About Us
Your Source for Geographic Information of Texas
Uses for Geographic Information
TNRIS was established by the Legislature in 1968 as the Texas Water-Oriented Data Bank. In 1972, after four years of growth and diversification, it was renamed the Texas Natural Resources Information System. The mission of TNRIS is to provide a "centralized information system incorporating all Texas natural resource data, socioeconomic data related to natural resources, and indexes related to that data that are collected by state agencies or other entities." (Texas Water Code, 16.021).
The staff includes individuals trained in the natural, computer and library sciences. TNRIS supplies data to government, academia, private sector, and to the public.
The TNRIS Data Catalog - By the Numbers
- Over 1,000,000 frames of Aerial Photography
- Over 50 unique datasets exceeding 20 TB
- Monthly average data downloads exceeding 1 TB
Texas Water Development Board and Texas Geographic Information Council
TNRIS is a part of the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) under the Water Resources Planning & Information division.
The TWDB receives advice on the operation of TNRIS from the Texas Geographic Information Council (TGIC), a geographic data planning and coordination group serving state and regional government agencies in the State of Texas. TGIC also advises the Executive Director of the Department of Information Resources on statewide rules and guidelines for agency use of geographic information technologies.
The Strategic Mapping Program (StratMap)
The Strategic Mapping Program is a cost sharing program established in 1997 to produce statewide geospatial data for Texas. TheStratMap layers are: digital orthophoto quarter-quadrangles (DOQQs), surface water features (NHD), transportation, political boundaries, soil surveys (SSURGO), and elevation (LiDAR, DEMs and contours). Layer maintenance is subject to available funding, public interest, and program priorities.
StratMap Program Purpose:
- Establish and maintain a common base map for the State of Texas.
- Combine funding from state and federal sources to lower costs and avoid duplication.
- Continuously improve the quality and accuracy of data.
- Develop data using national and international standards to ensure compatibility.
Digital mapping products are in high-demand to serve multiple needs; including public services, market products, develop public policies and conserve resources.
High Priority Imagery and Datasets Contract (HPIDS)
The Council on Competitive Government, has established a procurement process designed to strengthen Texas' capabilities to create and maintain digital maps for government entities and the public. This new process was established through the use of a state master contract referred to as High Priority Imagery and Data Sets (HPIDS).
This Texas geographic information system (GIS) procurement model enhances the ability of the state to coordinate effectively with federal, regional and municipal governments and to actively manage geographic data resources as freely shared and integrated information. All public agencies will be engaged to share plans and information to combine funding, obtain volume discounts, and coordinate standardized products.
Floodplain Mapping In Texas
Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) became a Cooperating Technical Partner (CTP) with FEMA in October 2000. In the 80th State Legislature the TWDB was named the state agency tasked with coordinating the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for Texas in 2007. The NFIP and Floodplain mapping group resides within TNRIS.
Borderland Information Center (BIC)
Since 1994, the Borderland Information Center has been providing geographic data within 100 kilometers of each side of the Texas/Mexico border (as defined in the La Paz agreement) for the public and private sectors. These data serve the critical information needs related to border security, law enforcement, migration, public health, demographics and others.
Coordinated collection, management and dissemination of geospatial data can save time and money for acquiring data and lowers the cost of doing business when maps, and geographic data are required for regional planning and decision making.
The long term goal of The Center is to develop complete mapping for both sides of the border and to strengthen the ties between Mexico and Texas.
Geospatial Emergency Management Support System (GEMSS) Version 2
The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) has awarded the Texas Natural Resources Information System (TNRIS) a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) grant to continue development on the next version of the Geospatial Emergency Management Support System (GEMSS). The HMGP funding was made available following Hurricane Ike which hit the Texas coast in 2009 causing environmental, economic and social damage to the area. GEMSS is a unique online mapping system first released in December, 2008 to support emergency management and mitigation functions by providing capabilities; such as, collection, storage, and access to current and historical geospatial data, real time situational awareness from live feeds of geospatial web services, platform independent web-based mapping services for use by authorized users, and customizable data elements to allow users to create or import their own data.
Geospatial Emergency Management Support System (GEMSS) Version I
Since its inception, TNRIS has played an important role in the emergency management of events such as the Space Shuttle Columbia incident in 2003 and Hurricanes Rita and Katrina in 2005. In the aftermath of Hurricane Rita, TNRIS was awarded a grant by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to develop a statewide Hurricane Rita data repository. Known as the Geospatial Emergency Management Support System (GEMSS), the project's primary goal was to establish a geospatial data repository for emergency management in the State of Texas. The principal ongoing activity of the clearinghouse is to acquire, organize, integrate, and disseminate geospatial data and resources to support mitigation, response, and recovery activities in the state and along its borders.
February 7-8
ArcGIS Desktop III: Workflows & Analysis
March 27-28
ArcGIS Desktop I: Getting Started with GIS
May 8-10
ArcGIS Desktop II: Tools & Functionality
July 24-25
ArcGIS Desktop III: Workflows & Analysis
