Digital_Participant_Guidelines.pdf

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2010 Census Tribal Statistical Areas Program 
Guidelines for Digital Participants 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Version 1 
January 2009 
  
  
 
 
 
 
Table of Contents 
 
1.0 
Introduction: An Overview of the Tribal Statistical Areas Program…………..5 
 
 
1.1 About the Tribal Statistical Areas Program  
ESRI® ArcGIS® ArcMap™ (version 9.2) Extension………....6 
 
 
1.2 Schedule…………………………………………………………....6 
 
 
1.3 The Boundary and Annexation Survey…………………………….7 
 
 
1.4 Important Information on Features………………………………...7 
 
 
1.5 Boundary Feature Updates………………………………………...8 
 
 
1.6 Criteria……………………………………………………………10 
 
2.0 
Delineation Eligibility of American Indian and Alaska Native Areas………..11 
 
3.0 
Installation…………………………………………………………………….12 
 
 
 
 
 
3.1 Enabling the Extension in ArcMap……………………………….12 
 
 
4.0 
Starting a Project……………………………………………………………...15 
 
 
 
4.1 Overview of the Extension’s Tools and Commands……………...17 
 
 
 
 
 
5.0  
Delineating your Statistical Area……………………………………………..19 
 
 
 
5.1 Tribal Census Tracts……………………………………………...21 
5.2 Tribal Block Groups……………………………………………...27 
 
 
 
5.3 Census Designated Places (CDPs)………………………………..30 
5.4 Alaska Native Village Statistical Areas (ANVSAs)……………...35 
 
 
 
5.5 Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Area (OTSA) Tribal Subdivisions.....38 
5.6 Tribal Designated Statistical Areas (TDSAs)………………….....43 
 
 
 
5.7 State Designated Tribal Statistical Areas (SDTSAs)…………......46 
 
 
 
5.8 State American Indian Reservations……………………………...49 
 
6.0 
Using the Extension..........................................................................................53 
 
 
 
 
6.1 TSAP Geography Manager…………………………………….....53 
 
 
 
 
6.2 Workflow Manager…………………………………………….....54 
 
 
 
 
6.3 Working with Census Blocks…………………………………......55 
 
 
 
 
6.4 Assigning and Unassigning Geography to and from your area…..56 
 
 
 
 
6.5 Splitting Tracts and Block Groups by Block Selections……….....57 
 
 
 
 
6.6 Splitting Blocks with Existing Line Features………….................58 
 
 
 
 
6.7 Splitting Blocks with New Line Features ………………………...61 
 
 
 
6.8 Line Attributes Tool……………………………………………....65 
6.9 Merging Tracts and Block Groups………………………………..67 
6.10 Updating Type Attributes for Tracts and Block Groups ………..68 
 
 
7.0 
Block Boundary Definition…………………………………………………...70 
 
 
 
 
8.0 
Quality Control and Name Changes……………………………………….....73 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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9.0 
Submitting your Data ………………………………………………………..79 
 
 
 
 
9.1 Compressing Files for Submittal…………………………………81 
 
 
 
 
9.2 Transferring Files to Census Bureau……………………………..84 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10.0 Verification…………………………………………………………………...86 
 
Appendices 
 
 
1. American Indian and Alaska Native Tribe and Eligibility Listings..87 
 
 
 
Table A. Federally Recognized American Indian Tribes  
   (outside of Alaska and Oklahoma)…………...……..87 
 
 
 
Table B. Alaska Native Villages…………………………….105 
 
 
 
Table C. Federally Recognized Tribes in Oklahoma with a  
   former American Indian reservation in Oklahoma...118 
 
 
 
Table D. State Recognized Tribes…………………………...120 
2. Justifications for Unmet Criteria and Thresholds…………………123 
3. Glossary of Terms…………………………………………………128 
4. List of Shapefiles Included on the TSAP CD……………………..132 
5. Regional Census Centers Contact List…………………………….133 
6. Disclosure to Respondents………………………………………...134 
 
 
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1.0 Introduction 
 
The U.S. Census Bureau is the premier source of information about the American people and the 
economy.  The U.S. Constitution mandates that a census be taken every 10 years in order to reapportion 
the House of Representatives.  The data gathered by the decennial census and other Census Bureau 
programs are used for several other purposes, including the allocation and distribution of funds to state, 
local, and tribal governments.  Census information shapes important policy decisions that in turn shape 
the nation’s social and economic conditions.  While best known for the decennial census, the Census 
Bureau conducts numerous surveys and censuses that measure changing individual and household 
demographics and the entire economic condition of the nation. 
 
Census data help tribal elders and leaders understand what their communities need.  Many tribal 
communities use census information to attract new business and plan for growth.  Many tribes and tribal 
organizations use census data to plan new facilities and programs for the communities they serve. 
 
The Tribal Statistical Areas Program (TSAP) is part of an ongoing effort to enhance the reporting of 
meaningful statistical data for American Indian and Alaska Native areas.  Through this program tribes 
have the opportunity to identify and delineate the statistical areas and block boundaries for which the 
Census Bureau will tabulate data for the 2010 Census and the subsequently occurring American 
Community Survey (ACS).  Meaningful statistical data from the 2010 Census and the ACS can provide 
tribes and other data users with tools to help make informed decisions, and plan for services such as 
education, transportation, health, and housing. 
 
Tribes and states should strongly consider participating in the TSAP for the 2010 Census.  The program 
offers federally recognized tribes and designated state officials for state-recognized tribes greater control 
and improved flexibility to identify and propose changes to the boundaries of American Indian and 
Alaska Native Statistical Areas.  Nonetheless, participation in the TSAP is voluntary.  If your tribe or 
state chooses not to participate, the Census Bureau may revise the boundary of an existing area or 
delineate a new area in accordance with published criteria and guidelines.  TSAP includes the following 
statistical areas: 
 
 Alaska Native Village Statistical Areas (ANVSAs) 
 Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Areas (OTSAs) and tribal subdivisions on OTSAs 
 State Designated Tribal Statistical Areas (SDTSAs) 
 Tribal Designated Statistical Areas (TDSAs) 
 Tribal Census Tracts and Tribal Block Groups – on American Indian reservations (AIRs) and/or Off-
Reservation Trust Lands (ORTLs) 
 Census Designated Places (CDPs) 
 
In preparation for the 2010 Census, the Census Bureau also has developed the State Reservation 
Program (SRP).  The SRP occurs once before each decennial census, and is a survey of state AIRs for 
those states with state-recognized tribes that are not also federally recognized.  Its purpose is to 
determine, solely for data collection and tabulation by the Census Bureau, the complete and current 
inventory and the correct attributes (names, legal descriptions, official status) and official, legal 
boundaries of the state AIRs in each state.  Through the SRP, the Census Bureau also accepts additions 
 
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and updates to features such as roads or rivers that serve as a boundary for the state AIR, as well as 
address range break information at the boundaries. 
 
More information about the background and components of these geographic areas, as well as the 
delineation update criteria and guidelines, can be found in the Federal Register notices for American 
Indian Areas (Vol. 73, No. 221, Friday, November 14, 2008, p. 67470) and Alaska Native Areas (Vol. 
73, No. 214, Tuesday, November 4, 2008, p. 65572).  These notices may be accessed from our TSAP 
webpage at http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tsap2010/tsap2010.html.  Copies are also included on the 
enclosed CD. 
 
The instructions provided in this document will guide participants through the computer based 
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping process using ESRI® ArcGIS® ArcMap™ software 
(version 9.2 or 9.3) and the Census Bureau’s TSAP Extension for ArcMap.  Following this background 
and information section, an explanation of delineation eligibility and the installation instructions are 
presented.  Directions for starting a TSAP project and delineating tribal statistical areas are then 
described offering specific criteria and guidelines for each particular area type.  This is followed with a 
detailed presentation using the TSAP Extension’s Tools.  The guidelines conclude with a review of the 
quality control and submission processes. 
 
1.1 About the TSAP ESRI® ArcGIS® ArcMap™ (version 9.2 or 9.3) Extension 
 
The Census Bureau has developed a TSAP Extension for ESRI’s ArcMap version 9.2 or 9.3 that 
provides a suite of GIS data management and editing tools/commands designed for participants to 
identify, delineate, and review statistical areas.  Project inception, quality control, data submission, and 
workflow administration are all included in the data management features of the extension.  In addition 
to the inherent functionality of the ArcGIS software, the extension’s unique editing tools consist of 
geographic area assignment, block boundary definition, tribal tract/tribal block group type attribution, as 
well as line editing and polygon split/merge functions. 
 
Essential Census geographic datasets, used in the review and delineation of your areas, are provided 
with the extension on CD.  These geographic datasets will be used to create the workspace for your 
delineation and review tasks (as explained in the Starting a Project section).  Additional GIS data such 
as imagery, can be added to your project using ArcMap’s standard Add Data command button and other 
tools.   
 
In addition to digital submission, the TSAP offers participants the option of using paper maps to 
delineate their tribal statistical areas.  Paper map participants draw their delineations by hand directly 
upon maps and return their paper map submission by postal mail to the Regional Census Center (RCC) 
using a prepaid Business Reply Mail label.  If you would prefer to accomplish your delineations with the 
paper map option and did not receive paper map materials and guidelines, please contact the RCC (see 
Appendix 5 for contact information). 
 
1.2 Schedule 
 
In October 2008, the Census Bureau mailed formal invitation letters to tribal and state officials eligible 
to delineate tribal statistical areas.  These guidelines accompany the delineation materials required to 
 
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complete the work and are scheduled to arrive in January 2009.  Tribes have 120 days from the date they 
receive these materials to review and submit their tribal statistical area delineations or updates to the 
Census Bureau’s RCCs.  In late 2009/early 2010, after the Census Bureau has reviewed and 
incorporated your statistical areas into our geographic database, you will receive new maps or digital 
files so that you can verify that we have inserted your boundaries correctly.  If you have questions 
regarding your delineation or submission, assistance will be available from geographers at your RCC. 
 
1.3 The Boundary and Annexation Survey 
 
The Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) is an annual Census Bureau survey of legal geographic 
entities that includes federal AIRs, ORTLs, and any associated tribal subdivisions.  Whereas the TSAP 
provides the process for reviewing and updating those AIAs that are statistical geographic entities, the 
BAS provides the process for reviewing and updating AIAs that are legal federal geographic entities, 
such as the federally recognized reservation itself, tribal subdivisions, and ORTLs.  Its purpose is to 
determine, solely for data collection and tabulation by the Census Bureau, the complete and current 
inventory and the correct names, legal descriptions, official status, and official, legal boundaries of the 
legal geographic entities with governmental authority over certain areas within the United States, as of 
January 1 of the survey year.  The BAS also collects specific information to document the legal actions 
that established a boundary or imposed a boundary change.  In support of the government-to-
government relationship with federally recognized American Indian tribes, the Census Bureau works 
directly with tribal officials on the BAS.  Through the BAS, the Census Bureau also accepts updates to 
features such as roads or rivers, and address range break information at the boundaries.  If you wish to 
update boundaries for your federal reservation, off-reservation trust lands, or legal tribal subdivisions, 
you should do so through the BAS. 
 
