National Atlas VMAP0 Data for Canada (V2)

National Atlas VMAP0 Data for Canada (V2)– Release Notes

Rhian Evans, GeoAccess Division, Canada Centre for Remote Sensing

November 2000

Please address comments and questions to the following email address info@atlas.gc.ca. .Please report any problems or errors here as well. If reporting errors, please try to include the unique feature id in your description of the errors.

The National Atlas of Canada is a program of the GeoAccess Division of the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing.

Manifest

The metadata associated with this data includes:

Release Notes (HTML (This document)

References

Many of the attribute definitions in this dataset are derived from the feature coding section (Part 4 and appendix) of the DIGEST standard. This standard is available online at http://www.digest.org.

The US National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) is responsible for the VMAP0 Revision 4 data. Information about it is available from their web site http://www.nima.mil.

Introduction

The GeoAccess Division of the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing undertook a project to restructure, improve and generalise the VMAP level 0 data for use as national base map compatible with a global vector mapping base. To date only the boundary and hydrology layers have been edited. As these 2 layers have evolved from their original state they can no longer be referred to as part of the vmap level 0 revision 4 collection. Updated boundary and hydrology layers are available through the GeoBase Data link from the geogratis home page.

The GeoAccess division is actively trying to improve the accuracy and utility of this data, and is interested in your comments. However, we do not have the resources to actively support this dataset, and therefore cannot guarantee a reply to any comments submitted.

This document accompanies the data, released through the Geogratis program in Fall 2000.

General usage information

The data is divided in a number of Arc Info export format coverages. Each of these coverages may contain a number of thematic feature classes. Each feature class may contain one or more different types of features which may have different attributes. Where applicable the coding scheme and attribute items conform to the FACC digest standard. In some cases it was necessary for us to derive new f_codes and attributes in order to code all the features in our covers. Those f_codes and attributes that have been added will be documented in appendix II. For all other attributes we would like to direct our users to the digest standard website online at http://www.digest.org.

Lineage

This data is primarily derived from the VMAP0 Revision 4 data for North America, as distributed by NIMA in DIGEST format. That data is described in the VMAP0 Revision 4 Metadata and MIL-V-89039 documents.

This document describes the primary modifications to this data, which are:

Conversion into Arc/Info format

The data was converted to Arc/Info format using ESRI’s VPFimporter in Arc/Info 7.2.1, together with custom routines. If you are viewing the data in another format, then it has been translated.

Denormalisation of Attributes

In its original VPF format, the attributes for the data are spread out over a number of tables using database normalisation rules. It proved more convienient for our users to have all the data placed into the feature attribute tables. This has increased the size of the database somewhat, but all the attribute information is more readily available.

Clipping to the Canadian area

These datasets cover all the land and water area of Canada. Some data outside Canada has been included for visual reference.

The boundary and hydrology layers have undergone significant enhancements and quality control . As these 2 layers have evolved from their original state they can no longer be referred to as part of the Vmap level 0 revision 4 collection. Updated boundary and hydrology layers are available through the GeoBase Data link from the geogratis home page.

The data has been organised into different Arc/Info coverages. These relate to, but do not exactly correspond to the original VMAP0 coverages. Within each coverage there may be a number of thematic feature classes. For instance roads and railroads are both within the transportation coverage.

Appendix I lists each arc info coverage, the feature classes it contains and all relevant attribute fields and their meanings. There may be additional fields in the data but these are for GeoAccess internal use, and may be ignored by users.

Appendix I

Coverage	Feature Title (Geometry)	Theme	Features Present	Attribute Fields		Meanings of Attribute Fields	Orig VMAP Coverage		Orig VMAP feature class
BNDTXT	boundary text	bndtxt	named locations	F_CODE		feature code	bnd		bndtxt
				SYMBOL_ID		Symbol Identification
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature

DQ	data quality (line)			SOURCE1		First Source Sheet or Data ID	dq		dqline
				SOURCE2		Second Source Sheet or Data ID

	data quality (area)			SOURCE_ID		Source Identification Name or Number	dq		dqarea
				COMP__DATE		Map Compilation Date
				COMP__TIME
				REV__DATE		Map Revision Date
				REV__TIME
				PRINT__DATE		Map Print Date
				PRINT__TIME
				SOURCE_INFO		General Sheet Information
				ABS_HORIZ_ACC		Absolute Horizontal Accuracy (meters)
				ABS_VERT_ACC		Absolute Vertical Accuracy (meters)

