Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey 1988 In 1974, the U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior, established the National Cartographic Information Center (NCIC) to serve as the public's primary source for information concerning the availability of cartographic, geographic,and remotely sensed data. As part of its program of providing information to the public, NCIC began in 1976 to develop a network of State affiliated offices to provide local access to this information. application/pdf 10.3133/70039261 en U.S. Geological Survey NCIC state affiliates reports