For more information about the BAS, contact your RCC or see the Census Bureau's Web  
site at http://www.census.gov/geo/www/bas/bashome.html.  The BAS Respondent  
Guide for federally recognized tribes is available at:  
 
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/bas/bas09/bas09_mat_aia.html 
 
1.4 Important Information on Features 
 
Feature boundaries of statistical areas should follow specified legal or administrative boundaries that do 
not change greatly over time, or permanent, visible features, such as roads, perennial streams, railroads, 
and high-tension power lines.  Permanent visible features should be easily locatable in the field by 
Census Bureau staff without ambiguity.  The acceptable visible boundary features are: 
 
 
levee 
 dam 
 stream/river (perennial)  
 canal, ditch or aqueduct (perennial) 
 pier/dock 
 runway/taxiway 
 pipeline (above ground) 
 powerline (above ground, high-tension) 
 aerial tramway/ski lift 
 natural topographic features 
 cliff/escarpment 
 perennial shoreline 
 railroad features (Main) 
 carline, streetcar track, monorail, other 
mass transit rail 
 
 
 
 
 
interstate highway or primary road with 
limited access 
 primary road without limited access, U.S. 
highway, state highway or county 
highway, secondary and connecting 
roads 
 
local neighborhood road, rural road, city 
street 
 service drive (usually along a limited 
access highway) 
 alley 
 fencelines 
 
Data user and Census Bureau experience has shown that some features make better boundaries than 
others, and the same type of feature can make an excellent boundary in one place and a poor one in 
another.  Rivers, major canals, lakes, and other bodies of water often make good statistical area 
boundaries because they generally limit access from one area to another and rarely change relative 
location.  Other features that limit access between areas, such as interstate and other major highways, 
railroad tracks, and the ridges of mountain ranges, also make good statistical area boundaries.  In some 
instances, however, such a feature unifies a community, for example, a lake forming the core of a 
recreational housing development or a through street forming the spine of a subdivision.  In these 
circumstances, the statistical area boundary should include the entire area of the lake or both sides of a 
unifying street to better encompass similar community patterns.   
 
In general, when delineating boundaries in bodies of water represented as polygons and having area 
(lakes, reservoirs, bays, oceans, and wide rivers), the boundary should follow a line bisecting the water 
body rather than following a shoreline.  Wherever possible, use an existing line in water (for example, a 
county line in the middle of a river) rather than adding a new line.  
 
Tribal or state officials delineating tribal statistical areas may only add nonvisible lines as a boundary if 
other acceptable boundary features such as roads, rivers, streams, shorelines, trails and ridgelines, are 
not available and they aid in a tribal statistical area meeting other specific delineations criteria and/or 
guidelines.  The Census Bureau staff will contact you if they require more information or have questions 
about feature updates submitted as part of the 2010 TSAP. 
 
1.5 Boundary Feature Updates 
 
The Census Bureau has spent the last six years enhancing the spatial accuracy of the roads in our 
database system.  The local files used during this project were required to have an overall average 
accuracy of 7.6 meters while some files had better accuracy.   
 
Although much of the street network is vastly improved, as you work with our shapefiles you may 
notice that in some counties the street and boundary features look distorted.  A line that should be 
straight may have a noticeable kink or pointed shape.  The Census Bureau is working to correct these 
problems.  If you need to use a feature that is distorted in our shapefiles, follow the guidelines below. 
 
The Census Bureau is also now moving forward with our 2010 Census field canvassing and collection 
activities.  This means that we are no longer processing realignments to our street network.  What is 
critical for the success of the 2010 Census data tabulation is the location of roads relative to the 
tabulation entity boundary.  As long as the road is within the correct entity, the population and housing 
will be properly reported.  The guidelines below explain what updates are acceptable as part of the 
TSAP. 
 
 
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It is critical that participants understand that the TSAP is not intended for street feature updates except 
where a boundary follows a road (or other visible feature such as a stream) and the road is not reflected 
in our file.  For this reason the Census Bureau cannot accept street (or other) feature updates that do not 
follow the guidelines below: 
 
Guidelines for Updating Features 
1. If a road is missing and it forms the boundary for the area you are defining, add the road and 
provide the name. 
2. If you cannot correctly delineate the boundary for an entity you are updating because the feature 
you need to follow is incorrectly located, mislabeled, or distorted in the Census Bureau’s file, we 
request that you go ahead and use the problematic boundary and report the existence of the 
identified problematic boundary feature(s).  The problematic boundary may be reported to the 
Census Bureau through the RCC (contact information is contained in Appendix 5).  The Census 
Bureau will then correct the feature and adjust your delineation accordingly.  
3. Do not add streets that are missing, even for an entire housing development (add only streets that 
are needed to form a boundary). We will be adding new or missing streets during our address 
canvassing operation which will occur in the spring and early summer of 2009.  The Census 
Bureau will provide verification materials to each participant that returns their submission in the 
correct format and within the allotted 120 days that will show the results of address canvassing.  
If these streets are still missing at that time, we will accept these as adds. 
4. When establishing a boundary that is within 30 feet (10 meters) of an existing line in the Census 
Bureau’s shapefile, do not add an additional line.  Instead use the existing line features wherever 
possible. 
 
Feature Extension Criteria 
If you want to use an existing feature that does not form a closed polygon, you may add a short line to 
connect the features and close the polygon.  The Census Bureau refers to these lines as feature 
extensions and several requirements pertain.  To avoid creating ambiguous Census block boundaries, we 
require that feature extensions:  
 
 Are no longer than 300 feet; 
 Are straight lines from the end of a road and intersecting a non-road feature (These include all 
hydrographic features, pipelines, powerlines, and railroads.); 
 Do not intersect a cul-de-sac. 
 
 
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1.6 Criteria 
 
All American Indian Areas (AIAs) must follow a standard set of criteria that support a shared purpose of 
providing a meaningful and relevant geographic framework for tabulating data for the Census.  It is the 
responsibility of the Census Bureau to ensure that geographic entity criteria can achieve the goal of 
providing meaningful, relevant, and reliable statistical data, and that the final criteria for geographic 
entities are met.  While aware that there are secondary uses of geographic entities and the data tabulated 
for them, the Census Bureau will not modify their boundaries or attributes specifically to meet these 
secondary uses, including those of other government agencies.  If a change is made to a geographic 
entity to meet one specific purpose, it may be detrimental for other programs that also use these entities.  
The Census Bureau will use the criteria and guidelines to help ensure that tribal statistical areas 
delineated for the 2010 Census support the intended purpose of the program, provide useful and 
meaningful data for the tribe they represent, and enhance the ability for data users to make more 
meaningful comparisons between data. 
 
Criteria are rules that must be followed by all officials delineating statistical AIAs for the 2010 Census, 
while guidelines are suggestions for improving the relevance and utility of statistical AIAs.  Criteria and 
guidelines for specific tribal statistical area entities are explained in section 5.0 Delineating your 
statistical area. 
 
 
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2.0 Delineation Eligibility of American Indian and Alaska Native Areas 
 
American Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages reside in a diverse landscape of legal, cultural, social, 
and historical contexts.  This diversity has resulted in an equally varied identification of geographic 
boundaries and statistical areas for American Indian and Alaska Native areas (AIANAs).  For the 2010 
Census, the TSAP offers the opportunity to delineate the following AIANAs: tribal census tracts, tribal 
block groups, CDPs, OTSAs, OTSA tribal subdivisions, TDSAs, SDTSAs, SAIRs, and ANVSAs.  
Federally recognized tribes with AIRs and/or ORTLs are eligible to suggest 2010 Census tabulation 
block boundaries through the Block Definition Project (BDP).  The eligibility of a tribe to delineate a 
particular AIANA is expressed in Table 1.  In addition, a list of all TSAP eligible tribes and the AIANA 
types that they are eligible to delineate is presented in Tables A-D of Appendix 1 (Table A. Federally 
Recognized Tribes, Table B. Alaska Native villages, Table C. Federally Recognized Tribes in Oklahoma 
with a former American Indian reservation in Oklahoma, Table D. State Recognized Tribes). 
 
Table 1. AIANAs Delineation Eligibility 
 
Tribal Participant 
Geographic Areas Eligible for Delineation 
Federally recognized tribe¹ (AIA population >= 2,400 or HU >= 960) 
Tribal Census Tract, Tribal Block Group, CDP, BDP 
Federally recognized tribe¹ (AIA population >= 1,200 and < 2,400 or 
HU >=480 and <960) 
Tribal Census Tract², Tribal Block Group, CDP, BDP 
Federally recognized tribe¹ (AIA population < 1,200 or HU < 480) 
Tribal Census Tract², Tribal Block Group², CDP, BDP 
Federally recognized tribe in Oklahoma with former AIR in Oklahoma 
CDP, OTSA, OTSA Tribal Subdivision³ 
Federally recognized tribe without AIR or ORTL 
TDSA 
Alaska Native village (federally or ANCSA recognized) 
ANVSA 
State recognized tribe with an AIR or ORTL 
State recognized American Indian Reservation 
State recognized tribe without an AIR or ORTL 
SDTSA 
¹ with an American Indian reservation (AIR) and/or off reservation trust lands (ORTL). 
² only one entity coinciding to the same area as the AIR and/or ORTL will be delineated. 
³ The boundaries for tribal subdivisions on AIRs and ORTLs, and well as the outer boundaries for AIRs and ORTLs, are collected via the Census 
Bureau’s annual Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS). 
Acronyms AIR: American Indian Reservation; ANCSA: Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act; ANVSA: Alaska Native village statistical area; 
BDP: Block Definition Project; CDP: Census designated place; HU: housing units; ORTL: Off-reservation trust land; OTSA: Oklahoma Tribal 
Statistical Area; SDTSA: State Designated Tribal Statistical Area; TDSA: Tribal Designated Statistical Area 
 
If you believe the population or housing unit (HU) count for your AIR and/or ORTL now meet 
population or housing unit thresholds changing your eligibility status, despite the 2000 Census counts, 
please contact your Regional Census Center (RCC).  Appendix 5 includes RCC contact information.  
Appendix 1 provides the 2000 Census housing unit counts and population as well as the RCC name.
 
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3.0 Installation of TSAP ArcGIS Extension 
 
Installation Requirements 
Operating System: Windows XP (preferred) or Windows Vista 
Hardware: CD disk drive 
GIS Software: ESRI ArcGIS ArcMap (version 9.2 or 9.3) 
Local disk space: The extension itself will require 230 MB of local disk space.  Additional space is 
required for the area data files. 
 
