Metadata - Summary of data in the Atlas
The Atlas contains 1158 water resources which includes 14 bays and 888 lakes and 255 rivers and the Gulf of Mexico . Data recorded in the Atlas reaches back 125 years, starting on Saturday, December 30, 1899. The most recent data is from Friday, November 22, 2024. Over 158,811,958 data samples have been included in the Atlas! The samples came from over 120 data sources provided by 42 different data providers. These people and agencies have helped make the Atlas an integral tool for managing our water resources.
Geographic Information Systems Data
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data consists largely of land mapping and spatial data and is used in a wide variety of fields. The lay of the land can affect almost every aspect of life, including an area's culture, government, environment, and commerce, making GIS information important to everyone. Fields such as anthropology, medical science, and natural science use GIS to measure and predict the impact of geography on a region. By mapping water resources, the Atlas provides spatial information useful to citizens, water management professionals, and scientists alike. The following core datasets are processed as part of geospatial analyses, the results of which are presented directly within Atlas components:
Monitoring and Sampling Data
Citizens, scientists, and professionals all contribute to monitoring and sampling data in many ways. Citizens often provide information such as water levels data through volunteer programs. Scientists and professionals set up equipment at sampling stations for measuring attributes such as water quality and hydrology. They provide the data in various formats to the Atlas, which compiles, organizes, and presents the data to help people better understand the county's water resources.