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Digital Mapping Techniques '02 -- Workshop Proceedings
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 02-370

The National Park Service Geologic Resources Inventory: An Update

By Tim Connors,1 Stephanie A. O'Meara,2 Trista L. Thornberry,2 Joe D. Gregson,3 Anne R. Poole,4 and Bruce Heise1

1National Park Service -- Geologic Resources Division
12795 West Alameda Parkway
Lakewood, CO 80228
Telephone: (303) 969-2093
e-mail: Tim_Connors@nps.gov, Bruce_Heise@nps.gov

2Colorado State University/National Park Service Cooperator
1201 Oak Ridge Drive, Suite 200
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Telephone: (970) 225-3584
e-mail: , Tthorn@cnr.colostate.edu

3National Park Service -- Natural Resources Information Division
1201 Oak Ridge Parkway, Suite 200
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Telephone: (970) 225-3559
e-mail: Joe_Gregson@nps.gov

4National Park Service -- Intermountain Region
Intermountain GIS Support
Bandelier Hall West, Room 203
Albuquerque NM 87131
Telephone: (505) 346-2885 extension 260
e-mail: Anne_Poole@nps.gov

GEOLOGIC RESOURCES INVENTORY

Since 1998, the National Park Service (NPS) has been conducting a Geologic Resources Inventory (GRI) to document and evaluate the geologic resources of 273 National Park System units (national parks, monuments, recreational areas, historic sites, seashores, lakeshores, etc.). The GRI is a cooperative endeavor; cooperators include the NPS Geologic Resources Division, NPS Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program (Natural Resource Information Division), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), individual state geological surveys, and academic institutions.

User-friendly geographic information system (GIS) tools have been developed in ESRI ArcView 3.x and ArcInfo 8.x formats for the digital geologic maps. Applications, including the NPS-developed ArcView Theme Manager v.2.01, (http://www1.nature.nps.gov/im/apps/thmmgr/index.htm), graphical cross-section viewer, and legend text-display tools are integrated with a standard geology GIS model to reproduce the components of a "paper" geologic map into a digital geologic database. The always-evolving geology GIS model is based on the Washington State ArcInfo GIS data model (Harris, 1998), which is being adapted for ArcView GIS and extended to include components of the North American Geologic Map Data Model (NADM), http://geology.usgs.gov/dm/. For more detailed information on the GRI than is presented here, please see Fryer and others (2001).

PRODUCTS OF THE GEOLOGIC RESOURCES INVENTORY

Geologic Bibliographies

"GRBIB," the bibliography of existing geologic maps and literature for 235 NPS units, is available on the Internet at http://www.nature.nps.gov/im/apps/npbib/ and is also prepared as printable documents at http://www2.nature.nps.gov/grd/geology/gri/products/geobib/. Geologic index maps showing the location of associated geologic maps and their scales have also been prepared for these parks. In general, after map coverage for each park is determined, map products can be evaluated, and if needed, additional mapping projects identified and initiated.

Park Workshop Meetings

GRI Park Workshops (scoping sessions) have been conducted for 67 parks in Colorado, Utah, Idaho, North Carolina, California, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, the Dakotas, and the National Capital area to evaluate each park's geologic resources. As a result of these workshops, park teams have evaluated existing published geologic maps to see whether they have been translated into digital format and to identify where data gaps exist in geologic mapping. New geologic mapping may be initiated on a case-by-case basis after careful evaluation of needs, costs, potential cooperators, and funding sources.

Geologic Mapping and Digitizing Projects

The NPS GRI Program has cost-shared with the following state agencies: Additional field mapping projects have been initiated or completed for the geologic maps for Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site (NHS), Curecanti NRA, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument (NM), Great Sand Dunes NP, Capitol Reef NP, Cedar Breaks NM, Golden Spike NHS, and Natural Bridges NM. The NPS Geologic Resources Inventory is being actively developed with the formal cooperation of USGS and state geological surveys. However, many opportunities for project collaboration may exist that have not yet been identified, and effective communication among cooperators is a key factor for success of the inventory.

Another challenge of inventory planning is the development of digital map standards that are adaptable to diverse geological conditions, but still provide quality, uniform products and firm guidance for map developers. Indeed, the diversity of geologic resources found in the NPS will provide a continuing challenge for effective project management. The I&M Program and Geological Resources Division are developing an efficient inventory program to expedite the acquisition of digital geologic information for NPS units throughout the country. The NPS is attempting to align these digital standards with those of the USGS and the North American Data Model.

Summary Geologic Reports

Upon completion of an inventory in a park, the available geological literature and data from the NPS, USGS, state, and academic institutions will be documented in a summary report. The content, format, and database structure of such reports are still being developed.

REFERENCES

Fryer, Steve, Gregson, Joe, Connors, Tim, Poole, Anne and Heise, Bruce, 2001, The National Park Service Digital Geologic Map Model: Transformation from Paper to Digital, Featuring Legends, Cross Sections, Map Notes and Keyword Searchability, in Soller, D.R., ed. Digital Mapping Techniques '01 -- Workshop Proceedings, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 01- 223, p. 87-100, https://pubs.usgs.gov/openfile/of01-223/fryer.html.

Harris, Carl F.T., 1998, Washington State's 1:100,000-scale geologic map database: an ArcInfo data model example, in Soller, D.R., ed., Digital Mapping Techniques '98 -- Workshop Proceedings, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-487, p. 27-35, https://pubs.usgs.gov/openfile/of98-487/harris.html.

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