Bhuvan (ISRO’s Geoportal) Bhuvan, maintained by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), offers GIS data and shapefiles for rivers and other water bodies. You can navigate to the Bhuvan portal, register, and search for river shapefiles for South Bengal.Website: Bhuvan Geoportal
India-WRIS (Water Resources Information System) India-WRIS is an initiative by the Ministry of Water Resources and ISRO. It provides comprehensive spatial data, including river networks, which may be downloadable as shapefiles.Website: India-WRIS
2. Global and Open Data Sources
HydroSHEDS HydroSHEDS (Hydrological data and maps based on Shuttle Elevation Derivatives at multiple Scales) offers high-quality hydrographic information, which can be useful for delineating river networks in the Bengal region. You can download data specific to South Asia.Website: HydroSHEDS
OpenStreetMap (OSM) OSM has a large community-curated dataset, which includes river networks globally, including South Bengal. You can download river data from OSM and convert it into shapefiles using GIS software like QGIS.Website: OpenStreetMap
EarthExplorer (USGS) The USGS EarthExplorer platform offers various types of geographical data, including rivers and water bodies, which you can filter by region and download.Website: USGS EarthExplorer
3. GIS and Environmental Data Repositories
Natural Earth Data Natural Earth provides public domain vector and raster map data, including river shapefiles at different scales. It’s free and widely used in GIS studies.Website: Natural Earth Data
GADM (Database of Global Administrative Areas) Although GADM mainly provides administrative boundaries, it includes river data in many regions. You can download shapefiles and clip to focus on South Bengal.Website: GADM
4. State-Specific Government Portals
The West Bengal State Government and other local government GIS portals sometimes have region-specific data. Checking the West Bengal government’s resources or contacting local environmental or water resource agencies may lead to valuable, location-specific river data.
Steps for Extracting and Using Shapefiles in GIS
Download the Data: From any of these sources, select and download the desired river shapefiles.
Use GIS Software: Open the shapefiles in QGIS or ArcGIS. You can use these tools to clip, merge, or modify the shapefiles based on your study area.
Convert Formats if Needed: Some data may be in other formats (like KML or GeoJSON). You can convert these to shapefiles in QGIS.
Survey of India (SOI):Description: The Survey of India provides detailed topographic maps and geospatial data, including river networks. Access: Visit the Survey of India Open Series Map portal to access free PDF maps. For specific shapefiles, you may need to contact SOI directly or explore their Geospatial Data Dissemination Portal.Online Maps
Bhuvan - Indian Geo-Platform of ISRO:Description: Bhuvan, developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), offers a variety of geospatial datasets, including hydrological layers. Access: Navigate to the Bhuvan portal and explore the available datasets. You may need to register for access to certain data layers.
OpenStreetMap (OSM):Description: OSM is a collaborative project that provides free geographic data, including river networks. Access: Use platforms like BBBike Extract Service to download OSM data for specific regions. Select your area of interest and choose the desired data format, such as shapefiles.GIS English
India-WRIS (Water Resources Information System):Description: A joint project by the Central Water Commission and ISRO, India-WRIS offers comprehensive water resources data. Access: Visit the India-WRIS portal and explore the available datasets related to river networks.
Global Map India:Description: Part of the Global Mapping Project, this dataset includes river networks for India. Access: Download the data from the Global Map website. Ensure to select the dataset corresponding to India. Additional Tips:
Data Licensing: Always review the licensing agreements associated with each dataset to ensure compliance with usage terms.
Data Accuracy: Verify the spatial resolution and accuracy of the datasets to ensure they meet the requirements of your study.
Data Processing: You may need GIS software like QGIS or ArcGIS to process and analyze the downloaded shapefiles.