USGS Releases Two Decades of Land Cover Change for the Contiguous United States
The USGS has updated land cover maps for the conterminous United States, which show how the country’s landscapes have changed over the last 18 years.
New Report Values Economic Benefits of Landsat Archive at $3.45 billion
A newly released report from the USGS has estimated the 2017 domestic and international economic benefits of Landsat imagery  to be $3.45 billion. Â
Online Landslide Inventory Mapping Tool
The USGS has launched an online web map that compiles existing United States landslide data into a searchable tool called the U.S. Landslide Inventory Map.
Changes to the National Land Cover Database
The National Land Cover Database is a GIS dataset that is seen as critical for monitoring the impact of fires, particularly increased wildfires in the West, general health of ecosystems, biodiversity monitoring, and increasing effects of climate change on land cover.
This Tools Helps You Figure Out Which Satellite Bands to Use for Remote Sensing
The USGS offers the Landsat Spectral Characteristics Viewer which lets users view how different earth observation satellite instruments can be used for their remote sensing needs. Â
Free GIS Books
Most of these free GIS books are available in downloadable PDF format and can be read from a computer or on an eBook reader. Â
The USGS Landsat Analysis Ready Data (ARD) Program
Landsat data is available for download from EarthExplorer for the conterminous United States, Alaska, and Hawaii referenced using the WGS84 datum and provided as GeoTIFF data
How LiDAR is Being Used to Help With Natural Disaster Mapping and Management
Michael Shillenn, vice president and program manager with Quantum Spatial outlines three projects where LiDAR data from the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) has been used to assist in planning, disaster response and recovery, and emergency preparedness. Â
New Earthquake Maps from the USGS Also Factor Human Activity Induced Causes
The United States Geological Survey has created a new map that highlights where natural and man-made earthquakes could cause damage around the country.
Using GIS and a Century of Data to Create a New Geologic Map of Alaska
In 2016, the USGS completed a new geologic map of Alaska using GIS.
Landsat 8 Data Users Handbook
Launched in 2013 by NASA, Landsat 8 is the latest satellite in the series.  The mission of the orbiting satellite is to map and track changes … Read more
Mapping the California Drought with Open Data
The Center for Integrated Data Analytics (CIDA) of the United States Geological Survey has created an open source visual description of California’s ongoing drought using free and publicly available GIS data sources