Core Science Systems
Home
CSS leads USGS’s mission as the civilian mapping agency for the Nation. We conduct detailed surveys and develop high quality, highly accurate topographic, geologic, hydrographic, and biogeographic maps and data. Our maps allow precise planning for critical mineral assessments; energy development; infrastructure projects; urban planning; flood prediction; emergency response; and hazard mitigation.
National Geospatial Program
The National Geospatial Program is the Federal civilian mapping agency and provides the digital geospatial foundation for the Nation. It engages partners and communities of use to collaboratively produce consistent and accurate topographic map data.
Learn MoreScience Analytics and Synthesis (SAS)
The USGS Science Data Catalog, supported by SAS, provides seamless access to USGS research and monitoring data from across the nation. Users have the ability to search, browse, or use a map-based interface to discover data.
Learn MoreNews
Landsat Enables Mapping of Fire Histories Across Florida
Wildfires tend to dominate headlines. Prescribed burns, also known as controlled burns, get less attention, but they’re certainly not uncommon—especially in the Southeast.
Analysis of Updated USGS Database Finds Increase in America’s Lands and Waters Managed for Biodiversity
The analysis was made possible by PAD-US 2.1, the most complete geospatial database of U.S. parks and protected areas ever assembled
FINISHED! TNMCorps Mapping Challenge for City / Town Halls in IA & MN
This challenge is now complete! Thanks to everyone who contributed!
Publications
Earth's coastlines
With approximately half the world’s population living less than 65 miles from the ocean, coastal ecosystems are arguably Earth’s most critical real estate. Yet coastlines are among the more difficult features to accurately map; until now, no comprehensive high-resolution geospatial dataset existed. This chapter presents a new map and ecological...
Sayre, Roger; Martin, Madeline T.; Cress, Jill Janene; Butler, Kevin; Van Graafeiland, Keith; Breyer, Sean; Wright, Dawn; Frye, Charlie; Karagulle, Deniz; Allen, Tom; Allee, Rebecca; Parsons, Rost; Nyberg, Bjorn; Costello, Mark J.; Muller-Karger, Frank; Harris, Peter Watersheds and drainage networks
This topic is an overview of basic concepts about how the distribution of water on the Earth, with specific regard to watersheds, stream and river networks, and waterbodies are represented by geographic data. The flowing and non-flowing bodies of water on the earth’s surface vary in extent largely due to seasonal and annual changes in climate...
Stanislawski, Larry; Shavers, Ethan J. Spatial data reduction through element -of-interest (EOI) extraction
Any large, multifaceted data collection that is challenging to handle with traditional management practices can be branded ‘Big Data.’ Any big data containing geo-referenced attributes can be considered big geospatial data. The increased proliferation of big geospatial data is currently reforming the geospatial industry into a data-driven...
Arundel, Samantha; Usery, E. Lynn