Summary

As the Nation's population grows, quantifying, monitoring, and managing land use becomes increasingly important. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has a long heritage of leadership and innovation in land use and land cover (LULC) mapping that has been the model both nationally and internationally for over 20 years. At present, the USGS is producing highresolution LULC data for several watershed and urban areas within the United States. This highresolution LULC mapping is part of an ongoing USGS Land Cover Characterization Program (LCCP). The four components of the LCCPare global (1:2,000,000scale), national (1:100,000scale), urban (1:24,000scale), and special projects (various scales and time periods). Within the urban and special project components, the USGS Rocky Mountain Mapping Center (RMMC) is collecting historical as well as contemporary highresolution LULC data. RMMC's highresolution LULC mapping builds on the heritage and success of previous USGS LULC programs and provides LULC information to meet user requirements.

First posted November 1999