ELEV	elevation	contourl	contours	CONTOURL_FCODE		feature code	elev		contourl
				DES_CONTOURLFCOD		describes feature code
				CONTOURL_HQC		hypsography portrayal category
				DES_CONTOURLHQC		describes HQC
				CONTOURL_ZV2		height in metres
				DES_CONTOURLZV2		describes height
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature
				UNIQUE		unique id number

ELEVPNT	elevation	elevp	spot heights	ELEVP_FCODE		feature code
				DES_ELEVPFCODE		describes feature code
				ELEVP_ACC		accuracy category
				DES_ELEVPACC		describes acc
				ELEVP_ELA		elevation accuracy
				DES_ELEVPELA		describes ela
				ELEVP_ZV2		height in metres
				DES_ELEVPZV2		describes height
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature
				UNIQUE		unique id number

HYDROPNT	hydrology (point)	danger points	dam/Weir	DANGER_FCODE		feature code		hydro	dangerp
		miscellaneous	Island	DES_DANGERFCODE		describes feature code			miscp
			Rapids	MIS_FCODE		feature code
			Rock	DES_MISFCODE		describes feature code
			Spring / Waterhole	DESCRIPTION		describes feature
			Waterfall	UNIQUE		unique id number
			Wreck

HYDROTXT	hydrology (text)	hydrotxt	named locations	F_CODE		feature code
			text descriptions	SYMBOL_ID
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature

IND	industry (area)	extract	mines	EXTRACT_FCODE		feature code		ind	extracta
			oil / gas fields	DES EXTRACTFCODE		describes feature code
				EXTRACTA_MIN		mining category
				DES_EXTRACTAMIN		describes min
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature
				UNIQUE		unique id number

INDPNT	industry (point)	storage	storage depots	EXTRACT_FCODE		feature code		ind	extractp
		extract	mines	DES_EXTRACTFCODE		describes feature code			misindp
		miscellaneous	oil / gas facility	EXTRACT_TXT		text attribute			storage
			processing facility	MISIND_FCODE		feature code
			tanks	DES_MISINDFCODE		describes feature code
			towers	MISIND_TXT		text attribute
			wells	STORAGE_FCODE		feature code
				DES_STORAGEFCODE		describes feature code
				STORAGE_TXT		text attribute
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature
				UNIQUE		unique id number

INDTXT	industry (text)	indtxt	Named locations	F_CODE		feature code		ind	indtxt
			text descriptions	SYMBOL_ID
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature

PHYS	physiography (area)	ground	ground surface	GROUND_FCODE		feature code		phys	grounda
		landice	pack ice	DES_GROUNDFCODE		describes feature code
		seaice	polar ice	GROUND_SMC		surface material category
			sea ice	DES_GROUNDSMC		describes smc
				GROUND_SWC		soil wetness condition
				DES_GROUNDSWC		describes swc
				SEAICE_FCODE		feature code
				DES_SEAICEFCODE		describes feature code
				LANDICE_FCODE		feature code
				DES_LANDICEFCODE		describes feature code
				SEAICE_NAM		name
				DES_SEAICENAM		describes nam
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature
				UNIQUE		unique id number

PHYSTXT	physiography (text)	phystxt	named locations	F_CODE		feature code		phys	phystxt
			text descriptions	SYMBOL_ID
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature

POP	Populated places (area)	builtup areas		BUILTUP_FCODE		feature code		pop	builtupa
				DES_BUILTUPFCOD		describes feature code
				BUILTUP_NAM		name
				DES_BUILTUPNAM		describes nam
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature
				UNIQUE		unique id number

POPPNT	populated places (points)	built up areas		BUILT_FCODE		feature code		pop	builtupp
		miscellaneous		DES_FCODEBUILT		describes feature code			mispopp
				BUILT_NAM		name
				DES_BUILTNAM		describes nam
				MIS_FCODE		feature code
				DES_FCODEMIS		describes feature code
				MIS_NAME		name
				DES_MISNAME		describes nam
				MIS_TXT		text attribute
				DES_MISTXT		describes text
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature
				UNIQUE		unique id number

