diff --git a/dev/rfp_source_bcdata.R b/dev/rfp_source_bcdata.R
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d93ee6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/rfp_source_bcdata.R
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+#' Load bcdata layers to a geopackage.
+#'
+#' This function loads bcdata layers to a `background_layers.gpkg` with the specified watershed groups. The update
+#' option can be set to update an existing geopackage if it exists.
+#'
+#' @param watershed_groups A character vector of watershed group codes. Double quoted list of single quoted values. Default is NULL.
+#' @param update A logical indicating whether to update the GeoPackage file. Default is FALSE.
+#'
+#' @return Invisible NULL. The function is called for its side effects.
+#' @importFrom reticulate use_condaenv
+#' @export
+#'
+#' @examples
+#' \dontrun{
+#' rfp_source_bcdata(watershed_groups = c("ADMS", "BULK"))
+#' }
+rfp_source_bcdata <- function(watershed_groups = NULL, update = FALSE) {
+  # Construct the path to the script within the installed package
+  scriptPath <- system.file("extdata", "rfp_source_bcdata.sh", package = "rfp")
+
+  # Check if the script exists to avoid errors
+  if(!file.exists(scriptPath)) {
+    stop("Script 'rfp_source_bcdata.sh' not found in the package.")
+  }
+
+  if(update){
+    update <-  "update"
+  }else{
+    update <- ""
+  }
+
+  # Convert watershed_groups to a single, comma-separated string
+  watershed_groups <- paste(shQuote(watershed_groups, type = "sh"), collapse = " ")
+
+  # Prepare the arguments for the script
+  args <- c(watershed_groups, update)
+
+  # Call the bash script with arguments
+  system2("bash", args = c(scriptPath, watershed_groups, update))
+
+  invisible(NULL)
+}
+
+
+
diff --git a/inst/extdata/rfp_qgis_create_bcfishpass.sh b/inst/extdata/rfp_qgis_create_bcfishpass.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..a2789ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inst/extdata/rfp_qgis_create_bcfishpass.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -euxo pipefail
+
+
+# check that the name of the new directory for the project is provided as argument
+if [ $# -eq 0 ]
+  then
+    echo "No arguments supplied - provide name of new project directory to be placed in ~Projects/gis/"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo 'Generating QGIS project in Projects/gis/: '$1
+
+
+# ---------------
+# create directory for project and move the files in and copy in a qlr template (works relative to location dragged from when we reference gpkg) along with the directories for info ignored on phones
+
+mkdir ~/Projects/gis/$1
+mv background_layers.gpkg* ~/Projects/gis/$1/
+mv habitat_lateral.tif ~/Projects/gis/$1/
+cp ../../data/qgis/bcfishpass_mobile.qgs ~/Projects/gis/$1/$1.qgs
+cp ../../data/qgis/form_pscis.gpkg ~/Projects/gis/$1/
+cp ../../data/qgis/form_fiss_site.gpkg ~/Projects/gis/$1/
+mkdir -p ~/Projects/gis/$1/ignore_mobile/photos
+touch ~/Projects/gis/$1/ignore_mobile/photos/photos.txt
+cp -R ../../data/methods ~/Projects/gis/$1/ignore_mobile/methods
+cp -R ../../data/templates ~/Projects/gis/$1/ignore_mobile/templates
diff --git a/inst/extdata/rfp_source_aws.sh b/inst/extdata/rfp_source_aws.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..bf945b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inst/extdata/rfp_source_aws.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -euxo pipefail
+
+# ---------------
+# extract layers from aws to load to background_layers.gpkg within digital field projects
+
+# usage: specify watershed groups of interest as a comma separated, single quoted string
+# eg
+# test with ./rfp_sources_aws.sh "'PARS'" &>log.txt
+# ---------------
+
+
+# check that watershed group code is provided as argument
+if [ $# -eq 0 ]
+  then
+    echo "No arguments supplied - provide list of watershed_group_code values for watersheds of interest"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+
+# Name of the file
+GPKG="background_layers.gpkg"
+
+# name the sources file
+SOURCES="rfp_source_aws.txt"
+
+# Check if the GPKG IS NOT there
+if [[ ! -f $GPKG ]]; then
+  # If the file exists, ask the user if they wish to remove it
+  echo "There should already be a file called $GPKG. Please provide."
