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Scott Van HoffUSGS Geospatial LiaisonU.S. Geological SurveyU.S. Department of the Interior

USGS Geographic Names Introduction

Native Names TrainingIndigenous mapping network gathering 19 Aug 2007

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Agenda

• Why Names Standardization• Role of U.S. Board on Geographic Names• Overview Geographic Names Information System

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Need for Names Standardization

Before• 19th Century—numerous scientific and

exploration expeditions recorded conflicting geographic feature names, resulting in significant confusion and difficulty

Today• Geographic names are a key component of

the National Spatial Data Infrastructure• And a base layer of The National MapAlways• Consistency is a key attribute of base

geographic information

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U.S. Board on Geographic Names

• 4 September 1890 – Established byPresidential Executive Order

• 25 July 1947 – Re-established by Public Law 80-242

Representatives of Federal agencies concerned with geographic information, population, ecology, and management of public lands.

http://geonames.usgs.gov/

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U.S. Board on Geographic Names

• Ensures uniformity in geographic nomenclature and orthography throughout the Federal government

• Formulates principles, policies, and proceduresfor domestic feature names standardization.

• Serves as Federal authority to which name problems, name inquiries, name changes, and new name proposals are directed

• Promulgates Decisions with respect to geographic names and locations

• Publishes official feature names and locations

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PoliciesU.S. Government policy:

Only official (Board approved) geographic names and locations shall be used in Federal products

Board policies: Geographic Names Information System is the only

official Federal vehicle, i.e., gazetteer source, for domestic geographic names and locations

Names and locations of most features are determined by the authoritative source, not subject to formal Board review and decision

• Exceptions: natural features, canals, reservoirs. • Subject to principles, policies, and procedures

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Standardization not Regulation

National Security Emergency Preparedness & Response Regional & Local Planning Site Selection & Analysis Cartographic Application Environmental Problem-solving Tourism All Levels of Communication

The implications of incorrect, inaccurate, or contradictory feature data appearing simultaneously in multiple Internet

applications are serious and potentially catastrophic.

Why Standardize Geographic Names and Locations?

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Geographic Names Information System

Official Federal source for feature names and locations Authoritative A16 database for geographic names Conforms to BGN principles, policies, guidelines 30 Years of Data from authoritative sources Stable, mature geographic information system Full national coverage, consistent, seamless Quality assured, prevents duplication Feature based – All named features

• Except roads & Highways Open, interoperable, available, web services Functioning partner base – Federal, State, Local, Tribal Large user community of long standing

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GNIS – Names are us…..

ElevationElevation

TransportationTransportationHydrographyHydrography

StructuresStructuresBoundariesBoundaries

GeographicGeographicnamesnames

OrthorectifiedOrthorectifiedimageryimagery

Land coverLand cover

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Names – A Key Component of Geographic Knowledge

Webster Groves, MO-IL 7.5-minute topographic map

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Two Million Features–And Growing

• 502,000 hydrographic features – Synchronized with NHD• 395,000 cultural features – Mostly structures

Cemetery, Dam, Locale, Mine, Military (historical), Oilfield, Tower, Trail, Well • 376,000 structural features

Airport, Building, Church, Hospital, School, Post Office

• 257,000 landforms – In no other layer of The National Map (Other than hydrographic features in NHD)

• 170,000 populated places• 100,000 admin features

Civil, Forest, Park, Reserve

• 97,000 historical features – In no other layer• 14,000 transportation point features

Bridge, Crossing, Tunnel

• (14,000 Antarctica features)Thousands added per month. If its not in GNIS, it should be.

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GNIS Supports (among others):• Geospatial One-Stop – Geographic Names Community• The National Map – Names layers & Find Place Query• The National Atlas – GNIS Provides names data• National Hydrography Dataset – Uses only GNIS Names• National Elevation Dataset – Query elevation in GNIS• USGS Seamless Database – Includes Names layers• FGDC – GNIS supports standards development

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GNIS Attributes As Standards

• Draft ANSI Standard in development Feature ID, Official Feature Name, Official Feature Location

• In DHS Geospatial Data Model Top level optional attributes (next version sprint 2007)

• Referenced In draft FGDC Address Standard• GNIS Feature ID superseded FIPS55 Place Code

Draft MOU with Census to manage the transition Coordinating with other agencies and organizations

• National Gazetteer Project (Sandia Labs/Patton Alliance) GNIS the Authoritative source for domestic names and locations

• MOU with GSA/OPM to maintain Federal agency geolocation codes with relationship to Feature ID

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GOS Geographic Names Community

http://gos2.geodata.gov/wps/portal/gos

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GNIS in The National Map

http://nmviewogc.cr.usgs.gov/viewer.htm

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GNIS Web Site

http://geonames.usgs.gov/domestic/

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GNIS Features

Feature IDNameLocationFeature ClassOther Attributes

A feature is an entity on the landscape with:

Minimum Identifying Attributes

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GNIS Feature ID

• Single, unique, permanent, national record identifier System assigned number—no information content Add to local data sets for reference & data maintenance Immediately assigned upon web data entry

• For comparing, reconciling, merging data sets Eliminates need for difficult attribute matching from

multiple, overlapping, & contradictory sources• Assures national feature record uniqueness• Available to all levels of government and the public

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GNIS Official Name

• As specified by data owner/authoritative source In all but a few cases, mostly natural features

• Sources authorized and verified Federal, State, local agencies, contractors

• Data validated & QA’d Within standards of the Board on Geographic Names

• Names complete, standard, nationally consistent Regardless of source or mechanism of access & display

• Available to all levels of Government & the public

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GNIS Official Feature Location

• As specified by data owner/authoritative source Within Board guidelines

• Single representative point – The primary point Official point to which official name is attached Identifies & locates features. Ensures uniqueness. Independent of size, extent, other spatial representations Easily added, corrected, or modified

• Boundaries not reliable as official feature location Multiple versions, varying resolutions, differing precision Many features have no definable, official, recognized, or

agreed upon boundaries

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Feature Class – Defined Functionally

AIRPORT CAVE GEYSER MINE SCHOOL

ARCH CEMETERY GLACIER OILFIELD SEA

AREA CENSUS GUT PARK SLOPE

ARROYO CHANNEL HARBOR PILLAR SPRING

BAR CHURCH HOSPITAL PLAIN STREAM

BASIN CIVIL ISLAND POST OFFICE SUMMIT

BAY CLIFF ISTHMUS POPULATED PLACE

SWAMP

BEACH CRATER LAKE TOWER

BENCH CROSSING LAVA RANGE TRAIL

BEND DAM LEVEE RAPIDS TUNNEL

BRIDGE FALLS LOCALE RESERVE VALLEY

BUILDING FLAT MILITARY RESERVOIR WELL

CANAL FOREST MILITARY (HISTORICAL)

RIDGE WOODS

CAPE GAP

No Official Feature Classification Schemas

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Contacts

• Louis YostActing, Executive SecretaryU.S. Board on Geographic Names (703) 648-4552 lyost@usgs.gov

• Jennifer RunyonBoard on Geographic Names Senior Researcher (703) 648-4550 jrunyon@usgs.gov

• Joan HelmrichNames Coordinator (703) 648-4622 jhelmrich@usgs.gov

• Dwight HughesSr. Software Engineer (703) 648-5793 dshughes@usgs.gov

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Thank you for your interest!Questions?

The End

Scott Van Hoff

USGS Geospatial Liaison

svanhoff@usgs.gov

208-387-1351