Digital Data from Previously Published Contour Data Showing the Altitude of the Base of Dakota Sandstone on the Colorado Plateau, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah

This geologic map database compiles, in digital form, geologic data previously published as printed maps showing the altitude of the base of Dakota Sandstone and equivalent rocks on the Colorado Plateau in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. Data were compiled from U.S. Geological Survey 1:250,000-scale geologic maps and other topical maps that included structure contours of the base of the Dakota Sandstone. Surface and subsurface data compiled include mapped polygons of the Dakota Sandstone and equivalent units, faults, fold axes, structure contours, and bedding attitudes calculated from the structure contours. All data were compiled as a GeMS digital database. This digital geologic database is a companion dataset to an interpretive USGS report "Methodology for Compilation of Previously Published Contour Data Showing the Altitude of the Base of Dakota Sandstone on the Colorado Plateau, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah". These digital data are a compilation of data from previously published maps of the base of the Dakota Formation made digital for the first time, providing a digital dataset for future scientific and resource evaluations of the Colorado Plateau region. The dataset includes a geographic information system geodatabase that contains mapped contacts and faults, map unit polygons of the Dakota Sandstone and stratigraphic equivalents, fold axes, structure contour lines, and point data of bedding attitudes. Vector data are attributed according to the USGS National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program’s GeMS digital geologic map schema. The spatial data are accompanied by non-spatial tables that describe the sources of geologic information, a description of geologic map units, a glossary of terms, and a Data Dictionary that duplicates the Entity and Attribute information contained in the metadata file. To maximize usability, spatial data are also distributed as shapefiles and tabular data are distributed as ascii text files in comma separated values (CSV) format.