Maine Geographic Information System

State Agencies | Web Policies | My Maine.gov | Email this page

Frequently Asked Questions

Access
Q:	Dear MEGIS, I am looking for the CONTOURS layer for Thorndike, ME on the Maine GIS Internet Data Catalog. I do not see Thorndike as an option to choose. What am I doing wrong?
Q:	Do you have a cross reference of what quads cover which towns?
A:	Yes. At the Maine GIS Internet Data Catalog http://megis.maine.gov/catalog/, select any data layer under the TILE tab. At the top right of that page use "Select by Town" to select a town. When you click NEXT, the page returned will contain a list of tiles covering the selected town.
Q:	How can I add data available in MEGIS Internet Map Services and Open GIS Consortium (OGC) Web Map Services (WMS) to my software view?
Q:	How do I access Maine GIS data?
Q:	How do I connect to SDE using ArcINFO command line?
Q:	How do I convert an .e00 file to something ArcView will read?
Q:	How do I get data on the Maine School Administrative Districts?
Q:	I have tried downloading various layers and I have successfully used them, however when I rename them i.e., contours to unitypondcontours, the layer becomes unusable. Any ideas why this is happening?
Q:	Is Maine GIS data available through Open GIS Consortium (OGC) Web Map Service (WMS)?
Q:	Why can't the State of Maine MEGIS setup a central server system so that each town could send in their particular information and then anybody in the world could access it via a browser?

Cartography
Q:	Can the orthoimagery MrSid files available from MEGIS be projected to state plane?
Q:	Currently, we are looking for road maps which contain the names of the streets in a 1:24,000 scale, preferably. The road data from your site does not appear to contain the street names?
Q:	How can I convert lines drawn on aerial photos to digital data?
Q:	How do I determine proximity between public secondary schools using the SCHLIB layer in ArcView? I have some instructions on how to do proximity, but need help isolating the secondary schools?
Q:	How do I determine the area of land and water in Washington County?
Q:	How do I figure out what projection my data is in? Think it's state plane but not sure.
Q:	I am trying to create a nature trail map for an area of interest. I need to find a suitable reference point, a road intersection, a snowmobile trail, a monument?
Q:	I can't seem to figure out the units for a Maine GIS data layer?
Q:	Is there a quick and easy way to determine the square mileage of a given town in Maine using ArcView?
Q:	Trouble mapping points of XY data from tabular data?
Q:	We have a .dbf table of facilities, how do we turn that into something viewable in ArcMap?
Q:	What are the different zones used in the State Plane Coordinate System for the State of Maine?
Q:	What is the magnetic declination for Liberty, Maine? How accurate is that?
Q:	What is the projection of Maine GIS data?
Q:	When I add data to my view, Maine GIS data doesn't show up on my parcel layer? It's way above it, or out of the view.
Q:	When converting between NAD83 and NAD27, can a consistent number of meters be added or subtracted for any location in the state to convert between datums?
Q:	Why do the MEDOQs not fit the Bath parcels? The ORTHO_HF seems to be OK?

Census
Q:	Do you have Census population data for Hancock County, population 1950-2000?
Q:	Do you have digital versions of the Census Designated Places and the MEDOT compact urban areas?
Q:	Does MEGIS have 1990 Census block data in digital form?
Q:	How can Census 2000 data be related to Maine Minor Civil Divisions?
Q:	What Census data has been made available in GIS format to Maine GIS users?

Custom Mapping
Q:	Can I contact MEGIS with a custom mapping request?
Q:	I have seen some MEDEP reports that show GIS maps having: (1) municipal boundaries, and, (2) certain municipalities highlighted, where can I find these? Is this mapping function available to me? Or is this assistance that MEGIS provides to state agencies?
Q:	I'm just looking for an outline of the State of Maine in GIS format, could you help me?
Q:	MEGIS made a map for us in the past, can we obtain a copy or ask for a graphic of that for our website?

