Future Stability of U.S. High Plains Land Use

Classification of Images

Classification 33 Landsat images from 3 separate years have been acquired to cover the study area. 1996 is the baseline year, 1985 is the early year and 1988/1989/1994 are dry years, depending on scene location. PDSI values were used to pick dry year scenes. The images are classified in two stages, agricultural land vs. uncropped areas and, using multiple images in one season, classification by crop type. The results are compared to USDA planting and harvest data, and are compared to the NRCS surface soils maps (right) to determine which areas are planted in highly sandy soils and are therefore at risk for reactivation in the event that they might be abandoned.

• PDSI Values
• Agricultural Land vs. Uncropped Areas
• Classification by Crop Type
• USDA Planting and Harvest Data

Landsat Image Boundary and Sandy Soils Map: The sandy soils were Derived from the 1:250,000 scale Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) State Soil Geographic (STATSGO) database. The sandy soils were selected using soil taxonomic family names and specific soil identification numbers. Landsat Path 33, Row 32 is highlighted in red. The hydrology, road network and state boundaries are from the 1:1,000,000-scale Digital Chart of the World (DCW) which was mapped by the Defense Mapping Agency and digitized by ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute).