Colorado Purpose of the Procedure Flood insurance studies search for geospatial data during prescoping and scoping tasks. If needed data are not available, studies might fund the collection of new data and would like to know about other organizations that might share in these costs. Detailed information about the role geospatial data coordination plays in studies is in the Geospatial Data Coordination Implementation Guide, which is available at , and in Scoping Guidelines: Pre-scoping and the Scoping Meeting, which is available through the Regional Management Center (RMC). Resources developed through FEMA’s geospatial data coordination activities provide information about data and contacts for organizations that have geospatial data that cover large areas (like states) in which many studies are interested. Studies can avoid wasting time with dead-end searches and cold calls by starting with these proven sources of information. One resource is this Geospatial Data Coordination Procedure. It outlines sources of geospatial data and contact information, preferences for base map data and state geospatial participation in studies, and other useful information for the State. If you have questions about this procedure or other geospatial data coordination resources, contact the geospatial data coordination lead in your Regional Management Center: Mike Garner, Geospatial Data Coordination Lead Regional Management Center 8 (720) 514-1105 mike.garner@mapmodteam.com We appreciate the help of those who reviewed this document, in particular Jon Gottsegen, State GIS Coordinator Colorado Department of Local Affairs 303-866-3925 Jon.gottsegen@state.co.us Date Procedure discussed: March 19, 2007 Default Flood Hazard Base Map for the State The default base map for flood hazard maps for the State is either an image (orthophoto) or vector (road centerline) base map depending on the county being studied and the best available data at the time of the study. Geospatial Data Coverage Find below information about and links to statewide (and Federal agencies’ national) geospatial datasets. The list is provided to save time during pre-scoping and scoping activities when building a list of candidate geospatial datasets available for the study; it is not a prescription of datasets that must be used in a flood insurance study. Major State Holdings Orthophotos Dataset name: Black and White Digital Orthophoto Quads (DOQ) Data currentness: Varies: 1993-2004 Accuracy/Scale: 1:12,000 statewide; better for high-resolution coverage in urban areas Ground sample resolution: 1 meter; finer for high-resolution urban areas Horizontal datum: NAD83 Fee associated? None Available for redistribution? Yes Dataset source: USGS at http://seamless.usgs.gov/ Dataset contact: Customer Service, U.S. Geoglical Survey, Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS), 47914 252nd Street, Sioux Falls, SD 54198-0001; phone: 800-252-4547; custserv@usgs.gov Notes: Same as National Dataset. Dataset name: National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) Imagery Data currentness: 2005 Accuracy/Scale: 1:12,000 Ground sample resolution: 1 meter Horizontal datum: NAD83 Fee associated? None Available for redistribution? Yes Dataset source: USDA at http://datagateway.nrcs.usda.gov/GatewayHome.html Dataset contact: gateway@ftc.usda.gov Notes: (1) NAIP imagery has many uses, and many states participate in NAIP. NAIP is leaf-on imagery and is not cloud-free, and so the ground might be obscured. So, while NAIP (and other such imagery) can be used as a base maps, the imagery must be checked to ensure that it provides a clear view of important features on the ground for areas of significance for flooding (see Appendix C of the Geospatial Data Coordination Implementation Guide for more discussion). (2) The State plans to release a state GIS portal in mid-2007 through which the NAIP imagery will be available. Transportation (roads, railroads, and airports) Dataset name: 2006 First and Second Edition TIGER/Line Files Data currentness: 2006 Accuracy/Scale: 7.6 meter or better (horizontal) for modernized data Horizontal datum: NAD83 Fee associated? No Available for redistribution? Yes Are road names part of the dataset? Yes Dataset source: Census Bureau at http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/tiger2006fe/tgr2006fe.html Dataset contact: tiger@census.gov Notes: Same as National Dataset. Currentness and accuracy varies by county. Individual counties may have accurate up to date transportation file. Contact state/local GIS department. Hydrography (rivers, streams, lakes, and shorelines) Dataset name: National Hydrography Datasets (NHD) Data currentness: 1999 Accuracy/Scale: 1:100,000 and 1:24,000 Horizontal datum: NAD83 Fee associated? No Available for redistribution? Yes Are hydrography names part of the dataset? Yes Dataset source: USGS at http://nhd.usgs.gov/ Dataset contact: NHD@usgs.gov Notes: Same as National Dataset. Currentness and accuracy varies by county. Individual counties may have accurate up to date hydrography file. Contact state/local GIS department. Political boundaries (county, municipal) Dataset name: 2006 First and Second Edition TIGER/Line Files Data currentness: 2006 Accuracy/Scale: varies; as good as 7.6 meter or better (horizontal) where boundaries follow for modernized road data Horizontal datum: NAD83 Fee associated? No Available for redistribution? Yes Dataset source: Census Bureau at http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/tiger2006fe/tgr2006fe.html Dataset contact: tiger@census.gov Notes: Same as National Dataset. Currentness and accuracy varies by county. Individual counties may have accurate up to date political boundary file. Contact state/local GIS department. Publicly owned lands (national, state, and local parks, forests, etc) Dataset name: Federal Surface Management Agency Boundaries Data currentness: 2004 Accuracy/Scale: 1:100,000 or better Horizontal datum: NAD83 Fee associated? No Available for redistribution? Yes Dataset source: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) at http://www.geocommunicator.gov/GeoComm/fedland/home/index.html Dataset contact: Office of Public Affairs,1849 C Street, Room 406-LS Washington, DC 20240; Phone: (202) 452-5125 Notes: Public land survey system (PLSS) (township and section lines) Dataset name: National Integrated Land System – Land Survey Information System Data currentness: 2006 Accuracy/Scale: 1:100,000 or better Horizontal datum: NAD83 Fee associated? No Available for redistribution? Yes Dataset source: National Integrated Land System at http://www.geocommunicator.gov/GeoComm/lsis_home/hme/index.html