The National Map is acollaborative effort of theUnited States Geological Survey (USGS) and other federal, state, and local agencies to improve and delivertopographic information for theUnited States.[1] The purpose of the effort is to provide "...a seamless, continuously maintained set of public domain geographic base information that will serve as a foundation for integrating, sharing, and using other data easily and consistently".[2]
The National Map is part of the USGSNational Geospatial Program.[3] The geographic information available includesorthoimagery (aerial photographs),elevation,geographic names,hydrography, boundaries, transportation, structures and land cover.The National Map is accessible via theWeb, as products and services, and as downloadable data. Its uses range from recreation to scientific analysis to emergency response.[1]
The National Map is a significant contribution to theU.S. National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) from theFederal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) and currently is being transformed to better serve thegeospatial community by providing high quality, integrated geospatial data and improved products and services including new generation digitaltopographic maps. In addition, the National Map is foundational to implementation of theU.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Geospatial Modernization Blueprint.[1]
The USGS also utilizes data fromThe National Map Corps, which consists of volunteers who devote some of their time to providecartographic information on structures.[4]
The National Map is the official replacement for theUSGS topographic map program.[2]
The National Map Corps consists of volunteers who devote some of their time to providecartographic information to theU.S. Geological Survey. The only requirements to participate are having access to theInternet and a current familiarity with the area being mapped.[5] This data is used to updateThe National Map.
The program originally allowed volunteers to collectgeographic coordinates (latitude andlongitude) viaGPS receivers. The data was entered inspreadsheet format or inESRIshapefiles and submitted via e-mail to the USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center(s) inDenver, Colorado, andRolla, Missouri. During the registration process, prospective volunteers submitted a list of the 7.5 minutequadrangle maps on which they wished to work. Once accepted into the project, volunteers received their assignment and 1:24,000 scaletopographic map of their quad. While there was no deadline for completing maps, the project's administrators preferred volunteers to submit coordinates for all structures in the quad no more than one year after beginning work.
In December 2006, a new Internet-based method for submitting information on structures was introduced. Using aweb browser, volunteers are able to navigate maps and aerial photography, placing a point on the map and subsequently entering the name and type of structure.
From August 2008, the program stopped accepting structure data collected via GPS, but continued to use the web-based collection site.[6]
The following is a list of structures that can be entered on the web site. The focus is significant man-made structures. The "other" category is for man-made structures not on this list and should not include locations such as homes, restaurants or other commercial establishments.[7]
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This article incorporatespublic domain material fromThe National Map.United States Geological Survey.