If you need Alabama GIS data products you won't be inundated with data sources, however, there are several MUST visit web resources where loads of freely downloadable GIS data products can be found. the following are some must bookmark free data sites for the State of Alabama. Read on for tips on locating and downloading free Alabama DRGs, DOQs, aerial photography and more.

Once again we find a need to update our ongoing pointers to State GIS Data Clearinghouses and data repositories. For the State of Alabama the most visible clearinghouse comes from the Geological Survey of Alabama (GSA) - http://www.gsa.state.al.us/ and those searching should also consult the State metadata portal http://portal.gsa.state.al.us/Portal/ptk

The Alabama GIS Data portal. Access State data products, National data products and access the map viewer http://portal.gsa.state.al.us/

Need a PLS data product - get it at http://portal.gsa.state.al.us/download/AL_Seamless_PLSS_Sections.zip

Alabama data products from the USFWS - see http://www.fws.gov/data/statdata/aldata.html

Another fine data resource for Alabama products comes from the Alabama State Water Program. Perhaps the best repository you'll find, this great site offers up SRTM elevation data, SSURGO soils data, and 2006 DOQQs - get them here

Additional data products include:
geographic reference data
aerial imagery
DEMs
Land use Land cover data
Geological and physical datasets

USDA (http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/gis_data/) also provides some downloadable data for Alabama. Vector Data products include:

Administrative Boundary
FS Ownership
Roads
Sections
Soils
Stands
Townships
Trails
Water
   

Th GSA provides direct links to access DRG and DOQs - http://www.gsa.state.al.us/gsa/gis_data.aspx
I would also suggest jumping into this FTP repository http://portal.gsa.state.al.us/download/ to locate wetland data, soils, hydrology, coastal imagery and much more.

Finally, the University of Alabama has a fine collection of historical maps
See http://alabamamaps.ua.edu/historicalmaps/index.html
Perhaps even cooler, this fine resource also offers up aerial photography.  These data are sorted by county and by date of capture. 

U of A aerial photo map index 

Other Suggested GISuser Data Tips:

• See our data tips and articles section
• GISuser Data Spotlights section