Mountain Studies Institute

GIS Data & Resources for the San Juan Mountains

Below are many base map and other layers provided for download. These files require GIS software and are typically in shapefile, ArcInfo interchange, or geodatabase format. For ideas about other layers to add email webmaster.

San Juan Mountains Geodatabase
This geodatabase includes basic vector layers (roads, hydrology, administrative from CDOT), the NED (National Elevation Dataset) and GAP land cover layer. The datasets are all clipped to the same extent, in UTM NAD 1983 Zone 13 (except for the NED layer) and include metadata. 400 MB	included	NAD 1983 UTM Zone 13	Get Data

USGS 7.5 Minute DRGs
Download Digital Rasters Graphic (DRG) maps for all of the USGS 7.5 minute quads in the San Juans available for download (collar information included ).	(sample) Metadata	NAD 1927 UTM Zone 12-13	Get Data

USGS 7.5 Minute DEMs
Download 30 meter Digital Elevation Model (DEM) maps for all 7.5 minute quads in the San Juans and 10 meter DEM's for certain quads where available.	(sample) Metadata	NAD 1927 UTM Zone 12-13	Get Data

USGS 3.75 Minute DOQQs
The quarter quad ortho imagery was general flown between 1993 and 1998. It is photographed at 1 meter resolution and is available for most of the San Juans region.	(sample) Metadata	NAD 1927 UTM Zone 12-13	Get Data

NAIP 1 Meter Color Aerial Photography
This photography was done in 2005 through the National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) of the USDA in cooperation with local entities. The datasets are in MrSid format zipped by county. All 14 counties in the San Juans region are available. These are very large files--from .5 GB to 3.5 GB.	(sample) Metadata	NAD 1983 UTM Zone 12-13	Get Data

USGS 250K DRGs for the San Juan Mountains (4 maps)
These 4 250K DRGs encompass the entire San Juans Region and then some. The maps are zipped into 4 packages and average 5-6 MB each. Clipped from a seamless coverage, no collars.	(sample) Metadata	NAD 1927 UTM Zone 12-13	Get Data

USGS Seamless DEM of the Western San Juans
This is a zipped 30M DEM of the western San Juans provided from the USGS National Elevation Dataset (NED). This is a large file (55MB) and includes metadata.	Metadata	NAD 1983	Get Data

Seamless National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) of 2000 for San Juan Mountain Region
This dataset is a zipped raster dataset (9.5 MB) finished in 2000 by a consortium of the EPA, USGS, USFS, NASA, NOAA and the BLM. Scientists used satellite data and a variety of supporting information including topography, census, agricultural statistics, soil characteristics, other land cover maps, and wetlands data to determine and label the land cover type at 30 meter resolution. Twenty-one classes of land cover were mapped, using consistent procedures for the entire U.S. and a subsequent accuracy assessment was performed.	Metadata	NAD 1983 UTM Zone 12-13	Get Data

Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project Lancover Dataset for Colorado
The Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project (SWReGAP) was initiated in 1999 as a multi-institutional cooperative effort to map and assess biodiversity for a five-state region (AZ, CO, NV, NM, UT) comprising approximately 560,000 square miles in the southwestern U.S. This dataset is clipped to Colorado. The dataset is in ARC/INFO grid format and zipped in .tgz format.	Metadata	NAD 1983 albers conical equal area	Get Data

USGS National Hydrography Dataset for San Juans Watersheds (Geodatabase format)
Download National Hydrography Datasets for the watersheds in the San Juan Mountains.	(sample) metadata	NAD 1983	Get Data

USGS National Hydrography Dataset for San Juans Watersheds (ARC/INFO format)
Download National Hydrography Datasets for the watersheds in the San Juan Mountains.	(sample) metadata	NAD 1983	Get Data

USGS Geographical Names Information Server (GNIS) Dataset for Colorado
This zipped file (4.6 MB) contains an Access database with names data for Colorado, a comma-delimited text file of the same data, plus a CDOT county boundary coverage for Colorado. The Federally recognized name of each feature described in the data base is identified, and references are made to a feature's location by county and geographic coordinates. The GNIS is our Nation's official repository of domestic geographic names information	Metadata	NAD 1983 UTM Zone 13	Get Data

Colorado Dept. of Transportation (CDOT) County Datasets and for the San Juan Mountains
The CDOT county data sets contain airport locations, county boundaries, highways, hydrology, land status, municipal boundaries, public roads, and railroads, zipped into a single package for each county in the San Juans. Click on the counties for datasets.	Metadata	NAD 1983 UTM Zone 12-13	Get Data

US Census 2000 TIGER/Line Datasets for the San Juan Mountain Region
Download datasets in zipped shapefile format (up to 28 data layers per county) for the individual counties in the San Juans. Also access dataset layers for statewide census demographic data. Typically scaled at 1:100,000.	Metadata	NAD 1983	Get Data

USGS Public Land Survey System (PLSS) Boundaries for Colorado
This coverage was clipped from the national USGS PLSS coverage for the state of Colorado. It is provided for download with metadata in zipped shapefile format.		NAD 1927	Get Data

