The Official Website of the Office of Geographic Information (MassGIS)

 
   
 
What's New @ MassGIS
Winter 2011-2012

What's New at MassGIS

Featured Items:

  • Level 3 Parcels Available - 2/7/2012
    The first 152 towns of the Level 3 assessor parcel data are now available for download. Standardized, high quality assessor parcel maps are an important component of the Massachusetts Spatial Data Infrastructure. The Level 3 datasets comprise the best digital representations of municipal assessor parcels, both in terms of spatial accuracy and database completeness and currency. As data for more communities pass MassGIS' quality assurance process they will be posted for free downoad.
     
  • Northeast LiDAR Project 2010–2011 - 4/27/2011
    The USGS, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Executive Office of Administration and Finance, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are funding the development of new detailed elevation data to be acquired using LiDAR. When complete, almost a third of the state will be covered.
     
  • Project to Standardize Assessor Parcel Mapping in Massachusetts - 4/25/2011
    MassGIS has contracted with six vendors for work on new and updated digital parcel data. By the end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2011), data will be complete for 121 communities.
     
  • MassGIS On The Move - 1/21/2011
    MassGIS' new physical and mailing address, as of 1/21/2011, is:
    Information Technology Division - MassGIS
    One Ashburton Place - Room 1601
    Boston, MA 02108
    New staff phone numbers, effective the same date, may be found on the staff listing page.
     
  • OLIVER - The MassGIS Online Data Viewer - New Browser-based Version Released - 2/11/2011
    The new OpenLayers/GeoExt version of OLIVER has been released. It includes many new features and enhancements.
    With this application you can:
    • Display and query nearly all of MassGIS' data
    • Download up-to-date shapefiles from our database, with legend files
    • Print maps, choosing from hundreds of themes

      ... All right over the Web! Give it a try!

  • Version 2.0 of the Standard for Digital Parcels Released - 11/30/2010
    Version 2.0 of this standard eliminates the original Level I, incorporating all elements of Level I into Level II. Level III in Version 2.0 is brief but significantly different from the previous version. Level II remains a vendor-neutral approach to standardizing parcel mapping. All requirements of Level II are incorporated at Level III, with the exception of how the relationship between assessor tax listings and the corresponding map parcels is developed (the "data model"). At Level III the data model is simplified by eliminating the "intersection table" required at Level II.
     
  • 2009 USGS Color Ortho Images Now Available - 6/10/2009
    New 30cm and 15cm resolution ortho images from spring 2009 may be downloaded or ordered. See the 2008-2009 USGS Color Ortho Images datalayer page for full details and samples. The 30cm imagery now cover the entire state, and the 15cm imagery covers 44 cities and towns. A new map-based download interface allows users to select tiles on a map or choose all the images for a particular city or town. Also, the various tile and mosaic index layers have been updated.
     
    •  
  • Massachusetts Coastal Zone Layers Updated - 2/9/2012
    The data were updated to represent the Massachusetts coastal zone as defined in the October 2011 Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management Policy Guide (the most recent description of the official Massachusetts coastal zone). Also, the CSTZONE_ARC layer is being rereleased and the CSTZONE_ANNO_NAME (annotation layer) is discontinued.
     
  • New Dams Layer- 2/8/2012
    • The Massachusetts Dams data layer contains points derived from a dam safety database maintained by the Massachusetts Office of Dam Safety (ODS). The ODS database includes detailed information about each dam for operational purposes.
     
  • MBTA Rapid Transit Layers Updated - 2/2/2012
    The MBTA Rapid Transit subway lines and stations were updated to include new and improved linework and station locations. Data represent the "T" network as of February 2012. The ROUTE attribute, which provides a detailed description for each line, was added to both the line and point feature classes. The TERMINUS attribute, indicating stations at the start/end of each line, was added to the point feature class.
     
  • New FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer- 1/30/2012
    • The NFHL incorporates all Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) databases published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and any Letters Of Map Revision (LOMRs) that have been issued against those databases since their publication date. The DFIRM Database is the digital, geospatial version of the flood hazard information (location and attributes for boundaries of flood insurance risk zones) shown on the published paper Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Areas currently available for Massachusetts include all of Middlesex, Suffolk, Bristol and Dukes counties, about half of Worcester County, and the municipalities of Quincy, Salisbury and Westwood.
     
  • OpenSpace Updated - 1/12/2012
    Since the last web publication in October 2011, the protected open space editors at EEA, DCR, DFG, and DAR continued to make many enhancements to the Protected and Recreational Open Space database. 1,186 editing tasks were performed in 136 municipalities, cumulatively adding over 8,300 acres of permanently conserved areas to the database. Many new grant-funded acquisitions and agricultural preservation restriction were recently digitized and fifty-five conservation restrictions were mapped throughout the state. Of particular note was the acquisition of a conservation restriction on nearly 3,500 acres of land Pioneer Valley. This project was the result of a partnership between the Department of Fish and Game, the Kestrel Land Trust, Franklin Land Trust and W.D. Cowls, Inc. It represents the largest tract of privately held conservation land in Massachusetts. A new shapefile and personal geodatabase have been placed on our ftp site, representing data updated as of 1/6/12.
     
