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Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection (RCMAP) Fractional Component Time-Series Across the Western U.S. 1985-2020 - Trends

Metadata Updated: November 21, 2025

The RCMAP (Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection) dataset quantifies the percent cover of rangeland components across the western U.S. using Landsat imagery from 1985-2020. The RCMAP product suite consists of eight fractional components: annual herbaceous, bare ground, herbaceous, litter, non-sagebrush shrub, perennial herbaceous, sagebrush, shrub and rule-based error maps including the temporal trends of each component. Several enhancements were made to the RCMAP process relative to prior generations. We used an updated version of the 2016 base training data, with a more aggressive forest mask and reduced shrub and sagebrush cover bias in pinyon-juniper woodlands. We pooled training data in areas and times identified as having no spectral change relative to the base year across all years in the time-series and used a series of procedures to remove the most spatially and temporally common values. We also used composite Landsat Analysis Ready Data (ARD) in seven regions instead of using individual images by path and row. An automated method to identify change in spectral conditions between each year in the Landsat archive and the circa 2016 base map, resulted in a robust and sensitivity of subtle changes. Yearly fractional component cover outputs were inserted in the changed area while the base year values were maintained in the unchanged area. Processing efficiency has been increased through use of open-source software and High-Performance Computing (HPC) resources. The mapping area included seven regions which were subsequently mosaicked for all eight components. These data can be used to answer critical questions regarding the influence of climate change and the suitability of management practices. Component products can be downloaded from www.mrlc.gov.

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

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Dates

Metadata Created Date September 14, 2025
Metadata Updated Date November 21, 2025

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI USGS DCAT-US

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date September 14, 2025
Metadata Updated Date November 21, 2025
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Maintainer
Identifier http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/usgs-618915e9d34ec04fc9c53634
Data Last Modified 2021-11-17T00:00:00Z
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:12
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://ddi.doi.gov/usgs-data.json
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Harvest Object Id aa03b4e0-ad8a-40df-a807-cc12bdc18dcc
Harvest Source Id 2b80d118-ab3a-48ba-bd93-996bbacefac2
Harvest Source Title DOI USGS DCAT-US
Metadata Type geospatial
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash 30d080a0812675c7da675281de6b585a29f941af6e79f8319725f51b599acac0
Source Schema Version 1.1

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