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Spatial Data Collection Standards

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) developed the Spatial Data Collection Standards [ZIP] to support spatial data collection (data that describes the location and/or shape of a feature on the earth) by IDEM staff and external source data collectors and submitters. Adherence to these standards will ensure the accuracy, validity, consistency, comprehensiveness, and relevancy of IDEM’s spatial data. The document provides both IDEM staff and the private sector standards and guidelines for collecting spatial data. The procedures and standards outlined in the document must be applied to spatial data collection work performed by or for IDEM.

Additional information:

  • IDEM’s horizontal and vertical accuracy standard for spatial data is dependent upon the type of data collected. The accuracy standard will meet the requirements for most mapping applications.
  • Many different types of GPS receivers are available, however not all GPS receivers are designed for collecting GIS data. IDEM has adopted GPS data collection standards to ensure data quality and consistency.
  • Spatial data coordinates may be collected using traditional land surveying techniques provided that the coordinate data meets or exceeds the accuracy standards. The person responsible for the spatial data collection shall provide a text narrative describing the survey procedures used to collect the coordinates.
  • Due to the accuracy limitations inherent in the address matching and map datasets available for interpolation, these methods are only allowed for collecting certain spatial data.

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