  • New MassDEP 2010 Integrated List of Waters (305(b)/303(d)) Layers - 1/9/2012
    • The MassDEP Division of Watershed Management (DWM), Watershed Planning Program (WPP) 2010 Integrated List of Waters (305(b)/303(d)) data layer represents the combined reporting elements for the 2010 cycle of both sections 305(b) and 303(d) of the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA). The objective of this statute is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters.
     
  • NHESP Natural Communities Layer Updated - 12/28/2011
    The Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP) has updated the Natural Communities layer. The update is based on the 2011 publication of Classification of the Natural Communities of Massachusetts, Version 1.4.
     
  • Town Boundaries Layers from Survey Coordinates Updated - 10/25/2011
    • Edits were made along the boundaries of: Palmer-Monson (based on parcels); West Springfield-Agawam (Acts and Resolves redefinition); Douglas-Uxbridge and Grafton-Westborough (legislative changes).
     
  • Surficial Geology (1:24,000) Layer Updated - 9/30/2011
    • Data for Areas E and G are now available. Area E comprises 24 quads and covers Cape Cod, the Elizabeth Islands, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. The 24-quad Area G includes the majority of Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties. Additionally, the USGS quad images used as a base for data interpretation for these areas are now part of the file geodatabase MassGIS maintains and distributes. These data layers are part of a comprehensive study by the U.S. Geological Survey to produce a statewide digital map of the surficial geology at a 1:24,000-scale. This compilation of surficial geologic materials defines the areas of exposed bedrock, and the boundaries between glacial till, glacial stratified deposits, and overlying early-postglacial and postglacial deposits.
     
  • Ground Water Discharge Permits Layer Updated - 9/1/2011
    MassDEP has updated the Ground Water Discharge Permits point layer, current as of 4/21/2011.
     
  • C21E and AUL Point Layers Updated - 8/25/2011
    MassDEP has updated the Tier Classified Oil and/or Hazardous Material Sites (MGL c. 21E) and Oil and/or Hazardous Material Sites with Activity and Use Limitations (AUL) layers. These layers are current as of 7/31/2011.
     
  • DCR Pools Layer Updated - 8/23/11
    Attribute updates include the Connors Pool opening summer 2012; the Johnson Pool's STATUS to closed; no lifeguard at Beaver Brook Spray Deck; and no comments for the Dilboy Pool.
     
  • Ice Rinks Layer Updated - 8/23/11
    Attribute updates include changing FACIL_TYPE for the following rinks from DCR to DCRP: RINK_ID 245 - Anthony A. LoConte Memorial Skating Rink is now managed by Medford; RINK_ID 250 - Max Ulin Memorial Skating Rink is now managed by Milton; RINK_ID 267 - Mayor William T. Shea Memorial Rink is now managed by Michael B. O'Toole, Jr. LLC.; RINK_ID 281 - Veterans Memorial Skating Rink is now managed by Somerville. Also, the Name and Label for RINK_ID 176 (Veterans Memorial Skating Rink) are now both Ed Burns Arena. In addition, RINK_ID 336 (Cass Rink) was deleted, as it is no longer an ice rink, but a multi-use recreation center without ice or ice making equipment.
     
  • NHESP Certified Vernal Pools Layer Updated - 8/19/2011
    The Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP) has updated the Certified Vernal Pools layer. The update is effective beginning February 28, 2011.
     
  • DEP Wetlands Change Layer Updated - 8/18/2011
    In May the MassDEP Wetlands Conservancy Program finished the latest round of wetland change detection based on the 2008 and 2009 orthophotos. This finalizes The Department's 2008/2009 wetland change detection efforts statewide. Also, a new attribute field (DETECTYEAR) has been added to the layer which describes the year of orthophoto on which the change area is first detectable. In August one change feature (WC3A-292-5) in Swansea was added.
     
  • DRAFT 2010 U.S. Census Data Released - 6/15/2011
    The U.S. Census Bureau has released the Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File from the 2010 U.S. Census, which is created for the purposes of redistricting and contains limited population and housing data. Because we have had many requests for processed geography linked to the yet-to-be-released SF1 file, we are now posting for download a series of DRAFT file geodatabases that contain the Blocks, Block Groups and Tracts geography and the PL94 tables. The data are also available for download in shapefile and dBASE formats. In addition, the PL94 database is available for download for use in Microsoft Access. MassGIS is also releasing a DRAFT version of the Census 2010 TIGER roads. This statewide dataset may be used in geocoding applications.
     

    •

What's New on this Web Site
 Home | About MassGIS | What's New | MassGIS Data | Download Free Data | Order Maps & Data | Online Mapping 
Data Viewer | Municipal GIS | GIS Education | Standards | Other GIS Resources | Site Contents | Search 

Last Updated 2/9/2012
Site Policies