United States Geological Survey National Geologic Map Database

United States Geological Survey National Geologic Map Database
Name	National Geologic Map Database
Caption	USGS geologic map compilation
Established	1994
Type	Geoscience data repository
Location	Reston, Virginia

United States Geological Survey National Geologic Map Database The National Geologic Map Database provides a centralized catalog of geoscientific mapping and metadata housed within the United States Geological Survey, supporting mapping programs of the United States Department of the Interior, the National Science Foundation, and state geological surveys such as the California Geological Survey and the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology. It aggregates digital and analogue map products used by agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and research institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and the United States Geological Survey (USGS)'s own research centers in Reston and Menlo Park. The database underpins applied work by users from the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and academic groups at universities such as Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Overview

The database catalogs geologic maps, geospatial datasets, and associated bibliographic records for the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and territorial areas, supporting initiatives led by the United States Geological Survey and coordinated with the Association of American State Geologists, the American Geophysical Union, and the Geological Society of America. It indexes map products by region, scale, and thematic focus—linking mapping efforts like the Geologic Map of the United States series, state quadrangle maps, and surficial mapping programs that inform projects at the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service. The NGMDB functions alongside national geoscience infrastructures such as the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency holdings and complements datasets from the U.S. Census Bureau and the United States Energy Information Administration.

History and Development

The NGMDB emerged in the 1990s amid federal initiatives to modernize cartographic information, coinciding with programs at the National Science Foundation and partnerships with the Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration. Early efforts drew on mapping traditions from the United States Geological Survey campaigns of the 19th and 20th centuries and collaborated with state mapping offices including the Ohio Geological Survey and the New York State Geological Survey. Development phases integrated digital cartography standards from organizations like the Open Geospatial Consortium and research outputs from university centers such as the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Texas at Austin. Funding and project milestones involved stakeholders including the National Research Council and legislative frameworks considered by committees in the United States Congress.

Data Content and Coverage

The repository includes bedrock maps, surficial materials, structural geology, geologic unit lexicons, and scanned historical maps, serving users from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the Bureau of Land Management. Coverage spans thematic datasets for hazards compiled with input from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and mineral resource maps used by the United States Department of Energy and the U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program. The NGMDB houses metadata compliant with standards used by the National Geospatial Data Committee and cross-references holdings from state agencies such as the Colorado Geological Survey and federal partners like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for remote sensing integration.

Access, Tools, and Services

Users access the catalog via web portals and web services compatible with clients from the Esri suite and open-source platforms promoted by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation. Tools include map viewers, metadata search, and download services interoperable with USGS data portals and institutional repositories at the Library of Congress. The NGMDB supports web mapping standards developed by the Open Geospatial Consortium and provides APIs used by applications developed at institutions such as the University of Minnesota and private firms like Google for mapping overlays and analysis.

Standards, Formats, and Interoperability

NGMDB metadata adheres to federal standards influenced by the Federal Geographic Data Committee and uses format conventions interoperable with ESRI Shapefile, GeoTIFF, and GeoJSON implementations promoted by the Open Geospatial Consortium. The database maintains a geologic unit lexicon model aligned with nomenclature practices from the United States Geological Survey and state geological surveys, and exchanges data using cataloging protocols similar to those of the Digital Public Library of America and the National Information Standards Organization.

Applications and Impact

NGMDB resources support engineering projects by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, hazard assessment for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, groundwater studies for the United States Geological Survey Water Resources Division, and mineral resource evaluation for the United States Department of the Interior. Academic research at institutions including the University of California, Los Angeles and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology uses NGMDB maps for tectonics, stratigraphy, and paleoclimate studies, while state agencies such as the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology apply the data in land-use planning, environmental remediation, and energy permitting.

Governance and Partnerships

The NGMDB is governed through programmatic oversight within the United States Geological Survey and coordinated partnerships with the Association of American State Geologists, federal agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and professional societies including the Geological Society of America and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Collaborative agreements involve academic partners such as Pennsylvania State University and data integration initiatives with the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to ensure long-term stewardship and interoperability.

Category:Geologic mapping Category:United States Geological Survey