UTexas LibGuides: Texas GIS Data

This University of Texas Libraries guide serves as a central hub for finding state-level geospatial data for Texas. It provides a comprehensive list of open data portals, including resources from the Texas Geographic Information Office (TxGIO) and the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), making it easier for researchers and practitioners to access a wide variety of datasets. The guide emphasizes the importance of also considering data from higher-level sources, such as federal government agencies like the U.S. Census Bureau, to obtain more detailed or complementary information for specific study areas within Texas.

Working with large datasets for a state the size of Texas, such as those for roads or parcels, can be challenging in GIS software. The guide offers practical advice to mitigate performance issues, including clipping data to a specific study area, using the Escape key to stop data drawing, pausing data frame drawing in ArcMap, and exercising patience when software temporarily stops responding during processing. This ensures users can effectively manage and utilize extensive geospatial datasets without encountering common software performance roadblocks.