Based on Landsat Collection 2, NLCD 2023 will offer annual products from 1985 – 2023. Depicting urban growth for the Atlanta area, this animation shows a single Landsat U.S. ARD tile of Anderson Level II land cover classification generated from the latest prototypes.
Annual National Land Cover Database
Active
By Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center
September 26, 2024
Annual NLCD Collection 1.1, including products for 2024, now available!
About Annual NLCD
Product Suite
Data Access
Reference and Validation
Annual NLCD Collection 1 Reference and Validation is now available!
Annual NLCD Collection 1 Reference and Validation is now available!
Science Product User Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Land cover is foundational information for land managers, scientists, and the general public. Many types of scientific studies have applied annual land cover information including projecting future land use, documenting forest fragmentation or conservation practices, modeling wildfire hazards, tracking water quality and quantity, and understanding change in wildlife habitat and ecosystem disturbance/disease.
Annual NLCD Product Suite
Annual NLCD Product Suite
Annual NLCD offers a suite of six annual land use and land cover change in the conterminous United States. Annual NLCD Collection 1.1 is available now.
Data Access
Data Access
Annual NLCD Science Products are available for download from a variety of data download portals.
Science Product User Guide
Science Product User Guide
Science Product User Guide provides in-depth information on Annual NLCD products and methods and is available for download.
The Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) has harnessed the full Landsat data record to provide timely, long-term, and detailed land surface change information. Annual NLCD uses an ensemble of classification and change algorithms to map, monitor, and synthesize the complexities of land use, cover, and condition change through time. The Annual NLCD product suite offers data that describe nationwide land cover and land change over nearly four decades. A new generation of USGS Land Cover mapping, introduced in the Annual NLCD Collection 1 release, leverages advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques and runs within high-performance computing and cloud processing environments.
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
About Annual NLCD
About Annual NLCD
Annual NLCD is a new generation of land cover mapping that offers annual land cover and land change science products nationwide with nearly four decades of data. Click on the link below to learn more about Annual NLCD.
Annual NLCD Science Products
Annual NLCD Science Products
The Annual NLCD project has generated a product suite of six geospatial raster land use and land cover science products for the conterminous United States, available annually back to 1985. Annual NLCD products will be updated annually. Check out the Science Product User Guide for in-depth information about Annual NLCD.
Data Access
Data Access
A suite of six annual integrated land cover and land surface change products are available for the conterminous United States. Products for Alaska and Hawaii are planned. The product suite provides powerful time-series information at a 30-m spatial resolution about annual land cover and its change across time. Products can be accessed via the data access page.
Reference and Validation
Reference and Validation
Validation of land cover and land cover change information is essential for providing authoritative products to our user community. Validation reports provide estimates of the accuracies and uncertainties of the NLCD land cover products and are derived from well-documented independent reference data. Processing flows, product specifications, uncertainties and known issues are published in validation reports to ensure consistency. See the Reference and Validation products page for more information.
Science Product User Guide
Science Product User Guide
Additional information on Annual NLCD and Annual NLCD science products can be found in the Science User Product Guide. The Science User Product Guide contains in-depth information about Annual NLCD including characteristics of the science products, algorithm description, and accuracy assessment.
Citation
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 2024, Annual NLCD Collection 1 Science Products: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P94UXNTS
References
Fleckenstein, R., Wellington, D.F., Jin, S., Tollerud, H.J., Brown, J.F., Dewitz, J.A., Pastick, N.J., Barber, C.P., O’Brien, A., and Spanier, M., 2026, A framework for integrating spatiotemporal deep learning methods with Landsat for annual land cover and impervious surface mapping: Remote Sensing of Environment, v. 338, article 115347, at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2026.115347.
Jin, S., Robinson, T., Dewitz, J.A., Smith, K., Danielson, P., and Postma, K., 2025, An automated compositing method for producing annual clear images from Landsat Collection 2 for annual NLCD production: International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, v. 144, article 104920, at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2025.104920.
U.S. Geological Survey, 2025, Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) Collection 1.0 Reference Data Product: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P13EDMAF.
USGS EROS Facebook
USGS EROS Facebook
USGS EROS Instagram
USGS EROS Instagram
USGS EROS X (Twitter)
USGS EROS X (Twitter)
USGS Land Cover Newsletter
USGS Land Cover Newsletter
These are related science efforts related to Annual NLCD.
Eyes on Earth Episode 126 – Annual NLCD
The next generation of USGS land cover mapping is here. Annual NLCD provides land cover data of the U.S. every year back to 1985.
