The attributes of each point include: the official name of the feature; the feature type; the elevation of the point in feet; the name of the parish in which the feature is located; the state FIPS code; the parish FIPS code; the name of a USGS 1:24,000-scale topographic map on which the feature is shown; and the geographic coordinates of the named point.
It is important to recognize that the names in this database are those that are recognized and accepted by the US Board on Geographic Names. Occasionally the same feature may have a different local name, or features that have local names may not be present at all in this dataset. The US Board on Geographic Names reviews proposals for the naming and renaming of features, but not all proposals are accepted.
Because the Louisiana GNIS has been completed at the Phase II level, it includes information compiled from a variety of sources: all named features on the most current largest scale USGS topographic maps, names from the U.S. Forest Service maps and the charts of the National Ocean Service, complete information from the files of the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Communications Commission, and the Army Corps of Engineers. Additionally, federally administered areas greater than 30 square miles, major and minor civil divisions, some major features too large to be named on 7.5-minute, 1:24,000-scale topographic maps, regional names, historical names, and building names have also been added when available. Roads and highways are *not* represented at this phase of GNIS.
The metadata for this data set are encapsulated into several documents and graphics files. The metadata are not complete if you did not receive the following files along with the data set:
facilities.mtd - this metadata in mp (metadata parser) compatible ASCII text form facilities.html - this metadata in HTML form facilities_faq.html - this metadata presented as Questions and Answers facilities.sgml - this metadata in SGML form facilities1.gif - thumbnail graphic of data set
If these data are altered or incorporated into another dataset, they are not to be redistributed without also: altering the name of the dataset, including a Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998) compliant metadata file that describes the dataset and reflects the alteration steps that makes the new dataset different from this one, and citing this dataset in the metadata as a source for the altered dataset using the source citation specified below.
If these digital data are used in the production of a report or in the compilation of a standalone printed map, then this dataset is to be cited in the report or on the map using the source citation specified below.
The following source citation is to be used when citing this dataset: LOSCO Environmental Baseline Inventory Dataset "'Facilities' Feature Extract of Louisiana Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Points from USGS source data, Geographic NAD83, LOSCO (1999) [facilities]"
Users hereby agree to abide by the use and reproduction conditions specified above. By using the data described in these metadata, the user acknowledges that the terms and conditions of use have been read and that the user is bound by these criteria.
No datum specification was made in the original source data. The expected datum shifts from NAD27 to NAD83 would be less than the horizontal positional accuracy stated in the paragraph above, so a datum specification is probably moot. Because these are points named on maps, and almost all USGS maps are based on the NAD27 datum, the assumption of NAD27 for the geographic coordinates in the source data is reasonable.
These data have been developed from the best available sources. Although efforts have been made to ensure that the data are accurate and reliable, errors and variable conditions originating from physical sources used to develop the data may be reflected in the data supplied. Users must be aware of these conditions and bear responsibility for the appropriate use of the information with respect to possible errors, scale, resolution, rectification, positional accuracy, development methodology, time period, environmental and climatic conditions and other circumstances specific to these data. The user is responsible for understanding the accuracy limitations of the data provided herein. The burden for determining fitness for use lies entirely with the user. The user should refer to the accompanying metadata notes for a description of the data and data development procedures.
Although these data have been processed successfully on computers at the LOSCO, no guarantee, expressed or implied, is made by LOSCO regarding the use of these data on any other system, nor does the act of distribution constitute or imply any such warranty. Distribution of these data is intended for information purposes and should not be considered authoritative for navigational, engineering, legal and other site-specific uses.