It is widely accepted that at least 80% of all City information has a geographical element (i.e., water lines, historic districts, schools, zoning boundaries, and land uses to name only a few).  In February of 2000 the City of Bozeman began implementing a computerized mapping system to record and maintain where certain assets exists on a map along with any maintenance or historic information that may be associated with each feature.  These data sets can be thought of as 'layers'.  Each layer can be viewed on top of one another to see relationships never before realized.  These digital layers can also be tied to existing databases such as billing information, street conditions, and fire hydrant flow data.  The possibilities of visualizing data, modeling, and retrieval of information are endless.

Geographical Information Systems have been around for decades, but have only recently become affordable and effective for communities our size.  Such a system brings many efficiencies to the City of Bozeman and allows for more effective management of its assets.  To explore a more detailed description GIS please don't hesitate to contact us directly or visit the USGS.  There are many other resources for Geographic Information Systems both locally and regionally which can be found in the Links section.

All City infrastructure and databases will eventually be tied into this system.  This web-site will serve as a portal to geographic information for the City of Bozeman.  New maps, data and applications are being added all the time, so check back often for updates.