USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Regional Office
20090726
Public Land Survey System - Sections on USDA Forest Service Lands
vector digital data
Albuquerque, New Mexico
USFS Southwestern Regional Office
https://gstore.unm.edu/apps/rgis/datasets/390b0196-1e76-4ed6-88eb-f85e1f73777e/fs_sections.original.zip
https://gstore.unm.edu/apps/rgis/datasets/390b0196-1e76-4ed6-88eb-f85e1f73777e/metadata/FGDC-STD-001-1998.xml
https://gstore.unm.edu/apps/rgis/datasets/390b0196-1e76-4ed6-88eb-f85e1f73777e/metadata/FGDC-STD-001-1998.html
https://gstore.unm.edu/apps/rgis/datasets/390b0196-1e76-4ed6-88eb-f85e1f73777e/metadata/ISO-19115:2003.xml
https://gstore.unm.edu/apps/rgis/datasets/390b0196-1e76-4ed6-88eb-f85e1f73777e/metadata/ISO-19115:2003.html
This feature class depicts the boundaries of Land Survey features called sections, defined
by the Public Lands Survey System Grid. Normally, 36 sections make up a township. The entire extent
of each of these units should be collected, not just the portion on National Forest System lands.
This dataset is derived from the USFS Southwestern Region ALP (Automated Lands Program) data
Project. This is one of six layers derived from ALP for the purpose of supplying data layers for
recourse GIS analysis and data needs within the Forest Service. The six layers are Surface
Ownership, Administrative Forest Boundary, District Boundary, Townships, Sections, and Wilderness.
There were some gapes in the ALP data so a small portion of this dataset comes from CCF
(Cartographic Feature Files) datasets and the USFS Southwestern Region Core Data Project. ALP data
is developed from data sources of differing accuracy, scales, and reliability. Where available it is
developed from GCDB (Geographic Coordinate Data Base) data. GCDB data is maintained by the Bureau of
Land Management in their State Offices. GCDB data is mostly corner data. Not all corners and not all
boundaries are available in GCDB so ALP also utilizes many other data sources like CFF data to
derive its boundaries. GCDB data is in a constant state of change because land corners are always
getting resurveyed. The GCDB data used in this dataset represents a snapshot in time at the time the
GCDB dataset was published by the BLM and may not reflect the most current GCDB dataset available.
The Forest Service makes no expressed or implied warranty with respect to the character, function,
or capabilities of these data. These data are intended to be used for planning and analyses purposes
only and are not legally binding with regards to title or location of National Forest System
lands.
The purpose of this feature class is to depict USFS administrative and ownership boundaries
on this National Forest to be used in conjunction with the management activities.
20070301
Current
As needed
-113.318731
-99.356139
37.0717
31.079174
ISO 19115 Topic Categories
planningCadastre
None
Surface Ownership
Administrative Boundaries
Ranger District Boundaries
Townships
Sections
Wilderness
United States Forest Service
Proclaimed Boundary
Spatial Reference System Identifiers
EPSG:4269
EPSG:7019
None
Arizona
New Mexico
Oklahoma
Texas
Apache
Carson
Cibola
Coconino
Coronado
Gila
Kaibab
Lincoln
Prescott
Santa Fe
Sitgreaves
Tonto
None.
This product is geospatial information prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service. These data has been developed from sources of differing accuracy, scales, and
reliability and may not be spatially accurate. Public Land Survey, ownership, and administrative
boundary lines are not definitive in their location and do not necessarily represent the location of
legally surveyed boundaries. The Forest Service makes no expressed or implied warranty with respect
to the character, function, or capabilities of these data. These data are intended to be used for
planning and analyses purposes only and are not legally binding with regards to title or location of
National Forest System lands. The Forest Service reserves the right to correct, update, modify, or
replace this information without notification.
USDA Forest Service, Southwest Regional Office
Forest Land Staff
mailing and physical address
333 Broadway SE
Albuquerque
New Mexico
87102
505-842-3292
505-842-3855
Mailroom_R3@fs.fed.us
Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 2; ESRI ArcCatalog
9.2.5.1450
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Accuracy and completeness was checked by manually comparing this dataset with other
datasets of similar subject with on-screen review.
Polygon topology present.
Data set is complete.
Based on accuracy statements made for USGS topographic quadrangle maps. Targeted to
National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA). The National Map Accuracy Standards for 7.5
minute 1:24,000 quadrangles applies to this feature class, which state that a feature will be within
approximately 40 feet of its true position.
