal node number for the right polygon. (Source: ESRI)

   Whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   LENGTH

   Length of feature in internal units. (Source: ESRI)

   Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.

   WACA_BNDRY#

   Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI)

   Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   WACA_BNDRY-ID

   User-defined feature number. (Source: ESRI)

   Whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   DIGTYPE

   User-defined feature number (Source: ESRI)

   Value	Definition
   5	Represents Monument boundary

   waca_1996_bnd.pat

   Walnut Canyon National Monument Vegetation Mapping Project: Monument Boundary Coverage Polygon Attribute Table (Source: None)

   FID

   Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI)

   Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   Shape

   Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI)

   Coordinates defining the features.

   AREA

   Area of feature in internal units squared. (Source: ESRI)

   Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.

   PERIMETER

   Perimeter of feature in internal units. (Source: ESRI)

   Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.

   WACA_1996_BND#

   Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI)

   Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   WACA_1996_BND-ID

   User-defined feature number. (Source: ESRI)

   Whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   ACRES

   Monument area in acres. (Source: Calculated from Area field using 1 square meter = 0.000247 acre conversion factor.)

   Positive real numbers.

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   • Flagstaff Area National Monuments

2. Who also contributed to the data set?

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

   Cartographic Technician
   Flagstaff Area National Monuments
   6400 N Hwy 89
   Flagstaff, AZ 86004
   

   520-526-1157 (voice)
   

   Hours_of_Service: M-F, 8-5pm

Base data and reference purposes.

1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

   DLG (source 1 of 3)

   U.S. Geological Survey or another mapping agency in cooperation with USGS., Unknown, 1:24,000 Digital Line Graphs: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.

   Other_Citation_Details: Public Land Survey System data set (PLSS)

   Type_of_Source_Media: CD-ROM

   Source_Scale_Denominator: 2400

   Source_Contribution: USGS DLG PLSS

   Lands Office Map (source 2 of 3)

   outhwest Land Resources Program, NPS, 19970414, Walnut Canyon National Monument, AZ.

   Type_of_Source_Media: paper

   Source_Contribution: Land Resources Program Center

   Public Law 104-333 (source 3 of 3)

   Congress of United States of America, 19961112, Public Law 104-333.

   Type_of_Source_Media: paper

   Source_Contribution: Public Law 104-333

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

   Date: 2000 (process 1 of 4)

   Convert DLG PLSS data to ArcView shapefile and clip to area immediately around Walnut Canyon National Monument.

   Data sources used in this process:

   • DLG

   Date: 2000 (process 2 of 4)

   Using map from the Southwest Land Resources Program Center and legal descriptions from the proclamation adding to Walnut Canyon National Monument, edit PLSS data attributes to include tract, deed, proclamation or law which added it to the monument and acreage.

   Data sources used in this process:

   • DLG
   • Lands Office Map
   • Public Law 104-333

   Date: 2000 (process 3 of 4)

   Select sections and partial sections included in the Public Law expanding the monument to 1996 size and export to a new shapefile.

   Data sources used in this process:

   • DLG

   Date: 26-Oct-2004 (process 4 of 4)

   Dataset copied and reprojected from UTM Zone 12 N NAD 1927 to UTM Zone 12 N NAD 1983.

   Data sources used in this process:

   • waca_curr_bnd

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

1. How well have the observations been checked?

   Attribute accuracy tested manually by comparing data to source materials.

2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

   Horizontal positional accuracy tested by visual comparison of the data with hard copy maps and on-screen with existing data sets that cover the same area.

3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

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

   Data set was created from all available sources - using legal descriptions (township, range, section) from Public Law 104-333 and a map from the Southwest Land Resources Program Center. Data is considered complete.

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

   All polygons are closed and adjacent polygons do not have identical attributes. Each polygon has one and only one attribute.

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

Access_Constraints: none

Use_Constraints: none

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

   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
   

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

   Downloadable Data

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/waca/index.html#geospatial_veg_info>

   • Cost to order the data:

     Organizations/individuals may need to provide suitable media to reporduce the data.

Dates:

Last modified: 08-Feb-2004
Last Reviewed: 08-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/>