New Mexico Geological Society Annual Spring Meeting — Abstracts

As part of an overall assessment of future map products contemplated by the federal government, needs of over 500 New Mexican map users, including 300 in-state New Mexico Geological Society members, were surveyed via a twelve-page questionnaire. Respondents noted their preferences for maps, aerial photos, remote sensing imagery, and other geographic products. An outstanding number (119) of survey forms were returned, including 42 businesses, 54 government (federal, state, county, local) workers, 6 university faculty, and 17 individuals. Ninety-five percent of respondents need topographic maps, and ninety percent are interested in maps that can be manipulated by computer. Those anticipating future use of computerized maps are double those who currently use these products. Nearly half of the eighty-seven percent who use aerial photos consider them to be very important. Seventy-nine percent plan to obtain more maps and other products in the near future. Ninety-four percent approve of governments spending more money on geographic products.

The highest preference ranks of different map scales are 1 :24,000 (sixty-nine percent) and larger (> 1:24,000; forty-three percent). Most respondents felt the 1:24,000 maps provide adequate detail, accuracy and coverage, but fifty-six percent felt the maps were not up-toI
date. Thirty-nine percent did not like the 1: 100,000 metric formats. Three-quarters of the respondents were interested in ownership and access maps. Nearly half of the respondents did not produce maps for public use. Two-thirds use map libraries, particularly at the University of New Mexico and at various government agencies.

According to forty-five percent of the respondents, cost is the main obstacle to obtaining more geographic information. Forty-five percent cooperate with other entities to obtain geographic information, but sixty-nine percent of those have no formal sharing mechanism in place. A significant number (about two-thirds) of respondents are willing to make cost-or work-share agreements to obtain map and digital products.