How to add your data

Adding data to ControlFinder or PLSSFinder is easy: simply provide, at minimum, the point name/id, coordinates, heights, units, datums, accuracy (if available), and metadata (if possible).

The preferred formats are GeoDatabase, ArcInfo shapefile (.shp), Microsoft Excel (.xls), dBASE (.dbf), MS Access (.mdb), or Comma Separated Volumes (.csv) are also acceptable. The data should be in a column/row layout with fields across the columns and individual records down the rows.

To either submit your data file or if additional assistance is needed, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at the State Cartographer's Office at (608)263-4371.

ControlFinder Data dictionary

Point Name: unique point name assigned by the contributor

Point ID: unique point ID assigned by the contributor

County: control point location

WI-Height Modernization Point: (true/false) high accuracy vertical control points referenced to the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS).

Horizontal Coordinates & Datum:

• Easting & Northing Coordinates: projected coordinates assigned by the contributor as either county coordinates or state plane coordinates along with the reference datum.
• Geographic Longitude & Latitude Coordinates: latitudes are referenced as positive north and negative south; longitudes are referenced as positive east and negative west along with the reference datum as assigned by the contributor.
• Horizontal Coordinate System: WCCS, WISCRS, SPC, etc.

Horizontal & Vertical Accuracy:

• Local Accuracy: a value for a control point that represents the uncertainty in the coordinates of the control point relative to the coordinates of other directly connected, adjacent control points at the 95% confidence level (approximate average of the individual local accuracy values between this control point and other observed control points used to establish the coordinates of the control point)
• Network Accuracy: a value for a control point that represents the uncertainty in the coordinates of the control point with respect to the geodetic datum at the 95% confidence level.

Heights:

• Ellipsoid Height: the height of an object above the *reference ellipsoid* in use. These days, this term is generally used to qualify an elevation as being measured from the ellipsoid as opposed to the geoid. GPS systems calculate ellipsoidal height. The geoid height at that location must be subtracted to obtain what is commonly referred to as the elevation.
• Ellipsoid Accuracy:
• Orthometric Height: refers to the distance measured along the plumb line between the geoid and a point on the Earth's surface, taken positive upward from the geoid.
• Vertical Accuracy:

Suitable for GPS: (true/false) describes if the point can be referenced using a GPS device

To Reach: text description of point location

Comments: any additional information about the point, such as condition, monument type, etc.

Online Tie Sheets: full url to more information (tie sheet, etc) for a particular point

Dataset Metadata: URL to contributors metadata file fortheir dataset

Dataset Inventory: date the dataset was received from the contributor

Contacts: contact information for the contributor of the data

PLSSFinder Data Dictionary

Corner Name: unique corner name assigned by the contributor

Corner ID: unique corner ID assigned by the contributor

County: corner location

Corner Type: corner classification (meander corner, quarter corner, mile post, etc.)

Monument Type: material, composition of the physical corner marker

Monument Date: date monument was set

Township: number of townships, north or south

Range: number of columns of townships, east or west

Section: 1 of 36 section numbers within a township

Horizontal Coordinates & Datum:

• Easting & Northing Coordinates: projected coordinates assigned by the contributor as either county coordinates or state plane coordinates along with the reference datum.
• Geographic Longitude & Latitude Coordinates: latitudes are referenced as positive north and negative south; longitudes are referenced as positive east and negative west along with the reference datum as assigned by the contributor.
• Spatial Reference System: WCCS, WISCRS, SPC, etc.
• Coordinate Date: date coordinates derived
• Coordinate Method: method used to obtain coordinates, e.g. GPS

Horizontal & Vertical Accuracy

• Horizontal Accuracy: The accuracy or reliability for the reported horizontal coordinate position.
• Vertical Accuracy: The accuracy or reliability for the reported elevation for the corner.

Heights:

• Ellipsoid Height: the height of an object above the *reference ellipsoid* in use. These days, this term is generally used to qualify an elevation as being measured from the ellipsoid as opposed to the geoid. GPS systems calculate ellipsoidal height. The geoid height at that location must be subtracted to obtain what is commonly referred to as the elevation.
• Ellipsoid Accuracy:
• Orthometric Height: refers to the distance measured along the plumb line between the geoid and a point on the Earth's surface, taken positive upward from the geoid.
• Orthometric Accuracy:

Comments: any additional information about the corner.

External Point Information: full url to more information (tie sheet, etc) for a particular corner

Dataset Metadata: URL to contributors metadata file fortheir dataset

Dataset Inventory: date the dataset was received from the contributor

Contacts: contact information for the contributor of the data