GIS datasets

Note: To use GIS data, you need to have GIS software. Many of the data sets below are in ArcView file format. To learn how to use ArcView, please go either to the  ArcView 3.2 Tips and Tutorials or the ArcGIS Desktop 8.2 Tips and Tutorials site. These data sets can also be viewed with a number of free GIS data viewers, including ArcExplorer from ESRI.

Table of Contents

• ArcGIS Desktop 8.2 Tips and Tutorials
• ArcView 3.2 Tips and Tutorials
• Austin area GIS data
• USGS Quad and Quarterquad Locator Map
• Round Rock GIS data
• Central Texas regional GIS data
• Houston GIS data
• Dallas / Fort Worth GIS data
• San Antonio GIS data
• Texas Border GIS data
• Texas GIS data (statewide and for specific locations)
• Starting points for finding GIS data for other areas
• Statistical data download sites
• Transportation data sites and links

Data Sets for Austin, Texas

• For very high-resolution (6-inch pixel) aerial photography  from 2003 of the Austin area, students and faculty in the School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin can go to our local data server, arch-vernooy\gis-data. You will see a grid map of Austin in pdf format - use this to know which aerial you want. Then go to the Aerials folder. Talk with a lab TA for additional help. Also, on the same server you will see a Shape folder. This contains the planimetric lines  in shape file format (building footprints, street centerlines, curblines [trans.zip], streams, etc.) derived from the 2003 aerial photography.
• City of Austin GIS Data Sets - This is an organized guide to over 50 different data layers for the Austin area, including roads, land use, zoning, and facilities. NOTE: this is the most up-to-date source for Austin GIS data - if you need current data, go directly to the city's data site - do not use data on our local lab computers.
• For download access to a number of City of Austin data sets, go to the city's FTP server at ftp://coageoid01.ci.austin.tx.us - follow the folders to pub/GIS-Data
• The Capital Area Council of Governments  distributes GIS data layers and orthophotos  (aerial photos) from 1997 and 2002 for the 10 county CAPCOG region around Austin. To download this data, go to its web site at: http://www.capcog.org/ and navigate to Information Clearinghouse. The orthophotos are tiled by USGS quadrangle map boundaries  - see the  Travis County locator map to know which ortho you need or download the Quadrangle Boundaries data set - this data shows the USGS quadrangle map boundaries.
• City of Austin Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department has links to numerous GIS data sets including site plan locations, building permits, multi-family housing projects, and major employers. Follow the link for GIS Data / Analysis, but also see the other links for good descriptions of zoning, the development process, neighborhood planning, and urban design initiatives.
• TNRIS serves the 1995-1996 color infra-red Digital Orthophoto QuarterQuads at 1 meter and 2.5 meter pixel resolution - see the TNRIS Digital Data Delivery System for more information. At the same site you can also download scanned and geo-referenced USGS quadrangle maps (called DRG or digital raster graphics) and also hillshade (shaded relief) background data sets.
• For accessing recent (2002-2003) high-resolution aerial photos (orthoimagery) of Austin, Houston, Dallas, and some other American cities, go to the USGS Seamless server at http://seamless.usgs.gov/ .  See the note there about using this with Windows Service Pack 2, and note that you must enable pop-ups. Note that you must specify which layers you want to download - this is done by clicking on those layers in the "download" section on the right side of the interface (and unclicking layers you don't want) - don't confuse this with the Display section. Note: the National Map at http://www.nationalmap.gov is another access interface into these same data sets - this has a somewhat easier interface.
• See also Data Sets for Texas below

Data Sets for Round Rock, Texas

• The City of Round Rock maintains a GIS database - see City of Round Rock Planning and Community Development Department and then look for the GIS Data Center for downloads.
• Also see Capital Area Council of Governments - (CAPCOG )
• TNRIS serves the 1995-1996 color infra-red Digital Orthophoto QuarterQuads at 1 meter and 2.5 meter pixel resolution - see the TNRIS Digital Data Delivery System for more information. At the same site you can also download scanned and geo-referenced USGS quadrangle maps (called DRG or digital raster graphics) and also hillshade (shaded relief) background data sets.
• For accessing recent (2002-2003) high-resolution aerial photos (orthoimagery) of Austin, Houston, Dallas, and some other American cities, go to the USGS Seamless server at http://seamless.usgs.gov/ .  See the note there about using this with Windows Service Pack 2, and note that you must enable pop-ups. Note that you must specify which layers you want to download - this is done by clicking on those layers in the "download" section on the right side of the interface (and unclicking layers you don't want) - don't confuse this with the Display section. Note: the National Map at http://www.nationalmap.gov is another access interface into these same data sets - this has a somewhat easier interface.
• See also Data Sets for Texas below

Data Sets for Central Texas Region

• Capital Area Council of Governments  - (CAPCOG ) - follow the link to the Information Clearinghouse - includes hydrography, roads, digital elevation models, and 1997 and 2002 orthophotos and more).
• See also Data Sets for Texas below

Data sets for Houston

• The Rice University Fondren Libary GIS Data Center has good links to Houston area GIS data sets
• The City of Houston Geographic Information and Management System (GIMS) has data available for download via an interactive map server
• Houston-Galveston Area Council of Governments has GIS data, aerial, and satellite imagery for the entire Houston-Galveston region. Go to the Programs-GIS link for more information on ordering.
• Harris County Public Infrastructure Department, Enginnering Division's GIS Services has some dowloadable GIS data sets
• For accessing recent (2002-2003) high-resolution aerial photos (orthoimagery) of Austin, Houston, Dallas, and some other American cities, go to the USGS Seamless server at http://seamless.usgs.gov/ .  See the note there about using this with Windows Service Pack 2, and note that you must enable pop-ups. Note that you must specify which layers you want to download - this is done by clicking on those layers in the "download" section on the right side of the interface (and unclicking layers you don't want) - don't confuse this with the Display section. Note: the National Map at http://www.nationalmap.gov is another access interface into these same data sets - this has a somewhat easier interface.
• See also Data Sets for Texas below

