Images

Collage of an Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) map and land cover types produced at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center.

Spatial distribution of percent cover of key RCMAP components. RCMAP fractional component time-series data spanning 1985–2023 and trends analysis products are available for download at https://www.mrlc.gov/ and on the rangelands viewer application.

Fort Peck Lake, a sprawling reservoir formed by the Fort Peck Dam on the Missouri River, lies in the eastern prairie region of Montana near the city of Glasgow. According to the U.S.

Mount Etna is Europe’s largest and most active volcano. Located on the eastern coast of Sicily, Italy, in the province of Catania, the active stratovolcano is known for its frequent and persistent eruptions. Activity can range from explosive eruptions to lava flows and ash emissions.

Mount Etna is Europe’s largest and most active volcano. Located on the eastern coast of Sicily, Italy, in the province of Catania, the active stratovolcano is known for its frequent and persistent eruptions. Activity can range from explosive eruptions to lava flows and ash emissions.

The Chesapeake Bay is roughly 200 miles (322 kilometers) in length and varies in width from a mere 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) near Aberdeen, Maryland, to 30 miles (48 kilometers) near Cape Charles, Virginia.

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. Located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the East Coast, it runs north-south from the mouth of the Susquehanna River near Havre de Grace, Maryland, to the Atlantic Ocean near Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The Chesapeake Bay watershed has experienced substantial population growth over the last several decades. Since 1950, the population has more than doubled, and between 1980 and 2023, the number increased from 12.7 million to 18.6 million.

The Chesapeake Bay watershed spans more than 64,000 square miles (166,000 square kilometers) and encompasses parts of six states—Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia—and the District of Columbia.

A bird’s eye view of the Thacker Pass lithium mine captured in late February 2025 reveals the contours of the process plant pad taking shape. Lithium Americas, the company that owns the mine, used Landsat data to help determine its potential impact on sagebrush environments and groundwater.

On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, Winter Storm Enzo brought an exceptionally rare snowfall to the Greater Houston metro area of Texas. The National Weather Service reported 5.5 inches (14 cm) in Baytown, a city located east of Houston on the northern shore of Galveston Bay. Other cities and locales received upwards of 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm).

These animations are from the Wragg Fire that occurred north of San Francisco, California, in 2015. On the left is Land Change Monitoring, Assessment and Projection, or LCMAP (v1.3), land cover, with green representing forests (tree cover). On the right is false-color Landsat satellite imagery.

 This map of California displays the LCMAP (Land Change Monitoring, Assessment and Projection) Primary Land Cover for California in 1985. The green represents forests (tree cover). Learn more in a study. USGS EROS map

 This map of California displays the LCMAP (Land Change Monitoring, Assessment and Projection) Primary Land Cover for California in 2021. The green represents forests (tree cover). Learn more in the study. USGS EROS map

These animations are from Butte and Plumas counties in northeastern California from 1985 to 2021. On the left is Land Change Monitoring, Assessment and Projection, or LCMAP (v1.3), land cover, with green representing forests (tree cover). On the right is true-color Landsat satellite imagery.

The USGS provides research-quality, applications-ready Landsat Level-2 and Level-3 science products to support an array of land surface change studies. Collection 2 Level-2 scene-based science products include Surface Reflectance, Surface Temperature, Surface Reflectance-Derived Spectral Indices, and Provisional Aquatic Reflectance.

Louisiana is home to numerous salt domes, including the five distinct coastal salt dome islands that can be found in the southern part of the state near the Gulf of America. Formed by the upward pressure of ancient salt deposits, these hills rise above the surrounding marshes and coastal plains of Louisiana.

This is the cover page of the Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) fact sheet, produced at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. Find the full fact sheet here.

Poster introducing the 2023 Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD).  "Development and Cloud Implementation of the New Annual NLCD for the United States." Created by USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. Find full PDF here.

The tragic fires sweeping across the Greater Los Angeles area in January 2025 have burned more than 40,000 acres, destroyed more than 12,300 structures, and prompted evacuation orders and warnings for as many as 200,000 residents. Exceptionally dry conditions, coupled with strong Santa Ana winds, have fueled the fires.

The USGS EROS Landsat archive recently reached a milestone of 12 million Landsat Collection 2 Level-1 products. These are available for download at no charge.  The image representing this milestone displays a sprawling desert landscape and contains a multitude of agricultural, geological, and urban features.