GEOSPATIAL DATA REPORT : Finding and Using GIS Data

http://www.nass.usda.gov/research/Cropland/SARS1a.htm
(Note 1: CDL is available for selected states only. Note 2: CDL data prior to 2007 is available at the Geospatial Data Gateway)

Cropland Data Layer (CDL) is a raster data set showing types of agricultural products grown on the land. The land use/cover analysis was conducted using satellite imagery and remote sensing analysis software (so I understand – more information about methodology & classification process is available from the methodology & FAQ pages.)

This dataset can be used as an alternative source for landuse/landcover data – which I learned from our geography instructor, Professor Greene. Though the focus of the NLCD (National Land Cover Dataset) and the CDL is different (i.e. NLCD=focuses on more general land use/cover types with more classes for urbanized area, CDL=more classes for crop types – instead of just one class, like “82: cultivated crops”), it’s possible to create a “crosswalk” to compare land use/cover changes over time since both datasets use similar classifications – like 1992/2001 NLCD crosswalk and Land Cover Institute’s Classification System Crosswalk table (scroll down a bit!)  As you see, main land use/cover classes are basically the same: water, developed/urban land, barren land, forests, shrub land, grassland, cropland/agricultural land, wetland, others/clouds – all we need is a crosswalk to create common classes. (Note: of course, we still need to consider data accuracy, data methodology differences.)

http://www.mrlc.gov/

The Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium is specifically designed to meet the current needs of Federal agencies for nationally consistent satellite remote sensing and land-cover data and also provides imagery and land cover data as public domain information, all of which can be accessed through this website.

Currently available land cover datasets are

• 1992 National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD 1992) and
  
• 2001 National Land Cover Database (NLCD 2001)
• 1992/2001 Land Cover change Database – developed to offer users more accurate direct change analysis between the two products
• The next dataset would be 2006 NLCD….

http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2006/240/ (Description)

http://water.usgs.gov/GIS/dsdl/ds240/index.html (Downloads)

[Vector polygon landuse/landcover data!]

This data set depicts landuse and landcover (LULC) from the 1970s and 1980s which had been previously published by the U.S. Geological Survey in raster format.

Other than in vector polygon format, you will also get this publication data in different formats, including:

• LULC raster data
• LULC source index polygons
• LULC tile index polygons – representing the spatial extent of each of the land-use and land-cover shapefiles

http://dcrp.ced.berkeley.edu/research/footprint/index.php

“The Berkeley/Penn Urban and Environmental Modeler’s Datakit consists of a series of viewable and downloadable ESRI shapefiles and grids describing many of the physical, administrative, transportation, demographic, economic, land use and land cover, and environmental characteristics of the 48 contiguous United States. This website and the accompanying data were constructed as part of the URBAN & ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT 2050 PROJECT at the Institute of Urban and Regional Development (IURD) at the University of California, Berkeley under a grant from the National Science Foundation.  “

http://seamless.usgs.gov/

The USGS Seamless Server, like the National Map Viewer, is a collaborative effort among the USGS and other Federal, State, and local partners to improve and deliver topographic information.  Seamless Server is the primary site for downloading USGS imagery, elevation and land cover data. Data downloading is limited up to 3 Gbytes of data in 250 MB files in one request.

Currently available datasets include:

• Orthoimagery (DOQ, NAIP, Urban High-resolution)
• Elevation (NED & SRTM)
• Land Cover (NLCD)
• Satellite Imagery (MODIS, Landsat Mosaic)
• Scanned topographic maps (DRG)
• Transportation (BTS)
• Various data map layers from National Atlas

http://datagateway.nrcs.usda.gov/

The Geospatial Data Gateway or Geo-Data Gateway provides easy and consistent access to natural resource data. Users can search for available data by geographic area or by theme, and also view and download the data via FTP, or by ordering data media, such as CD.  Click on “Get Data” to start make a data request.

Datasets included are:

• Orthophotos
• DEM
• DRG (scanned topographic maps)
• Hydrologic data (watersheds, rivers, etc.)
• National Land Cover Dataset
• National Cropland Data Layer
• Soils (SSURGO & STATSGO – you should get a MS Access template from USDA Soil Data Mart..)
• Climate (precipitation & temperature)
• Geographic names
• ..etc.

http://www.nationalatlas.gov/atlasftp.html

Nationalatlas.gov™ provides a comprehensive, maplike view into the enormous wealth of geospatial and geostatistical data collected for the United States. Nearly all data available in the National Atlas Map Maker can be downloaded at no cost.

The data categories posted are:

• Agriculture: Agriculture Census 2002 – Crops, Expenses, Farmland…
• Biology: Bat Ranges, Butterflies, Forests, Invasive Species, Land Cover…
• Boundaries: Congressional Districts, Counties, Federal lands, States…
• Climate: Precipitation, Hazard Events, Hurricanes, Sea Temperature…
• Environment: Air Releases, Hazardous Waste, Toxics Release…
• Geology: Earthquakes, Landslides, Shaded Relief, Volcanoes…
• History: Presidential General Election 2000 County and State Results.
• Map Reference: Cities and Towns, Urban Areas…
• People: Census, Crimes, Energy Consumption, Mortality…
• Transportation: Airports, Parkways and Scenic Rivers, Railroads, Roads…
• Water: Aquifers, Dams, Watersheds, Streams and Waterbodies…