Metadata for Montana Names from the Geographic Names Information System, 2004 Metadata for Montana Names from the Geographic Names Information System, 2004

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Identification Information:

Citation:

Originator: U.S. Geological Survey

Publication date: 06/28/2004

Title:

Montana Names from the Geographic Names Information System, 2004

Publication place: Helena, Montana
Publisher: Montana State Library

Other citation details:

The former name of this data set on the NRIS web site was "gn3"

Larger Work Citation:

Title: Montana Geographic Names Framework
Online linkage: http://mslapps.mt.gov/Geographic_Information/Data/DataList/datalist_Details.aspx?did={0c57ebe2-f8e8-4d55-b159-ab3202898956}

Abstract:

An automated inventory of the names and locations of physical and cultural geographic features located throughout the United States.

Contains the location of all names on all U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) maps of Montana and all federal and local maps inventoried by the USGS. Includes populated places, mountain peaks, rivers and streams, schools, farms, glaciers, railroad sidings, etc.

This version of the GNIS was provided by the USGS in April 2004, converted to ESRI format, and the coordinates were converted to Montana State Plane Coordinates. The GNIS contains a list of over 23,000 un-named wells and springs and 2,000 places with unknown coordinates, which have been deleted from this copy.

Where the GNIS contains multiple coordinates for a feature, the data point is located at the primary coordinate. For streams, this is usually the mouth of the stream, which may be outside of Montana.

Each feature is represented in this layer by its "primary point". A geographic feature may have only one primary point regardless of size or extent. The primary point of a linear feature depends on the feature class. If feature class equals stream, valley or arroyo, the primary point is the mouth. The primary point of a canal, channel, or trail is the center. The primary point of an areal feature is the approximate geographic center with the following exceptions: The primary point of a populated place is the center of original place, if known, such as the city or town hall, main post office, or town square regardless of changes over time; The primary point of a reservoir is the center of the dam; The primary point of a summit, range, ridge, or pillar is the highest point. These points do not represent feature boundaries or geometries and should not be confused with them.

Purpose:

The GNIS is an inventory and location of place names, to promote geographic feature name standardization and to serve as the Federal Government's repository of information regarding feature name spellings and applications for features in U.S. The names listed in the inventory can be published on Federal maps, charts, and in other documents. The feature locative information has been used in emergency preparedness, marketing, site-selection and analysis, genealogical and historical research, and transportation routing applications.

Time period of content:

Calendar date: 04/2004
Currentness reference: Publication Date

Access constraints: None

Use constraints:

While this data set is useful for locating features, it is not intended to locate what features are near a location or within a given area. Large features such as streams and national forests are represented here by a single point, and the absence from the GNIS of a point for a feature in any area does not mean the feature is not in that area.

The Montana State Library provides this product/service for informational purposes only. The Library did not produce it for, nor is it suitable for legal, engineering, or surveying purposes. Consumers of this information should review or consult the primary data and information sources to ascertain the viability of the information for their purposes. The Library provides these data in good faith but does not represent or warrant its accuracy, adequacy, or completeness. In no event shall the Library be liable for any incorrect results or analysis; any direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages to any party; or any lost profits arising out of or in connection with the use or the inability to use the data or the services provided. The Library makes these data and services available as a convenience to the public, and for no other purpose. The Library reserves the right to change or revise published data and/or services at any time.

Point of contact:

Montana State Library
P.O. Box 201800
Helena, Montana 59620-1800
Telephone: 406-444-5354
TDD/TTY telephone: Montana Relay 711
Fax: 406-444-0266
E-Mail: geoinfo@mt.gov

Data set credit:

The Geographic Names Information System was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.

Data Quality Information:

Attribute accuracy report:

The attributes were copied directly from the GNIS files. The State Library has not performed any quality checking on this data.

At the USGS, a random sample of 10% of the entries in the system were visually verified against the compilation source data (large-scale USGS topographic maps) to ensure an accuracy rate of at least 95%.

Completeness report:

This dataset contains information about physical and cultural geographic features identified by a proper name, with the exception of most roads and highways.

Lineage:

Source information:

Originator: U.S. Geological Survey
Publication date: 2004
Title: Topographic Maps
Source contribution: Feature names and attribute information

Source information:

Originator: U.S. Board on Geographic Names
Publication date: Unpublished material
Title: Records of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names
Source contribution: Feature names and attribute information

Source information:

Originator: U.S. Forest Service
Publication date: 2004
Title: U.S. Forest Service 1:24,000 scale topographic maps
Source contribution: Feature names and attribute information

Source information:

Originator: U.S. Geological Survey
Publication date: 04/2004
Title: Geographic Names Information System
Source contribution: The records in this data set were selected from this source.

Process step:

GNIS Phase I data compilation and edit

Feature name and attribute data are collected from the largest-scale USGS topographic maps available. These data are compared to the records of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names and U.S. Forest Service maps, Office of Coast Survey charts, Federal Aviation Administration files, Federal Communications Commission files, and files of the Army Corps of Engineers.


