Digital Surficial Geologic Map of Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas

A GIS dataset for the Big Sandy Creek Unit and vicinity within Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas, completed as part of the National Park Service's Geologic Resources Inventory program. The data is adapted from an unpublished 1982 map by Aronow from Lamar University and is available in multiple GIS formats including an ESRI file geodatabase and an OGC geopackage. It includes ancillary documents with geologic unit descriptions and metadata.

Use Cases

• Conducting geologic resource evaluations based on the surficial geology data layers.
• Creating environmental impact assessments based on the mapped geologic units and features.
• Integrating geologic data into broader park management GIS systems based on the provided ESRI and OGC formats.
• Studying landscape formation and soil characteristics based on the surficial geologic map information.

Strengths

• Data is provided in multiple standard GIS formats (ESRI file geodatabase, OGC geopackage, shapefile upon request).
• Includes supporting documentation such as geologic unit descriptions and a user-friendly FAQ metadata file.
• Source map scale of 1:24,000 provides a defined level of detail.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Based on the source map scale, horizontal locational accuracy is within 12.2 meters (40 feet), which may not be sufficient for high-precision applications.

Provenance

Source

National Park Service (NPS) Geologic Resources Division (GRD), adapted from Lamar University source materials.

Collection Method

Digitized and compiled as part of the Geologic Resources Inventory (GRI) program.

Time Range

Source map from 1982.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-04 01:02:45.427482; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Big Sandy Creek Unit and vicinity, Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas, USA.