View or listen to additional Annual NLCD resources.
The New Annual (1985-2023) National Land Cover Database: Improving on a 30-Year Legacy
This video is a recording of a previous webinar entitled: “The New Annual (1985-2023) National Land Cover Database: Improving on a 30-year Legacy.” This webinar was recorded on October 24, 2024 at the USGS EROS. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center maintains one of the largest civilian collection of images of the Earth’s land surface. At...
Filter Total Items: 25
NLCD 2023 Sneak Peek!
Based on Landsat Collection 2, NLCD 2023 will offer annual products from 1985 – 2023. Depicting urban growth for the Atlanta area, this animation shows a single Landsat U.S. ARD tile of Anderson Level II land cover classification generated from the latest prototypes.
30 Years of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD)
30 Years of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD)30 Years of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD)
The NLCD stands as the definitive land cover database for the United States
30 Years of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD)
30 Years of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD)30 Years of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD)
The NLCD stands as the definitive land cover database for the United States
Eyes on Earth Episode 107 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 2
Eyes on Earth Episode 107 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 2The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) has a long history as the definitive U.S. land cover product. But the newer Land Change Monitoring, Assessment and Projection (LCMAP) effort takes a longer look back in time.
Eyes on Earth Episode 107 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 2
Eyes on Earth Episode 107 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 2The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) has a long history as the definitive U.S. land cover product. But the newer Land Change Monitoring, Assessment and Projection (LCMAP) effort takes a longer look back in time.
Eyes on Earth Episode 106 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 1
Eyes on Earth Episode 106 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 1Several decades ago, USGS EROS employees were pioneers in land cover mapping—turning satellite imagery into a record of what covers the land, from farmland to forest to urban areas. National and global datasets with a variety of uses resulted from these efforts.
Eyes on Earth Episode 106 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 1
Eyes on Earth Episode 106 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 1Several decades ago, USGS EROS employees were pioneers in land cover mapping—turning satellite imagery into a record of what covers the land, from farmland to forest to urban areas. National and global datasets with a variety of uses resulted from these efforts.
News items related to Annual NLCD.
USGS Releases New Products that Map Four Decades of Land Cover Change USGS Releases New Products that Map Four Decades of Land Cover Change
RESTON, Va. — The U.S. Geological Survey today released a newly updated and improved National Land Cover Database, known as Annual NLCD, which offers insights into the changing characteristics of landscapes across the conterminous United States from 1985 to 2023.
Land cover is foundational information for land managers, scientists, and the general public. Many types of scientific studies have applied annual land cover information including projecting future land use, documenting forest fragmentation or conservation practices, modeling wildfire hazards, tracking water quality and quantity, and understanding change in wildlife habitat and ecosystem disturbance/disease.
Annual NLCD Product Suite
Annual NLCD Product Suite
Annual NLCD offers a suite of six annual land use and land cover change in the conterminous United States. Annual NLCD Collection 1.1 is available now.
Data Access
Data Access
Annual NLCD Science Products are available for download from a variety of data download portals.
Science Product User Guide
Science Product User Guide
Science Product User Guide provides in-depth information on Annual NLCD products and methods and is available for download.
The Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) has harnessed the full Landsat data record to provide timely, long-term, and detailed land surface change information. Annual NLCD uses an ensemble of classification and change algorithms to map, monitor, and synthesize the complexities of land use, cover, and condition change through time. The Annual NLCD product suite offers data that describe nationwide land cover and land change over nearly four decades. A new generation of USGS Land Cover mapping, introduced in the Annual NLCD Collection 1 release, leverages advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques and runs within high-performance computing and cloud processing environments.
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
About Annual NLCD
About Annual NLCD
Annual NLCD is a new generation of land cover mapping that offers annual land cover and land change science products nationwide with nearly four decades of data. Click on the link below to learn more about Annual NLCD.
Annual NLCD Science Products
Annual NLCD Science Products
The Annual NLCD project has generated a product suite of six geospatial raster land use and land cover science products for the conterminous United States, available annually back to 1985. Annual NLCD products will be updated annually. Check out the Science Product User Guide for in-depth information about Annual NLCD.
Data Access
Data Access
A suite of six annual integrated land cover and land surface change products are available for the conterminous United States. Products for Alaska and Hawaii are planned. The product suite provides powerful time-series information at a 30-m spatial resolution about annual land cover and its change across time. Products can be accessed via the data access page.