Process date: 1981

Process step:

GNIS Phase II data compilation and edit

Feature name and attribute data are collected from State, locally, and privately published current and historical maps, charts, and texts.

Process contact:

Robin D. Worcester
Chief, Geographic Names Information Section
U.S. Geological Survey
523 National Center
Reston, VA 20192
Telephone: 703-648-4551
E-Mail: rworcest@usgs.gov

Process step:

GNIS Maintenance program

Maintenance cooperators feed GNIS new names and corrections discovered in the course of new mapping and revision activities and implementation of the national geographic names standarization program.

Process contact:

Robin D. Worcester
Chief, Geographic Names Information Section
U.S. Geological Survey
523 National Center
Reston, VA 20192
Telephone: 703-648-4551
E-Mail: rworcest@usgs.gov

Process step:

Convert the GNIS file to ESRI format and Montana State Plane Coordinates, remove un-named wells and springs.


Process date: 06/26/2004

Spatial Data Organization Information:

Point and vector object information:

SDTS object type: Point

SDTS object count: 51721

Spatial Reference Information:

Horizontal coordinate system definition:

Grid coordinate system name: State Plane Coordinate System

SPCS zone identifier: 2500

Lambert conformal conic:

Standard parallel: 45.00
Standard parallel: 49.00
Longitude of central meridian: -109.50
Latitude of projection origin: 44.25
False easting: 600000.00
False northing: 0.00

Planar distance units: meters

Geodetic model:

Horizontal datum name: North American Datum of 1983
Ellipsoid name: Geodetic Reference System 80
Semi-major axis: 6378137.00
Denominator of flattening ratio: 298.257222

Altitude system definition:

Altitude datum name: NGVD29
Altitude resolution: 1
Altitude distance units: FEET
Altitude encoding method: Attribute values

Entity and Attribute Information:

Entity type label: Montana_GNIS_2004

Entity type definition: Point Feature Class

Attribute label: FID

Attribute definition: Shapefile sequence number

Attribute label: Shape

Attribute definition: Feature geometry

Attribute label: OBJECTID

Attribute definition: Database sequence number

Attribute label: FEATURENAME

Attribute definition: Official Feature Name

Attribute label: FEATURETYP

Attribute definition: Feature Type Code

Attribute label: COUNTYFIPS

Attribute definition: FIPS code for the County the feature's primary point is in.

Attribute label: PRIMARYLAT

Attribute definition: Latitude of the feature's primary point, NAD27.

Attribute label: PRIMARYLON

Attribute definition: Longitude of the feature's primary point, NAD27.

Attribute label: SOURCELAT_

Attribute definition:: This is the the latitude of the source or upper end of a valley or stream, NAD27. This is zero for other feature types.

Attribute label: SOURCELON_

Attribute definition:: This is the the longitude of the source or upper end of a valley or stream, NAD27. This is zero for other feature types.

Attribute label: ELEV

Attribute definition:: Elevation in feet. This field is NOT filled out for most of the points.

Attribute label: POPULATION

Attribute definition:: Population of the feature, 2000, if it is a place recognized by the Census Bureau

Attribute label: QUADNAME24

Attribute definition:: Name of 7.5-minute USGS quadrangle the feature's primary point is in.

Attribute label: STATEX

Attribute definition:: Montana State Plane NAD83 X-Coordinate of the feature's primary point, meters

Attribute label: STATEY

Attribute definition:: Montana State Plane NAD83 Y-Coordinate of the feature's primary point, meters

Attribute label: GNISID

Attribute definition: Board of Geographic Names unique ID number for this feature.

Distribution Information:

Distributor:

Montana State Library
PO Box 201800
Helena, MT 59620-1800
Telephone: 406-444-5354
TDD/TTY telephone: Montana Relay 711
Fax: 406-444-0266
E-Mail: geoinfo@mt.gov

Resource description: Offline Data

Distribution liability:

The Montana State Library provides this product/service for informational purposes only. The Library did not produce it for, nor is it suitable for legal, engineering, or surveying purposes. Consumers of this information should review or consult the primary data and information sources to ascertain the viability of the information for their purposes. The Library provides these data in good faith but does not represent or warrant its accuracy, adequacy, or completeness. In no event shall the Library be liable for any incorrect results or analysis; any direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages to any party; or any lost profits arising out of or in connection with the use or the inability to use the data or the services provided. The Library makes these data and services available as a convenience to the public, and for no other purpose. The Library reserves the right to change or revise published data and/or services at any time.

Metadata Reference Information:

Metadata date: 03/31/2015

Metadata review date: 06/28/2004

Metadata contact:

Montana State Library
P.O. Box 201800
Helena, Montana 59620-1800
Telephone: 406-444-5354
TDD/TTY telephone: Montana Relay 711
Fax: 406-444-0266
E-Mail: geoinfo@mt.gov