Installation Directions 
Insert the enclosed CD into your computer’s CD drive.  If the setup process does not automatically 
initiate, navigate to the CD, locate the Setup.exe file and double click it to begin the installation.  When 
prompted, select a location on your local hard drive where you will want to store the extension (the 
default location is C:\Program Files\U.S. Department of Commerce\TSAP Extension).   
 
After the TSAP Extension installation is complete, you will be prompted to copy the spatial data for 
your area to a local directory on your computer.  A list of the spatial data files included with the TSAP 
Extension is included in Appendix 4. 
 
3.1 Enabling the Extension in ArcMap 
 
1. Open ArcMap 
2. Enable the TSAP Extensions by selecting the Tools drop down menu and navigating to Extensions… 
 
 
 
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After the Extensions window pops-up check on the TSAP Extension. 
 
 
 
 
3. Add the TSAP toolbars to the ArcMap interface by selecting the View drop down menu, navigating to 
Toolbars, scrolling down the Toolbar fly-out window and then checking on the following three toolbars: 
TSAP Management, TSAP Tools, and Census Editing Tools (you will need to check each one separately). 
 
 
 
 
 
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As each new toolbar is selected, it will appear in your ArcMap interface.  When all three toolbars have 
been added, your ArcMap window should appear similar to the image below. 
   
 
 
 
 
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4.0 Starting a Project 
 
1. New TSAP projects are started and existing projects opened by clicking on the Show Project 
Manager command button 
  found on the TSAP Management toolbar.  This begins the process of 
establishing a workspace that will contain the files necessary for the review and delineation of your 
statistical areas.  TSAP projects can only be started and reopened with the Show Project Manager 
command button.  ArcMap’s standard Open Project command should not be used when working with a 
TSAP project. 
 
2. After clicking the Show Project Manager command button, the TSAP Workspace Creation window 
appears.  Select New Project and click the Next button.  The following window will prompt you to enter 
the location of your Data Folder.  This is the folder where the data from the TSAP CD was placed 
during the installation and setup process.  Click the Browse button to navigate to the Data Folder.  (The 
Data Folder must be stored on a local directory with write access). 
 
      
 
 
 
3. Once your Data Folder is located, the directory path will be displayed in the window similar to the 
example below.  To continue and create your workspace, click the New button. 
 
 
 
 
 
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As the workspace is being created and essential files are assembled a message window will be displayed.  
This process could take several minutes or longer depending upon the size of the files for your project’s 
geographic area. 
 
 
 
After the workspace has been created, you will be prompted with a message box as shown below.  We 
suggest that you always start with existing boundaries; therefore, always answer yes. 
 
 
 
Your new project workspace will appear similar to the example image below. 
 
 
 
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4.1 Overview of the TSAP Extension’s Tools and Commands 
These tools will be explained in greater detail throughout the guidelines. 
 
TSAP Management Toolbar 
 
The TSAP Management toolbar includes all of the administrative functionality 
needed from project inception to the submittal of your final output shapefiles.     
 
 Show Project Manager (opens new and existing projects)  
 Quality control of your edited statistical areas 
 Submits your final output shapefiles to a local directory 
 Show/Hide TSAP Geography Manager 
 Show/Hide Workflow Manager 
 Toggle block symbology (toggle to/from AIAN percent population by block) 
 Show TSAP Extension guidelines 
 Zoom to entity 
 
 
TSAP Tools  
 
The TSAP Tools toolbar includes commands and tools necessary for updating 
polygon area features (e.g. tribal tracts, tribal block groups, CDPs, etc.).  
 
 Assign geography (e.g. add area to your tract) 
 Unassign geography (e.g. remove area from your tract) 
 Block Boundary Definition Tool 
 Tract/Block Group type tool 
 Merge tool (used to merge tracts and block groups) 
 Split tool (used to split tracts and block groups by a block selection) 
 Find Noncontiguous Areas 
 Find block groups split by tribal tracts 
 
 
 
 Find unassigned areas 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Census Editing Tools 
 
 
 
 
The Census Editing Tools toolbar is specifically used for line editing tasks.  Line 
editing will be used when drawing new boundary lines as well as selecting 
existing line features to split census blocks, and statistical areas.  
 
 
 Pull down menu to start and end line editing tasks. 
 Sketch tool 
 Edit feature selection tool 
 Select target layer pull down (this will only be 
visible in the Census Editing Tools if the standard Editor toolbar is not already 
added) 
 Line attributes tool 
 Feature selection tool 
 Split block tool 
 
 
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5.0 Delineating Your Statistical Area 
 
General Guidance 
 
The TSAP extension is designed to assist participants with the review and delineation of the American 
Indian and Alaska Native areas (AIANAs) included in the 2010 Census TSAP.  The eligibility to 
delineate specific AIANAs was presented in section 2 of this document and may also be found for your 
tribe in Tables A-D of Appendix 1 (Table A. Federally Recognized Tribes, Table B. Alaska Native 
villages, Table C.  Federally Recognized Tribes in Oklahoma with a former American Indian reservation 
in Oklahoma, Table D. State Recognized Tribes).  This section is intended to offer guidance in the 
delineation process for each type of AIANA through an introduction, the listing of specific criteria and 
guidelines, and an example delineation scenario.  The extension’s tools and commands described in 
scenarios are more thoroughly defined in section 6.  In the AIANA list below, please refer to the 
italicized section listings and page forward for guidance in the delineation of your tribal statistical area.  
 
AIANAs to be reviewed and updated include: 
 
• Tribal census tracts Section 5.1 
• Tribal block groups Section 5.2 
• Census designated places (CDPs) Section 5.3 
• Alaska Native village statistical areas (ANVSAs) Section 5.4 
• Oklahoma tribal statistical areas (OTSAs) and OTSA tribal subdivisions Section 5.5 
• Tribal designated statistical areas (TDSAs)  Section 5.6 
• State designated tribal statistical areas (SDTSAs) Section 5.7 
• State American Indian Reservations Section 5.8 
 
As noted the TSAP extension has been developed for ESRI’s ArcGIS software.  Therefore as with any 
ArcMap project, additional spatial datasets that may be useful in your delineation work for reference, 
such as land use, zoning, aerial imagery, etc. may be added at anytime to supplement your TSAP 
projects.  The TSAP extension does not offer any custom tools for adding supplemental datasets to the 
data frame, rather you must utilize the existing Add Data 
 command found on ArcGIS’s Standard 
toolbar. 
 
All data supplied by the Census Bureau for use with the TSAP extension is delivered in geographic 
projection, North American Datum 1983 (NAD83).  The TSAP data is supplied in shapefile format and 
is thus not topologically integrated.  The Census Bureau requests that tribal participants maintain the 
shapefile format and projection throughout all use of the TSAP extension from review and delineation 
to final submittal.  It is necessary to maintain the delivered shapefile and projection format because all 
submitted delineations will be incorporated by the Census Bureau into a seamless topologically 
integrated spatial database.  The Census Bureau provided shapefiles must be used for the actual 
delineation work.  All delineations submitted in other file formats and/or projections will cause a delay 
in processing and acceptance and may not be used by the Census Bureau. 
 
If you believe the boundary for your reservation or off-reservation trust land is not correct, please 
contact the Census Bureau RCC (see Appendix 5 for your RCC’s contact information). 
 
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Things to Consider when Delineating Tribal Statistical Areas 
 
Since tribal statistical areas will also be used beyond the 2010 Census to tabulate and present period 
estimates from the ACS, defining officials should consider that, as a general rule, period estimates of 
demographic characteristics for geographic entities with small populations will be subject to higher 
variances than comparable estimates for geographic entities with larger populations.  In addition, the 
Census Bureau’s disclosure rules may have the effect of restricting the availability and amount of data 
for geographic entities with small populations.  The more closely a tribal statistical area boundary relates 
to the distribution of tribal members and American Indians receiving governmental services from the 
tribe, and does not include large numbers of people and households not affiliated with the tribe, the more 
likely that data presented for the tribal statistical area will accurately reflect the characteristics of the 
intended tribal population.  
 
Although eligible, in a few cases a tribe may elect not to delineate a tribal statistical area if it will not 
provide meaningful, relevant, or reliable statistical data because the member population now resides in 
numerous other locations or has been completely subsumed by non-member and/or non-American 
Indian populations.  In such instances, defining a tribal statistical area will not improve the presentation 
of statistical data relating to tribal members.  These tribes may still be able to receive meaningful, 
relevant, and reliable statistical data for their tribal membership at higher levels of census geography 
through the characteristic of tribal affiliation. 
 
The definition of an ANVSA, OTSA, TDSA, and SDTSA may not necessarily include all tribal 
members; nor is it intended to depict land ownership, represent an area over which a tribe has any form 
of governmental authority or jurisdiction, or represent all of the traditional or historical areas associated 
with the tribe, including areas used for subsistence activities.  Representation of statistical Alaskan 
Native Area and AIA boundaries in Census Bureau products is solely for the purpose of data tabulation 
and presentation.  Likewise, representation of ANVSA, OTSA, TDSA, and SDTSA boundaries in 
Census Bureau products does not convey or confer any rights to land ownership, government authority, 
or jurisdictional status. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
20
 
 
 
 
5.1 About Tribal Census Tracts and Tribal Block Groups 
 
Tribal census tracts are delineated within federally recognized AIRs/ORTLs, and may contain one or 
more tribal block groups.  Tribal block groups in turn represent a collection of adjacent census blocks.  
Together these Statistical Areas make up a nested geographic hierarchy. 
 
Table 2. Tribal Census Tract and Tribal Block Group thresholds 
Area Type 
Threshold Type 
Minimum 
Optimal 
Maximum 
Population 
1,200 
4,000 
8,000 
Tribal Census Tract 
Housing Unit 
480 
1,600 
3,200 
Population 
600 
N/A 
3,000 
Tribal Block Group 
Housing Unit 
240 
N/A 
1,200 
 
The Census Bureau recommends minimum/maximum and optimal population and housing unit 
thresholds for tribal census tracts and tribal block groups (see Table 2 above).  In accordance with TSAP 
criteria, an AIR/ORTL must have population equal to or greater than 2,400 or a housing unit count equal 
to or greater than 960 to delineate more than one tribal census tract.  To delineate more than one tribal 
block group an AIR/ORTL must have population equal to or greater than 1,200 or a housing unit count 
equal to or greater than 440.  If an AIR/ORTL lacks the population/housing unit count to delineate more 
than one tribal census tract/tribal block group the Census Bureau will delineate one tribal census tract 
and tribal block group coextensive with the entire AIR/ORTL.  These thresholds apply to the entire 
population living on, and housing units existing within, the AIR/ORTL – not only American Indians or 
Alaska Natives, and not only tribal members.  These thresholds do not take into account and do not 
include Tribal members that live outside the boundaries of the AIR/ORTL.  These thresholds are in 
keeping with those established for the Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) and were 
determined based on comprehensive consultations with statisticians and demographers regarding data 
accuracy and privacy concerns.  Areas delineated with population or housing counts below these 
thresholds may not have data released due to data disclosure prevention.  Areas above these maximum 
thresholds may lose the data richness and usability that may be attained with the optimal thresholds. 
 