TRANS	transportation (arc)	mistran	aerial cableway	MISTRAN_FCODE		feature code		trans	mistranl
		railrd	bridge	DES_MISTRANFCODE		describes feature code			railrdl
		road	ferry crossings	RAIL_FCODE		feature code			roadl
		trail	railroad	DES_RAILFCODE		describes feature code			traill
		transtr	road	RAIL_EXS		existence category			transtrl
			trail	DES_RAILEXS		describes exs
			tunnel	RAIL_FCO		feature configuration
				DES_RAILFCO		describes fco
				RAIL_RRC		railroad categories
				DES_RAILRRC		describes rrc
				ROAD_FCODE		feature code
				DES_ROADFCODE		describes feature code
				ROAD_ACC		accuracy category
				DES_ROADACC		describes acc
				ROAD_EXS		existence category
				DES_ROADEXS		describes exs
				ROAD_MED		median category
				DES_ROADMED		describes med
				ROAD_RTT		route intended use
				DES_ROADRTT		describes rtt
				TRAIL_FCODE		feature code
				DES_TRAILFCODE		describes feature code
				TRAIL_EXS		existence category
				DES_TRAILEXS		describes exs
				TRANSTR_FCODE		feature code
				DES_TRANSTRFCODE		describes feature code
				TRANSTR_TUC		transportation use category
				DES_TRANSTRTUC		describes tuc
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature
				UNIQUE		unique id number

TRANSPNT	Transportation (point)		aero	AERO_FCODE		feature code		trans	aerofacp
			rryard	DES_AEROFCODE		describes feature code			rryardp
				AERO_IKO		icao designator
				DES_AEROIKO		describes iko
				AERO_NA3		name
				DES_AERONA3		describes na3
				AERO_NAM		name
				DES_AERONAM		describes nam
				AERO_USE		usage
				DES_AEROUSE		describes usage
				AERO_ZV2		elevation
				DES_AEROZV2		describes zv2
				RRYARD_FCODE		feature code
				DES_RRYARDFCODE		describes feature code
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature
				UNIQUE		unique id number

TRANSTXT	Transportation (text)		named locations	F_CODE		feature code		trans	transtxt
			text descriptions	SYMBOL_ID
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature

UTIL	utilities (lines)	util	pipeline/pipe	PIPE_FCODE		feature code		util	utill
		pipe	power transmission line	DES_PIPEFCODE		describes feature code			pipel
		dqline	telephone line	PIPE_LOC		location category			dqline
				DES_PIPELOC		describes loc
				UTIL_FCODE		feature code
				DES_UTILFCODE		describes feature code
				DQLINE_FCODE		feature code
				DES_DQLINEFCODE		describes feature code
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature
				UNIQUE		unique id number

UTILPNT	utilities (points)	utilp	communications building	UTILP_FCODE		feature code		util	utilp
			communications tower	DES_UTILPFCODE		describes feature code
			Power plant	DESCRIPTION		describes feature
			pumping station	UNIQUE		unique id number
			substation / transformer


UTILTXT	utilities (text)	utiltxt	descriptive text	F_CODE		feature code		util	utiltxt
				SYMBOL_ID
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature

VEG	vegetation (area)	crop	crop	CROP_FCODE		feature code		veg	cropa
		grass	grass	DES_CROPFCODE		describes feature code			grassa
		swamp	scrub brush	CROP_FTC		farming type category			swampa
		trees	swamp	DES_CROPFTC		describes ftc			treesa
		tundra	trees	CROP_VEG		Vegetation Characteristic			tundraa
			tundra	DES_CROPVEG		describes veg
				GRASS_FCODE		feature code
				DES_GRASSFCODE		describes feature code
				GRASS_DMB		Density Measure (Brush/Undergrowth)
				DES_GRASSDMB		describes dmb
				SWAMP_FCODE		feature code
				DES_SWAMPFCODE		describes feature code
				SWAMP_VEG		Vegetation Characteristic
				DES_SWAMPVEG		describes veg
				TREES_FCODE		feature code
				DES_TREESFCODE		describes feature code
				TREES_DMT		Density Measure (% of Tree/Canopy Cover)
				DES_TREESDMT		describes dmt
				TREES_EXS		existence category
					DES_TREESEXS	describes exs
				TREES_NAM		name
				DES_TREESNAM		describes name
				TREES_PHT		predominant height
				DES_TREESPHT		describes pht
				TREES_VEG		Vegetation Characteristic
				DES_TREESVEG		describes veg
				TUNDRA_FCODE		feature code
				DES_TUNDRAFCODE		describes feature code
				DESCRIPTION		describes feature
				UNIQUE		unique id number