The Geometronics Service Center (GSC), located in Salt Lake City, is a centralized mapping facility for the USDA-Forest Service (USFS). It produces a number of cartographic and digital products for use by the USFS, other Agencies, and the public.
A Cartographic Feature File (CFF) contains the digitized representation of all the point and line features on a USFS Primary Base Series (PBS) map with the exception of contours and map text. The PBS is a standard USFS map series with a map scale of 1:24,000 for the conterminous United States and 1:63,360 for Alaska. There are approximately 10,600 PBS maps covering National Forest System (NFS) lands. GSC maintains an average 7-year update cycle for PBS maps.
PBS maps were originally constructed from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5-minute topographic map series. Using correction guides supplied by field personnel, GSC updates the maps and adds USFS administrative data not found on USGS quadrangles. The USGS and the USFS have signed a cooperative agreement whereby the USFS assumes prime responsibility for maintaining 1:24,000-scale maps over USFS-administered lands. Previously, both Agencies maintained 1:24,000-scale map series over NFS lands.
The CFF is a vector file that is digitized so that the accuracy of the data is sufficient to reproduce the features within .005" of their location on the source map. Each line or point in the CFF has a cartographic attribute which identifies the cartographic symbol. It does not contain the type of attribute information normally needed for GIS analysis. Area features such as lakes are digitized as lines rather than as polygons. The data is also not topologically structured which means there is no information about the relationship between features. Coincident features are digitized only once. CFFs are edgematched with each other.
The data can be provided in various formats (MOSS, ARC/INFO, CFF, Intergraph Design File), various media (8mm tape, CD ROM, 9 track tape, floppy disk, Bernoulli disk), and can be separated into various layers as requested by the user. Data cannot, at the present time, be ordered over the Internet. A listing of available data, an order form, or additional information can be obtained by writing to the Geometronics Service Center, ATTN: Data Library, 2222 West 2300 South, Salt Lake City, UT, 84119; or by calling (801) 975-3440. Cost to non-Forest Service users is $30 for the first data set and $7 for each additional data set. The requester is responsible for furnishing the delivery medium. Payment may be made with a personal check.