Metadata for 2019 National Land Cover Database (NLCD) Impervious Surface Conterminous United States
Metadata for 2019 National Land Cover Database (NLCD) Impervious Surface Conterminous United States
Identification Information
Data Quality Information
Spatial Data Organization Information
Spatial Reference Information
Entity and Attribute Information
Distribution Information
Metadata Reference Information
Download full XML Metadata
Identification Information:
Citation:
Originator:
U.S. Geological Survey
Originator:
Jon Dewitz
Publication date:
06/04/2021
Title:
2019 National Land Cover Database (NLCD) Impervious Surface Conterminous United States
Series name:
None
Issue identification:
None
Publication place:
Sioux Falls, SD
Publisher:
U.S. Geological Survey
Online linkage:
https://doi.org/10.5066/P9KZCM54
Online linkage:
https://www.mrlc.gov/data
Online linkage:
https://www.mrlc.gov/data-services-page
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 five National Land Cover Database (NLCD) products over the past two decades: NLCD 1992, 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016. The 2016 release saw landcover created for additional years of 2003, 2008, and 2013. These products provide spatially explicit and reliable information on the Nation’s land cover and land cover change. To continue the legacy of NLCD and further establish a long-term monitoring capability for the Nation’s land resources, the USGS has designed a new generation of NLCD products named NLCD 2019. The NLCD 2019 design aims to provide innovative, consistent, and robust methodologies for production of a multi-temporal land cover and land cover change database from 2001 to 2019 at 2–3-year intervals. Comprehensive research was conducted and resulted in developed strategies for NLCD 2019: continued integration between impervious surface and all landcover products with impervious surface being directly mapped as developed classes in the landcover, a streamlined compositing process for assembling and preprocessing based on Landsat imagery and geospatial ancillary datasets; a multi-source integrated training data development and decision-tree based land cover classifications; a temporally, spectrally, and spatially integrated land cover change analysis strategy; a hierarchical theme-based post-classification and integration protocol for generating land cover and change products; a continuous fields biophysical parameters modeling method; and an automated scripted operational system for the NLCD 2019 production. The performance of the developed strategies and methods were tested in twenty composite referenced areas throughout the conterminous U.S. An overall accuracy assessment from the 2016 publication give a 91% overall landcover accuracy, with the developed classes also showing a 91% accuracy in overall developed. Results from this study confirm the robustness of this comprehensive and highly automated procedure for NLCD 2019 operational mapping. Questions about the NLCD 2019 land cover product can be directed to the NLCD 2019 land cover mapping team at USGS EROS, Sioux Falls, SD (605) 594-6151 or mrlc@usgs.gov. See included spatial metadata for more details.
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: 2342655 meters(X), 177285 meters(Y)
Time period of content:
Beginning date:
2001
Ending date:
2019
Currentness reference:
ground condition
Status:
Progress:
In work
Maintenance and update frequency:
Every 2-3 years
Access constraints:
None. Please see 'Distribution Info' for details.
Use constraints:
None. Users are advised to read the dataset's metadata thoroughly to understand appropriate use and data limitations.
Point of contact:
Customer Service Representative
U.S. Geological Survey
47914 252nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57198-0001
Telephone:
605/594-6151
Fax:
605/594-6589
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 2019 Land Cover, NLCD 2019 Land Cover Change, or NLCD 2019 Impervious Surface products. A 2016 accuracy assessment publication can be found here: James Wickham, Stephen V. Stehman, Daniel G. Sorenson, Leila Gass, Jon A. Dewitz., Thematic accuracy assessment of the NLCD 2016 land cover for the conterminous United States: Remote Sensing of Environment, Volume 257, 2021, 112357, ISSN 0034-4257, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2021.112357.
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:
See https://www.mrlc.gov/data for the full list of products available.
Completeness report:
This NLCD product is the version dated June 4, 2021.