Tribal Census Tracts and Tribal Block Groups vs. Standard Census Tracts and Standard Block 
Groups 
 
Census tracts are the oldest and one of the most utilized statistical geographic entities for which the 
Census Bureau tabulates data. The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a set of nationally 
consistent small, statistical geographic units, with stable boundaries, that facilitate analysis of data 
across time.  Standard census tracts always nest within states and counties.  Standard block groups are 
subdivisions of standard census tracts and always nest within standard census tracts.  Standard block 
groups provide the geographic framework within which the Census Bureau defines and numbers census 
blocks, with the block group number serving as the first digit for each census block in the block group. 
 
Tribal census tracts and tribal block groups are conceptually similar and equivalent to standard census 
tracts and block groups.  They recognize the unique statistical data needs of federally recognized 
American Indian tribes by providing meaningful, relevant, and reliable data for small geographic areas 
within the boundaries of federally recognized AIRs and/or ORTLs.  The delineation of tribal census 
tracts and tribal block groups allows for an unambiguous presentation of census tract and block group 
level data specific to an AIR and/or ORTL, without the imposition of state or county boundaries, which 
 
21
 
 
 
 
might artificially separate American Indian populations located within a single AIR and/or ORTL.  To 
this end, tribal census tracts and tribal block groups may cross county or state boundaries, or both. 
 
For the 2010 Census, tribal census tracts and tribal block groups will be for the first time identified as a 
geographic framework completely separate from standard census tracts and standard block groups.  With 
the development of an entirely separate tribal geographic framework, tribal participants have greater 
freedom to begin their delineations from scratch without need to consider compatibility with Census 
2000 tracts and block groups.  Aside from the intent presented in the previous paragraph the 
identification of tribal census tracts and tribal block groups for the 2010 Census also seeks to eliminate 
data issues associated with previous censuses, so that for the 2010 Census more census tracts and block 
groups, both tribal and standard, will meet the population and housing unit thresholds.  The separation of 
tribal and standard geographic frameworks will apply to data tabulation products, as well as to 
geographic information products. 
 
While there will be a separate hierarchy for standard and tribal census tracts and block groups in 2010, 
there will only be one set of 2010 tabulation blocks.  Tabulation blocks are the smallest geographic unit 
for which the Census Bureau tabulates decennial census data.  Tabulation blocks will be numbered with 
a 4-digit code, the first digit being the number of the standard block group in which it nests.  For 
example, tabulation block 1001 is in standard block group 1 and block 2001 is in standard block group 2.  
Because census blocks will be numbered within standard block groups and tribal block groups will be 
identified uniquely from standard block groups, there will not be a relationship between tribal block 
group identifiers and census block numbers.  Thus, tribal block group A might contain census blocks 
numbered in different ‘‘thousand’’ ranges (e.g., blocks 1001, 2001, and 3001). 
 
Special Land Use Tribal Census Tracts and Tribal Block Groups 
 
To recognize and distinguish the special uses of some parcels of land, the Census Bureau allows for the 
definition of special land use tribal census tracts or block groups.  Specific areas such as ceremonial 
grounds, historic sites, and parks can be identified as special land use tribal census tracts or tribal block 
groups.  These areas must have an official name, generally have little or no residential population or 
housing units (or meet the non special land use tribal census tract or tribal block group population and 
housing unit thresholds) and must be contiguous.  If located in a densely populated urban area, a special 
land use tribal census tract or tribal block group must have an area measurement of approximately one 
square mile or more.  If delineated completely outside an urban area, a special land use tribal census 
tract or tribal block group must have an area of approximately 10 square miles or more.  Participants are 
not required to delineate special land use tribal census tracts or tribal block groups. 
 
The Census Bureau recognizes that some special land use areas not intended for residential population, 
such as parks, may contain some population, such as caretakers or the homeless.  Our intent is to allow 
for the delineation of parks and other special land use areas as separate tribal census tracts and therefore 
we will accept such areas as special land use tribal census tracts even if some, but very little, residential 
population is present. 
 
 
22
 
 
 
 
An Explanation of the Tribal Census Tract and Tribal Block Group Code Labels 
 
When working with new or existing tribal census tracts and tribal block groups you will respectively 
notice their ten and eleven digit identification code labels.  For raw data work processes such as the 
delineation tasks you are accomplishing with the TSAP Extension, the entire code for both tribal census 
tracts and tribal block groups are used when labeling features.  The entire code may not be present on 
other Census Bureau data products including the American Fact Finder website. 
 
Tribal Census Tract example 
 
4625T00400 
 
The first four characters identify the American Indian Area (AIA).  The middle four characters 
beginning with “T” identify the tribal census tract.  The last two characters are a tract suffix that will 
identify split tracts. 
 
Tribal Block Group example  
 
Tribal block groups add to the tribal census tract code one additional character.  The example below is a 
code for tribal block group “A” which is within the tribal census tract “T004” of AIA 4625. 
 
4625T00400A 
 
23
 
 
 
 
Delineating Tribal Census Tracts 
 
Tribal Census Tract Criteria and Guidelines 
 
The criteria for tribal census tracts are: 
1. Tribal census tracts may not cross AIR/ORTL boundaries. 
2. The entire land and water area of an AIR/ORTL must be covered by one or more tribal census tracts. 
3. Tribal census tracts will be labeled by a “T” followed by three digits, beginning with “T001, T002, 
etc.” 
 
Guidelines for delineating tribal census tracts are: 
 
1. Optimally, census tracts should have 4,000 people or 1,600 housing units.  Meeting or exceeding the 
optimum thresholds will help improve the reliability of sample data for tribal census tracts. 
2. Each tribal census tract must encompass at least 1,200 people or at least 480 housing units unless it 
is flagged as a special land use tract (see section 6.10) or the AIR/ORTL itself has less than 1,200 
people or 480 housing units. 
3. A tribal census tract must comprise a reasonably compact and contiguous land area. 
4. Tribal census tract boundaries should follow visible and identifiable features. 
5. Noncontiguous tribal census tracts are permitted only where a contiguous area or inaccessible area 
would not meet population or housing unit count requirements for a separate tribal census tract, in 
which case the noncontiguous or inaccessible area must be combined with a proximate tribal census 
tract.  For example, if your reservation includes noncontiguous pieces, and each piece does not have 
enough population or housing to qualify for its own tribal census tract, one tribal census tract may be 
delineated instead. 
 
First, review the 2000 Census tract boundaries and inspect the location and spatial extent of all existing 
statistical areas as well as the corresponding demographic data reported from the 2000 Census.  
Demographic data can easily be found using the TSAP Geography Manager 
 tool.  Select Tribal 
Census Tracts as your work layer and All as your update type.  In the Current Work District pull-down 
menu scroll through the available tracts.  Notice that as each is selected, demographic attributes are 
displayed beneath the Current Work District within the TSAP Geography Manager.  Tracts falling 
within or outside the population and/or housing unit thresholds are symbolized accordingly (red outline: 
outside thresholds, green outline: within thresholds).  It should again be noted that if your tribe is 
eligible for only one tribal census tract, the Census Bureau will delineate a single tribal census tract 
coextensive to your AIR/ORTL boundary.  In the example at the top of the next page, an AIR with three 
census tracts is depicted.  The demographic attributes for each tract are present in the three following 
screenshots of the TSAP Geography Manager on the next page. 
 
 
24
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
 
 
In the scenario presented on the previous page, two tracts (outlined in red) fall outside the population 
and housing unit thresholds required for tribal census tracts.  The delineation of the tracts appears to be 
based on standard geographic area governmental unit boundaries (e.g. counties and states) rather than a 
demographic rationale, and may not aid in the accurate reporting of the tribe’s statistical data.  An 
appropriate solution would be the merging of the three tracts into one new tract.  This is accomplished 
by using the Merge Tool 
 found on the TSAP Tools toolbar (see Section 6.9).  A new tribal census 
tract, 4625T00600, with correspondingly summarized demographic data is formed from the merging 
process (see image below). 
 
 
 
25
 
 
 
 
Creating New Tribal Census Tracts 
 
Continuing from the preceding scenario, the subject AIR/ORTL is eligible for two new tribal census 
tracts.  When creating new tribal census tracts, it is recommended that the Assign 
 Geography tool be 
used to maintain the nesting relationships between the tracts and the AIR/ORTL.  Not using this method 
of delineation may result in blocks that are unassigned to a tribal census tract, which will slow the final 
quality control process. 
 
Begin the delineation by selecting Tribal Census Tracts as your work layer and All as your update type.  
In the Current Work District pull-down menu select New District, then select the appropriate New 
District Parameters and click OK (see images below).  
  
 
 
The new tribal census tract, assigned with a new tribal tract number, is then created and displayed in the 
Current Work District, and you may begin adding area.  Using the Assign 
 Geography tool, select and 
add census blocks until a tribal census tract is delineated (see image below).  
 
 
 
The example above presents two tribal census tracts that both meet all necessary criteria.  If a tract falls 
below the population or housing unit thresholds (tracts below thresholds will be shown in red), select the 
tract in the Current Work District and again use the Assign 
 Geography tool add area until all tracts 
meet threshold criteria. 
 
26
 
 
 
 
5.2 Delineating Tribal Block Groups 
 
Tribal block groups are aggregations of census blocks within a tribal census tract.  Block groups provide 
a geographic summary unit for census block data, and represent the smallest geographic area for which 
data will be reported for the ACS.  Therefore the delineation of tribal census block groups should be 
recognized as the most flexible opportunity for the presentation of demographic data for population 
centers, unique land uses, group quarters, and transitional/temporary communities within a single census 
tract. 
 
Tribal Block Group Criteria and Guidelines 
 
The criteria for tribal block groups are: 
 
1. Tribal block groups must not cross tribal census tract boundaries.   
2. Because tribal census tracts must cover the entire area of each AIR/ORTL, by definition, tribal block 
groups also must cover the entire area of each AIR/ORTL. 
3. Tribal block groups will be designated with a single capital letter from “A” through “K” (except for 
the letter “I”).  Tribal block group identifiers must be unique within tribal census tracts. 
 
