JOINT DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIONAL 1:100,000-SCALE DIGITAL CARTOGRAPHIC DATA BASE.

The U. S. Geological Survey is beginning a major new program to create a nationwide digital cartographic data base from 1:100,000-scale maps by the end of the decade. This data base will supplement the currently available 1:2,000,000-scale national data base and the selected coverage at 1:24,000-scale. It is anticipated that the data will be useful for both the production of custom graphics and as basic input to geographic information systems. The 1:100,000-scale USGS map series was designed to facilitate automated data capture. The methodologies and procedures used in the data capture process have developed enough so that the two agencies can take advantage of the design features of the 1:100,000-scale maps and work together on complementary tasks to build a digital cartographic data base.