ArcView Shape (.shp) Files on the Division of Water FTP Site
A shape file is the ArcView GIS format for storing geometry and attribute information for a coverage. The main advantage of using shape files is that this format will draw more quickly in ArcView than ArcInfo format coverages. Also, shape file coverages can be edited in ArcView. There are 3 files associated with the ArcView shape file format. They have the following extensions: .shp, .shx, and .dbf. For example, if one is working with the aquifer coverage ohbedou, the shape file coverage will contain ohbedou.shp, ohbedou.shx, and ohbedou.dbf. It is very important that these 3 files associated with the shape file be kept in the same folder or directory.
ArcInfo Export (.e00) coverages on the ODNR Centralized GIS Server
All coverages are available as ARC/INFO exchange files with an (.e00) extension. Before these files are usuable they must be imported into either ARC/INFO or ArcView. The import command should be used at the command prompt when importing exchange files into ARC/INFO. ArcView contains a utility (Import 71) for importing coverages. On the NT platform you may locate this utility through Start/Programs/ESRI/ArcView3.2/Import 71. For specific syntax questions please refer to your software users manual.
Along with the line work for the coverage, ArcInfo allows the user to build an attribute table called a Polygon Attribute Table (.pat). The PAT is the way to store information about each discrete polygon that defines that polygon in some way.
Refer to the metadata files for more detailed information on attributes.
Bedrock Aquifer Database PAT Fields
Aqua = abbreviation of aquifer name
Thick = aquifer thickness in feet
Yield = aquifer yield in gallons per minute
Unconsolidated Aquifer Database Fields
lith = lithology
thick = drift thickness
thickcode = numeric codes that represents drift thickness
yield = aquifer yield in gallons per minute
yieldcode = numeric code that represents yield
local = localized aquifer delineations
setting = hydrogeologic setting
setcode = numeric code that represents setting
name = concantenation of local and setting
For more information on the State Bedrock and Glacial Aquifer Mapping project, please contact:
Jim Raab at
Phone (614) 265-6747
Fax (614) 265-6767 or
E-mail at jim.raab@dnr.state.oh.us