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Geospatial Data Standard & Pipeline

Overview

The GDR's geospatial data pipeline identifies potential geospatial data files using file extensions, collects the metadata needed to interpret them correctly, and enables supported datasets to be previewed and visualized in the GDR. Providing accurate metadata helps ensure that geospatial resources are correctly processed and useful to other GDR users.

Tips to Ensure your Data are Standardized

To ensure your data are standardized and can be processed by the geospatial data pipeline, follow these tips:

  • Shapefiles and other multi-file formats should be compressed into a single .zip file before uploading. Zipped shapefiles should include the .shp file and all associated sidecar files, such as .dbf, .shx, and .prj. Do not upload individual shapefile components as separate GDR resources.
  • Large collections of closely related geospatial files that together represent a single dataset may also be compressed into a .zip file. For example, this may be appropriate for many realizations of the same model.
  • Standalone geospatial files should be uploaded as individual resources. Datasets with information about multiple locations should include each location as an individual resource.
  • Ensure that your geospatial data are in a compatible format:
    • Shapefile (.zip containing .shp, .prj and associated components), ASCII Grid (.asc), comma-separated or tabular data (.csv, .tsv, .txt, .xls, .xlsx), dBASE table (.dbf), AutoCAD drawings (.dwg), USGS DEM (.dem), floating-point raster file (.flt), GeoTIFF or TIFF (.tif, .tiff), Grid (.grd), Esri File Geodatabase (.gdb), GeoPackage (.gpkg), Esri layer and map packages (.lyr, .lpk, .lpkx, .mpk), Geography Markup Language (.gml), KML/KMZ (.kml, .kmz), GeoJSON (.geojson), LiDAR (.las, .laz, .zlas), NetCDF (.netcdf, .nc, .nc4), GeoParquet (.geoparquet), HDF5 (.h5), HGT (.hgt), and ZIP archive (.zip).
  • Select “Geospatial Data” from the “Resource Type” dropdown, as appropriate, if it does not automatically populate as such.
  • When “Geospatial Data” is selected, choose the correct coordinate reference system (CRS) from the required CRS dropdown. If the correct CRS is not available in the dropdown, clearly identify the CRS in the “Resource Description.” Include as much information as possible, such as the CRS name, EPSG code, datum, projection, and units.
  • Include any information needed to interpret the spatial data in the “Resource Description”, including coordinate units, vertical datum, depth or elevation convention, and any CRS-specific metadata requirements shown below the CRS field.
  • Maps in formats such as PDF (.pdf), JPEG (.jpeg, .jpg), and PNG (.png) do not require geospatial metadata.

Providing accurate geospatial metadata allows the GDR to correctly interpret the resource and, for supported formats, display the data through the GDR's “Preview” feature, while also helping users understand and reuse the data.

If you think your dataset should have been standardized, but was not, please contact GDR Help. We are happy to assist and are constantly looking to improve our data standards and pipelines.

Helpful Resources

Here are some helpful resources related to the GDR's geospatial data standard and pipeline:

How Does it Work?

When a submitter uploads a geospatial data file in a recognized format to a GDR submission, the GDR uses the file extension to determine whether the resource may contain geospatial data. The submitter should then confirm the appropriate resource type by selecting “Geospatial Data” from the “Resource Type” dropdown.

If “Geospatial Data” is selected, an additional required resource-specific metadata field will appear for the CRS. The user should select the correct CRS from the dropdown and observe any additional CRS-specific metadata requirements, which will appear directly below the “CRS” field. These additional required metadata attributes should be included in the “Resource Description.”

Users should also be sure to include all other required geospatial metadata attributes (see table below) and all other required general metadata attributes. The image below provides a visual depiction of this process.

If geospatial metadata are completed properly, users will be able to preview geospatial datasets using the “Preview” button under the “Download” button to the right of the resource (see below).

Users will also be able to visualize the layer in Geothermal Energy Atlas alongside the existing layers using the “Open in Geothermal Energy Atlas” button in the lower right-hand corner of the preview modal.

The GDR Geospatial Metadata Standard

The GDR Geospatial Metadata Standard
Key Metadata Attribute and Description Where to Include in the GDR Submission Form Required*
Identification Information

This includes the title, abstract, purpose, and status of the geospatial data, as well as any keywords that describe its content. 		Required input fields in the submission form
Data Quality Information

This includes information on the positional accuracy, attribute accuracy, logical consistency, and completeness of the geospatial data. 		Include in the submission abstract, resource description(s), or in a readme file.
Type of Geospatial Data

This includes an explanation of the type of geospatial data. For example, is the file geography data (e.g., a csv file with information about coordinates) or geometry data? If the file contains geometry data, is it vector (e.g., points, lines, or polygons) or raster data (e.g., a georeferenced map)? 		Include in resource description for geospatial data file.
Coordinate Reference System (CRS)

This includes information on the coordinate system, units, projection, and datum used for the geospatial data. 		Required selection from Resource CRS drop-down, which will automatically appear when user uploads geospatial data in a compatible format. -
Name of Geometry Column

If the geospatial data file contains columnar geometry data, the name of the column containing geometry information should be provided. 		Include in resource description for geospatial data file. -
Temporal Reference Information

This includes information on the time period of the data, such as the date of creation, publication, or last update. 		Required input fields for creation date and publication date in the GDR submission form.
Include time period in the submission abstract, resource description(s), or in a readme file.
Data Source Information

This includes information on the originator, publisher, and any other relevant sources of the geospatial data. 		Originator and publisher are required in the submission form, but any other relevant sources of the geospatial data should be specified in the submission abstract, resource description(s), or in a readme file.
Entity and Attribute Information

This includes information on the features, attributes, and attribute values present in the geospatial data, as well as any attribute definitions, domains, and units of measure. 		Include in the submission abstract, resource description(s), or in a readme file.
Distribution Information

This includes information on the format, size, and access methods for the geospatial data, as well as any fees, restrictions, or licensing requirements. 		"The format and size are automatically displayed for every data file in the GDR.

Any specific access methods should be specified in the submission abstract, resource description, or an associated readme file."
Metadata Reference Information

This includes information on the metadata itself, such as the date of creation, contact information for the metadata author, and any metadata standards or profiles used. 		"Required input fields for metadata creation date, contact information, and author(s) in the GDR submission form.

Any metadata standards or profiles used which differ from the GDR's standards should be specified in the submission abstract, resource description, or in an associated readme file."
Spatial Domain Information

This includes information on the geographic extent of the geospatial data, such as bounding coordinates or a description of the area covered. 		Required by the location attribute associated with each resource uploaded to a GDR submission.
Lineage Information

This includes information on the history of the geospatial data, such as the methods used for data collection, processing, and quality control. 		Include in the submission abstract, resource description, or an associated README file. If history is relevant to use of the data
* Note that while some of these metadata attributes are listed as “Not required,” it is highly recommended that you include all that are relevant to your dataset.