Vector Data Theme
Development of
The National Map
Transportation Data | Structures Data | Governmental Units Data | Hydrography Data | Best Practices Dataset Template

Return to Top  

Transportation Data

The transportation data theme consists of roads, railroads, airports, and miscellaneous transportation features. This information is important for highway departments, land managers, and utility companies in applications such as calculating distance along a specific path or the proximity of roads to power lines. It is also crucial for determining evacuation routes for emergency response and other applications. The transportation theme includes best available data from Federal partners such as the Census Bureau and the Department of Transportation, State and local agencies.

Transportation Data Model -- March 1, 2006 (Plot size 36"x48" PDF file)

Structures Data

The structures data theme is comprised of manmade features important to planners, land managers, utility companies, and the general public for a broad range of analyses and applications. This theme is key for the locations of critical structures, which are of vital interest to emergency responders. The data include those from Federal partners including agencies of the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense, and State and local government agencies.

Structures Data Model -- March 1, 2006 (Plot size 36"x24" PDF file)

Governmental Units Data

The governmental units theme depicts administrative and jurisdictional information. The theme is critical for government agencies and other organizations requiring jurisdictional information. It is also important to State planners, land managers, the general public, and utility companies for a broad range of applications. The governmental units theme relies on data from Federal partners such as the U.S. Census Bureau, other Federal agencies, and State and local agencies.

Governmental Units Model -- March 1, 2006 (Plot size 36"x24" PDF file)

Hydrography Data

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that contains information about surface water features such as lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, springs and wells. Within the NHD, surface water features are combined to form "reaches," which provide the framework for linking water-related data to the NHD surface water drainage network. These linkages enable the analysis and display of these water-related data in upstream and downstream order.

For more information on the NHD and for NHD data downloads, go to http://nhd.usgs.gov

National Hydrography Dataset Model -- June 12, 2007 (Plot size 36"x48" PDF file)

Dataset Template of Best Practices Model

The Best Practices Model is comprised of the above national data models – Structures, Transportation, Governmental Units, as well as the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) model. This is an ongoing and collaborative effort by ESRI and USGS to combine Project Homeland requirements and the national dataset themes into a Best Practices data model, critical for government agencies and organizations involved in national security.

Best Practices Dataset template -- February 22, 2006 (contains a MDB file viewable only in ArcGIS 9.x)