Data
Q:	Are contours at 5' or smaller intervals available for Maine?
Q:	Are surficial geology maps for Maine available from MEGIS?
Q:	Are there maps and/or digital data in support of critical infrastructure inventory?
Q:	Can GPCOG get Q3 FIRM data from MEGIS for Cumberland County?
Q:	Can I get a grid of Maine at 60 minutes by 120 minutes?
Q:	Can you provide a URL to SSURGO data?
Q:	Do we have Congressional District data for Maine?
Q:	Do we have digital growth zones for Scarborough?
Q:	Do you have a coverage of labor market areas?
Q:	Do you have a data layer of zip codes?
Q:	Do you have anything delineating peat bogs in Maine?
Q:	Do you have digital flood plain data for the town of Dresden?
Q:	Does MEGIS have Q3 FEMA flood data?
Q:	Does MEGIS have landuse/landcover data available with forest classification?
Q:	Does the house, senate and county commissioner district coverage VTD00 contain information on the current House, Senate and County Commissioner members?
Q:	Does the Maine Office of GIS have any spatial data layers that show 100 and 500 year flood levels?
Q:	Error in CONTOURS?
Q:	How can I get a grid that is 4 times the size of the 7.5 minute series grid?
Q:	How do I get the DWA and DWALURC deer wintering areas listed as sources in the WETCHAR metadata?
Q:	How do I use the FIRM data to show flood areas?
Q:	I am a student at the University of Maine at Orono. I was given the MEGIS website as a reference to get online data for the Gulf of Maine. Do you have this data available as a free download?
Q:	I am looking for a file depicting land use (e.g. forest, agricultural, residence, industrial)?
Q:	I am taking first steps to create a GIS for my town. Have collected a lot of data from MEGIS and other places but cannot find a boundary map for the town with bearings and distances (or other reference) in either paper or electronic form?
Q:	I am trying to use the STATSGO soil data layer for a class project and do not understand where to find the soil properties associated with MUNAME and MUKEY?
Q:	I have a list of villages - can you tell me what townships they belong in?
Q:	I read some minutes from GIS News, Hydrography Subcommittee Meeting, and there was talk about integrating the MIDAS numbers into the 1:24,000 scale hydrography. I was wondering if this has been done, or if the project was scrapped?
Q:	I was recently reviewing some data given to Unity College by Hancock County. This data contains a shapefile entitled CMGES, I checked the Maine GIS Internet Data Catalog and the metadata for this file but could find nothing referring to it.
Q:	I'd like to map Washington County protected areas?
Q:	I'm looking for a GIS layer that would depict Maine public and private colleges?
Q:	Is reapportionment data available in GIS format for Maine Senate and Maine House districts?
Q:	Is there a map of Maine available (either the whole state, or county by county) showing the outlines of the towns and names?
Q:	Is there a way to "Search" the data holdings in the Maine GIS Internet Data Catalog at http://megis.maine.gov/catalog?
Q:	Looking for hydrography data, including Maine's coastline for download?
Q:	Looking for speed limit data on roads?
Q:	The "three mile limit line", as depicted in the COAST coverage and other 24k data, appears to be inaccurate?
Q:	We are required to provide MEMA with downstream hazard maps if Carlton Pond dam collapsed - can this be done with Maine GIS software and data?
Q:	We are undertaking a LIDAR study in Maine and need GIS coverage of survey control markers with xyz triplets, do such data exist?
Q:	We're just starting with ArcView GIS. How can we use the recycling maps from MEGIS website, and procure the data table for recycling/landfill rates?
Q:	What Maine GIS data is available for drainage divides?
Q:	What counties are covered by Q3 FIRM data?
Q:	What digital soil surveys are available from the Maine GIS Internet Data Catalog?
Q:	What is the relationship between WETCHAR and NWI?
Q:	What is the status of Louds Island in the Town of Bristol and Marshall Island in the Town of Swans Island?
Q:	What layers do we have that show public access to the coast?
Q:	What layers if any do we have related to fisheries?
Q:	When I query for soils data, why do I get Knox county along with Lincoln county when only Lincoln county was queried ? Why do I get Franklin county when I queried only for Somerset?
Q:	Where can I find a list of towns and counties?
Q:	Where can I find the Baxter State Park boundary layer?
Q:	Where can I find the most up-to-date list of Standard Geocodes for Maine Minor Civil Divisions?
Q:	Where can I get maps of habitat, flood zones, watersheds and other data?
Q:	Where can I obtain a paper map(s)?
Q:	Where's the rest of the soil survey for Somerset, Aroostook and Piscataquis counties?
Q:	Why does the SW overedge portion of the Burntland Pond quad not show up in the NAD83 data?
Q:	Would it be possible to have a downloadable shapefile containing the latest E911 data statewide?

