Metadata for 2013 National Land Cover Data (NLCD) for Montana Metadata for 2013 National Land Cover Data (NLCD) for Montana
Identification Information:
Citation:
Originator: U.S. Geological Survey
Publication date: 01/2019
Title: 2013 National Land Cover Data (NLCD) for Montana
Edition: 2016
Series name: None
Issue identification: None
Publication place: Sioux Falls, SD
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
Other citation details:
References: Yang, L., et al. (2018). "A new generation of the United States National Land Cover Database: Requirements, research priorities, design, and implementation strategies." ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing 146: 108-123.
Online linkage: https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mrlc/NLCD_2013_Land_Cover_L48_20190424.zip
Larger Work Citation:
Title: 2016 National Land Cover Data
Online linkage: https://mslservices.mt.gov/Geographic_Information/Data/DataList/datalist_Details.aspx?did={7670ad63-9233-4754-87d6-da0138c7f8e6}

Abstract:
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in partnership with several federal agencies, has developed and released four National Land Cover Database (NLCD) products over the past two decades: NLCD 1992, 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2013. These products provide spatially explicit and reliable information on the Nation’s land cover and land cover change.
Purpose:
The goal of this project is to provide the Nation with complete, current, and consistent public domain information on its land use and land cover.
Supplemental information:
Corner Coordinates (center of pixel, projection meters)
Upper Left Corner: -2493045 meters(X), 3310005 meters(Y)
Lower Right Corner: -177285 meters(X), 2342655 meters(Y)

Time period of content:
Beginning date: 2001
Ending date: 2016
Currentness reference: ground condition
Status:
Progress: In work
Maintenance and update frequency: Every 2-3 years
Access constraints: None
Use constraints: None
Point of contact:
Customer Service Representative
U.S. Geological Survey
USGS EROS
47914 252nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57198-0001


Telephone: 605/594-6151
E-Mail: custserv@usgs.gov


Data set credit: U.S. Geological Survey
Security information:
Security classification system: None
Security classification: Unclassified
Security handling description: N/A
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Data Quality Information:
Attribute accuracy report:
A formal accuracy assessment has not been conducted for NLCD 2016 Land Cover, NLCD 2016 Land Cover Change, or NLCD 2016 Impervious Surface products.
Quantitative attribute accuracy assessment:
Attribute accuracy value: Unknown
Attribute accuracy explanation:
This document and the described land cover map are considered "provisional" until a formal accuracy assessment is completed. The U.S. Geological Survey can make no guarantee as to the accuracy or completeness of this information, and it is provided with the understanding that it is not guaranteed to be correct or complete. Conclusions drawn from this information are the responsibility of the user.

Logical consistency report:
The NLCD 2016 final seamless products include: 1) NLCD 2016 Land Cover; 2) NLCD 2016 Impervious Surface; 3) NLCD 2016 Land Cover Change Index.
Completeness report: This NLCD product is the version dated January, 2019.


Horizontal Positional Accuracy Report: N/A

Vertical positional accuracy report: N/A


Lineage:

