Latest in Landsat April 2025 - Vol. 4 | Issue 3
Landscape information — at your fingertips
Open-access land cover data meets the needs of society
The improved Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) is a proven data source that puts a label on what’s covering the land across the United States each — whether that's agricultural crops, forests, cities or grasslands. Using the vast Landsat satellite data archive is the primary data source, Annual NLCD provides a look at yearly changes to the land cover back to 1985.
To learn more about the importance of Annual NLCD, check out this recently published article - then access the information below to discover more benefits!
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NLCD: Landscape Info Supporting our Safety and Economic Well-being
Hurricane flooding. City planning. A new natural gas pipeline. Preparing for future events—whether sudden or expected—requires high-quality data to ensure our safety, economic well-being and business needs. The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) is a proven data source filling the need in these circumstances and many others for the private sector, all levels of government and universities.
Annual National Land Cover Database
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.
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…
Annual NLCD (1985-2023) Animation for the Great Salt Lake and Salt Lake Valley, Utah
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. Learn more here: https://usgs.gov/annualnlcd
FARMing with Data: OpenET Launches new Tool for Farmers and Ranchers
A NASA and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)-supported research and development team is making it easier for farmers and ranchers to manage their water resources.
The team, called OpenET, created the Farm and Ranch Management Support (FARMS) tool, which puts timely, high-resolution water data directly in the hands of individuals and small farm operators.
By making the information more accessible, the platform can better support decision-making around agricultural planning, water conservation, and water efficiency.
The OpenET team hopes this will help farmers who are working to build greater resiliency in local and regional agriculture communities.
You can read the entire article here: https://www.usgs.gov/landsat-missions/news/farming-data-openet-launches-new-tool-farmers-and-ranchers.
Other Interesting News
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2025 William T. Pecora Award Nominations Now Being Accepted
The William T. Pecora Award is presented annually to individuals or teams using satellite or aerial remote sensing that make outstanding contributions toward understanding the Earth (land, oceans, and air), educating the next generation of scientists, informing decision-makers, or supporting natural or human-induced disaster response. Both national and international nominations are welcome.
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USGS Retires Cloud-Based Visualization Tool
The LandsatLook Viewer, redesigned in 2020 as the first cloud-based visualization tool at the USGS EROS Center, is being retired.
Landsat's View of the USA - See your favorite state through Landsat's eyes!
How does your state use Landsat satellite data?
Landsat returns billions of dollars to the economies of our Nation and communities each year. Recently updated web pages of Landsat's View of the USA shares an interactive, national, Landsat map where you can download your state's Landsat image, put together an online puzzle, and "read all about it"--each state's top uses of Landsat data.
Don't miss these informational applications
Landsat Archive Dashboard
This interactive dashboard allows you to explore and examine the vast USGS EROS archive of Landsat Collection 2 Level-1 and Level-2 products.
Spectral Characteristics Viewer
The Spectral Characteristics Viewer allows users to determine which satellite bands are best suited for research applications.
EarthNow! Landsat Image Viewer
The EarthNow! Landsat Image Viewer displays imagery in near real-time as Landsat satellites orbit the Earth. Along with the near real-time video stream, EarthNow! also replays acquisition recordings from previous Landsat overpasses. When Landsat satellites are out of viewing range of a ground station, the most recent overpass is displayed.
Do you have questions about Landsat? Check these out!
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Landsat Frequently Asked Questions
This pages lists commonly asked questions pertaining to the Landsat satellite missions, the science behind maintaining high quality Landsat data, and what products are available - and how to get them.
Keep up to date with Latest in Landsat!
Direct to your inbox, this monthly newsletter highlights current news, uses, tools, and announcements about the USGS Earth-observing satellite.
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Landsat is a joint effort of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This partnership creates an unprecedented continuous record of natural and human-induced changes on the global landscape.