topic Re: Basemap obscures data in ArcGIS Online Questions

Basemap obscures data

KatyAppleton1 — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 14:33:24 GMT

I am trying out some basemaps published by one of the Esri team - they use alternative map projections. Example - Winkel Tripel (They are added to a basemaps group for our organisation)

They seem to display over the data, rather than under. Why is this, and can I change it?

(first image, Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly over Winkel Tripel basemap, second is same data over Light Grey Canvas)

Re: Basemap obscures data

RussRoberts — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 16:17:32 GMT

This is because in the basemap the gray oceans(HG_Detail) are in the reference layers. When a layer is in the reference layers of the basemap it will appear on top of all the content.

If you move that layer down to base layers you will see it appear like the gray canvas

Re: Basemap obscures data

KatyAppleton1 — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 16:29:18 GMT

Amazing! Thank you.

Is there a way to make this the default for these projected basemaps in our basemaps gallery? It's a simple step for me, but I'm teaching the basics so trying to minimise this kind of thing for the students if I can.

Re: Basemap obscures data

RussRoberts — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 17:07:20 GMT

If you can setup your own basemap gallery within your organization (defining a group to populate the basemap gallery) you can save off this configuration and share it to the group that will contain all the maps you want as basemaps.