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Do the features I edit update the Geographic Names Information Service (GNIS) database? |
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Yes, changes to features that have a GNIS ID (see the optional tab when editing a point) are provided to GNIS. |
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But the GNIS is only accepting certain kinds of edits now. What are those again, I don't remember? Also do the NMC edits flow directly to the GNIS or are they incorporated via TNM database updates from the NMC? Is the process, the entire chain of events, from accepted NMC edits to the GNIS, automated or are there human workers/filters in the loop? |
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Schools, Fire/EMS Stations, Ambulance Services, Hospitals, Police Stations, Prisons/Correctional Facilities, Post Offices and Cemeteries. The updates to GNIS do not flow directly from TNMCorps. Volunteer (TNMCorps) updates must be ingested into the The National Map (TNM) Structures database first, then established automated processes send changes to GNIS, such as a new position or change in the feature name. All features which are editable by TNMCorps volunteers have the potential to update GNIS as long as there is a GNIS ID associated with the feature in the Structures database. If a feature does not have a GNIS ID yet, the USGS will internally review the GNIS to determine whether a corresponding record ID can be assigned to a Structures feature. Otherwise, USGS will assign a new GNIS ID. This step is done prior to the final automatic processing to ensure that the GNIS is updated along with TNM Structures database. Assigning GNIS IDs is only done internally and not by TNMCorps volunteers. Only certain features update the GNIS records. The Structures restrictions are due to internal policy decisions which occurred a few years ago. The restricted list includes those features listed in the first paragraph. |