Process step:
NLCD 2016 Land Cover Process Step National Land Cover Database (NLCD) land cover data is fundamentally based on the analysis of Landsat data. Approximately 3,608 Landsat scenes are required for NLCD 2016 (this total does not include additional scenes needed for cloud/shadow fill). Using automated scripts, Landsat scenes were selected for seven target years: 2001, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2013, and 2016. All scenes with cloud cover less than 20 percent were downloaded and one cloud-free, leaf-on image was selected for each path/row in each year. In addition, one leaf-off image was added for 2016 only. If no cloud-free images were available for the target year, then an alternate cloud-free image was selected either one year before or one year after the target. If there was still significant cloud cover, then up to three fill images were selected and applied in a process to remove clouds, cloud shadow, smoke, or other artifacts. Other input datasets include: NLCD 2001, 2006, and 2011; 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) digital elevation data; Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) land cover; Cropland Data Layer (CDL); National Wetlands Inventory (NWI); Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database; and State Soil Geographic (STATSGO2) Database. SSURGO (with STATSGO2 to fill in gaps) was the basis for a hydric soils data layer used in training data assembly. NLCD 2016 is produced by modeling land cover change over seven intervals between 2001 and 2016, with consistent change trajectories built into the process. The first set of models in this process are for multi-spectral change detection. The Multi-Index Integrated Change Analysis (MIICA) model outputs a change map between two dates of imagery. Five spectral indices are also calculated, and a disturbance map is produced by the Vegetation Change Tracker (VCT) software. The MIICA outputs, the five spectral indices, and the 1986 to 2016 disturbance map are the inputs to the training dataset assembly stage. A set of models was developed to assemble a training dataset for each land cover class for each of the seven target years. The training dataset models were built with Landsat images and derived indices, spectral change products, trajectory analysis, and ancillary data: NLCD 2001, 2006, and 2011; C-CAP land cover; CDL; NWI; a cultivated cropland 2008 to 2016 dataset; and a hydric soils dataset. Image segmentation was performed on the Landsat scenes, and the resulting image objects were used to mitigate noise in the training data. The final output of this stage is training data for each of the seven target years, for input into the initial land cover classification stage. For each of the seven target years of Landsat data, two percent of all available training data per path/row was drawn from the data as training samples, and one percent was drawn as validation samples. The C5 decision tree classification software was run on the training samples to generate a set of rules, and the decision rules were applied to generate a land cover classification for each of the seven target years. The C5 software was run with four sets of independent variables: the 1986 to 2016 disturbance year data derived from VCT; the set of Landsat images; compactness indices from image segmentation; and a DEM and its derivatives. The classifier was run twice, once with all land cover classes processed and the 1986 to 2016 disturbance year data included, and again with two classes - Urban and Water - omitted from the classification and the disturbance year data not included in processing. The two classifications were integrated with ancillary data and the segmentation polygons to produce seven initial land cover maps. A post-classification refinement process was developed to correct classification errors in each target year, check for consistency of land cover labels over time, and improve spatial coherence of land cover distribution. Refinement was conducted class-by-class in hierarchical order: (1) Water, (2) Wetlands, (3) Forest and forest transition, (4) Permanent snow, (5) Agricultural lands, and (6) Persistent shrubland and herbaceous. Models were developed for refinement of each class and each type of confusion. For example, confusion between coniferous forest and water, both spectrally "dark" could be corrected by reclassifying water to coniferous forest where slope was greater than 2 percent. Confusion between forest and cropland could be mitigated with CDL data, and so forth. The final integration step resolved class label issues pertinent to local environments (such as coastal areas), and, for land cover classes other than Water and Developed, ensured that all pixels in a segmentation object were in the same class. Pixel-based and object-based land cover labels were checked for differences, which were reconciled by a rule-based model. Water and Developed classes kept pixel values intact even in areas that were smaller than segmentation objects. Change trajectories for each class were checked for consistency through the seven target years.
Process date: 2016
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Spatial Data Organization Information:
Raster object information:
Raster object type: Pixel
Row count: 104424
Column count: 161190
Vertical count: 1
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Spatial Reference Information:
Horizontal coordinate system definition:
Map projection:
Map projection name: Albers Conical Equal Area
Albers conical equal area:
Albers Conical Equal Area
Standard parallel: 29.500000
Standard parallel: 45.500000
Longitude of central meridian: -96.000000
Latitude of projection origin: 23.000000
False easting: 0.000000
False northing: 0.000000
Planar distance units: meters
Geodetic model:
Horizontal datum name: North American Datum of 1983
Ellipsoid name: Geodetic Reference System 80
Semi-major axis: 6378137.000000
Denominator of flattening ratio: 298.257222
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Entity and Attribute Information:
Entity type label: None
Entity type definition: NLCD Land Cover Layer

Attribute label: ObjectID
Attribute definition: Internal feature number
Attribute domain:
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

Attribute label: Count
Attribute definition:
A nominal integer value that designates the number of pixels that have each value in the file; histogram column in ERDAS Imagine raster attributes table
Attribute domain: Integer

