Open Water

Areas of open water, generally with less than 25% cover of vegetation or soil

Developed, Open Space

Areas with a mixture of some constructed materials, but mostly vegetation in the form of lawn grasses

Impervious surfaces account for <20% of total cover. These areas most commonly include large-lot, single-family housing units, parks, golf courses, and vegetation planted in developed settings for recreation, erosion control, or aesthetics.

Developed, Low Intensity

Areas with a mixture of constructed materials and vegetation

Impervious surfaces account for 20-49% of total cover. These areas most commonly include single-family housing units.

Developed, Medium Intensity

Areas with a mixture of constructed materials and vegetation

Impervious surfaces account for 50-79% of total cover. These areas most commonly include single-family housing.

Developed, High Intensity

Highly developed areas where people reside or work in large numbers

Examples include apartment complexes, row houses, and commercial/industrial developments. Impervious surfaces account for 80-100% of total cover.

Barren Land (Rock/Sand/Clay)

Areas of bedrock, desert pavement, scarps (very steep banks or slopes), talus (broken rock fragments [debris]), slides, volcanic material, glacial debris, sand dunes, strip mines, gravel pits, and other accumulations of earthen material

Generally, vegetation accounts for <15% of total cover.

Deciduous Forest

Areas dominated by trees generally >5 meters tall with >20% of total vegetation cover

More than 75% of the tree species shed foliage simultaneously in response to seasonal change.

Evergreen Forest

Areas dominated by trees generally >5 meters tall with >20% of total vegetation cover

More than 75% of the tree species maintain their leaves all year. Canopy is never without green foliage.

Mixed Forest

Areas dominated by trees generally >5 meters tall with >20% of total vegetation cover

Neither deciduous nor evergreen species are >75% of total tree cover.

Shrub/Scrub

Areas dominated by shrubs <5 meters tall with shrub canopy typically >20% of total vegetation

This class includes true shrubs, young trees in an early successional stage or trees stunted from environmental conditions.

Grassland/Herbaceous

Areas with graminoid (grassy) or herbaceous (herb-like) vegetation generally >80% of total vegetation, not subject to intensive management such as tilling, but possibly for grazing

Pasture/Hay

Areas of grasses, legumes, or grass-legume mixtures planted for livestock grazing or the production of seed or hay crops typically on a perennial cycle

Pasture/hay vegetation accounts for >20% of total vegetation.

Cultivated Crops

Areas used for the production of annual crops such as corn, soybeans, vegetables, tobacco, and cotton, also perennial woody crops such as orchards and vineyards

Crop vegetation accounts for >20% of total vegetation. This class also includes all land being actively tilled.

Woody Wetlands

Areas where forest or shrub land vegetation accounts for >20% of vegetative cover and the soil or substrate is periodically saturated with or covered with water

Wetlands/Marsh

Areas where perennial herbaceous vegetation accounts for >80% of vegetative cover and the soil or substrate is periodically saturated with or covered with water

Orchard-Plant Nursery

Intentional planting of trees or shrubs maintained for food production

Park

Open, green area, often but not exclusively used for recreation

Vineyard

Area where grapes are grown

Cemetery

Areas of grave sites, memorials, which may include churches and other small structures

Beach-Sand-Quarry

A beach, or a flat area of sand, gravel or pebbles which may be located near a body of water

This class also includes quarries and strip mines where significant amounts of gravel or other bare material are present.

Structures-Miscellaneous

Built structures that may not be included in the building class

Construction

Areas that may be under construction currently, or land areas in transition due to man-made activities

Residential

Areas of buildings used primarily for residential purposes

This class may also include regions where apartments or multi-family buildings are present.

Industrial

Areas where some industrial process takes place

This class includes warehousing, storage and/or distribution facilities, significant utility structures, and businesses where industrial activities are conducted.

Landfill

Areas where waste is stored or dumped, either temporarily or permanently

Vacant

Areas, primarily in an urban setting, where nothing is present of note

This class may include regions that are pre-construction or open land with no general land-use category available.

Retail

Areas where the sale of goods is conducted

Parking

Locations where automobiles or other vehicles are stored or parked

This class may or may not include paved areas.

Commercial

Regions where non-specific commercial activities are conducted

This class may often be similar to Retail.

Unclassified

Areas where no specific definition of land use or land cover is defined

This class may include regions where cloud cover or haze is present in imagery.

Airport

General areas where aviation is conducted

Airport-Paved Areas

Paved regions in and near airports

Airport-Buildings

Airport buildings including hangars, terminals, and other buildings specific to an airport’s functions.

Roads-Thoroughfares-Paths

All transportation features that do not include railroad or other rail-based transportation

Railways

All rail transportation lines

Buildings

Building footprints