Shapefiles

All shapefiles must meet the following minimum standards, as well as any additional requirements as within the specific Protocol or PDD.

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Data Format and Structure

• Project Proponents should provide a complete shapefile bundle including .shp, .shx, .dbf, .prj files.
• Files must be provided in ESRI shapefile format with an optional accompanying GeoJSON version.
• Files should follow a consistent naming convention that includes a project identifier, purpose of the shapefile, and date, e.g., ProjectID_ShapefilePurpose_YYYYMMDD.

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Data Requirements

• Must use a defined coordinate reference system such as WGS 84.
• Polygons must be topologically correct and closed, with no gaps and self-intersections or overlapping polygons within the same layers.
• All attributes (protocol specific) should be completed unless previously exempted through discussion with Isometric.

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File Metadata

• Metadata should be ISO 19115 compliant and include:
  • Unique persistent identifier for the dataset
  • Clear description of dataset purpose and contents
  • Temporal coverage (start and end dates)
  • Spatial extent (bounding box coordinates)
  • Coordinate reference system details
  • Data quality reports including topology validation results
  • Processing methodology and tools used (including versions)
  • Source data references and lineage
  • Access and usage restrictions
  • Attribution requirements
  • Keywords following standardized vocabularies
  • Point of contact information
  • Update frequency if part of a time series
• Metadata should be provided in both human and machine-readable formats.
• All attribute fields should be documented with:
  • Clear descriptions of field meanings
  • Units of measurement where applicable
  • Data type specifications
  • Valid value ranges or code lists