Guidelines for delineating tribal block groups are: 
 
1. Each block group must encompass at least 600 people or at least 240 housing units unless it is 
coextensive with a flagged special land use tract (see section 6.10) or the AIR/ORTL itself has less 
than 600 people or 240 housing units. 
2. A block group must comprise a reasonably compact, contiguous land area. 
3. Noncontiguous block groups are permitted only where a contiguous area or inaccessible area would 
not meet population or housing unit count requirements for a separate tribal block group, in which 
case the noncontiguous or inaccessible area must be combined with a proximate block group.  For 
example, if your reservation includes noncontiguous pieces, and each piece does not have enough 
population or housing to qualify for its own tribal block group, one tribal block group may be 
delineated instead. 
4. Block group boundaries should follow visible and identifiable features. 
 
 
As with tribal census tracts, your review should begin with an 
inspection of the 2000 Census block groups and the corresponding 
demographic data reported for the 2000 Census.  Using the TSAP 
Geography Manager 
 tool, select Tribal Block Groups as the 
current work layer, and All as the update type.  In the Current Work 
District pull-down menu, scroll through and select any block group to 
see its demographic data.  An example block group selection using the 
TSAP Geography Manager is shown in the image to the right. 
 
 
27
 
 
 
 
In the following example, all of the reservation’s block groups are displayed.  Block groups outlined in 
red are outside the established population and/or housing unit thresholds while block groups outlined in 
green are within.  The reservation is displayed by a transparent green shade. 
 
 
 
With so many block groups falling outside the thresholds it is apparent that some will need to be merged.  
After choosing a current work district (in this example tract 4625T00400C), the tribal block group 
delineation is begun by using the Merge Tool 
 to merge block groups.  Two block groups are selected 
(in blue outline) for merging in the image below. 
 
 
 
After merging block groups until thresholds are met, as shown by block groups outlined in green, it may 
be necessary to continue the delineations using the Assign Geography 
 tool.   
 
28
 
 
 
 
A potential delineation of tribal block groups is pictured below.  Notice the heavy green outlines 
symbolizing that all tribal block groups have met the established population and housing unit thresholds. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
29
 
 
 
 
5.3 Delineating Census Designated Places (CDPs) 
 
Census designated places (CDP) are statistical geographic entities that generally represent closely settled, 
unincorporated communities that are locally recognized and identified by a single name.  A CDP should 
be composed of a mix of residential and commercial structures, and have at least some housing or 
population, ideally both.  The purpose of delineating a CDP is the creation of a statistical area equivalent 
to its counterpart – an incorporated governmental unit such as a city, town, or village.  CDPs may not be 
partially or entirely within another incorporated place or CDP, and should not be coextensive with any 
other Census geographic entity (i.e. tract, AIR/ORTL, etc.).  The boundaries should follow visible 
features such as streams, roads, railroad tracks, or ridgelines whenever possible. 
 
CDPs are delineated through both the TSAP and the Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) for 
the 2010 Census.  Federally recognized tribes with AIRs, ORTLs, or OTSAs may update or delineate 
new CDPs within the boundary of their reservation, trust lands, or OTSA through the TSAP.  Tribes that 
would like to delineate CDPs for communities completely off their legal or statistical area should work 
through the PSAP with the primary participants for the areas in which they are interested.  Contact your 
RCC for more information on PSAP. 
 
CDP Criteria and Guidelines 
 
The criteria for CDPs are: 
 
1. CDPs cannot be coextensive with an entire AIR, ORTL, OTSA, or any other AIA. 
2. CDPs may extend off AIRs, ORTLs, or OTSAs. 
3. A CDP may not have the same name as an adjacent or nearby incorporated place.  If the community 
does not have a name that distinguishes it from other nearby communities, then the community is not 
a distinct place and should not be submitted as a CDP.   
4. A CDP may not be located, either partially or entirely, within an incorporated place or another CDP. 
5. A CDP may be located in more than one county. 
6. A CDP must not cross state boundaries. 
 
Guidelines for delineating CDPs are: 
 
1. A CDP constitutes a single, closely settled center of population that is named.  To the extent possible, 
individual unincorporated communities should be identified as separate CDPs.   
2. A CDP is defined to provide data for a single named locality; therefore the Census Bureau does not 
encourage delineating CDPs that comprise a combination of places or are identified by hyphenated 
names.  For example, CDPs such as Poplar-Cotton Center and Downieville-Lawson-Dumont are no 
longer acceptable.  Prior to the 2000 Census communities were sometimes combined as a single 
CDP in order to comply with the Census Bureau minimum population requirements.  The Census 
Bureau’s elimination of population threshold criteria has made such combinations unnecessary. 
3. Multiple communities may only be combined to form a single CDP when the identities of these 
communities have become so intertwined that the communities are commonly perceived and 
referenced as a single place.   
 
30
 
 
 
 
4. Multiple communities also may be defined as a single CDP when there is no distinguishable or 
suitable feature in the landscape that can be used as a boundary between the communities, even if the 
two communities still have separate identities. 
5. A CDP must contain some population or housing units or both.  Participants submitting boundaries 
for places with less than ten housing units may be asked to provide additional information attesting 
to the existence of the CDP. 
6. CDP boundaries should follow visible features, except in those circumstances when a CDP’s 
boundary is coincident with the nonvisible boundary of an AIR/ORTL, state, county, minor civil 
division (MCD), or incorporated place.  A CDP boundary may follow other nonvisible features in 
instances where reliance upon visible features will result in overbounding of the CDP in order to 
include housing units on both sides of a road or street feature.  Such boundaries might include parcel 
boundaries and public land survey system lines; fence lines; national, state, or local park boundaries; 
ridgelines; or drainage ditches. 
7. The CDP name should be one that is recognized and used in daily communication by the residents of 
the community. 
8. A CDP should have population during at least one entire season of the year, and have a higher 
housing unit and population density than surrounding areas. 
 
 
 
31
 
 
 
 
In the following scenario a new CDP is created for the unincorporated community of Forks.  The 
unincorporated community of Forks on an AIR is labeled in the image below. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A new CDP is added to the shapefile with the TSAP Geography 
Manager 
 tool (left image).  Census Designated Places and All are 
selected respectively as the work layer and update type.  After choosing 
New District for the current work district, the New District Parameters 
window pops-up (see first image next page). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
32
 
 
 
 
In the New District Parameters window, Forks is typed as the CDP name. 
 
 
 
To begin a new CDP, area must be added to the project with the Assign Geography 
 tool.  A new 
CDP is initially an empty record and requires the addition of census blocks before it will be visible in 
the view. A potential delineation for the Forks CDP is symbolized by a heavy green outline and green 
stipple fill pattern in the image below. 
 
 
 
Many tribes have population living in a community with a locally recognizable name outside the 
boundary of their reservation.  To define CDPs off your AIR/ORTL, please contact your RCC who will 
help you coordinate with the appropriate PSAP participant.
 
33
 
 
 
 
Working with Existing CDPs 
 
For CDPs delineated in prior decades, you may modify the name or revise the boundary.  Name changes 
are processed through the CDP component of the QC Tool (please refer to section 8.0), so even if no 
geographic area changes are made, the QC Tool provides a function to review and modify CDP names.  
The boundaries of CDPs are modified using the Assign 
 and Unassign 
 Geography tools, as 
covered in the earlier “Using the Extension” section.  However, if you select a block to assign to a CDP 
that is already part of another CDP or incorporated place a message box will appear to notify you (see 
image below). 
 
 
 
If you do in fact intend to include a portion of an existing CDP into your new CDP delineation, select 
Yes.  Please report to your RCC if this situation occurs (see Appendix 5 to find your RCC’s contact 
information). 
 
 
34
 
 
 
 
5.4 Delineating Alaska Native Village Statistical Areas (ANVSAs) 
 
An ANVSA is a statistical area that represents the relatively densely settled portion of an Alaska Native 
village (ANV).  These are areas where residents of the defining ANV reside during at least one season 
of the year, and include housing, cultural, and commercial structures.  Members of the defining ANV 
should also represent a significant proportion of the population of the ANVSA.  ANVSAs are not meant 
to portray large unpopulated areas or the full extent of traditional lands. 
 
If your Alaska Native village declines participation in delineating your ANVSA, the Census Bureau will 
then pursue the participation of your Alaska Native Village Corporation.  If the Alaska Native Village 
Corporation declines participation, the Census Bureau will pursue the participation of your Alaska 
Native Regional Corporation. 
 
ANVSA Criteria and Guidelines 
 
The criteria for ANVSAs are: 
 
1. ANVSAs delineated for the 2010 Census shall not overlap. 
2. An ANVSA shall not completely surround the location of another ANV. 
3. All portions of an ANVSA must be located within fifty miles of the ANV’s point location. 
4. An ANVSA shall not include more water area than land area.  Large expanses of water area should 
be included only to maintain contiguity, to provide a generalized version of the shoreline, or if the 
water area is completely surrounded by land area included in the ANVSA. 
5. The name for an ANV must match the name corresponding to the ANV point location.  Name 
changes will only be considered if submitted in writing and signed by the highest elected official of 
the ANV.   
 
Guidelines for delineating ANVSAs are: 
 
1. Housing units occupied by Alaska Natives, even if seasonal, should constitute the majority of 
housing units within an ANVSA.   
2. The population within an ANVSA should be majority Alaska Native and of that population, the 
majority should be members of the population served by the delineating ANV. 
3. ANVSAs should be located in areas of historical and traditional significance and include land that is 
locally recognized as being associated with the village or group.  In addition each ANVSA should 
include land area that contains structures such as tribal headquarters, meeting areas, cultural or 
spiritual landmarks, service centers and/or tribally owned stores.  
4. An ANVSA should not extend beyond the regional boundary of the ANRC in which the ANV is 
located (ANRC boundary shapefiles are included on the CD). 
5. An ANVSA should not exceed 325 square miles in area.  Based on review of ANVSA boundaries 
from previous censuses as well as other information about ANVs and ANVSAs, the Census Bureau 
suggests this size as sufficient to encompass the Alaska Native population and housing associated 
with each respective ANVSA, but not so extensive that large amounts of non-Native population and 
housing are included. 
6. An ANVSA should not contain large areas without housing or population.  Specifically, an ANVSA 
should have a housing unit density of at least three housing units per square mile.  
 
35
 
 
 
 
7. An ANVSA should be contiguous; that is, an ANVSA should form a single area with all territory 
located within a continuous boundary.  This makes identification of the extent of the ANVSA easier 
for residents and data users, and also provides for a clearer representation of the ANVSA’s 
boundaries on maps.  An ANVSA, however, may be defined with multiple noncontiguous pieces if 
doing so helps avoid inclusion of population and housing not associated with the ANV. 
8. An ANVSA’s boundary shall follow visible, physical features, such as rivers, streams, shorelines, 
roads, trails, and ridgelines.   
9. Officials delineating ANVSAs may use a nonvisible line as an ANVSA boundary only if acceptable 
boundary features are not available.  For example, an ANVSA boundary may follow the nonvisible, 
legally defined boundaries of an ANRC, borough, or city. 
10. If the ANVSA boundary follows a governmental unit boundary, the Census Bureau will adjust the 
ANVSA boundary to continue to follow that boundary should it change due to correction, 
annexation or detachment. 
 
