Chapter 2: Create New Data
Where does GIS data come from? In the first chapter, you used existing datasets that were provided to you or that you downloaded from an online repository. In this chapter, you will learn different ways to create and edit your own GIS data.
Goal: Create new GIS data.Chapter Outcomes
In this chapter, you will learn how to:
- import raw position data from a GPS receiver unit,
- use Collector for ArcGIS to collect field data,
- create point features from a table with geographic coordinates,
- geocode point features from a table with addresses,
- import and use raster imagery in a project,
- georeference scanned paper maps, and
- digitize and edit features.
Materials Needed
If you are in a class, your instructor should provide you with the following:
- A GPS receiver unit that records waypoints and tracks, or pre-recorded waypoint and track GPX files
- A table of landmarks in CSV or Excel (.xlsx) format with latitude and longitude coordinates in separate columns
- A separate table of landmarks in CSV or Excel (.xlsx) format with street address information
Preferably, all data provided to you should be co-located in the same geographic area. Sections 2.1-2.5 may be completed using the same ArcGIS Pro project, or a new project for each section. Sections 2.6-2.8 must use the same ArcGIS Pro project, which may be a continuation of the project used in prior sections or a standalone project.
You will also need the following hardware and software, in addition to ArcGIS Pro:
- An Apple or Android smartphone or tablet with a data plan or wi-fi capability
- The Collector for ArcGIS app on your mobile device (available through the App Store or Google Play)
- A handheld GPS receiver, if you are not provided with GPX files
- Desktop spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel or LibreOffice Calc
- A file compression and archive program (7-Zip is recommended)
- An external computer mouse
The examples in this chapter are focused on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, a Federally designated wilderness area within the Superior National Forest, along the U.S.-Canada border in far northern Minnesota, United States. If you would like to use the same datasets shown in the examples in this chapter, they are available at the following links:
- GPX files: Boundary Waters wilderness campsites (waypoints) and trails (tracks), created from data available by request from the U.S. Forest Service
- Hosted feature layer: Campsite amenities, created by the author
- Table data with geographic coordinates: BWCAW entry points, originally from the U.S. Forest Service and BWCA.com
- Table data with street addresses: Superior National Forest ranger stations, originally from the U.S. Forest Service
- Raster imagery: Landsat 8 Collection 1 Analysis-Ready Data Surface Reflectance scene LC08_CU_019003_20200811_20200824_C01_V01, from August 11, 2020, acquired through USGS EarthExplorer
- Scanned map: U.S.-Canada boundary map D-25 from the International Boundary Commission, acquired in PDF format through their web map interface
While the links above are provided for convenience, I recommend creating your own GPS and table data for this chapter based on places you are familiar with. For raster imagery, the USGS EarthExplorer web application is a great place to find and easily download imagery of your area. For other scanned paper maps to practice with, the David Rumsey Map Collection is the world’s largest online repository of historic maps, all of which are free to download as high-quality, unreferenced raster images.
The GIScience concepts that accompany this workbook chapter are contained in Chapters 3 and 4 and Section 5.1 of the companion textbook, Essentials of Geographic Information Systems by Jonathan Campbell and Michael Shin. It is recommended that you read these chapters before proceeding, as the concepts from each chapter are interwoven throughout the exercises of this workbook chapter. The first teachback of the chapter, below, should get you thinking about some of the relevant concepts as preparation for doing the exercises that follow.
Teachback 1
Write a short (1/2-1 page) essay answering the following questions:
- What is geographic data?
- What types, formats, and models of data are used in GIS?
- What are some ways of acquiring and managing geographic data?