Data Sets for Dallas / Fort Worth region

• The North Central Texas Council of Governments as a very good web site for GIS and aerial imagery - http://gis.dfwinfo.com/
• For accessing recent (2002-2003) high-resolution aerial photos (orthoimagery) of Austin, Houston, Dallas, and some other American cities, go to the USGS Seamless server at http://seamless.usgs.gov/ .  See the note there about using this with Windows Service Pack 2, and note that you must enable pop-ups. Note that you must specify which layers you want to download - this is done by clicking on those layers in the "download" section on the right side of the interface (and unclicking layers you don't want) - don't confuse this with the Display section. Note: the National Map at http://www.nationalmap.gov is another access interface into these same data sets - this has a somewhat easier interface.
• See also Data Sets for Texas below

Data Sets for San Antonio

• The City of San Antonio's Interactive Map web site (http://maps.sanantonio.gov/) has an interactive map viewer which you can use to download GIS shape files. Go to the COSA Maps link. You can view the GIS data sets here but you can also download data from here. To download data, click on the "extract" tool just to the right side of the main map. That will bring up a list of data sets to download.
• The Alamo Area Council of Governments has a Regional Data Center from which you can request GIS data.
• For accessing recent (2002-2003) high-resolution aerial photos (orthoimagery) of Austin, Houston, Dallas, and some other American cities, go to the USGS Seamless server at http://seamless.usgs.gov/ . See the note there about using this with Windows Service Pack 2, and note that you must enable pop-ups. Note that you must specify which layers you want to download - this is done by clicking on those layers in the "download" section on the right side of the interface (and unclicking layers you don't want) - don't confuse this with the Display section. Note: the National Map at http://www.nationalmap.gov is another access interface into these same data sets - this has a somewhat easier interface.
• See also Data Sets for Texas below

Texas Border GIS Data

• The Border Information Center has downloadable data for Starr, Hidalgo, and  Cameron Counties. Click on the Three-County Internet Map service. This is a viewer but it also allows downloads. The download process is tricky - the instructions can be found by clicking on the Help link.
• See also Data Sets for Texas below

Data Sets for Texas

• Texas Natural Resources Information Systems (TNRIS) - the TNRIS Digital Data Delivery System provides a quick way to access the basic data sets state wide (orthophotos, DRGs, TxDOT files, DEMs, etc.). Also see TNRIS GIS Data Catalog for more statewide data sets, including county boundaries, air quality monitoring sites, aquifers, etc.
• Texas StratMap Digital Data
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (formerly Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission)  - See the TCEQ GIS site for data download and interactive maps
• Texas General Land Office  - Geographic Information Systems
• EPA Region 6
• United States - Mexico Transboundary Mapping and GIS Initiative (USGS)

Some Starting Points for Finding GIS Data Sources on the Web

• Starting the Hunt (excellent index to GIS data sources by Stephen Pollard, sponsored by the Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies, the University of Arkansas) - this site is especially good if you are looking for data for specific states
• GeoData.gov (http://www.geodata.gov) is the US Government clearinghouse of geographic data held by government agencies
• The National Atlas  (http://www.nationalatlas.gov/) is a great online mapping program for government data including all kinds of environmental, demographic, and economic data - there is also a GIS data download option here if you go to the link for Mapping Professionals. Otherwise, you can simply and easily create online maps for viewing and printing.
• The Geography Network (http://www.geographynetwork.com/) has links to free data sets and data that you must purchase
• For accessing recent (2002-2003) high-resolution aerial photos (orthoimagery) of Austin, Houston, Dallas, and some other American cities, go to the USGS Seamless server at http://seamless.usgs.gov/ .  See the note there about using this with Windows Service Pack 2, and note that you must enable pop-ups. Note that you must specify which layers you want to download - this is done by clicking on those layers in the "download" section on the right side of the interface (and unclicking layers you don't want) - don't confuse this with the Display section. Note: the National Map at http://www.nationalmap.gov is another access interface into these same data sets - this has a somewhat easier interface.
• The USGS Seamless Map web server (http://seamless.usgs.gov/)  and the National Map at http://www.nationalmap.gov also have many other GIS data layers available for download.
• The GIS Data Depot - a data repository for both the US and other countries - much of the data is free for download, some available only for purchase. Good place to get Digital Chart of the World data by country
• USGS Node of National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse
• CIESIN  - Center for Earth Science Information Network, Columbia University - very good site for downloading data, especially international/global data

Statistical Data Download Sites

• Statistical Resources on the Web (excellent starting point for searching all kinds of statistics)
• Stat-USA (business and economic information from the US government)
• US Demography Home Page (from CIESIN - Consortium for International Earth Science Information Network)
• U.S. Bureau of the Census - American Factfinder (for 2000 Census and 1997 Economic Census)
• US Bureau of Transportation Statistics (US Department of Transportation - see also the TRIS Online, the largest database of published transportation research on the internet)
• Right to Know Network
• Social Sciences Data Collection, U.C. San Diego
• Bureau of Economic Analysis - US Department of Commerce
• Texas Department of Economic Development - Business and Industry Data Center (BIDC)
• Texas Workforce Commission
• Texas Health and Human Services Commission

27 December 2005