Dataset contact: Office of Public Affairs,1849 C Street, Room 406-LS Washington, DC 20240; Phone: (202) 452-5125 Notes: Same as National Dataset. Complete coverage may vary for individual counties. Some counties may have accurate PLSS file. Contact local GIS department. Cadastral (parcels) No statewide coverage available. Individual counties may have accurate up to date property ownership file. Contact local GIS department. Extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) boundaries No statewid ecoverage available. Individual counties may have accurate up to date ETJ file, if applicable. Contact local GIS department. Terrain (elevation) Dataset name: National Elevation Dataset Data currentness: 2000-2006 Accuracy/Scale: 2.44 meter(vertical) Vertical datum: NAVD88 Fee associated? No Available for redistribution? Yes Dataset source: USGS at http://seamless.usgs.gov/ Dataset contact: Customer Service, U.S. Geoglical Survey, Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS), 47914 252nd Street, Sioux Falls, SD 54198-0001; phone: 800-252-4547; custserv@usgs.gov Notes: Same as National Dataset. Currentness and accuracy varies. Individual counties may have accurate up to date elevation datasets. Contact state/local GIS department. Data Distribution Process for State Data The state does not have a centralized distribution process for GIS data. Data can be obtained from the local communities’ GIS department, if available. Generally, this data would be free of charge without redistribution issues if the data is to be used by FEMA for flood map modernization. Federal Nationwide Geospatial Data Holdings Information about nationwide holdings and programs of Federal agencies is available from the Mapping Information Platform web site at . Finding and Accessing Other Existing Geospatial Data Find below information about and links to ways of searching for additional geospatial data available for the State. These capabilities can be useful for finding geospatial data other than the statewide and Federal data listed above, including those of special governments, counties and parishes, municipalities, tribes, universities, and other organizations. Clearinghouses and Inventories for the State The State of Colorado does not maintain an inventory of existing geospatial data. The state does have a spreadsheet of geospatial products that was surveyed at the state level, but has not been updated in several years. A metadata clearinghouse node that has limited datasets can be searched at the Colorado Virtual Library (see ) by clicking on the geospatial data link. The State is organizing a new GIS portal that it plans to release in mid-2007. This new portal will replace the Colorado Virtual Library. In addition, many city and county governments maintain GIS Data for their community and can be searched and downloaded from the individual websites. National Digital Orthophoto Program (NDOP) and National Digital Elevation Program (NDEP) Tracking Systems These systems allow the search of orthophoto and elevation project information entered by federal and other organizations. To access the NDOP system, go to the NDOP web site at and follow the link “Project Tracking.” For the NDEP system, go to the NDEP web site at and follow the link “Project Tracking.” TED Query Tool This tool provides access to information about Federal, state, and local government agency and private sector data holdings gathered by the Census Bureau. It is available through the geospatial data coordination lead at the Regional Management Center. Geospatial One-Stop Geospatial One-Stop, available at , provides access to geospatial data from many sources. Two parts of the site that should be investigated are the “data categories” for existing data and the “marketplace” for data that are planned or in-work and for potential partners for new data collection activities. Working with People Useful State and Federal Contacts The main contacts for the State’s geospatial activities and Federal agencies’ representatives in State are available on the Mapping Information Platform web site at Additional useful contacts for the State can be found at < http://www.giscolorado.com/contacts.html>. Involving the State’s Geospatial Coordinator in Flood Studies In order to participate in the FEMA flood hazard mapping effort, the State GIS Coordinator’s office prefers to be contacted in all of the following ways: a. Meeting at the start of each year for the state b. Send project list at the start of each year c. Conference call at the start of data discovery for each individual project d. Attendance of each kickoff/scooping meeting This state already has a working relationship with the office in the state that is responsible for updating the multi-hazard maps, and they have access to their state’s flood map modernization business plan. State Coordination Process for Building Geospatial Partnerships The State GIS Coordination’s duties include encouraging the development of geospatial partnerships. GIS Colorado is a private organization established to represent and foster GIS activities throughout Colorado. The object of this organization is to provide development, support, and coordination for regional GIS and related technology user groups and activities in the State of Colorado. See http://www.giscolorado.com/. Finding Local Geospatial Contacts Local contacts, including those from special government districts (for example, a regional planning commission); counties, parishes, or equivalent governments; tribes, municipal governments; and other organizations (for example, local universities) also have geospatial data that can help a flood insurance study. Contact information is available from the FEMA archive and web searches at government link portals such as . The State GIS Coordinator has a survey of county and municipal GIS contacts that will be available through the state GIS portal to be released in mid-2007. A listing of local GIS contacts is maintained by this organization and can be found through GIS Colorado at . GIS Colorado also maintains a list serve in which many state and county employees are members; see http://www.giscolorado.com/board_list.html. Provide Feedback on This Procedure When you find information in this Procedure or in other FEMA or State resources that are outdated, please tell the geospatial data coordination lead in the Regional Management Center what was wrong and the correct information (if you know it). Use the contact information for the lead listed in the section Purpose of the Procedure. The lead will use your feedback to update this Procedure.