[epic build up]
[Female Voiceover] Maps...
A foundation of geographic knowledge...
To help us navigate the world, explore, protect and sustain our resources, save lives,
and preserve these lands for our children.
As part of the Department of the Interior, the United States Geological Survey has led
the way in mapping the nation. Mapping goes hand and hand with American history,
the exploration of the west, and the development of our country.
[Older Male] A government cannot do any scientific work
of more value to the people at large than by
c
ausing the construction of proper topographic maps of the country.
[Female] In 1884 John Wesley Powell established a program
for mapping the nation and helped define a new
frontier.
Over the next 125 years, mapping methods changed as the use and technology matured.
Evolving from field sketching and manual cartography to producing paper maps then modernizing to
digital
mapping using the latest geospatial technologies.
[Allen Carrol, National Geographic Society] Maps are the heart and soul of what we do
here at National Geographic.
We were founded in 1888 and almost from the very beginning we worked closely with the
U.S. Geological Survey for accurate and authoritative base maps of our country.
Now in digital form, maps are constantly changing and that’s a very exciting opportunity for
us.
We can take those data layers in The National map,
things like roads, buildings and rivers and we can
shape them and customize them and serve various audiences on new platforms in ways that we
could
never have imagined even just a few years ago.
Born from the digital revolution is The National Map.
Today The National Map is everywhere.
Text fly-ins: -- based on data from US Geological Survey-Google
Maps
-- New generation of digital topographic maps-Directions Magazine
-- archived imagery and maps provided by US Geological Survey-TerraServer USA
-- including ”imagery: US Geological Survey”-Google Earth
When you see computer simulations of the earth’s surface, you are likely looking at data
from The National Map.
Text fly-ins: -- compiled from best available sources including
the US Geological Survey”-ESRI
It’s fundamental data; It’s familiar information we use every day and may not even know it.
[Jack Dangermond] Today geospatial technologies are advancing
the way we are thinking as human species.
The USGS has done us a major service by providing a key base map that spans from
sea to sea from border to border. This will affect
how we plan things it’ll effect economic development,
it’ll make our society better, it will help us manage
our environment more effectively and get citizens engaged.
I really strongly support The National Map and the
efforts that the USGS is making to provide this foundation.
[Female VO] The National Map provides foundational information
nationwide. These include...
Aerial Imagery...
Elevation...
Place and feature names...
Water...
Land cover...
Transportation...
Structures...
and Boundaries.
With innovative services like the new National Map viewer platform,
a user can visualize data they want to download or manipulate and make their own
map.
Another new product built on the USGS legacy and data
from The National Map is US Topo(TOE-PO).
US Topo provides updated electronic topographic maps that are available at nationalmap.gov.
To acquire and maintain better data, The National Map
relies heavily on partnerships with Federal,
State and local agencies...along with industry.
With huge challenges ahead in the areas of Energy,
Emergency Operations, Human Services and Natural
resource Management, finding solutions will depend on stewardship of geospatial data.
[Tommy Dewald, EPA] The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency works
with many different organizations to provide the
nation
with clean and safe water. Together we collect a
vast amount of water quality data.
The mapping of water data is accomplished in
partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey.
This partnership lead to the development of The National Hydrography Dataset that provides
a
common referencing system of the nations surface waters.
The federal and state organizations who work together
to develop the National Hydrography Dataset now also
contribute to its improvement through
The National Map’s data stewardship program. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is
one of many organizations that benefit from the geospatial
data from The National Map.
[Femail VO] The National Map of the future will offer
more innovations and online capabilities,
increased investment in stewardship, leading to greater knowledge and easier accessibility
to national geospatial information for everyone.
[Marcia McNutt, USGS Director] At the USGS we are committed to forward looking
advanced research and development of geospatial
technologies. With the support of our partners, The National Map provides valuable data and
services
to meet the changing needs of our nation. The future holds endless possibilities for
using
maps and geo-referenced datasets allowing citizens and scientists alike to explore
the true nature of our planet’s geography.
[Female VO] To learn more about The National Map and how
to become a valuable partner go to www.nationalmap.gov
[Music epic build]