How to Create Regular Grid Points on ArcGIS Pro

Creating regular grid points in ArcGIS Pro is a common task for spatial analysis, site sampling, and data visualization. Whether you are conducting environmental studies or planning urban development, having a systematic grid helps streamline your analysis and ensures consistency. In this article, we’ll show you the step-by-step creating regular grid points across a specified area using ArcGIS Pro. For your information, we use ArcGIS Pro version 3.3.

I was involved in several soil sampling programs at a mineral exploration company. With the help of ArcGIS Pro, we were able to easily design the soil sampling area, budget, and permit purposes. I think it is good to share the experience with all of you guys, especially a young geologist and GIS.

Why Use Regular Grid Points?

I have been using this technique to produce a regular soil sampling plan. But, we can use it for many other projects and scopes. Regular grid points are commonly used for:

• Conducting spatial interpolation and modeling.
• Sampling data systematically.
• Creating reference grids for geographic analysis.

Step-by-Step Guide Creating Regular Grid Points

1. Open ArcGIS Pro and Set Up a New Project

1. Launch ArcGIS Pro and create a new project or open an existing one.
2. Set the map projection to the correct one.

2. Define the Area of Interest (AOI)

1. Add the feature class or shapefile that defines your AOI (Area of Interest). You can also use existing feature class and use it as the base extent.
2. If needed, create a polygon layer to delineate the exact area where you want the grid points.

3. Open the Create Fishnet Tool

1. Go to the Analysis tab and click Tools to open the Geoprocessing pane.
2. Search for Create Fishnet in the search bar and click it to open.

4. Configure the Create Fishnet Parameters

1. Output Feature Class: Specify the location and name for the output grid file.
2. Template Extent: Set the extent of the fishnet by selecting your AOI layer or manually entering coordinates.
3. Cell Size Width and Height: Define the dimensions of each grid cell (e.g., 100 meters by 100 meters).
4. Number of Rows and Columns: Alternatively, specify the number of rows and columns to determine grid size.
5. Check Create Label Points if you want the grid points to be automatically generated within each cell.
6. Click Run to create the fishnet.

Output:

5. Extract Grid Points (if needed)

If you didn’t select Create Label Points in the previous step, you can generate grid points separately:

1. Open the Feature to Point tool (under Data Management Tools).
2. Set your fishnet layer as the input feature.
3. Choose the Inside option to ensure points are created within the grid cells.
4. Click Run to generate the points.

This is how it looks like if you didn’t select Create Label Points. It will generate the polygon at regular interval.

Now you need to convert the feature class to point using Feature to Point tool.

6. Clip the Grid Points to Your AOI

1. Use the Clip tool to restrict the grid points to your AOI.
2. Set your grid points as the input feature and your AOI as the clip feature.
3. Click Run to remove points outside the desired area.

Tips for Working with Regular Grid Points

• Coordinate System: Ensure all layers are in the same coordinate system to avoid misalignments.
• Cell Size: Choose a cell size that balances resolution and computational efficiency.
• Export Options: Export the grid points to a CSV file if you need them for external analysis.

Applications of Regular Grid Points

• Environmental Studies: Grid points help in a systematic sampling of soil, water, or vegetation.
• Urban Planning: Create grids to assess land use patterns.
• Geostatistics: Use grid points for kriging, interpolation, and other spatial analysis techniques.

Final Thought

With ArcGIS Pro’s tools, creating regular grid points is pretty easy and highly customizable. By following this guide, you can generate regular grids for your specific spatial analysis needs.