Reference and Validation
Reference and Validation
Validation of land cover and land cover change information is essential for providing authoritative products to our user community. Validation reports provide estimates of the accuracies and uncertainties of the NLCD land cover products and are derived from well-documented independent reference data. Processing flows, product specifications, uncertainties and known issues are published in validation reports to ensure consistency. See the Reference and Validation products page for more information.
Science Product User Guide
Science Product User Guide
Additional information on Annual NLCD and Annual NLCD science products can be found in the Science User Product Guide. The Science User Product Guide contains in-depth information about Annual NLCD including characteristics of the science products, algorithm description, and accuracy assessment.
Citation
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 2024, Annual NLCD Collection 1 Science Products: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P94UXNTS
References
Fleckenstein, R., Wellington, D.F., Jin, S., Tollerud, H.J., Brown, J.F., Dewitz, J.A., Pastick, N.J., Barber, C.P., O’Brien, A., and Spanier, M., 2026, A framework for integrating spatiotemporal deep learning methods with Landsat for annual land cover and impervious surface mapping: Remote Sensing of Environment, v. 338, article 115347, at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2026.115347.
Jin, S., Robinson, T., Dewitz, J.A., Smith, K., Danielson, P., and Postma, K., 2025, An automated compositing method for producing annual clear images from Landsat Collection 2 for annual NLCD production: International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, v. 144, article 104920, at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2025.104920.
U.S. Geological Survey, 2025, Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) Collection 1.0 Reference Data Product: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P13EDMAF.
USGS EROS Facebook
USGS EROS Facebook
USGS EROS Instagram
USGS EROS Instagram
USGS EROS X (Twitter)
USGS EROS X (Twitter)
USGS Land Cover Newsletter
USGS Land Cover Newsletter
These are related science efforts related to Annual NLCD.
Eyes on Earth Episode 126 – Annual NLCD
The next generation of USGS land cover mapping is here. Annual NLCD provides land cover data of the U.S. every year back to 1985.
View or listen to additional Annual NLCD resources.
The New Annual (1985-2023) National Land Cover Database: Improving on a 30-Year Legacy
This video is a recording of a previous webinar entitled: “The New Annual (1985-2023) National Land Cover Database: Improving on a 30-year Legacy.” This webinar was recorded on October 24, 2024 at the USGS EROS. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center maintains one of the largest civilian collection of images of the Earth’s land surface. At...
Filter Total Items: 25
NLCD 2023 Sneak Peek!
Based on Landsat Collection 2, NLCD 2023 will offer annual products from 1985 – 2023. Depicting urban growth for the Atlanta area, this animation shows a single Landsat U.S. ARD tile of Anderson Level II land cover classification generated from the latest prototypes.
Based on Landsat Collection 2, NLCD 2023 will offer annual products from 1985 – 2023. Depicting urban growth for the Atlanta area, this animation shows a single Landsat U.S. ARD tile of Anderson Level II land cover classification generated from the latest prototypes.
30 Years of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD)
30 Years of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD)30 Years of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD)
The NLCD stands as the definitive land cover database for the United States
30 Years of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD)
30 Years of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD)30 Years of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD)
The NLCD stands as the definitive land cover database for the United States
Eyes on Earth Episode 107 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 2
Eyes on Earth Episode 107 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 2The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) has a long history as the definitive U.S. land cover product. But the newer Land Change Monitoring, Assessment and Projection (LCMAP) effort takes a longer look back in time.
Eyes on Earth Episode 107 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 2
Eyes on Earth Episode 107 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 2The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) has a long history as the definitive U.S. land cover product. But the newer Land Change Monitoring, Assessment and Projection (LCMAP) effort takes a longer look back in time.
Eyes on Earth Episode 106 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 1
Eyes on Earth Episode 106 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 1Several decades ago, USGS EROS employees were pioneers in land cover mapping—turning satellite imagery into a record of what covers the land, from farmland to forest to urban areas. National and global datasets with a variety of uses resulted from these efforts.
Eyes on Earth Episode 106 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 1
Eyes on Earth Episode 106 – EROS 50th: Land Cover, Part 1Several decades ago, USGS EROS employees were pioneers in land cover mapping—turning satellite imagery into a record of what covers the land, from farmland to forest to urban areas. National and global datasets with a variety of uses resulted from these efforts.
News items related to Annual NLCD.
USGS Releases New Products that Map Four Decades of Land Cover Change USGS Releases New Products that Map Four Decades of Land Cover Change
RESTON, Va. — The U.S. Geological Survey today released a newly updated and improved National Land Cover Database, known as Annual NLCD, which offers insights into the changing characteristics of landscapes across the conterminous United States from 1985 to 2023.