The process for delineating your ANVSA should begin with a review and inspection of the 2000 Census 
ANVSA boundary (if an ANVSA was delineated in 2000) and the point location of your Alaska Native 
village as well as the AIAN percent of total population of your ANVSA reported for the 2000 Census.  
After opening the TSAP Geography Manager 
 tool, ANVSA and All are respectively selected as the 
work layer and update type.  In the example below, the fictional Alaska ANVSA has been chosen as the 
current work district and its demographic data are listed beneath.  Notice the extent and size of the 
census blocks (light orange boundary lines) in relation to the 2000 Census ANVSA (transparent green 
fill).  The point location of the ANV is symbolized with a flag. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
36
 
 
 
 
Utilizing the Toggle Block Symbology 
 tool, an additional perspective of the American Indian and 
Alaska Native (AIAN) population per census block is displayed (see below image).  Most noticeably the 
2000 Census ANVSA boundary contains several large uninhabited census blocks covering bot
(areas in white) and adjacent water feat
h land 
ures.  (The 2000 Census ANVSA boundary is symbolized with a 
eavy green line.)  An ANVSA
commended for statistical pu
n 
oving census blocks with the Unassign Geography 
h
 with a total AIAN population percentage of 30% or greater is 
rposes. 
re
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
An improved ANVSA boundary eliminates the large uninhabited census blocks and results i a more 
spatially concise and accurate representation of the ANVSA’s population (see image below).  The new 
ANVSA boundary was achieved by rem
 tool.  
ompare the new ANVSA boundary (visible by the green shaded area) with the 2000 Census ANVSA 
boundary found on the previous page. 
 
C
 
 
37
 
 
 
 
5.5 Delineating Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Area (OTSA) Tribal Subdivisions 
 
OTSA boundaries represent statistical entities identified and delineated by the Census Bureau in 
consultation with federally recognized American Indian tribes that have no current AIR, but that had a 
former AIR in Oklahoma.  The boundary of an OTSA is that of the former AIR.  Therefore, the Census 
ureau does not expect any changes to OTSA boundaries.  Upon review of your OTSA boundary if you 
t the Kansas City RCC (see Appendix 5 for contact information). 
hout 
RTL 
 entities updated and maintained through the Census Bureau’s annual 
oundary and Annexation Survey (BAS).  Contact your RCC for more information on reporting ORTLs 
 section 1.3).   
m 
 
 
e to 
ow to eliminate these areas, we will allow the existing Census 2000 Joint Use Areas to 
main, but will not approve any new ones for 2010.  Four joint use area OTSAs were created for 
nche-Apache-Ft. Sill Apache-Caddo-Wichita-Delaware 
 
 Kaw-Ponca 
s 
nd housing. 
 not include more water area than land area. 
d 
B
identify an error please contac
 
Off Reservation Trust Lands 
The Census Bureau is aware that federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma have trust lands throug
the state.  As part of the TSAP, a tribe may choose to have the Census Bureau tabulate data for its O
for the 2010 Census.  This can be implemented if the tribe can supply an acceptable Geographic 
Information System file or map(s) and the required supporting legal documentation for the Census 
Bureau to use to record the ORTL accurately.  If a tribe chooses to submit their ORTL to the Census 
Bureau, the tribe’s ORTL will be excluded from the OTSA.  The trust land areas will then become part 
of the universe of legally defined
B
and the BAS (See
 
Joint Use Areas 
For previous censuses, the Census Bureau allowed the boundaries of OTSAs to deviate somewhat fro
the corresponding former AIR boundaries when requested by a tribe and supported by available 
demographic data.  Such deviations affect the delineation and identification of other tribes’ OTSAs, 
resulting in area being associated with multiple OTSAs.  These areas with multiple relationships were
defined as separate geographic entities and identified as “joint use area OTSAs” for Census 2000.  In 
response to comments received from data users, especially with regard to federal laws and programs 
requiring the use of the former AIR boundaries rather than OTSA boundaries, the Census Bureau would
like TSAP participants to work to dissolve the existing OTSA joint use areas.  If tribes can not com
agreement on h
re
Census 2000:  
 
 Kiowa-Coma
 Creek-Seminole
 Miami-Peoria. 
 
OTSA Criteria and Standard
 
The criteria for OTSAs are: 
 
1) An OTSA must contain some American Indian population a
2) An OTSA may not overlap with any other AIA at the same level of the geographic hierarchy.  
3) An OTSA may
4) OTSAs should be bounded by visible features such as roads, rivers, streams, shorelines, trails an
 
ridgelines. 
 
38
 
 
 
 
5) The Census Bureau will evaluate the submitted name of each OTSA to ensure that the name is 
mpletely within the current boundaries of the state of Oklahoma.   
 
 any name 
ere not applied 
ing conditions: 
c) Tribes that have significant population currently residing within the OTSA; and/or 
nly associated with the area encompassed by the OTSA.  
 
e the same as those 
2.  
he last legal boundaries established for their former AIR. 
.  Tribes should strive to eliminate overlapping OTSA boundaries that resulted in the Census 2000 
 
ple, 
 lowest level of units used in that hierarchy.  If 
 similar hierarchical structure exists within the governmental units being reported as tribal subdivisions, 
R or 
tribe. 
jor 
nd/or used by the tribal government for administrative purposes. 
. If an OTSA consists of multiple, noncontiguous parts, the tribal subdivisions within them will be 
noncontiguous. 
 
 
clearly distinguishable from the name of any other OTSA.  
6) OTSAs must be located co
7) An OTSA may not completely surround another legal or statistical area at the same level of the
 
geographic hierarchy. 
8) The name for each OTSA is determined by the tribe or tribes (in conjunction with the Census 
Bureau) that are responsible for delineating each OTSA.  The Census Bureau will revise
submitted for a geographic entity if it is determined that the criteria listed below w
properly.  The name of an OTSA must reflect one or more of the follow
a) The tribe or tribes associated with the former AIR represented by the OTSA; 
b) Tribes that have historically resided within the area of the OTSA; 
d) The name(s) of the tribe(s) commo
 
Guidelines for delineating OTSAs are: 
1.  To the extent possible, OTSA boundaries identified for the 2010 Census should b
delineated for Census 2000. 
OTSAs should follow t
3
joint use area OTSAs. 
 
OTSA Tribal Subdivision Criteria and Standards 
 
OTSA tribal subdivisions are statistical entities that represent internal units of self government or 
administration.  Internal units may include areas that serve social, cultural, and/or legal purposes for a
tribal government.  Please report the lowest level of administrative units that are available.  For exam
if the tribe uses several levels of nesting geography, such as tribal council management districts that 
wholly contain grazing districts, the grazing districts should be reported to the Census Bureau as the 
tribal subdivision boundaries, as they are the smallest and
a
please delineate the lowest level unit in the steps below. 
 
Guidelines for delineating OTSA Tribal Subdivisions are: 
 
1. Tribal subdivisions should represent units of self-government or administration within an AI
ORTL for a federally recognized 
2. OTSA Tribal subdivisions are intended to completely cover an OTSA, or at least the ma
contiguous portion of an OTSA. 
3. The name of each tribal subdivision must reflect its name, as cited in recent tribal legal 
documentation a
4
 
39
 
 
 
 
Working with Existing OTSA Tribal Subdivisions 
 
Existing OTSA tribal subdivisions should be reviewed and adjusted as needed.  The Assign geography 
tool 
,  Unassign geography tool 
, and Merge tool 
  ,all found on the TSAP Tools toolbar and 
explained in section 6.0 Using the Extension, will be useful in census block based adjustments to your 
OTSA tribal subdivision delineations. 
 
Creating New OTSA Tribal Subdivisions 
 
In the following example new OTSA tribal subdivisions are developed using existing county boundaries 
and 2000 Census blocks with the Assign geography 
 tool.  The image below contains the spatial 
extent of the two counties which will serve as building units for delineating new OTSA tribal 
subdivisions. 
 
 
 
Using the TSAP Geography Manager 
 tool select OTSA Tribal Subdivision as the current work layer 
to begin the delineation process.  You will immediately be prompted with the New District Parameters 
window to identify your new OTSA tribal subdivision (see image below).  A Tribal Subdivision Name is 
typed in the text box provided. 
 
 
 
The name of the new district will then be displayed as the current work district in the TSAP Geography 
Manager 
 (see below left image).  The Assign Geography 
 tool may be used to assign area by 
county boundary or 2000 Census block.  By default the Assign Geography 
 tool is set to use 2000 
Census blocks for assignment.  If you prefer to use counties be certain to check the Use Counties to 
Assign OTSA Subdivisions option box in the the TSAP Geography Manager 
. 
 
40
 
 
 
 
 
In the example below the area from OK County 1 has been assigned to District 1 using the Assign 
Geography 
 tool.  Notice that the Use Counties to Assign OTSA Subdivisions option box has been 
checked so that the area of OK County 1 was assigned to District 1 with a single click. 
 
 
      
 
 
A second OTSA Tribal Subdivision is created by selecting New District as the current work district (see 
below left image).  Again, the New District Parameters window will appear prompting you to enter a 
name for the new district (see below right image).  Please enter the full administrative name of the 
subdivision.  For example, if the Tribal Subdivision is referred to as District 2 in official tribal 
documentation, please type in District 2.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
41
 
 
 
 
When switching to another work district be certain the current work district in the TSAP Geography 
Manager 
 is correctly selected (see below left image).  The area of OK County 2 is added to District 2 
with the Assign Geography 
 tool (see below right image). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A third district, not based upon county boundaries, but upon 2000 Census blocks is added to finish this 
OTSA tribal subdivision example.  Following the directions for creating a new work district explained 
above, District 3 is created.  After turning off the Use Counties to Assign OTSA Subdivisions option box 
- so that area will be assigned by 2000 Census blocks - the Assign Geography 
 tool is used with a 
marquee selection (see below right image). 
   
