The map is displayed by GISsurfer which is a general purpose web map that is based on the free open-source Leaflet API (Application Program Interface). It can be used by anyone for any non-commercial purpose. Providing this web map software is a public service and part of my way to "pay it forward". Please note that by using GISsurfer you now have an obligation to do something yourself to "pay it forward" in your own way.
Here is a quick way to learn the most useful features of any GISsurfer map.
1. Open the GISsurfer homepage (https://GISsurfer.com)
2. Click the big green "Menu" button and select "Help".
3. Scroll down a bit on the help page and read the "Overview" section.
GISsurfer will display either a touch-friendly interface or a mouse-oriented interface depending on the type of device you use to open a map.
Many GISsurfer maps will have various GIS overlay layers that you can turn on/off and restack. You can click on the 'top' GIS overlay and see all the attribute data the GIS server has for the thing that you clicked. If the attribute data includes a link, then you can click that link for even more information. If you need help to understand what 'top' GIS overlay means, then please open the homepage and read the "Overview" section.
As I add features to GISsurfer updates will be posted on the MappingSupport twitter feed and the GISsurfer Facebook page.
GISsurfer maps do not have a standard map legend like you are used to seeing. This is because GISsurfer is a general purpose web map that can display a vast number (think many thousands) of different GIS data layers.
Fortunately, many GIS data layers do not need a legend since all the cartography in the layer is the same. Simply turn an overlay layer on/off a few times and you will see how it displays on the map. Note that some overlay layers might be defined on the GIS server so that they only display at certain zoom levels. You might need to zoom in or out for the data to display. And if the GIS server hosting the data is busy it might take more than a few seconds for the data to appear on the map.
On the other hand, some GIS overlay layers do actually have a legend but it exists as a web page on the GIS server. More precisely, MapServer layers have a legend page but FeatureServer layers do not have a legend page. A few of the weather layers do have useful legend pages - see below.
Here is a tip for MapServer legend pages. If the legend page has information for more than one layer then you will need to match the layer number you see below in parenthesis to the layer number on the legend page. Don't be confused if the layer names below are slightly different than the layer names on the legend page.
CLICK HERE to see the legend for:
Click the basemap button to see the list of overlays. Click an overlay name to turn it on. Click it again to turn it off.
An overlay name with a number in front is 'on'. The highest numbered overlay is 'on top' and can be clicked to show all the attribute data the GIS server has for the thing that you clicked. Sometimes the attribute data includes links that lead to more information.
The attribute display also includes a link titled "Visit GIS server". That link will display a page from the table of contents for the GIS server. If you open that page then look at the heading "Service Description". Sometimes you will see useful metadata.
If the map is displaying several overlays then you can move any overlay to the 'top' by turning it off and then turning it back on.
Remember - only the 'top' overlay is clickable. Also the order with which you turn on various overlays can greatly affect the appearance of the map. Each time you turn an overlay on it is displayed 'on top' of any overlays that are already on.
If you have trouble seeing data on the map then you can change the basemap to "ESRI Gray" or "All white basemap". Another option is to turn on the aerial basemap "ESRI aerial clarity" and also turn on the overlay "ESRI roads and labels".
If you would like to know about other GISsurfer recreation maps, then please visit https://mappingsupport.com and click "Special maps".
That section has GISsurfer map links for:
National forest recreation map
Bureau of Land Management recreation map
NOAA nautical charts map
Links for national park maps will be posted spring 2021.
This section also has GISsurfer links for disaster maps including wildland fire.
This is a consulting service I offer. Each client receives a map link that will display the google aerial and the approximate property lines for the client's land. A geolocation symbol can be turned on to show the user's location.
Each map is custom made using software I developed to process either a land survey or property legal description provided by the client. As a result, these maps will almost always be more accurate than the county GIS parcel data.
One common use is to help find survey stakes at property corners. This map will get you close. For more information, please see either website.
Mobile user: https://findpropertylines.com
Desktop user: https://propertylinemaps.com
One of the main features of GISsurfer is its ability to display data that is hosted on government GIS (Geographical Information System) servers. The link below will display a curated PDF file with the internet address for 3,500+ government GIS servers. These are at all levels of government from federal down to city. Each link is scanned by my code once per week and any bad links are either fixed or flagged. An updated list is usually posted every Wednesday.
https://mappingsupport.com/p/surf_gis/list-federal-state-county-city-GIS-servers.pdf
Assume you are outside somewhere, something bad happens and you need to contact 911. Since you are not at a street address, the fastest way for you to get help is to give the dispatcher your (1) latitude longitude in decimal degrees and (2) the equally important accuracy value for those coordinates. Dispatchers are very familiar with coordinate data in this format.
When you call 911 with your cell phone the wireless carrier handling your 911 call is supposed to produce reasonably accurate coordinates for you and make that data available to the 911 dispatcher. In 911-speak these are called "phase 2" coordinates. For various reasons the "phase 2" coordinates for a cell phone caller are sometimes never produced by the wireless carrier or have terrible accuracy.
Are you curious to know why wireless carriers sometimes do not provide 911 dispatchers with good "phase 2" coordinates? I was too! So a few years ago I did a deep dive into documents on the FCC website. Below is a link to a PDF report I produced that will tell you what I learned. Anyone who reads the report will likely be convinced that it is *critically important* that everyone have an easy way to use their phone in a stressful emergency to display their coordinates (latitude longitude in decimal degrees) *and* accuracy value.
Open PDF report describing problems with "phase 2" coordinates:
http://findmesar.com/p/pdf/cell_phone_coordinates_and_911.pdf
Yes, some 911 call centers have additional technology such as RapidSOS that might be able to produce coordinates for you when the "phase 2" coordinates fail. But instead of betting someone’s life on the assumption that the 911 call center has some tech that can generate accurate coordinates for you, a much better plan is for you to give the dispatcher your (1) latitude longitude in *decimal degrees* and (2) the equally important accuracy value.
If you want to use the FindMeSAR webpage (https://findmesar.com/) I developed, great. This project is a public service and part of my way to "pay it forward". FindMeSAR uses the GPS in your phone to display your coordinates and accuracy value. See near the end of the above PDF file for more information about FindMeSAR. But if you have some other way to easily display your coordinates and accuracy in a stressful emergency, that is fine too. The point here is that everyone (spouse, kids, crazy uncle Harry, etc) should have some easy way to display their coordinates and accuracy value if they ever need to call/text 911.