Metadata for Montana Names from the Geographic Names Information System, 2002

- Identification Information
- Data Quality Information
- Spatial Data Organization Information
- Spatial Reference Information
- Entity and Attribute Information
- Distribution Information
- Metadata Reference Information
- FGDC XML Metadata

Identification Information:

Citation:
  Originator: Montana State Library
  Publication date: 2002
  Title:
    Montana Names from the Geographic Names Information System, 2002
  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 downloaded from the USGS web site on September 24, 2002, 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.
  This version of the data is missing the GNIS feature-id field, which is the unique identifier for each feature.
  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 following rules for primary points were applicable in the mid 2000's, it is not known if the rules were exactly the same in 2002. 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: 2002
  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: 406-444-4799
  Fax: 406-444-0266
  E-Mail: geoinfo@mt.gov

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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%.
Lineage:
  Source information:
    Originator: U.S. Geological Survey
    Publication date: 2002
    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: Unpublished material
    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: 09/2002
    Title: Geographic Names Information System
    Online linkage: http://geonames.usgs.gov/gnisftp.html
    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 date: 2002
  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 date: 2002
  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: 09/24/2002

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Spatial Data Organization Information:

Point and vector object information:
  SDTS object type: Point
    SDTS object count: 51713

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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

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Entity and Attribute Information:

Entity type label: Montana_GNIS_2002
Entity type definition: Point Feature Class
  Attribute label: FID
    Attribute definition: Shapefile sequence number
  Attribute label: Shape
    Attribute definition: Feature geometry
  Attribute label: GNIS_
    Attribute definition: Feature sequence number
  Attribute label: ID
    Attribute definition: Feature sequence number
  Attribute label: NAME
    Attribute definition: Name of feature
  Attribute label: CLASS
    Attribute definition: Type of feature