Digital Parcel Mapping
Q:	Are the digital parcel mapping grants for municipalities only or for vendors interested in the actual conversion?
Q:	Are the digital parcel mapping standards going to be altered to allow 1:24,000 as a base for the Level 2 standard?
Q:	Are there standards set for digital parcel mapping automation?
Q:	Can a private sector firm apply for a digital parcel mapping grant?
Q:	Can the Rapid Development Grant be submitted separate from the Standard Development Grant as it is on a first come first serve basis?
Q:	Can you explain the budget worksheet, page 14 of the municipal grant for digital parcel mapping?
Q:	Can you give me details about the municipal grants?
Q:	Do all the feature attribute fields apply to Level 1 digital parcel mapping standards?
Q:	Does the digital parcel grant cover the cost of purchasing software for that work?
Q:	Does the municipal digital parcel mapping grant require previous investment in hardware and software? Can we approach neighboring towns and increase our purchasing power?
Q:	For a regional application, do we just fill out a form for each town and have a cover letter pulling them together?
Q:	How do I find out what Level means in digital parcels mapping standards?
Q:	How many towns have submitted municipal parcel data using the digital parcel mapping grants?
Q:	How much centralized administration do you expect from a regional digital parcel grant application? Will the money go through the applicant or to each town separately?
Q:	How should a town proceed to insure the maximum number of points for an upgrade? Are there plans to use geographic coordinates as a unique identifier?
Q:	If I use the E911 road intersections for control points will I have a Level 2 standard digital parcel file?
Q:	If a town applies for a digital parcel mapping grant and the orthophotographs are not available, will they be rejected automatically? Can they get an extension?
Q:	Information on the digital parcel mapping grants?
Q:	Is a CD of parcel coverages required to be submitted with the Rapid Development Grant? Can digital parcel mapping grant money be used to buy hardware and software?
Q:	Is the schedule for the municipal digital parcel mapping grants for calendar year 2004 or 2005?
Q:	Is there a match requirement on the digital parcel mapping grants?
Q:	Is there a schedule for completion of municipal digital parcel data? We are also interested in applying.
Q:	May we have the details of the Geolibrary RFP?
Q:	On the digital parcel mapping grant Budget Worksheet ( page 14) what is meant by upgraded and converted?
Q:	The digital parcel grant RFP indicates digital files while the standards discuss plotting and mylar proofs. Could you provide an itemized list of the deliverables expected for Level 3 compliance?
Q:	To satisfy section 3.1.1 of the digital parcel standards are we required to identify all rights-of-way?
Q:	We are interested in working on updating Waterboro taxmaps. What is available for assistance?
Q:	What is the deadline for completing a municipal digital parcel mapping grant project?
Q:	With the grants at fixed values, are we essentially making a choice of vendors based on merit?

E911
Q:	Are the GPS collected points used for E911 addressing available for download?
Q:	Can we photocopy the town's E911 map book?
Q:	I'm the Addressing Officer for my town, how do I fill out maintenance forms for new roads, how are changes handled, and how does the E911 maintenance process work?
Q:	It looks like a new road in our town is not being depicted correctly?
Q:	Page 48 of the town's E911 mapbook is missing, can it be reproduced?
Q:	What is available for E911 roads?