Attribute label: Value
Attribute definition: Land Cover Class Code Value.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
11 Open Water - All areas of open water, generally with less than 25% cover or vegetation or soil


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
12 Perennial Ice/Snow - All areas characterized by a perennial cover of ice and/or snow, generally greater than 25% of total cover.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
21 Developed, Open Space - Includes areas with a mixture of some constructed materials, but mostly vegetation in the form of lawn grasses. Impervious surfaces account for less than 20 percent of total cover. These areas most commonly include large-lot single-family housing units, parks, golf courses, and vegetation planted in developed settings for recreation, erosion control, or aesthetic purposes.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
22 Developed, Low Intensity -Includes areas with a mixture of constructed materials and vegetation. Impervious surfaces account for 20-49 percent of total cover. These areas most commonly include single-family housing units.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
23 Developed, Medium Intensity - Includes areas with a mixture of constructed materials and vegetation. Impervious surfaces account for 50-79 percent of the total cover. These areas most commonly include single-family housing units.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
24 Developed, High Intensity - Includes highly developed areas where people reside or work in high numbers. Examples include apartment complexes, row houses and commercial/industrial. Impervious surfaces account for 80 to 100 percent of the total cover.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
31 Barren Land (Rock/Sand/Clay) - Barren areas of bedrock, desert pavement, scarps, talus, slides, volcanic material, glacial debris, sand dunes, strip mines, gravel pits and other accumulations of earthen material. Generally, vegetation accounts for less than 15% of total cover.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
41 Deciduous Forest - Areas dominated by trees generally greater than 5 meters tall, and greater than 20% of total vegetation cover. More than 75 percent of the tree species shed foliage simultaneously in response to seasonal change.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
42 Evergreen Forest - Areas dominated by trees generally greater than 5 meters tall, and greater than 20% of total vegetation cover. More than 75 percent of the tree species maintain their leaves all year. Canopy is never without green foliage.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
43 Mixed Forest - Areas dominated by trees generally greater than 5 meters tall, and greater than 20% of total vegetation cover. Neither deciduous nor evergreen species are greater than 75 percent of total tree cover.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
51 Dwarf Scrub - Alaska only areas dominated by shrubs less than 20 centimeters tall with shrub canopy typically greater than 20% of total vegetation. This type is often co-associated with grasses, sedges, herbs, and non-vascular vegetation.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
52 Shrub/Scrub - Areas dominated by shrubs; less than 5 meters tall with shrub canopy typically greater than 20% of total vegetation. This class includes true shrubs, young trees in an early successional stage or trees stunted from environmental conditions.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
71 Grassland/Herbaceous - Areas dominated by grammanoid or herbaceous vegetation, generally greater than 80% of total vegetation. These areas are not subject to intensive management such as tilling, but can be utilized for grazing.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
72 Sedge/Herbaceous - Alaska only areas dominated by sedges and forbs, generally greater than 80% of total vegetation. This type can occur with significant other grasses or other grass like plants, and includes sedge tundra, and sedge tussock tundra.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
73 Lichens - Alaska only areas dominated by fruticose or foliose lichens generally greater than 80% of total vegetation.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
74 Moss - Alaska only areas dominated by mosses, generally greater than 80% of total vegetation.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
81 Pasture/Hay - Areas of grasses, legumes, or grass-legume mixtures planted for livestock grazing or the production of seed or hay crops, typically on a perennial cycle. Pasture/hay vegetation accounts for greater than 20 percent of total vegetation.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
82 Cultivated Crops - Areas used for the production of annual crops, such as corn, soybeans, vegetables, tobacco, and cotton, and also perennial woody crops such as orchards and vineyards. Crop vegetation accounts for greater than 20 percent of total vegetation. This class also includes all land being actively tilled.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
90 Woody Wetlands - Areas where forest or shrub land vegetation accounts for greater than 20 percent of vegetative cover and the soil or substrate is periodically saturated with or covered with water.