    Attribute Value | Definition of Attribute Value
    Airport | manmade facility maintained for the use of aircraft (airfield, airstrip, landing field, landing strip)
    Arch | natural arch-like opening in a rock mass (bridge, natural bridge, sea arch)
    Area | any one of several areally extensive natural features not included in other categories (badlands, barren, delta, fan, garden)
    Arroyo | watercourse or channel through which water may occasionally flow (coulee, draw, gully, wash)
    Bar | natural accumulation of sand, gravel, or alluvium forming an underwater or exposed embankment (ledge, reef, sandbar, shoal, spit)
    Basin | natural depression or relatively low area enclosed by higher land (amphitheater, cirque, pit, sink)
    Bay | indentation of a coastline or shoreline enclosing a part of a body of water; a body of water partly surrounded by land (arm, bight, cove, estuary, gulf, inlet, sound)
    Beach | the sloping shore along a body of water that is washed by waves or tides and is usually covered by sand or gravel (coast, shore, strand)
    Bench | area of relatively level land on the flank of an elevation such as a hill, ridge, or mountain where the slope of the land rises on one side and descends on the opposite side
    Bend | curve in the course of a stream and (or) the land within the curve; a curve in a linear body of water (bottom, loop, meander)
    Bridge | manmade structure carrying a trail, road, or other transportation system across a body of water or depression (causeway, overpass, trestle)
    Building | a manmade structure with walls and a roof for protection of people and (or) materials, but not including church, hospital, or school
    Canal | manmade waterway used by watercraft or for drainage, irrigation, mining, or water power (ditch, lateral)
    Cape | projection of land extending into a body of water (lea, neck, peninsula, point)
    Cemetery | a place or area for burying the dead (burial, burying ground, grave, memorial garden)
    Census | areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau
    Channel | linear deep part of a body of water through which the main volume of water flows and is frequently used as aroute for watercraft (passage, reach, strait, thoroughfare, throughfare)
    Church | building used for religious worship (chapel, mosque, synagogue, tabernacle, temple)
    Civil | political division formed for administrative purposes (borough, county, municipio, parish, town, township)
    Cliff | very steep or vertical slope (bluff, crag, head, headland, nose, palisades, precipice, promontory, rim, rimrock)
    Crater | circular-shaped depression at the summit of a volcanic cone or one on the surface of the land caused by the impact of a meteorite; a manmade depression caused by an explosion (caldera, lua)
    Crossing | a place where two or more routes of transportation form a junction or intersection (overpass, underpass)
    Dam | water barrier or embankment built across the course of a stream or into a body of water to control and (or) impound the flow of water (breakwater, dike, jetty)
    Falls | perpendicular or very steep fall of water in the course of a stream (cascade, cataract, waterfall)
    Flat | relative level area within a region of greater relief (clearing, glade, playa)
    Forest | bounded area of woods, forest, or grassland under the administration of a political agency (see "woods") (national forest, national grasslands, State forest)
    Gap | low point or opening between hills or mountains or in a ridge or mountain range (col, notch, pass, saddle, water gap, wind gap)
    Glacier | body or stream of ice moving outward and downslope from an area of accumulation; an area of relatively permanent snow or ice on the top or side of a mountain or mountainous area (icefield, ice patch, snow patch)
    Gut | relatively small coastal waterway connecting larger bodies of water or other waterways (creek, inlet, slough)
    Harbor | sheltered area of water where ships or other watercraft can anchor or dock (hono, port, roads, roadstead)
    Hospital | building where the sick or injured may receive medical or surgical attention (infirmary)
    Island | area of dry or relatively dry land surrounded by water or low wetland (archipelago, atoll, cay, hammock, hummock, isla, isle, key, moku, rock)
    Lake | natural body of inland water (backwater, lac, lagoon, laguna, pond, pool, resaca, waterhole)
    Levee | natural or manmade embankment flanking a stream (bank, berm)
    Locale | place at which there is or was human activity; it does not include populated places, mines, and dams (battlefield, crossroad, camp, farm, ghost town, landing, railroad siding, ranch, ruins, site, station, windmill)
    Military | historical and current military camps, cemetaries, and other facilities
    Mine | place or area from which commercial minerals are or were removed from the Earth; not including oilfield (pit, quarry, shaft)
    Oilfield | area where petroleum is or was removed from the Earth
    Other | -
    Park | place or area set aside for recreation or preservation of a cultural or natural resource and under some form of government administration; not including National or State forests or Reserves (national historical landmark, national park, State park, wilderness area)
    Pillar | vertical, standing, often spire-shaped, natural rock formation (chimney, monument, pinnacle, pohaku, rock tower)
    Plain | a region of general uniform slope, comparatively level and of considerable extent (grassland, highland, kula, plateau, upland)
    po | Post Office - an official facility of the U.S. Postal Service used for processing and distributing mail and other postal material
    ppl | Populated Place - a place or area with clustered or scattered buildings and a permanent human population (city, settlement, town, village)
    Range | chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra)
    Rapids | fast-flowing section of a stream, often shallow and with exposed rock or boulders (riffle, ripple)
    Reserve | a tract of land set aside for a specific use (does not include forests, civil divisions, parks)
    Reservoir | artificially impounded body of water (lake, tank)
    Ridge | elevation with a narrow, elongated crest which can be part of a hill or mountain (crest, cuesta, escarpment, hogback, lae, rim, spur)
    School | building or group of buildings used as an institution for study, teaching, and learning (academy, college, high school, university)
    Slope | a gently inclined part of the Earth's surface (grade, pitch)
    Spring | place where underground water flows naturally to the surface of the Earth (seep)
    Stream | linear body of water flowing on the Earth's surface (anabranch, awawa, bayou, branch, brook, creek, distributary, fork, kill, pup, rio, river, run, slough)
    Summit | prominent elevation rising above the surrounding level of the Earth's surface; does not include pillars, ridges, or ranges (ahu, berg, bald, butte, cerro, colina, cone, cumbre, dome, head, hill, horn, knob, knoll, mauna, mesa, mesita, mound, mount, mountain, peak, puu, rock, sugarloaf, table, volcano)
    Swamp | poorly drained wetland, fresh or saltwater, wooded or grassy, possibly covered with open water (bog, cienega, marais, marsh, pocosin)
    Tower | a manmade structure, higher than its diameter, generally used for observation, storage, or electronic transmission
    Trail | route for passage from one point to another; does not include roads or highways (jeep trail, path, ski trail)
    Tunnel | linear underground passageway open at both ends
    Valley | linear depression in the Earth's surface that generally slopes from one end to the other (barranca, canyon, chasm, cove, draw, glen, gorge, gulch, gulf, hollow, ravine)
    Well | manmade shaft or hole in the Earth's surface used to obtain fluid or gaseous materials

  Attribute label: COUNTY
    Attribute definition: Name of County the feature's primary point is in.
  Attribute label: LAT
    Attribute definition: Latitude of the feature's primary point, NAD27.
  Attribute label: LON
    Attribute definition: Longitude of the feature's primary point, NAD27.
  Attribute label: LAT2
    Attribute definition:
      This is the the latitude of the source or upper end of a valley or stream, NAD27.
  Attribute label: LON2
    Attribute definition:
      This is the the longitude of the source or upper end of a valley or stream, NAD27.
  Attribute label: ELEV
    Attribute definition:
      Elevation in feet. This field is NOT filled out for most of the points.
  Attribute label: QUADNAME
    Attribute definition:
      Name of 7.5-minute USGS quadrangle the feature's primary point is in.

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Distribution Information:

Distributor:
  Montana State Library
  PO Box 201800
  Helena, MT 59620-1800
  Telephone: 406-444-5354
  TDD/TTY telephone: 406-444-4799
  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.

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Metadata Reference Information:

Metadata date: 03/30/2015
Metadata review date: 09/24/2002
Metadata contact:
  Montana State Library
  P.O. Box 201800
  Helena, Montana 59620-1800
  Telephone: 406-444-5354
  TDD/TTY telephone: 406-444-4799
  Fax: 406-444-0266
  E-Mail: geoinfo@mt.gov

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