GIS Data

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for digital geologic and topographic data, particularly georeferenced data that may be used for spatial analysis in geographic information systems (GIS). To meet this demand, the Bureau has developed several data sets, both by using in-house resources and by engaging in cooperative projects with other government agencies, universities, and organizations. Resources for digital data are listed with our open-file reports page.

The major data sets that are currently available are as follows:

Bedrock geology digital data

Bedrock geologic units of Pennsylvania, scale 1:250,000, are provided as digital data sets prepared by Miles, C. E., and Whitfield, T. G. (compilers, 2001, Bedrock geology of Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Geological Survey, 4th ser., dataset, scale 1:250,000) from the published 1980 state geologic map. The files are available here as both a “seamless” coverage for the entire state and as individual coverages for 30- by 60-minute quadrangles.

Symbology styles
A symbology “styles” data set was developed by T. G. Whitfield, C. E Miles, and interns of the Pennsylvania Geological Survey, 2002 for the digital bedrock geology layer of Pennsylvania. These ESRI ArcGIS styles were created to match the symbols and colors of the Map 1 geologic units, contacts, faults, and dikes.

Download the styles** (styles.zip – 53K). Four styles are included for the digital bedrock data sets: Map1color.style, Map1contact.style, Map1dike.style, and Map1fault.style. Instructions are included for using the styles. After unzipping the file, these styles should be stored with other ArcGIS styles.With ArcGIS 9.x software (where "x" is the version number of ArcGIS software), this is typically at "[drive]:\arcgis\arcexe9x\bin\styles," although styles can be saved in any directory.

Data associated with PaGS reports

Digital data is included with many online open-file reports.

Pennsylvania earthquake epicenter data is available in ESRI shapefile format.

Groundwater database for Pennsylvania

PA Groundwater Information System* is an online water well database. Contact Gary Fleeger at 717–702–2045.

Other digital data

Physiographic provinces of Pennsylvania (1995), available as Arc export files on the PASDA web site. Note that this coverage has been revised (see Map 13) but the Map 13 digital files have not been released.

Some PAMAP Lidar datasets are available.

Digital topographic data developed in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey and other state agencies, available on CD-ROM and on U.S. Geological Survey and PASDA web site.

• Digital Raster Graphic (DRG) files of 7.5-minute USGS quadrangles may be downloaded from PASDA in the form of uncropped DRGs, which contain full collar information, or cropped DRGs, which have the white collar digitally removed. Adjacent quadrangles as cropped DRGs may be displayed side by side, but they have a black artifact along the outside as a result of the clipping process. The artifact can be eliminated by turning off color #13. In addition, color #1 (white) and color #5 (forest green) can be made transparent to allow the data sets to show through.

Digital Data from USGS

*You will need the Acrobat Reader 6.0 or later to successfully view/print some information. This program can be downloaded to your computer for free; simply click on the "Get Acrobat Reader" button at right to download now.

**You will need the Winzip 3.2 or similar tool to successfully view/print/extract some information. A trial version of this program can be downloaded to your computer for free; simply click on the "Winzip" button at right to download.