 
 
 
 
 
42
 
 
 
 
5.6 Delineating Tribal Designated Statistical Areas (TDSAs) 
 
A TDSA is a statistical geographic entity identified and delineated by a federally recognized American 
Indian tribe that does not currently have a reservation and/or off-reservation trust land.  A TDSA is 
intended to be comparable to the AIRs within the same state or region, especially those for tribes that are 
of similar size.  Your TDSA should encompass a compact and contiguous area that contains a 
concentration of individuals who identify with your American Indian tribe and within which there is 
structured, organized tribal activity.  Criteria and guidelines for TDSAs are listed below: 
 
TDSA Criteria and Guidelines 
 
The criteria for TDSAs are: 
 
1. A TDSA must contain some American Indian population and housing. 
2. A TDSA may not overlap with any other AIA at the same level of the geographic hierarchy.  
3. A TDSA may not completely surround another legal or statistical AIA at the same level of the 
geographic hierarchy. 
4. A TDSA may not include more water area than land area. 
5. Officials delineating TDSAs may only add nonvisible lines as a boundary if other acceptable 
boundary features, such as roads, rivers, streams, shorelines, trails and ridgelines, are not available 
and they aid in a TDSA meeting other specific, delineation criteria and/or guidelines. 
6. TDSAs may not include military areas.   
7. TDSAs may not be delineated in Hawaii, Oklahoma or Alaska, nor will those existing in Alaska 
continue to be recognized.   
8. The name of a TDSA will be determined by the tribe or tribes, in conjunction with the Census 
Bureau.  The Census Bureau will evaluate the submitted name to ensure that each TDSA name is 
clearly distinguishable from the name of any other legal or statistical AIA.  The name must also 
reflect one of two conditions: the tribe that has the largest population currently residing within the 
TDSA, or the name of the tribe most commonly associated with the area that the TDSA 
encompasses.  
 
Guidelines for delineating TDSAs are: 
 
1. TDSAs should be comparable in area to the existing AIRs and/or ORTLs of other tribes with similar 
numbers of members in the same state and/or region. 
2. American Indians should constitute a large proportion of the population within a TDSA, and of the 
American Indian population, the majority should be members of the delineating tribe. 
3. As a minimum, TDSAs should have a population of 1,200 individuals or 480 housing units.  
4. A TDSA should include an area where there is structured and organized tribal activity, including 
tribal headquarters, tribal service centers, meeting areas and buildings, ceremonial grounds, tribally 
owned commercial locations, etc. 
5. TDSAs should not contain large areas without housing or population.  A housing unit density of at 
least three housing units per square mile is suggested.  
6. TDSAs should be contiguous.   
7. Water area should be included only to maintain contiguity, to provide a generalized version of the 
shoreline, or if the water area is completely surrounded by land area included in the TDSA. 
 
43
 
 
 
 
8. TDSA boundaries should follow visible, physical features such as rivers, streams, shorelines, roads, 
and ridgelines. 
9. TDSA boundaries may follow the nonvisible, legally defined boundaries of AIRs, ORTLs, states, 
counties, or incorporated places.  
 
 
 
The delineation process begins with the selection of TDSA as the 
current work layer in the TSAP Geography Manager 
.  After the 
update type of All is selected the current work district will 
automatically display the four digit census code for your area (see 
right image). 
 
 
 
 
 
After locating the general area for which you are considering your TDSA delineation, it is recommended 
that you review the existing census block data.  Using the Toggle Block Symbology 
 tool, activate the 
AIAN percent of total population symbology.  This will allow you to identify the blocks with a 30 
percent or greater AIAN percent of the total population.  In the example pictured below a distinct pattern 
of census blocks with a 30 percent or higher AIAN population is visible.  A TDSA with a total AIAN 
population percentage of 30 percent or greater is recommended for statistical purposes. 
 
 
 
 
44
 
 
 
 
In this scenario a new TDSA is delineated with the Assign Geography
 tool by clicking once on each 
block that will comprise the TDSA.  The finalized TDSA delineation is displayed in the image below 
(census blocks are shown with default symbology). 
 
 
 
 
45
 
 
 
 
5.7 Delineating State Designated Tribal Statistical Areas (SDTSAs) 
 
Called State Designated American Indian Statistical Areas (SDAISAs) in Census 2000, SDTSAs are 
created to provide state-recognized American Indian tribes without an AIR statistical data similar to that 
provided to tribes with AIRs.  The entity terminology changed to adhere more closely to the similar 
federal tribe naming convention, tribal designated statistical areas (TDSAs).  SDTSAs are identified and 
delineated for the Census Bureau by a governor-appointed state liaison, working in conjunction with 
tribal officials through the TSAP.  SDTSAs generally encompass a compact and contiguous area in 
which there is structured or organized tribal activity and a concentration of individuals who identify with 
a state-recognized American Indian tribe.  As part of the 2010 Census, TSAP state liaisons representing 
state recognized tribe officials will again have the opportunity to review and update the boundaries of 
existing SDTSAs (formerly called SDAISAs) or delineate new SDTSAs.   
 
SDTSA Criteria and Guidelines 
 
The criteria for SDTSAs are: 
 
1. A SDTSA must contain some American Indian population and housing. 
2. A SDTSA may not overlap with any other AIA at the same level of the geographic hierarchy.  
3. A SDTSA may not completely surround another legal or statistical AIA at the same level of the 
geographic hierarchy. 
4. A SDTSA may not include more water area than land area. 
5. Officials delineating SDTSAs may only add nonvisible lines such as corporate limits as a boundary 
if other acceptable boundary features such as roads, rivers, streams, shorelines, trails and ridgelines, 
are not available and they aid in a SDTSA meeting other specific, delineation criteria and/or 
guidelines.   
6. SDTSAs may not include military areas.   
7. An SDTSA for a specific tribe may be delineated in a state only if the tribe is officially recognized 
by the state. 
8. The name for each SDTSA is determined by the tribe or tribes (in conjunction with the Census 
Bureau and the state liaison for SDTSAs) that are responsible for its delineation.  The Census 
Bureau will evaluate the submitted name to ensure that each SDTSAs name is clearly distinguishable 
from the name of any other legal or statistical AIA.  The name of a SDTSA must reflect one or more 
of the following:  the tribe that has the largest population currently residing within the SDTSA; 
and/or the name of the tribe most commonly associated with the area encompassed by the SDTSA. 
 
 
46
 
 
 
 
Guidelines for delineating SDTSAs are: 
 
1. SDTSAs should be comparable in area to the existing AIRs and/or ORTLs of other tribes with 
similar numbers of members in the same state and/or region. 
2. American Indians should constitute a large proportion of the population within a SDTSA, and of the 
American Indian population, the majority should be members of the delineating tribe. 
3. A minimum population of at least 1,200 individuals or 480 housing units is suggested to help 
enhance reliability and availability of sample-based data. 
4. SDTSAs should include area where there is structured and organized tribal activity, including tribal 
headquarters, tribal service centers, meeting areas and buildings, ceremonial grounds, tribally owned 
commercial locations, etc. 
5. SDTSAs should not contain large areas without housing or population.  A housing unit density of at 
least three housing units per square mile is suggested. 
6. SDTSAs should be contiguous. 
7. Water area should be included only to maintain contiguity, to provide a generalized version of the 
shoreline, or if the water area is completely surrounded by land area included in the SDTSA. 
8. SDTSA boundaries should follow visible, physical features, such as rivers, streams, shorelines, roads, 
and ridgelines. 
9. SDTSA boundaries may follow the non visible, legally defined boundaries of AIRs, ORTLs, states, 
counties, or incorporated places. 
 
 
 
 
 
The delineation process begins by selecting the SDTSA as the current 
work layer in the TSAP Geography Manager 
.  After the update 
type of All is selected the current work district will automatically 
display the four digit census code for your area (see right image).  As 
in the example image, population and housing unit data will be blank 
when delineating a completely new SDTSA. 
 
 
 
 
After locating the general area for which you are considering your SDTSA delineation, it is 
recommended that you review the existing census block geography.  Using the Toggle Block Symbology 
 tool, activate the AIAN percent of total population symbology.  This will allow you to identify the 
blocks with a 30% or greater AIAN percent of the total population.   
 
47
 
 
 
 
In the example image below a distinct pattern of census blocks with a 30 percent or higher AIAN 
population is visible.  An SDTSA with a total AIAN population percentage of 30 percent or greater is 
recommended for statistical purposes. 
 
 
 
In this scenario a new SDTSA is delineated with the Assign 
 Geography tool by clicking once on each 
block that will comprise the SDTSA.  The finalized SDTSA delineation is displayed in the image below 
(census blocks are shown with default symbology). 
 
 
 
 
 
48
 
 
 
 
5.8 Delineating State American Indian Reservations 
 
State American Indian reservations (State AIRs) are reviewed and updated as needed once before each 
decennial census to ensure a complete inventory of State AIRs for those states with state-recognized 
tribes that are not also federally recognized.  The review should determine, solely for data collection and 
tabulation by the Census Bureau, the complete and current inventory and the correct attributes (names, 
legal descriptions, official status) and official, legal boundaries of the State AIRs in each state.  The 
Census Bureau also accepts additions and updates to features such as roads or rivers that serve as the 
boundary of the State AIR, as well as address range break information at the boundaries.   
 
For affected states, a governor appointed state liaison provides the name, boundary, and any associated 
updates for each state recognized AIR to the Census Bureau.  If the State AIR official declines or defers 
participation, the Census Bureau will use the Census 2000 State AIR boundaries, to tabulate 2010 
Census data. 
 
State Reservation Criteria and Guidelines 
 
State AIR boundaries and names should be reported to the Census Bureau as they exist in the legislation 
or treaty under which they were established.  By definition, State AIR boundaries cannot cross state 
lines unless the AIR and tribe is separately recognized in each state.  State AIRs may not include 
territory within federally recognized AIRs or ORTLs.  Acceptance of boundary changes to State AIRs 
requires clear legal documentation supporting any, and all, changes involving these boundaries.  The 
Census Bureau will identify each State AIR with the name submitted by the state liaison providing the 
boundary for the area.  For this reason, the State AIR name should reflect the specific tribal name cited 
in the legal records establishing the State AIR. 
 
 
 
In the following example delineation scenario an existing state AIR 
boundary is updated to include additional legally defined land.  The 
delineation process begins with the selection of STRES as the current 
work layer in the TSAP Geography Manager 
.  After the update 
type of All is selected the current work district will automatically 
display the name of the state AIR to be delineated (see right image). 
 
 
49
 
 
 
 
Next the spatial extent of the State AIR and existing census block geography are reviewed.  The existing 
State AIR (light green fill) and census blocks (heavy orange lines) are pictured below. 
 
 
 
Upon comparing the Census Bureau’s depiction of the State AIR boundary to a reliable state document a 
difference is noted.  In some cases the area that needs to be added may be a whole block and you can use 
the Assign geography
 tool to accomplish the task.  In this example, it is apparent that a new line must 
be added to correctly depict the state AIR boundary.  This is accomplished by starting a line edit session 
with the Census Editing Tools toolbar (see below image). 
 
 
 
 
Once the edit session is active, use the Sketch tool 
 to add your new line feature (see first image next 
page). 
 
50
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
After completing the new line feature with a double click, the Update Line Attributes message box will 
pop-up (see below image).  The default Classification is the Nonvisible Legal/Statistical Boundary type; 
other types may be found in the pull down menu.  OK is clicked once to continue. 
 
