Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse

hosted by the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS)

Project Overview and Progress Reports for the 1999 C-FAR Water Quality and Natural Resources Strategic Research Initiative in Information Systems and Technology Project Entitled:

Map Illinois: The Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse


Daniel O. Nelson, Sheena K. Beaverson and Robert J. Krumm
Illinois State Geological Survey


Project Description:
The Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse is an Internet catalog of downloadable, geographically referenced digital data. The data are applicable to a wide range of natural resource issues, for example, water quality and availability, soil conservation, mineral resource availability, and land cover. The Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) proposes to augment the Clearinghouse with 1,071 Digital Raster Graphic (DRG) images of U. S. Geological Survey 7.5 minute topographic quadrangles in Illinois at a scale of 1:24,000. This widely-used and recognized map format provides essential, large-scale, statewide base map coverage applicable to any digital mapping initiative. The images will be available free-of-charge for download in the widely used georeferenced TIFF format.
The companion project entitled "Map Illinois: Interactive, web-based, access to natural resource geospatial data" addresses the related issue of on-line GIS data visualization and manipulation.

Project Objectives:
Augment the Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse with 1,071 Digital Raster Graphic (DRG) images of U. S. Geological Survey 7.5 minute topographic quadrangles in Illinois at a scale of 1:24,000.
FY99 Funding: $20000 Duration: 1-year

Project Deliverables and Timelines:
January 1, 1999 - data loaded into Clearinghouse database
March 1, 1999 - Operational simple download interface
June 30, 1999 - Operational interactive download interface, supporting custom requests

Stakeholder and Partner Involvement:
The Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse was developed as a cooperative effort of the following DNR agencies:
Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS)
Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS)
Illinois State Museum (ISM)
Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS)
Office of Mines and Minerals (OMM)
Office of Realty and Environmental Planning (OREP)
Office of Scientific Research and Analysis (OSRA)
Waste Management and Research Center (WMRC)

Initial funding was provided by:
The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), which pursues policies, standards, and procedures for organizations to cooperatively produce and share geospatial data.
The National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), an organized network of data providers in support of the mission of the FGDC.
Progress Reports:
8/19/99 9:24:01 AM
A re-design of the Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse was placed online August 18, 1999. The new layout should make it even easier for users to locate available data sets and documentation. The primary goals were to:
  • improve site navagation
  • make content-heavy pages easier to read
  • provide an area to present the DRGs and other new features
  • showcase logos of supporting agencies
  • complete minor updates to content pages
Additionally, the testing phase for the Digital Raster Graphic (DRG) download interface is now complete; the DRG files can be accessed via the Clearinghouse Main Page.

Illinois quadrangles are available for the following scales:
  • 1:250,000
  • 1:100,000
  • 1:24,000

DRGs are available in four combinations of projection and type:

Flavor 1: USGS Digital Raster Graphic (DRG) files Flavor 2: Re-projected USGS Digital Raster Graphic (DRG) files Flavor 3: Tiled topographic map images in UTM 16 projection, NAD83 Flavor 4: Tiled topographic map image

4/7/99 1:49:21 PM


Testing on DRG download protocols continues. There are now four ways to select a DRG.

Work on a DRG index page is in progress. The DRG download site will be formally announced on several list servers at the end of this month. Work on website redesign has commenced.


3/17/99 1:32:00 PM
DRGs on-line. First draft textual download interface available for review and comment. Work on a graphical download index is in progress.


12/7/98 10:04:44 AM
Funds received and processed. Interviews of technical staff underway. Evaluation of MrSID image compression software underway. Required disk space installed and configured.



Author Information

Sheena K. Beaverson
GIS Specialist and Assistant Systems Programmer
Illinois State Geological Survey
615 East Peabody Drive
Champaign, Illinois 61821
USA

Telephone: 217-244-9306
Fax: 217-333-2830
Email: beavrsn@isgs.uiuc.edu