Colorado Natural Diversity Information Source (NDIS)
This resource from CSU and the DOW contains a large number (over 100 layers) of coverages in shapefile format (.gz compression) for each county as well as statewide coverages. Main coverage categories are base layer data, Colorado Natural Heritage Project data, potentially suitable habitat data, vegetation data and wildlife species distribution data.	Bundled	NAD 1927 UTM Zone 13	Get Data

The NRCS PRISM Climate Mapping Project Dataset for Colorado
PRISM (Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model) was developed by Dr. Christopher Daly of Oregon State University, and is a hybrid statistical-geographic approach to mapping climate. PRISM uses point measurements of climate data and a digital elevation model (DEM, a digital, gridded version of a topographic map) to generate estimates of annual, monthly and event-based climatic elements. PRISM is not a static system of equations; rather, it is a coordinated set of rules, decisions and calculations designed to mimic the decision-making process an expert climatologist would invoke when creating a climate map. Shapefile format.	Metadata	NAD 1983	Get Data

GIS Coverages from the San Juan National Forest
The San Juan Public Lands Center (SJPLC) makes many of its GIS coverages of the San Juan National Forest available via the web. All coverages and/or tables are available in ARC export format.	Bundled	UTM Zone 12-13	Get Data

Generalized Geologic Map of Part of the Upper Animas River Watershed, Silverton, CO
The purpose of this geologic compilation is to provide the U.S. Geological Survey, Animas River watershed, Abandoned Mine Land (AML) project a geologic map at a suitable scale for geospatial analysis. Provided in zipped ArcInfo format (also in PDF format).	Metadata	NAD 1927 UTM Zone 13	Get Data

CSAS Senator Beck Basin Study Area
The Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies has begun collecting long-term weather and snowpack datasets at two study sites in its Senator Beck Basin Study Area near Silverton, Colorado, immediately northwest of Red Mountain Pass on US Hwy 550. These datasets begin with the winter of 2003/2004. Parameters measured include precipitation (snow water equivalent and rain), wind, air temperature and relative humidity, solar flux, snowcover depth, snow temperatures, and barometric pressure. Metadata are provided for the datasets from the lower Swamp Angel Study Plot (SASP) and the upper Senator Beck Study Plot (SBSP), both named for nearby mine claims. The lower SASP site is located in a sheltered and level sub-alpine basin and the upper SBSP site is on a level bench above treeline in the approximate center of the Basin.	SASP Metadata SBSP Metadata	NAD 1927	SASP Data SBSP Data

The Digital Geologic Map of Colorado
This map is offered by the USGS for Colorado in ArcInfo format at a scale of 1:500,000. It is compressed in tar.gz format (5.8 MB).	Metadata	Clarke 1866 Lambert Conformal Conic	Get Data

Colorado Natural Heritage Program Element Occurrences & Conservation Areas
Statewide Element Occurrences map layer shows current and historic locations of imperiled species and/or natural communities. Due to the sensitive nature of these data, actual species and natural community locations have been generalized to 7.5 minute USGS quadrangles. Statewide Potential Conservation Areas map layer represents CNHP's best estimate of the primary area supporting the long term survival of targeted species and natural communities. Sensitive sites, areas less than one square mile in size that support sensitive species or occurrences, are not included.	On Site	NAD 1927 UTM Zone 13	Get Data

Other Map Resources

La Plata county GIS coverages available for download

Download coverages for Parcel data, Roads, Hydrology, Township and Range, Sections

Southwest Data Center

The SWDC maintains a large amount of detailed data for Ouray, Montrose, Delta, San Miguel and Gunnison Counties

US Geological Survey Home Page

USGS National Mapping Information Home Page

Contains many links to various kinds of mapping information -- both to USGS maps as well as mapping applications created by other organizations.

USGS National Map Viewer

This interactive map program allows web-based access to layered map data within the coterminus US, Alaska and Hawaii. Through a web browser the user can zoom, pan, add layers, remove layers and print maps.

USGS EROS Data Center

The purpose of this Web site is to contribute to the understanding of patterns, characteristics, and dynamics of land cover across the United States and across the world. Staff at the USGS EROS Data Center use satellite data to map national and international land masses, to analyze trends in land cover, and to provide applications assistance.

NationalAtlas.gov

The new National Atlas includes products and services designed to stimulate children and adults to visualize and understand complex relationships between environments, places, and people. It contributes to our knowledge of the environmental, resource, demographic, economic, social, political, and historical dimensions of American life. It delivers easy to use, map-like views of America's natural and sociocultural landscapes.

USGS TerraWeb

Terrestrial Remote Sensing (TRS) deals with gathering information about the Earth from a distance. This can be done from a few meters off the Earth's surface, an aircraft flying hundreds to thousands of meters above the surface, or a satellite orbiting hundreds of kilometers above the Earth.

TerraFly

TerraFly is an interactive "fly-over" application designed to aid in the dissemination and visualization of geospatial data via the Internet. The incorporation of USGS data could make TerraFly one of the largest databases on the Internet. TerraFly will show the user a new and innovative way to explore their digital earth.

TopoZone

The TopoZone is the Web's center for recreational and professional topographic map users. TopoZone has worked with the USGS to create the Web's first interactive topo map of the entire United States.