Imagery
Q:	Are the CITIPIX orthophotos available?
Q:	Can I find a GIS data layer of hydrography, place, or location names?
Q:	Can you get me the original DOQQ images?
Q:	Can you give me an estimate of the size of the ortho photo files that will cover the Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission (SMRPC) jurisdiction?
Q:	Does MEGIS have digital topographic maps available for Maine?
Q:	How can I view high resolution orthophotography for Maine? What type of horizontal accuracy can one assume with this imagery?
Q:	How do I find an orthophotograph to download for a specific area of Maine?
Q:	Is Maine GIS data oriented True or Magnetic North?
Q:	No high resolution color orthoimagery available yet for your town? 1996 grayscale base layer orthoimagery is available for most towns.
Q:	The aerial photos shown for Trenton, Maine covers everything around Trenton, but not the center of the community i.e. Route 3 corridor, airport, etc.?
Q:	What GIS base layers are available for Maine?
Q:	What are the pixel sizes for the new high resolution orthophotography in the Waterville area?
Q:	What are the specifications for the new high resolution orthophotography acquisition?
Q:	What is the status of high resolution orthophotography acquisition for the lower Kennebec River area?
Q:	What orthophotography is available?
Q:	What remote sensing data is available?
Q:	When will new high resolution orthophotography be available for the Stonington area? Do you know when the area will be flown?
Q:	When will orthophotos be ready for Georgetown and Wayne?
Q:	When will the new high resolution orthophotography be available for Farmington?
Q:	When will the new high resolution orthophotography be available for Searsport?
Q:	When will the new high resolution orthophotography product be available? Will they be available for purchase?
Q:	When will the new orthophotos be available for the town of Chelsea?
Q:	Where can I find information on the Maine Geolibrary high resolution orthophotography acquisition effort?
Q:	Who flew the aerial photos this spring in southern Maine for the Maine Geolibrary high resolution orthophotography acquisition? Was the control sufficient to allow 2 foot contours?

Metadata
Q:	Do you have orthophotography for Maine available from before 1996?
Q:	How to read NWI coding?
Q:	I'm using Maine GIS data and metadata in SDE format through the Maine GIS infrastructure hosted by MEGIS. How do I view the complete FGDC metadata for a data layer?
Q:	We would like a starting place for our roads metadata. Would it be possible to get a sample of FGDC metadata from MEGIS?
Q:	Where can I find a metadata tool for ArcView 3.x to use in the Hall-Dale GIS lab?
Q:	Where can I find information about feature metadata and Maine GIS?
Q:	Where can I get help with FGDC metadata?
Q:	Where can examples of script or code for ArcCatalog metadata style sheets and thumbnails be found?

Municipal CD
Q:	How do I open the ArcExplorer projects provided on the municipal CD?
Q:	I am the co-chair of the Town of Cumberland conservation commission, is it possible to obtain a municipal CD containing Maine GIS data for our use?

Other Resources
Q:	How do I contact MEGIS with questions or feedback?
Q:	What jobs are available in Maine State government of interest recent GIS and cartography graduates?
Q:	What training is available through your office?
Q:	Where can I find information on public GIS meetings in Maine?

Software/Hardware
Q:	How can MEMA plot vulnerability sites in ArcMap and save the graphic in digital form for power point presentations?
Q:	How can we view your DOQs with AutoCad?
Q:	How do I export an SDE layer to a coverage?
Q:	How do I project data in ArcMap?
Q:	I opened a saved ArcMap project and my data does not appear and there are red checks beside each layer - what do I do?
Q:	Orthoviewer keeps locking up?
Q:	What is the order of drawing things in Arcplot?
Q:	When I try to use the print tool on the MEGIS ArcIMS Aerial Photography or Basemap viewers, nothing happens?
Q:	When we put new points onscreen, the buffers do not show up around them?
Q:	Why doesn't my mapping AML run correctly?

Standards
Q:	Can you explain what we need to do to meet the PUC requirements under Chapter 140?
Q:	What can you tell me about NIST?
Q:	What vertical coordinate system is used for referencing Z values in Maine GIS data holdings?
Q:	What vertical datum is Maine GIS elevation data currently referenced to?
Q:	Where can I find Data Standards for Maine Geographic Information Systems and other related documents?

Statistics
Q:	How many miles of border does Maine share with New Hampshire? And with Canada?
Q:	I am interested in getting the square mile area of a number of townships in Maine. Do you have access to those figures?
Q:	Is it possible to obtain a listing of the roads in Southport, their mileage, and road name?
Q:	What is the area of Maine in square miles, acres, hectares?
Q:	What is the distance along the Maine coastline from the Maine/New Hampshire border at Kittery to Port Clyde?
Q:	What is the length of the Maine coastline?

iBook
Q:	How do I load ArcView on an iBook?

Geographic Information Systems

Frequently Asked Questions