Need Help Planning? Planning Data & Maps

This page provides access to natural resources data, information, and maps that may be helpful in community planning efforts. An inventory of your community´s natural resources and environment features makes a good starting point for your plan (you need to know what you´ve got before deciding the future direction of your community). Once you identify and map natural features, the rest of the elements can more easily be addressed since the community will have a better sense of where development is most logical and where it would not be appropriate (e.g., in wetlands, around sensitive wildlife habitats, etc.).

Resources to help communities implement their plans can be found in the "Making Your Plan Happen" section.

Please choose a topic from the drop-down list below for more information on the natural resources data, information, and maps that may be helpful in community planning efforts.

Aerial Photos

• Historic Aerial Photos (1937 to 2000)
  

  Most of the aerial photos are at scales of 1:20,000 or 1:40,000, black and white, summer coverage. Most holdings are listed in the Wisconsin Catalog of Aerial Photography [exit DNR] by the Wisconsin State Cartographer´s Office.

• Current Statewide Aerial Photography
  

  Wisconsin´s Statewide Forestry Aerial Photography Project includes coverage for the entire state. The airphotos scale of 1:15,840 (4" to the mile). These photos, along with are black and white infrared with aother photography products, can be purchased for any location within the state.

• Digital Orthophotos On-line
  

  The site allows the user to interactively select specific areas of interest at a variety of resolution levels and allows the download of information into several different file formats to be integrated with GIS.

Interactive Web Mapping

Interactive Web mapping tools allow users to integrate data spatially and produce customizable maps. Some also allow access to downloadable data. Web mapping applications are "data driven". As the data and databases used to create the maps change, so do the maps. Planners and interested citizens can select various layers of interest and overlay them at various scales.

• Aquatic and Terrestrial Resource Inventory (ATRI) [exit DNR]
• DNR WebView
  

  WebView is an online interactive map viewer that allows you determine the type of content and level of detail you see on maps you produce. In addition, WebView provides direct access to DNR databases. Some things you can do with WebView include:

  • Create a custom map using DNR data, and then save it to a printable Adobe PDF document.
  • E-mail a map you created to a friend or colleague.
  • View digital aerial photos for most locations in Wisconsin.
  • Answer questions like "What cities or villages are within 25 miles of Ladysmith?" or "What U.S. Geological Survey 24K quadrangle maps cover the Town of Sherman in Iron County?"
  • Calculate the approximate area of a property by tracing the property boundaries from a digital aerial photo on your computer screen.
  • Measure the distance between two or more points.

  Note: This application uses technical terms familiar to GIS professionals.

• GIS Registry of Closed Remediation Sites
  

  Only closed sites with groundwater contamination remaining above ch. NR140 enforcement standards or soil contamination above NR720 residual contaminant levels are included in this registry. This registry is not intended to be a complete list of all contaminated sites. For more data on contaminated sites, visit BRRTS, a searchable database of contaminated sites.

• Natural Heritage Inventory
  

  This application provides an opportunity to search the DNR´s Natural Heritage Inventory database for the status and distribution of endangered resources or to learn what species or natural communities are known to exist within a particular area of interest. The on-line database provides a statewide inventory of KNOWN locations and conditions of rare and endangered species and is intended for information and general planning purposes rather than regulatory decision-making. In most cases, locations for species and natural communities are available down to a township level. The exception are those species whose locations are considered to be sensitive (particularly vulnerable to collection or disturbance). Locations of these species or natural communities are generalized down to the county level.

• Dam Safety Database
  

  The DNR´s Dam Safety program has created a mapping tool that allows access to the Wisconsin Dams database. U.S.G.S. topographic maps are displayed as the background and aerial photographs become available as a background at scales of 1:24,000 or smaller. A more advanced version of the mapping tool allows users to turn on and off data layers and do some analyses.

• Floodplain Analysis Applications
  

  The DNR´s Floodplain Management program has created a map that allows access to the Wisconsin Floodplain Analysis database. Floodplain insurance studies and engineering input models are available for download through the "identify results" table. FEMA floodplain maps and aerial photographs become available for viewing when the user zooms in to a large scale (1:150,000). U.S.G.S. topographic maps may also be displayed as a background. Historic flood photos and recorded flood elevations are available in some locations (look for the green points). A map viewer application is also available thatcan be used just for viewing FEMA maps.

• Wisconsin Coastal ImageServer [exit DNR]
  

  This site makes geographic data of the Wisconsin coast more accessible by gathering this information into a single resource that is freely available to the public. The site also makes the data more flexible by allowing users to interactively select data layers and specific areas of interest at a variety of zoom levels. The site utilizes OrthoServer technology, an open-source web mapping software package developed at MIT, to generate seamless image mosaics of large raster data sets.

Other Maps

• DNR Geographic Information System (GIS) Data
  

  The DNR GIS Library includes enhanced versions of various digital data sets originally published by the U.S. Geological Survey, such as Digital Line Graphs, Digital Elevation Models, and Digital Raster Graphics.

• Digital Raster Graphics
  

  This page provides access to downloadable copies of Digital Raster Graphics (DRGs). DRGs are optically scanned topographic map images originally produced by the U.S. Geological Survey.

• Wisconsin Wetland Inventory Maps
  

  The DNR develops and maintains Wisconsin Wetland Inventory maps, including a digital geographic data layer. Hard copy maps are available at any DNR office or can be purchased through the DNR Bureau of Fisheries Management.

• Lake Maps
  

  The DNR has maps for 1,350 individual lakes, ponds, flowages, and rivers available for public distribution. The agency does not have a map for every Wisconsin lake or river. The staff is currently in the process of making the maps available electronically. These maps are useful for general planning and assessment purposes.

• Urbanized Area Maps [exit DNR]
  

  The U.S. EPA has developed a set of digitized maps in PDF format for each urbanized area as defined by the 2000 US Census. These maps are intended to assist states as they develop municipal storm water programs and permits. Municipalities will also find these maps useful as they outline the area that will require coverage under an NPDES permit and development and implementation of a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan. For each urbanized area, two maps have been developed:

  Note: This file may appear black when first opened. Use the zoom tool in Adobe Acrobat to clearly view the street level detail.

  • Overview - Provides a general outline of the "urbanized area", including incorporated areas or areas of a county that are included within the "urbanized area".
  • Detailed Map with Roads - Adds street level details so that the exact boundaries of the urbanized area can easily be determined.