+  exit 1
+else
+echo 'Updateing project area from watershed group boundaries: '$1
+    rm -f aoi.geojson
+    bcdata dump WHSE_BASEMAPPING.FWA_WATERSHED_GROUPS_POLY \
+        --query "WATERSHED_GROUP_CODE in ($1)" -l > aoi.geojson
+        ogr2ogr -f GPKG background_layers.gpkg \
+            -update \
+            -overwrite \
+            -t_srs EPSG:3005 \
+            -nln fwa_watershed_groups_poly \
+            aoi.geojson
+fi
+
+# get bounding box of project area in BC Albers and WGS84 (lon/lat)
+BOUNDS=$(fio info background_layers.gpkg --layer fwa_watershed_groups_poly --bounds)
+BOUNDS_LL=$(echo "[$BOUNDS]" | tr ' ', ',' | rio transform --src_crs EPSG:3005 --dst_crs EPSG:4326 | tr -d '[] ')
+
+
+# ---------------
+# lateral habitat
+# ---------------
+# should be able to pipe $(fio cat aoi.geojson --dst_crs EPSG:3005) to rio mask for a one liner,
+# but this works fine
+echo 'Clipping lateral habitat tiff to project area'
+ogr2ogr -f GeoJSON aoi_alb.geojson -t_srs EPSG:3005 aoi.geojson
+
+rio mask /vsicurl/https://bcfishpass.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/habitat_lateral.tif \
+  habitat_lateral.tif \
+  --crop \
+  --geojson-mask aoi_alb.geojson
+
+rm aoi_alb.geojson
+
+# ---------------
+# bcfishpass releated data sources archived to flatgeobuf on s3 for fast retrieval
+# (and with watershed group code included, no spatial query for clipping required)
+# ---------------
+echo 'Getting bcfishpass and supporting layers from s3'
+
+# get a list of the aws layers to update
+FGB_SOURCES=$(grep -v '^#' $SOURCES)
+
+for layer in $FGB_SOURCES; do
+  ogr2ogr \
+    -f GPKG background_layers.gpkg \
+    -update \
+    -overwrite \
+    -nln $layer \
+    -t_srs EPSG:3005 \
+    -dim XY \
+    -spat $BOUNDS \
+    -spat_srs EPSG:3005 \
+    -where "watershed_group_code in ($1)" \
+    /vsicurl/https://newgraph.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/$layer.fgb \
+    $layer
+done
+
+# ---------------
+# model parameters
+# ---------------
+echo 'Getting model parameter info from aws'
+
+# update the model info used to create the crossings and streams layers
+CSVS=("parameters_habitat_method" "parameters_habitat_thresholds")
+
+for layer in "${CSVS[@]}"; do
+  ogr2ogr \
+    -f GPKG background_layers.gpkg \
+    -update \
+    -overwrite \
+    -nln $layer \
+    /vsicurl/https://newgraph.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/$layer.csv
+done
+
+# ---------------
+# named streams
+# ---------------
+echo 'Getting named streams from fwapg feature service'
+ogr2ogr -f GPKG background_layers.gpkg \
+    -update \
+    -overwrite \
+    -t_srs EPSG:3005 \
+    -nln fwa_named_streams \
+    -clipsrc aoi.geojson \
+    -clipsrclayer aoi \
+    "https://features.hillcrestgeo.ca/fwa/collections/whse_basemapping.fwa_named_streams/items.json?bbox=$BOUNDS_LL"
+    # "http://www.a11s.one:9000/collections/whse_basemapping.fwa_named_streams/items.json?bbox=$BOUNDS_LL"
+
+
+echo 'Creating a record of the layers that were loaded'
+# create a record of the layers that were loaded
+# Get the current date and time
+TIMESTAMP=$(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M')
+
+# Header for the CSV file
+echo "timestamp,content,watershed_groups,source" > temp.csv
+
+# Use awk to process the text file line by line
+awk -v timestamp="$TIMESTAMP" -v watershed_groups="$1" -v source="$SOURCES" '!/^#/ && NF > 0 {print timestamp "," $0 "," watershed_groups "," source}' $SOURCES >> temp.csv
+
+# Append the temporary CSV file to the GeoPackage
+ogr2ogr -append -f "GPKG" $GPKG temp.csv -nln rfp_tracking
+
+# Remove the temporary CSV file
+rm temp.csv
+
+
+
+
+
diff --git a/inst/extdata/rfp_source_bcdata.sh b/inst/extdata/rfp_source_bcdata.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..8d143ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inst/extdata/rfp_source_bcdata.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -euxo pipefail
+
+# activate our conda environment
+source /opt/homebrew/Caskroom/miniconda/base/etc/profile.d/conda.sh
+conda activate dff
+
+
+# Check that watershed group code is provided as an argument
+if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "No arguments supplied - provide list of watershed_group_code values for watersheds of interest."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+
+# Temporarily disable the nounset option
+set +u
+
+# Assign a default value to $2 if it's not set
+operation=${2:-"generate"}
+
+# Re-enable the nounset option
+set -u
+
+
+
+# clean out the old files
+rm -f *.geojson
+rm -f *.tif
+
+
+# Name of the GeoPackage file
+GPKG="background_layers.gpkg"
+
+# name the sources file
+SOURCES="rfp_source_bcdata.txt"
+
+
+# Check for "update" flag and existence of the GeoPackage file
+if [[ "$operation" == "update" && ! -f "$GPKG" ]]; then
+    echo "$GPKG does not exist. Cannot perform update operation."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# # Check for "update" flag and existence of the GeoPackage file
+# if [[ "$2" == "update" && ! -f "$GPKG" ]]; then
+#     echo "$GPKG does not exist. Cannot perform update operation."
