Land-cover mapping of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and Coyote Springs, Piute-Eldorado Valley, and Mormon Mesa Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, Clark County, Nevada

Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5076
Prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management
By: , and 

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Abstract

DigitalGlobe’s QuickBird satellite high-resolution multispectral imagery was classified by using Visual Learning Systems’ Feature Analyst feature extraction software to produce land-cover data sets for the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and the Coyote Springs, Piute-Eldorado Valley, and Mormon Mesa Areas of Critical Environmental Concern in Clark County, Nevada. Over 1,000 vegetation field samples were collected at the stand level. The field samples were classified to the National Vegetation Classification Standard, Version 2 hierarchy at the alliance level and above. Feature extraction models were developed for vegetation on the basis of the spectral and spatial characteristics of selected field samples by using the Feature Analyst hierarchical learning process. Individual model results were merged to create one data set for the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and one for each of the Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. Field sample points and photographs were used to validate and update the data set after model results were merged. Non-vegetation data layers, such as roads and disturbed areas, were delineated from the imagery and added to the final data sets. The resulting land-cover data sets are significantly more detailed than previously were available, both in resolution and in vegetation classes.

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Land-cover mapping of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and Coyote Springs, Piute-Eldorado Valley, and Mormon Mesa Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, Clark County, Nevada
Series title Scientific Investigations Report
Series number 2014-5076
DOI 10.3133/sir20145076
Year Published 2014
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Nevada Water Science Center
Description viii, 42 p.
Country United States
State Nevada
County Clark County
Other Geospatial Coyote Springs Area Of Critical Environmental Concern;Mormon Mesa Area Of Critical Environmental Concern;Piute-eldorado Valley Area Of Critical Environmental Concern;Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Datum North American Datum of 1983
Projection Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 11
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details