USDA Forest Service, Geospatial Service and Technology
Unknown
Cartographic Feature File (CFF)
Vintage 11
vector digital data
Salt Lake City, UT
USDA Forest Service, Geospatial Service and Technology
Cartographic Feature Files (CFFs) are digital files containing a vector representation of
the point and line features shown on a Forest Service Primary Base Series (PBS) map. CFF data are
collected by digitizing PBS maps and revised using correction guide information provided by field
units. GSTC began producing Vintage 11 CFFs in 1996.
24000
electronic bulletin board
1996
2000
Most current data available within the stated time period.
Unknown
Unknown
USFS Southwestern Regional Office
20070301
Automated Lands Program (ALP)
vector digital data
None
24000
electronic bulletin board
20070301
Most current data available within the stated time period.
ALP
data
BLM Arizona State Office, and New Mexico State Office
Unknown
Geographic Coordinate Data Base (GCDB)
vector digital data
24000
electronic bulletin board
2000
Most current data available within the stated time period.
BLM
database
These seven layers were derived from ALP: Administrative Boundary Proclaimed Boundary
District Boundary Surface Ownership Sections Townships Wilderness Data for six of the seven feature
classes was loaded from individual ALP coverages for each Forest using ArcCatalog. The ALP coverages
for the forests break on township lines rather then forest boundaries. Although the ALP coverages
were edged matched some additional edge matching was required. Topology rules were created for
editing utilizing "Must not Overlap" and "Must not have gaps" rules. Forest Administrative
Boundaries were created by dissolving the Ranger District Boundaries. Notes: 1. Forest
Administrative Boundaries were created by dissolving the Ranger District Boundaries. 2. Townships
and Sections were merged with "Union" in a separate Geodatabase before loading into the final
Geodatabase. Sections and townships were edited together. Townships were dissolved from sections
after editing. 3. The Prescott data came from the more recent Prescott Pilot Project. All other data
mostly came from ALP. The Prescott Pilot originates from more recent GCDB data then the rest. The
edge of the Prescott with the Kaibab, Coconino, and Tonto did not edge match. Edge matching was done
alone the outside edge of the Prescott boundary making it a clean dataset. 4. District Boundaries
for the Prescott Project were missing. Prescott District Boundaries were derived from the most
recent CFF data. Used the same version of CFF that was used to fill in gapes in the Prescott
Project. 5. District Boundaries on the Gila were incomplete in ALP. What District Boundaries did
exist in ALP for the Gila were wrong particularly in the area of the Wilderness District. District
Boundaries for the Gila were derived fro vintage 11 CFF, the same CFF used in ALP to fill in gaps of
data. 6. Wilderness Areas for the Prescott were derived from a combination of Prescott Project data
and very recent cartography data. The cartography data comes from very close examination of the
actual wilderness legal descriptions. 7. Sycamore Canyon Wilderness has many conflicts in its
descriptions. Two of the larger conflicts are labeled as Proposed Wilderness in this data set. The
one on the Kaibab is in ALP but may be wrong (Jacks Canyon.) The other one on the Coconino was not
in ALP and may not actually be Congressionally designated Wilderness yet but apparently is managed
as wilderness by the Coconino. This one was mapped by cartography data in the RO. 8. The boundary
between the Gila and Apache Forests along the Arizona and New Mexico border did not edge match. This
is probably because the two states have different GCDB data sets. In this data set that line was
edge matched using the Arizona or Apache ALP data. 9. The Gila has three locations where Townships
overlap each other. Some of them by as much as a half mile. The overlaps were left as overlaps for
both Townships and Sections on the Gila for this dataset. The error was clearly an error in the GCDB
data that has never been resolved. There were no conflicts with Surface Ownership because of this.
10. Surface Ownership was derived by linking to the ALP database using the ALP CN numbers. There
were a small hand full of polygons that did not link to ALP. Mostly because they were missing CN
numbers. Ownership for these parcels was derived by comparing with other ownership data layers
including older versions of ALP. 11. Most of the Grassland units did not link to ALP. The ALP data
for these units appears to be missing in ALP. Ownership for theses units was derived from somewhat
older ALP data then the rest. The exception to this was the "Black Kettle" Grass Land unit where a
link to ALP was made 12. Many of the ALP coverages had small slivers and gaps. These slivers and
gaps were mostly found using the topology rules "Must Not Have Gaps" and Must Not Overlap." An
example of these slivers would be where the corner of a rectangular meats and bounds parcel barely
crossed over a section line leaving a very small triangular sliver. These slivers were sometimes
missed in the editing of the coverages in ALP but became obvious in Geodatabase with topology rules.