+#     exit 1
+# fi
+
+process_geopackage() {
+    local watersheds="$1"
+    local operation="${2-}" # Default to empty if not set
+
+    echo "Processing watershed group boundaries: $watersheds"
+    rm -f aoi.geojson
+    bcdata dump WHSE_BASEMAPPING.FWA_WATERSHED_GROUPS_POLY \
+        --query "WATERSHED_GROUP_CODE in ($watersheds)" -l > aoi.geojson
+
+    local update_option=""
+    if [[ "$operation" == "update" ]]; then
+        update_option="-update"
+    fi
+
+    ogr2ogr -f GPKG "$GPKG" \
+            $update_option \
+            -overwrite \
+            -t_srs EPSG:3005 \
+            -nln fwa_watershed_groups_poly \
+            aoi.geojson
+}
+
+# Main script logic
+if [[ -f "$GPKG" ]]; then
+    if [[ "$operation" != "update" ]]; then
+        echo "Error: GeoPackage $GPKG exists but no 'update' flag was set."
+        exit 1
+    else
+        echo "Updating existing $GPKG with area of interest..."
+        process_geopackage "$1" "update"
+    fi
+else
+    if [[ "$operation" == "update" ]]; then
+        echo "Cannot perform update because $GPKG is missing."
+        exit 1
+    else
+        echo "Generating a new one..."
+        process_geopackage "$1"
+    fi
+fi
+
+
+# # Main script logic
+# if [[ -f "$GPKG" ]]; then
+#     read -p "Do you wish to start over with a new $GPKG? If you are updating existing project info say NO (y/n): " answer
+#     if [[ $answer == "y" ]]; then
+#         echo "Removing $GPKG..."
+#         rm -f "$GPKG"
+#         process_geopackage "$1"
+#     else
+#         echo "Updating existing $GPKG with area of interest..."
+#         process_geopackage "$1" "update"
+#     fi
+# else
+#     if [[ "$operation" == "update" ]]; then
+#         # This block should never be reached due to the initial check, but it's here for logical completeness
+#         echo "Cannot perform update because $GPKG is missing."
+#         exit 1
+#     else
+#         echo "Generating a new one..."
+#         process_geopackage "$1"
+#     fi
+# fi
+
+
+# get bounding box of aoi in BC Albers and WGS84 (lon/lat)
+BOUNDS_LL=$(fio info aoi.geojson --layer aoi --bounds)
+BOUNDS=$(echo "[$BOUNDS_LL]" | tr ' ', ',' | rio transform --src_crs EPSG:4326 --dst_crs EPSG:3005 | tr -d '[] ')
+
+
+# ---------------
+# non-fwa bcgw layers
+# ---------------
+echo 'Getting BC Data Catalogue layers - this may take a while'
+BCGW_SOURCES=$(grep -v '^#' $SOURCES)
+for layer in $BCGW_SOURCES; do
+    if [ ! -f ./$layer.geojson ]; then
+        set -e ; bcdata dump $layer --bounds "$BOUNDS" --bounds-crs EPSG:3005 -l > $layer.geojson
+    fi
+done
+
+# remove empty fwa tables created by bcdata because sql query will fail later
+find . -maxdepth 1 -type f -name "*.fwa_*" -size -50c -delete
+
+
+# get the name of the files (except aoi.geojson) that are left after tiny ones are removed
+BCGW_SOURCES_CLEANED=$(find . -maxdepth 1 -type f -name "*.geojson" -a '!' -name "aoi.geojson" -exec basename {} .geojson \;)
+
+
+for layer in $BCGW_SOURCES_CLEANED; do
+    if [[ $layer == *".fwa_"* ]]; then
+        ogr2ogr -f GPKG \
+            background_layers.gpkg \
+            -update \
+            -overwrite \
+            -t_srs EPSG:3005 \
+            -nln $layer \
+            -dim XY \
+            -where "watershed_group_code in ($1)" \
+            $layer.geojson
+    else
+        ogr2ogr -f GPKG \
+            background_layers.gpkg \
+            -update \
+            -overwrite \
+            -t_srs EPSG:3005 \
+            -nln $layer \
+            -dim XY \
+            -clipsrc aoi.geojson \
+            -clipsrclayer aoi \
+            $layer.geojson
+    fi
+done
+
+echo 'Creating a record of the layers that were loaded'
+# create a record of the layers that were loaded
+# Get the current date and time
+TIMESTAMP=$(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M')
+
+# Header for the CSV file
+echo "timestamp,content,watershed_groups,source" > temp.csv
+
+# Use awk to process the text file line by line
+awk -v timestamp="$TIMESTAMP" -v watershed_groups="$1" -v source="$SOURCES" '!/^#/ && NF > 0 {print timestamp "," $0 "," watershed_groups "," source}' $SOURCES >> temp.csv
+
+# Append the temporary CSV file to the GeoPackage
+ogr2ogr -append -f "GPKG" $GPKG temp.csv -nln rfp_tracking
+
+# Remove the temporary CSV file
+rm temp.csv
+
+
+echo 'bcdata layers are now loaded to background_layers.gpkg'
+
+