About the KSR GIS Database

[Goals] [Disclaimer] [Introduction] [Data Format] [Download] [Extract] [Import] [Projection]

Goals

Our goals in providing the KSR GIS database are as follows:
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Disclaimer

KBS KSR Database has been tested and its documentation has been carefully reviewed. However, KBS makes no warranty or representation, either expressed or implied, with respect to the digital data and their documentation, quality, performance, or fitness for a particular purpose. The digital data are distributed on an "as is" basis, and the user assumes all risk as to their quality, the results obtained from their use, and the performance of the data. In no event will the KBS be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages resulting from and defect in the KSR Geographic Information Systems Core Database's digital data or in their documentation.
 
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Introduction

When you browse the KSR GIS database catalog, please pay attention to the metadata. Metadata is data about data, and it shows what data are available, how they were produced, how to access it, and other useful information. The metadata included in our catalog is a subset of the full Federal Geographic Data Committee's (FGDC) Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata. Each summary description provides an easy to understand outline of the metadata.  A snapshot (graphics image) of each data set is also provided to help visualize the content of the database. (Note: for polygon coverages, polygon numbers reported in the description and metadata do not include the universal polygon).

If you have any questions or need more information concerning  particular data, please contact:

 
Dean Kettle
Tel: (785)864-3241
Fax: (785)864-5093
Email: kettle@ku.edu
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Data Formats

Portability is an essential concern for the KSR GIS Database. Data, to be of any value to a wide audience, must be capable of being imported into a variety of different software packages and operating systems. Each organization  purchases software and hardware and tailors it to a particular application and expertise. We therefore attempt to provide data in formats that are compatible with a wide array of mapping and geographic information systems software.

The majority of vector data stored at KBS are in Environmental Systems Research Institute's (ESRI) ARC/INFO proprietary format. The preferred method to transfer data is through ESRI's interchange file or export file (.e00 file). This method  ensures that both features and the descriptive data for each map coverage are transferred. For each map coverage, we provide both uncompressed .e00 files and compressed .e00 files in gzip format (.gz files).

If you are not using ARC/INFO, do not despair. ARC/INFO has modules that export data into a variety of vector formats, such as DLG (Digital Line Graph), GEN (ASCII Text File), SHP ( ArcView Shape File), BIL (Band Interleaved by Line), GRID (ARC/INFO Raster Format), TIF (Tagged Image File).
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Downloading Data

You may select either .gz file or .e00 file to download according to the speed of your network connection. .gz files are compressed by gzip from E00 files, so .gz files are much smaller than E00 files in size, and thus can be downloaded much more quickly.

To download a group of data, click on "Download Data;"  you will then be prompted to register your information. After registration, you can access the data instantly.

To download the data description or FGDC metadata, click on  "Description" or "FGDC Metadata" to read the metadata. By selecting "File"->"Save", you can save the description or FGDC metadata as a local file on your computer.

To download a snapshot, just right-click the image with your mouse and select "Save Image As....".

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Extracting Data

If you downloaded a .gz file, please use gzip (UNIX) or WinZIP (NT, Win95, or DOS) to extract the compressed data. If you need WinZIP, please download it from http://www.winzip.com. If you need gzip, please go to http://www.shareware.com, and find a gzip version for your platform by searching "gzip". The .zip file will generate an .e00 file after being extracted
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Importing Data

The E00 file is an ARC/INFO Interchange file, which houses both coordinate information and descriptive information. You can rebuild the coverage by importing the .e00 file into your GIS software.
 
If you are using ARC/INFO, please use the following command:
Arc: import cover [in_e00_file_name] [Out_coverage_name]
If you are using ArcView, please run (Note: command may vary):
c:\esri\av_gis30\ArcView\bin32\import71, then enter the name of the interchange file (include the e00 extension), then enter the name of the output data set name, click "OK", you will get the data in shape file format, which can be used (both browsing and editing) in ArcView.
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Modifying Projections

The State Plane Coordinate System divides all fifty of the United States, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands into approximately 1220 numbered zones.  Construction of a coordinate system for each zone is based on one of three projections: the Lambert Conformal Conic, the Transverse Mercator, or the Oblique Mercator.  Because projections are not exact representations of the planet, State Plane Coordinate System also involves information from the North American Datum (NAD, 1927 or 1983), which helps to translate the spheroid shape of the earth into two-dimensional form.

The state of Kansas uses the Lambert Conformal Conic projection as its State Plane Coordinate System.  In 1971, the University of Kansas contracted Wilson Surveying company to establish a 300 m reference grid system. The grid system was set up in State Plane, NAD 27. In the early 1990s when the EAEP was onstructing the KER GIS database, the State Plane Coordinate System using Lambert Conformal Conic (first NAD 27, units feet, then NAD 83, units meter) was chosen as the standard coordinate system for the GIS database. Most of the data snapshots for the KER GIS  and  the maps in the Map Gallery are in State Plane, Lambert Conformal Conic.

For the KER region, the northern direction is more heavily skewed in the Kansas State Plane Coordinate System (Lambert Conformal Conic projection) than in UTM projection. The UTM is also more universal, and  in 1998 the KER GIS database was projected into UTM (NAD 1983) . The KER GIS database is now in UTM NAD 1983.

Please note that the field reference grid system in the KER northern tracts is still labeled in State Plane 83 (Lambert, NAD 83, units meter). The reference grid system would not fit into perfect 50 m, 100 m, and 300 m intervals if the grid labels were converted into UTM. So if you do field surveys using the grid system as a reference, your resultant coordinates will be in State Plane (Lambert Conformal Conic). You will need to project your results into UTM in order to match other KER GIS data in the database.

The following are some projection files you may find useful when you need to project your data using ARC/INFO. 
From 
State Plane 27
to
State Plane 83
From 
State Plane 83
to
UTM 83
From 
State Plane 27
to
UTM 83
From
UTM 27
to
UTM 83
From 
UTM 83
to 
State Plane 83
input

projection stateplane
zone 3926
units feet
datum nad27

spheroid clarke1866
parameters
output
projection stateplane
zone 3926
datum nad83
units meter
spheroid grs80
parameters
end
input

projection stateplane
zone 3926
units meter
datum nad83
spheroid grs80
parameters 
output
projection utm
datum nad83
spheroid grs80
zone 15
units meter
parameters
end
input

projection stateplane
zone 3926
units feet
datum nad27

spheroid clarke1866
parameters
output
projection utm
datum nad83
spheroid grs80
zone 15
units meter
parameters
end
input

projection utm
zone 15
datum nad27
spheroid clarke1866
units meters
parameters
output
projection utm
zone 15
datum nad83
units meters
spheroid grs80
parameters
end
input

projection utm
datum nad83
spheroid grs80
zone 15
units meter
parameters
output

projection stateplane
zone 3926
units meter
datum nad83
spheroid grs80
parameters 
end
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© Copyright 1999 Kansas Biological Survey
Last modified 16 January, 2002.