The USGS National Geologic Map Database – Resource for geoscience professionals and the public

Since 1996, the US Geological Survey (USGS) National Geologic Map Database (NGMDB) has served the public and private sectors and is widely recognized as one of the few authoritative resources for the information published by the nation’s geological surveys. On a monthly basis, the NGMDB website receives more than 600,000 visits by about 200,000 users (~20,000 visits per day). In a typical month, between 2 and 3 TB of content are viewed or downloaded. This high level of web traffic results in many user requests for information and assistance. Users vary widely in interest and background and include homeowners, students, local government planners, and professional geologists and engineers. Many professionals use NGMDB information for understanding natural conditions that affect infrastructure, such as drainage, ground stability, properties of near-surface earth materials, and depth to rock.