Attribute
Value 		Definition of
Attribute Value
95 Emergent Herbaceous Wetlands - Areas where perennial herbaceous vegetation accounts for greater than 80 percent of vegetative cover and the soil or substrate is periodically saturated with or covered with water.

Attribute label: Red
Attribute definition:
Red color code for RGB. The value is arbitrarily assigned by the display software package, unless defined by user.
Range domain minimum: 0
Range domain maximum: 100
Attribute units of measure: Percentage
Attribute measurement resolution: 0.1

Attribute label: Green
Attribute definition:
Green color code for RGB. The value is arbitrarily assigned by the display software package, unless defined by user.
Range domain minimum: 0
Range domain maximum: 100
Attribute units of measure: Percentage
Attribute measurement resolution: 0.1

Attribute label: Blue
Attribute definition:
Blue color code for RGB. The value is arbitrarily assigned by the display software package, unless defined by user.
Range domain minimum: 0
Range domain maximum: 100
Attribute units of measure: Percentage
Attribute measurement resolution: 0.1

Attribute label: Opacity
Attribute definition:
A measure of how opaque, or solid, a color is displayed in a layer.
Range domain minimum: 0
Range domain maximum: 100
Attribute units of measure: Percentage
Attribute measurement resolution: 0.1

Entity and attribute overview: Land Cover Class RGB Color Value Table
Entity and attribute detail citation:
Attributes defined by USGS and ESRI.
Value Red Green Blue
0 0.00000000000 0.00000000000 0.00000000000
11 0.27843137255 0.41960784314 0.62745098039
12 0.81960784314 0.86666666667 0.97647058824
21 0.86666666667 0.78823529412 0.78823529412
22 0.84705882353 0.57647058824 0.50980392157
23 0.92941176471 0.00000000000 0.00000000000
24 0.66666666667 0.00000000000 0.00000000000
31 0.69803921569 0.67843137255 0.63921568628
41 0.40784313726 0.66666666667 0.38823529412
42 0.10980392157 0.38823529412 0.18823529412
43 0.70980392157 0.78823529412 0.55686274510
51 0.64705882353 0.54901960784 0.18823529412
52 0.80000000000 0.72941176471 0.48627450980
71 0.88627450980 0.88627450980 0.75686274510
72 0.78823529412 0.78823529412 0.46666666667
73 0.60000000000 0.75686274510 0.27843137255
74 0.46666666667 0.67843137255 0.57647058824
81 0.85882352941 0.84705882353 0.23921568628
82 0.66666666667 0.43921568628 0.15686274510
90 0.72941176471 0.84705882353 0.91764705882
95 0.43921568628 0.63921568628 0.72941176471
Entity and attribute overview: N/A
Entity and attribute detail citation:
Attribute accuracy is described, where present, with each attribute defined in the Entity and Attribute Section.
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Distribution Information:
Distributor:
Customer Service Representative
U.S. Geological Survey
USGS EROS
47914 252nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57198-0001


Telephone: 605/594-6151
E-Mail: custserv@usgs.gov


Resource description: Downloadable data


Distribution liability:
Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the USGS, no warranty expressed or implied is made by the USGS regarding the use of the data on any other system, nor does the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. Data may have been compiled from various outside sources. Spatial information may not meet National Map Accuracy Standards. This information may be updated without notification. The USGS shall not be liable for any activity involving these data, installation, fitness of the data for a particular purpose, its use, or analyses results.

Standard order process:
Digital form:
Format name: ERDAS
Transfer size: 1012.0
megabytes
Online option:
https://www.mrlc.gov
Fees: None
Technical prerequisites:
ESRI ArcMap Suite and/or Arc/Info software, and supporting operating systems.
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Metadata Reference Information:
Metadata date: 12/03/2018
Metadata contact:
Customer Services Representative
U.S. Geological Survey
USGS EROS
47914 252nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57198-0001


Telephone: 605/594-6151
TDD/TTY telephone: 605/594-6933
Fax: 605/594-6589
E-Mail: custserv@usgs.gov


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