Horizontal Positional Accuracy Report:
N/A
Vertical positional accuracy report:
N/A
Lineage:
Source information:
Originator:
U.S. Geological Survey
Publication date:
04/08/2020
Title:
Landsat—Earth Observation Satellites
Other citation details:
https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/nli/landsat/landsat-5?qt-science_support_page_related_con=0#qt-science_support_page_related_con
Online linkage:
https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20153081
Type of source media:
Digital and/or Hardcopy
Source contribution:
Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM)
Beginning date:
1984
Ending date:
2013
Source information:
Originator:
U.S. Geological Survey
Originator:
Jon Dewitz
Publication date:
01/2019
Title:
NLCD 2016 Impervious Surface Conterminous United States
Other citation details:
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://doi.org/10.5066/P96HHBIE
Type of source media:
Digital and/or Hardcopy
Source contribution:
Digital Elevation Module (DEM)
Beginning date:
2001
Ending date:
2016
Source information:
Originator:
Julia A. Barsi
Originator:
Brian L. Markham
Originator:
Jeffrey S. Czapla-Myers
Originator:
Dennis L. Helder
Originator:
Simon J. Hook
Originator:
John R. Schott
Originator:
Md. Obaidul Haque
Publication date:
09/19/2016
Title:
Landsat-7 ETM+ radiometric calibration status
Other citation details:
https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/nli/landsat/landsat-7?qt-science_support_page_related_con=0#qt-science_support_page_related_con
Online linkage:
https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2238625
Type of source media:
Digital and/or Hardcopy
Source contribution:
Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+)
Beginning date:
1999
Ending date:
2020
Source information:
Originator:
U.S. Geological Survey
Originator:
Jon Dewitz
Publication date:
2017
Title:
Statistical relative gain calculation for Landsat 8
Other citation details:
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://doi.org/10.5066/P96HHBIE
Type of source media:
Digital and/or Hardcopy
Source contribution:
Landsat Operational Land Imager (OLI)
Beginning date:
2001
Ending date:
2016
Source information:
Originator:
Julia A. Barsi
Originator:
Brian L. Markham
Originator:
Matthew Montanaro
Originator:
Aaron Gerace
Originator:
Simon Hook
Originator:
John R. Schott
Originator:
Nina G. Raqueno
Originator:
Ron Morfitt
Publication date:
2017
Title:
Landsat-8 TIRS thermal radiometric calibration status
Other citation details:
https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/nli/landsat/landsat-8?qt-science_support_page_related_con=0#qt-science_support_page_related_con
Online linkage:
https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2276045
Type of source media:
Digital and/or Hardcopy
Source contribution:
Landsat Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS)
Beginning date:
2013
Ending date:
2020
Source information:
Originator:
U.S. Geological Survey
Publication date:
04/08/2020
Title:
Landsat—Earth Observation Satellites
Other citation details:
https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/nli/landsat/landsat-5?qt-science_support_page_related_con=0#qt-science_support_page_related_con
Online linkage:
https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20153081
Type of source media:
Digital and/or Hardcopy
Source contribution:
Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS)
Beginning date:
1984
Ending date:
2013
Source information:
Originator:
U.S. Geological Survey
Originator:
Jon Dewitz
Publication date:
01/2019
Title:
NLCD 2016 Land Cover Conterminous United States
Other citation details:
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://doi.org/10.5066/P96HHBIE
Type of source media:
Digital and/or Hardcopy
Source contribution:
United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Land Cover Database (NLCD)
Beginning date:
2001
Ending date:
2016
Source information:
Originator:
John L. Dwyer
Originator:
David P. Roy
Originator:
Brian Sauer
Originator:
Calli B. Jenkerson
Originator:
Hankaui K. Zhang
Originator:
Leo Lymburner
Publication date:
08/28/2018
Title:
Analysis Ready Data: Enabling Analysis of the Landsat Archive
Other citation details:
https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/nli/landsat/us-landsat-analysis-ready-data?qt-science_support_page_related_con=0#qt-science_support_page_related_con
Online linkage:
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10091363
Type of source media:
Digital and/or Hardcopy
Source contribution:
Landsat Analysis Ready Data (ARD)
Calendar date:
2018
Source information:
Originator:
National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), now part of NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)
Publication date:
2011
Title:
Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Nighttime Lights
Other citation details:
https://sos.noaa.gov/datasets/nighttime-lights/
Type of source media:
Digital and/or Hardcopy
Source contribution:
The Nighttime Lights of the World data set was complied from Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) data spanning October 1994 - March 1995.
Beginning date:
1994
Ending date:
1995
Source information:
Originator:
NASA/NOAA
Publication date:
2016
Title:
Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night band Nighttime Lights
Other citation details:
https://earthdata.nasa.gov/worldview/worldview-image-archive/the-day-night-band-enhanced-near-constant-contrast-of-viirs
Type of source media:
Digital and/or Hardcopy
Source contribution:
The VIIRS Nighttime Imagery (Day/Night Band, Enhanced Near Constant Contrast) layer shows the Earth’s surface and atmosphere using a sensor designed to capture low-light emission sources, under varying illumination conditions.
Calendar date:
2016
Process step:
Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Nighttime Lights and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night band Nighttime Lights have been applied by many researchers as a way to study such topics as population density and economic activity. These two datasets are used in the generation of training data for the new NLCD 2019 Impervious Surface for 2011 and 2016, respectively. DMSP Nighttime Lights (for 2011) and VIIRS Day/Night band Nighttime Lights (for 2016) were superimposed on NLCD 2011 Impervious Surface data to exclude low density impervious areas outside urban and suburban centers, and ensure that only core urban areas were included in training data development.
Process date:
2019
Process contact:
Jon Dewitz
GEOGRAPHER
U.S. Geological Survey, CORE SCIENCE SYSTEMS
47914 252Nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
Telephone:
605-594-2715
E-Mail:
dewitz@usgs.gov
Process step:
Two training datasets, one of larger extent, one smaller to have different proportions of higher and lower relative impervious according to the extent of brighter and dimmer nighttime lighting, were assembled by imposing two separate thresholds of nighttime lights imagery onto the NLCD 2016 Impervious Surface data layer.
Each of the two training datasets were used separately to build regression tree models for predicting percent impervious surface from zero to 100% using Landsat imagery from each respective year as predictive variables.
