Czech Geological Survey broadly employes during its activities the technological possibilities provided by modern databases and geographical information systems (GIS). Implementation of the unified geological data model (geodatabase) and provision of easily accessible geodata to both geoscientists and public using web GIS services represent two main topics of the development of information systems in the CGS.
The majority of geological data is spatially oriented; the implementation of GIS technology therefore plays an important role in developing a complex geological information infrastructure for the CGS. GIS technology is applied into the two major fields:
GIS in the CGS is focused on the methods of spatial data processing, unification and dissemination. The digital processing of geological and applied maps, and the development of GIS follows standardized procedures utilizing common geological dictionaries and graphic elements.
The main recent objective in accordance with the latest trend in GIS is to create and implement the uniform geological data model (geodatabase), as well as providing the public and the scientific community with easy access to geodata through the www GIS applications. Digital geological data are currently available in the CGS at three different scales:
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Full coverage of the area of the Czech Republic (CR) – 1:500,000 (GEOCR500), 1:50,000 (GEOCR50)
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Limited coverage of the area of the CR (80 map sheets) – 1:25,000 (GEOCR25)
The geodatabase GEOCR500 represents a unique collection of 12 thematic layers (including topographical, satellite, geological, hydrogeological, metallogenic, radiometric, radon risk, etc.). This data resolution is suitable for government authorities and other specialists requiring general geological data..
GEOCR50 represents a unique geographical information system, containing over 260,000 mapped geological objects from the entire Czech Republic. The essential part of this geodatabase is a unified national geological index (legend), that consists of four main types of information: chronostratigraphical units, regional units, lithological description of rocks, and lithostratigraphical units. Since 1998 the geodatabase has been under revision leading to the creation of a digital 'seamless' geological map of the CR. This geodatabase has been widely used by government and local authorities, for instance, to support land-use planning purposes.
GEOCR25 under development since 1999, presently 80 map sheets are covered. This is a GIS project integrating extensive data sources related to geological mapping (databases of documentary, photodocumentation, analysis, material documentation). This geodatabase representing the fundamental information source of the geology in the CR is recently a base for building up of the National Geological Map Database of the Czech Republic.
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