 
 
After choosing a Classification type, the Split Block Attributes window appears offering an opportunity 
to utilize local knowledge while assigning population to the new blocks (see below image). 
 
 
 
51
 
 
 
 
 
The new area is pictured in the below image. 
 
 
 
After ending the line edit session, the new area must be assigned to the State AIR boundary with the 
Assign geography 
 tool.  The completed state AIR boundary update is pictured below. 
 
 
 
 
When establishing a boundary that is within 30 feet (10 meters) of an existing line in the Census 
Bureau’s shapefile do not add an additional line.  Instead use the existing line features wherever 
possible. 
 
52
 
 
 
 
6.0 Using the Extension 
 
The TSAP Extension features tools and commands are useful in the identification, delineation, and 
review of your statistical areas.  This section presents details on how these tools/commands can be used 
to accomplish the core tasks of the mapping process.  The administrative Geography Manager and 
Workflow Manager are presented first, followed by editing tools and the quality control tools. 
 
6.1 TSAP Geography Manager 
 
The TSAP Geography Manager tool allows you to identify and select with pull-down menus a work 
layer, update type, and work district.  A work layer specifies the entity type you will be delineating, for 
example: tribal census tracts, Alaska Native village statistical areas, census designated places, etc.  A 
work district further specifies a particular feature of the work layer such as an individual tribal census 
tract.  The update type menu allows you to narrow your work districts to those features above or below 
population and/or housing unit thresholds (applicable only when working with tribal census tracts, tribal 
block groups, and census designated places).  The TSAP Geography Manager is activated by clicking 
once on the Show/Hide TSAP Geography Manager 
 button in the TSAP Management toolbar.  In the 
series of example images below a work layer, update type, and work district are selected.  In the final 
image notice the demographic data visible once a work district is selected. 
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
TOOL TIP 
Hold down the Ctrl key and 
click on an area to change the 
Current Work District 
selection 
 
53
 
 
 
 
6.2 Workflow Manager 
 
The Workflow Manager presents an outline of the major tasks associated with delineating your statistical 
areas and offers a tool for you to monitor the progress of your project work.  It is activated by clicking 
once on the Show/Hide Workflow Manager 
 button on the TSAP Management Toolbar.  Before your 
project is started the manager will appear blank as shown in the below left image.  As you work through 
your project, review and delineation tasks will automatically become checked as they are completed.  
For example, after you start a project and the necessary datasets are assembled, the Data Setup task will 
become checked (see below right image).   
 
Once your project is set up, the Workflow Manager will display the area types eligible for delineation as 
determined by your tribe’s delineation eligibility (see Table 1, section 2 or Appendix 1).  In the example 
shown in the below right image, the tribal participant is eligible to delineate tribal tracts, tribal block 
groups, and CDPs.  Therefore all other area types are grayed out and disabled. 
 
                       
 
 
 
 
54
 
 
 
 
6.3 Working with Census Blocks 
 
The census block is the smallest unit of census geography.  The TSAP extension makes use of existing 
census block geography generated from the 2000 Census.  Census 2000 block geography is provided for 
reference in your delineations because it is the most recent area representation of population and housing 
unit counts available.  Following the completion of the TSAP statistical area delineations for the 2010 
Census, the Census Bureau will generate an entirely new set of block boundaries that will nest within the 
statistical areas you delineate.  It is the newly generated block boundaries that will be the most accurate 
representation of your area’s 2010 Census population. 
 
Several of the tools described later in this section present methods used to assign and unassign blocks to 
an entity, as well as methods of splitting blocks.  However, it is important to understand which blocks 
you may want to include or exclude from your area or to modify for your delineations, as based upon the 
Census 2000 AIAN percent of total population.  The Toggle Block Symbology 
 tool, found in the 
TSAP Management toolbar, is intended to aid you in this process.  The default block symbology is a 
heavy orange outline (see below left image).  Click once on the Toggle Block Symbology 
 button and 
the block symbology will switch to a graduated color fill corresponding to the AIAN percent of total 
Census 2000 population for each block (see lower right image).  In the Table of Contents, you will also 
notice that the legend switches as shown in the below images.  Blocks without population will appear 
without a fill color or boundary when in the AIAN percent of total population symbology.  Click the 
Toggle Block Symbology 
 button again to return to the default block symbology. 
 
 
 
Default block symbology  
 
 
 
    AIAN percent of total population symbology 
     
 
 
55
 
 
 
 
6.4 Assigning and Unassigning Geography to and from Your Area 
 
The Assign 
 and Unassign 
 Geography tools in the TSAP Tools toolbar allow you to spatially add 
and subtract Census 2000 blocks to/from your statistical areas.  In the following example many blocks 
are assigned to tract 1490T00100 using a marquee selection.  First the Assign Geography 
 button is 
clicked once, making the tool active (you will notice a modified cursor when the tool is active).  The 
cursor is then clicked and dragged over the blocks to be assigned.  Blocks may also be selected 
individually by clicking once directly on the block you wish to assign.  It is highly encouraged that you 
assign blocks rather than unassign blocks when delineating your statistical areas; however the Unassign 
Geography 
 tool may be used when necessary.  Using the Unassign Geography 
 tool does not 
reassign blocks to another feature but rather removes the blocks entirely from any feature.  This process 
could result in unassigned areas that will be caught and corrected in the Quality Control (QC) process. 
 
      
 
 
TOOL TIP 
More than one block can be assigned or unassigned at one time.  Use a standard rectangular marquee selection or 
while holding down the Shift key freehand sketch a polygon that contains the blocks you wish to assign or 
unassign. 
 
56
 
 
 
 
6.5 Splitting Tribal Census Tracts and Tribal Block Groups by Block Selection (applies only to 
Federally recognized tribes with AIRs/ORTLs) 
 
Splitting tribal census tracts and tribal block groups is a convenient method for creating new tribal 
census tracts and tribal block groups.  The TSAP Tools toolbar offers a unique solution with the Split by 
block selection tool 
.  This tool is activated by clicking once on the Split by block selection tool 
 
button.  Once the tool is active, click and drag the crosshair cursor over the Census 2000 blocks of 
interest to make a block selection.  In the left image below a rectangular marquee selection has been 
made to split a block group.  The right image displays the selected blocks (highlighted in blue). 
 
      
 
 
                   
 
If your block selection is complete, double 
click anywhere to continue the split 
process.  A message window (shown 
below) will prompt you to confirm your 
block selection.  After clicking Yes, the 
existing block group is split yielding a new 
tract (see right image). 
 
 
  
 
 
57
 
 
 
 
6.6 Splitting Blocks with Existing Line Features 
 
Blocks are most often defined by visible linear features such as roads, shorelines, rivers, power lines, et 
cetera, as well as by governmental unit boundaries that are frequently not visible.  When working with 
the Census 2000 blocks you may need to split blocks to accommodate your statistical area delineations.  
Splitting Census 2000 blocks is also considered an opportunity to suggest Census 2010 block boundaries 
that upon review may be utilized by the Census Bureau when generating the new 2010 block boundaries. 
 
The Census Editing Tools toolbar offers unique line editing tools to accomplish the process of splitting 
Census 2000 blocks with existing line features (as found in the Line Features Group Layer in your 
ArcMap project).  If a linear feature is not represented in the dataset you may also sketch in that feature 
using the line editing tools.  You may also need to add a feature extension or a new line if an existing 
line feature does not entirely split a block.  This will be covered in the next section, Splitting blocks with 
new line features. 
 
 
Begin the block splitting process by clicking on the Line Edit Menu pull down of the Census Editing 
Tools toolbar and selecting the Start Line Editing command (see image above).  If ArcMap’s Editor 
toolbar is already in use, the Target layer pull-down menu may be found there rather than on the Census 
Editing Tools toolbar.  If your project contains more than one county, be certain that your Target Layer 
is the edge shapefile for the correct county. 
 
 
 
 
58
 
 
 
 
Line features that will be used to split the block are selected with the Select Features tool 
.  In this 
example, Mifflin Ditch has been selected to split block 1002 (see image below). 
 
 
 
 
With the line features selected, click once on the Split Block Tool 
 button.  A Split Block Attributes 
window (see image below) will pop-up containing the tabulated total population, housing units, and 
AIAN population for the two blocks generated by the split block operation.  The tabulated statistical 
data contained within the window is based upon 2000 Census data and automatically calculated by area.  
Use the Highlight Part 1 and Highlight Part 2 buttons to spatially identify the two new blocks.  Local 
knowledge may be used to adjust the new blocks’ population, housing units, and AIAN population by 
clicking inside the cell of interest and typing.  Notice the data cells of the other block will adjust 
automatically as you change the population values in the Split Block Attributes window. 
 
 
 
 
After the data cells have been adjusted as needed, OK is clicked to proceed and finalize the block 
splitting process. 
 
 
 
59
 
 
 
 
The two new blocks and the block boundary are now visible and symbolized appropriately.  Because 
you are not actually changing Census 2000 blocks but rather beginning to define Census 2010 blocks, 
the block labels will remain the same (i.e. the two resulting blocks have the same label). 
 
 
 
When finished splitting blocks, deactivate the line edit session and save your work by selecting Stop 
Line Editing in the Line Edit Menu (see image below).  A message window will then appear prompting 
you to save or cancel your changes. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
60
 
 
 
 
6.7 Splitting Blocks with New Line Features 
 
In the following example, block 1002 will be split using the Mifflin Ditch because there is a desire to 
make the ditch a block group boundary.  However, unlike the previous section, in this example the 
Mifflin Ditch line feature does not completely cross the entire block.  While it is recommended that 
existing features be used to split blocks, small “feature extensions” may be added to complete the 
splitting line feature.  Such feature extensions may follow lines of sight or convenience when no other 
feature is available to better enclose an area.  The feature extension added in this example connects 
Mifflin Ditch to Conrail Railroad.  If possible, “feature extensions” should be no longer than 300 feet in 
length.  The Census Bureau also stresses that line feature additions will be accepted through the TSAP 
only if they serve as boundaries.  Feature extensions are not permitted to connect to non-visible 
boundaries. 
 
When establishing a boundary that is within 30 feet (10 meters) of an existing line in the Census 
Bureau’s shapefile do not add an additional line.  Instead use the existing line features wherever 
possible. 
 
The block splitting process is begun by clicking on the Line Edit Menu pull down of the Census Editing 
Tools toolbar and selecting the Start Line Editing command (see image below). 
 
 
 
After the line editing toolbar is activated make certain the correct line features shapefile is the Target 
layer.  If ArcMap’s Editor toolbar is already in use, the Target layer pull-down menu may be found 
there rather than the Census Editing Tools toolbar.  
 
 
 
61