Process date:
2019
Process contact:
Jon Dewitz
GEOGRAPHER
U.S. Geological Survey, CORE SCIENCE SYSTEMS
47914 252Nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
Telephone:
605-594-2715
E-Mail:
dewitz@usgs.gov
Process step:
These two sets of regression tree models were the basis of two 2011 initial impervious surface maps.
Process date:
2019
Process contact:
Jon Dewitz
GEOGRAPHER
U.S. Geological Survey, CORE SCIENCE SYSTEMS
47914 252Nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
Telephone:
605-594-2715
E-Mail:
dewitz@usgs.gov
Process step:
The same two training datasets were used with 2016 Landsat imagery to create two sets of regression tree models and two 2016 initial impervious surface maps.
Process date:
2019
Process contact:
Jon Dewitz
GEOGRAPHER
U.S. Geological Survey, CORE SCIENCE SYSTEMS
47914 252Nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
Telephone:
605-594-2715
E-Mail:
dewitz@usgs.gov
Process step:
The two pairs of initial impervious surface maps - 2 each for an earlier and later image (for example, 2004 was compared to 2001, 2006 to 2004, etc. up to 2019.), - were compared to remove false estimates caused by high reflectance in non-urban areas, as well as to retain impervious values unchanged from the earlier year.
Process date:
2019
Process contact:
Jon Dewitz
GEOGRAPHER
U.S. Geological Survey, CORE SCIENCE SYSTEMS
47914 252Nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
Telephone:
605-594-2715
E-Mail:
dewitz@usgs.gov
Process step:
The last step is a clean-up to correct mapping errors with automated processes and some hand editing. For example, false impervious estimates in mines and barren land were removed, and developed areas with low imperviousness, such as city parks and golf courses, were added.
Process date:
2019
Process contact:
Jon Dewitz
GEOGRAPHER
U.S. Geological Survey, CORE SCIENCE SYSTEMS
47914 252Nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
Telephone:
605-594-2715
E-Mail:
dewitz@usgs.gov
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Spatial Data Organization Information:
Raster object information:
Raster object type:
Grid Cell
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:
29.5
Standard parallel:
45.5
Longitude of central meridian:
-96.0
Latitude of projection origin:
23.0
False easting:
0.0
False northing:
0.0
Planar distance units:
meters
Geodetic model:
Horizontal datum name:
WGS_1984
Ellipsoid name:
WGS 84
Semi-major axis:
6378137.0
Denominator of flattening ratio:
298.257223563
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Entity and Attribute Information:
Entity type label:
NLCD Impervious Surface Attribute Table
Entity type definition:
Product showing the attributes for the impervious cover throughout CONUS
Attribute label:
OID
Attribute definition:
Internal feature number.
Attribute domain:
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Attribute label:
Value
Attribute definition:
Percent Imperviousness. *while the file structure shows values in range from 0-255, the values of 0-100 are the only real populated values, in addition to a background value of 127.
Attribute
Value
Definition of
Attribute Value
127
Background value
Range domain minimum:
0
Range domain maximum:
100
Attribute units of measure:
percentage
Attribute measurement resolution:
0.1
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:
Red
Attribute definition:
Red color code for RGB slice by value for imperviousness image display purposes. The value is arbitrarily assigned by the display software package, unless defined by user. Standard user defined ramp for NLCD project is start color light gray, end color red.
Range domain minimum:
0
Range domain maximum:
255
Attribute label:
Green
Attribute definition:
Green color code for RGB slice by value for imperviousness image display purposes. The value is arbitrarily assigned by the display software package, unless defined by user. Standard user defined ramp for NLCD project is start color light gray, end color red.
Range domain minimum:
0
Range domain maximum:
255
Attribute label:
Blue
Attribute definition:
Blue color code for RGB slice by value for imperviousness image display purposes. The value is arbitrarily assigned by the display software package, unless defined by user. Standard user defined ramp for NLCD project is start color light gray, end color red.
Range domain minimum:
0
Range domain maximum:
255
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:
1
Attribute measurement resolution:
0.01
Entity and attribute overview:
Impervious Surface Attributes
Entity and attribute detail citation:
Attributes defined by USGS and ESRI.
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Distribution Information:
Distributor:
GS ScienceBase
U.S. Geological Survey
Denver Federal Center, Building 810, Mail Stop 302
Denver, CO 80225
Telephone:
1-888-275-8747
E-Mail:
sciencebase@usgs.gov
Resource description:
Downloadable data
Distribution liability:
Unless otherwise stated, all data, metadata and related materials are considered to satisfy the quality standards relative to the purpose for which the data were collected. Although these data and associated metadata have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness and approved for release by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data for other purposes, nor on all computer systems, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty.
Standard order process:
Digital form:
Format name:
ERDAS
Transfer size:
1012.0
megabytes
Online option:
https://doi.org/10.5066/P9KZCM54
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:
06/11/2021
Metadata contact:
Customer Services Representative
U.S. Geological Survey
47914 252nd Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57198-0001
Telephone:
605/594-6151
Fax:
605/594-6589
E-Mail:
custserv@usgs.gov
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