In most cases it was obvious what parcel the sliver belonged to so theses slivers were merged with
there appropriate parcel. 13. Some ALP data had overlapping in Surface Ownership and Section
polygons. I all most all cases it was only editing error and the overlap had the same attributes. In
only a few cases did the overlap actually need to be reconciled. All overlaps were eliminated except
for those in Sections and Townships on the Gila mentioned before. 14. The "Escudilla Wilderness" on
the Apache N.F. was not in ALP. The boundary of this wilderness was derived from vintage 11 CFF data
15. The "Bear Willow Wilderness" on the Apache was not in the wilderness feature class in the ALP
cover but the line work was. Wilderness area created from line work. 16. The "Columbine-Hondo
Wilderness Study Area" on the Carson was not was not in ALP. This wilderness study area was added
using Southwester Regional GIS code data. 17. Townships and Sections have a gap on the "Magdalena"
ranger district on the Cibola. This gap also showed up in Surface Ownership. The gap was filled as
"USFS" owned land. 18. District and Forest Boundary for the "Mountanair" district of the Cibola N.F.
were depicted differently in two different feature classes in ALP. The boundary in the
ranger_district feature class was clearly wrong so the boundary in surf_own was used here. 19. Some
last minute land status changes were made on the Santa Fe National Forest. Because Lands is still
working on entering data into the tabular ALP theses parcels do not yet have CN numbers although the
line work is from ALP and the ownership is correct. 20. ALP was not consistent with private
ownership within wilderness areas. In some areas the private land was cut out of the wilderness and
in others it was not. In this dataset we made it consistent by cutting out all private land out of
wilderness. There is one place on the "Kachina Wilderness" on the Coconino where this was not able
to be reconciled.
20070226
United States
Vector
G-polygon
52234
0.00000001
0.00000001
Decimal degrees
North American Datum of 1983
Geodetic Reference System 80
6378137.000000
298.257222
Sections
Feature Class
None
FID
Internal feature number.
ESRI
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
SHAPE
Feature geometry.
ESRI
Coordinates defining the features.
SECTION_CN
number generated in Oracle
National GIS Data Dictionary Standards - 6/30/2004
Text
SECTIONS
Section Number
R3 Geodatabase Standards - 12/2004
1
36
Number
TOWN_CODE
Code representing the PLSS township and range - no spaces. EX; T11NR35.5E
R3 Geodatabase Standards - 12/2004
Text
MERIDIAN
Identification of Principle Meridian
R3 Geodatabase Standards - 12/2004
14
Gila and Salt River (G&SR)
R3 GDB Standards - 12/2004
23
New Mexico - New Mexico (NM)
R3 GDB Standards - 12/2004
11
Oklahoma - Cimarron (C)
R3 GDB Standards - 12/2004
None
None
R3 GDB Standards - 12/2004
TOWNSHIP_C
Township
BLM
Township
OBJECTID
Internal feature number.
ESRI
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
SHAPE_Leng
Area of shape Length
ESRI
Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.
SHAPE_Area
Area of feature in internal units squared.
ESRI
Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.
Earth Data Analysis Center
Clearinghouse Manager
mailing and physical address
MSC01 1110
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque
NM
87131-0001
USA
505-277-3622 ext. 230
505-277-3614
clearinghouse@edac.unm.edu
0800 - 1700 MT, M-F -7 hours GMT
Downloadable Data
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ZIP
10
https://gstore.unm.edu/apps/rgis/datasets/390b0196-1e76-4ed6-88eb-f85e1f73777e/fs_sections.original.zip
Download from Resource Geographic Information System (RGIS) at http://rgis.unm.edu.
None. The files are available to download from Resource Geographic Information System (RGIS) (http://rgis.unm.edu).
Contact Earth Data Analysis Center at clearinghouse@edac.unm.edu
Contact Earth Data Analysis Center at clearinghouse@edac.unm.edu
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20240329
Earth Data Analysis Center
Clearinghouse Manager
mailing and physical address
MSC01 1110
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque
NM
87131-0001
USA
505-277-3622 ext. 230
505-277-3614
clearinghouse@edac.unm.edu
0800 - 1700 MT, M-F -7 hours GMT
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata
FGDC-STD-001-1998
local time