PRESERVING GEOLOGIC MAP RELATIONSHIPS USING GIS: DIGITAL GEOLOGY OF THE NATIONAL PARKS

Digital geologic maps are an invaluable tool in making science-based decisions in natural resource management within the National Park Service (NPS) and other organizations. Paper geologic maps convey information that is crucial to the understanding of stratigraphy, structural geology, surficial geology, hazards and other geologic features and processes present in an area, and varies widely depending on the location of the geology mapped. In order to properly convey the geologic information on a source paper geologic map within a GIS format, it is crucial that such information be governed by well-defined rules and relationships. By enforcing these GIS-based rules, the original work of the author(s) is honored and preserved during the data capture process, while adding utility to the data contained therein.

Colorado State University, in partnership with the NPS, developed the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory (GRI) Geology-GIS Geodatabase Data Model, which maintains attribute and spatial relationships found on paper geologic maps and is easily extendable, allowing for the capture of the wide variety of geologic features present in the national parks. The data model utilizes functionality inherent in the ESRI geodatabase format to maintain relationships and to enable the capture of a variety of geologic features. In addition, scripts and tools implementing and checking geologic relationships have been created by the GRI program, adding another layer of quality control to the data capture process. The result is a geologic-GIS data product that can be used for a variety of purposes, from natural resource management decision-making to complex geological analyses.