Government Information Resource: USGS (United States Geographical Survey) and the National Land Cover Database

According to its website, the USGS “monitors, analyzes, and predicts current and evolving Earth-system interactions and delivers actionable information at scales and timeframes relevant to decision-makers. [They] are a primary Federal source of science-based information on ecosystems, land use, energy and mineral resources, natural hazards, water use, and availability, and updated maps and images of the Earth’s features available to the public.”

The newest product released by the USGS is its updated and improved National Land Cover Database or Annual NLCD.  Unlike the previous version of the NLCD, which mapped land cover from 2001 to 2021 in two or three-year increments, the new version maps land cover from 1985 to the present in one-year increments.  It will be updated annually. 

The Annual NLCD contains six products:

1.       Land Cover – This dataset provides 16 land cover classes such as deciduous and evergreen forest, grassland, cultivated crops, and developed.

2.       Land Cover Change – These data represent annual land cover changes from one year to the next.

3.       Land Cover Confidence – This layer provides confidence levels for the land cover classifications.

4.       Fractional Impervious Surface – This component provides the proportion of land covered by developed surfaces, such as roads and rooftops.

5.       Impervious Descriptor – This feature offers additional information about impervious surfaces by distinguishing between roads and other built surfaces.

6.       Spectral Change Day of Year – This attribute captures the specific day of the year when significant changes in surface reflectance occur.

The Annual NLCD uses “the extensive Landsat satellite data record at a 30-meter resolution” and employs data from as far back as the early 1980s.  To ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data, the USGS meticulously reviews thousands of 30-meter plots and annually classifies and validates the data.

All of this data will be available to private individuals and companies, to members of the general public, and to academics and scholars.  The data may be used in various areas and for various interests, such as management and modeling of resources.  The data allows for assessing changes in the ecosystem, biodiversity, climate, surface and groundwater quality, wildlife, and other areas.  Wildfire threats, urban heat risks, and biological carbon sequestration can be modeled. These analyses provide more accurate and timely information for conservation efforts and land management. 

For more information on the Annual NLCD Collection 1.0, including how to access the data, visit the USGS website:https://www.usgs.gov/annualNLCD.

Election Day

 Election Day is less than a month away on Tuesday, November 5th!

There will be a polling location on Rice campus, at the Welcome Center, 7 am-7 pm. All voters registered in Harris County can vote here. Be sure to bring your government-issued ID.

Early voting begins October 21^st and ends November 1^st.

Approved early voting sites can be found here at Vote-Centers. (Election Day sites can also be found here.)  Ride the Rice BRC/TMC Shuttle to the closest Early Voting site (shuttle stop 12).

If you are voting in Harris County, view your voter-specific ballot at Whats-on-my-Ballot.

There are other important races and issues voters will decide on this year, including US Senate and Representative, Texas State Senator and Representative, Railroad Commissioner, and numerous judges and county officials.  Harris County also has three separate bond proposals to be voted on. We hope you will make your voice heard today.

For non-partisan information about candidates and issues, League of Women Voters Guides for Harris County are available in the Kelley Center for Government Information in the basement of Fondren as long as supplies last.  The Guide can also be found online here.   

The Houston Chronicle 2024 Texas Voter Guide provides sample ballots for Harris and Houston area counties along with information about each candidate.  They also post their endorsements in many races. (The Houston Chronicle is available to members of the Rice community.  Rice students, faculty, and staff: please visit https://library.rice.edu/houston-chronicle for instructions on registering for a free Houston Chronicle account.)

For a more comprehensive list of election resources, access the Kelley Center’s Voter and Election guide. 

For example, if you want:

for information about a candidate's biography, voting record, positions, ratings, speeches, and funding, check Project Vote Smart.

to see where candidates stand on a host of issues, check ProCon.org's Presidential Election site.

for information about campaign contributions, check the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and/or OpenSecrets.org.

for general information on evaluating candidates for public office, check USA.gov's Choosing Candidates to Vote for.