GIS Coverages

The links below will take you to the metadata for the various basemap coverages used to map NRI data. The metadata follow standards set by the Federal Geographic Data Committee. In the metadata under "Citation Information," you will find the online linkage to the coverage file. All coverages are in Arc/Info Export format (.e00) and are compressed using standard .zip compression. Files can be uncompressed using UnZip or compatible software. All Puerto Rico coverages also include the U.S. Virgin Islands. Our standard U.S. map template shows how we usually display these coverages.

These are the coverages used to make most NRI Map Room maps and are designed to be used specifically for mapping NRI data at a national scale; they are not necessarily the most current coverages available and may not be appropriate for your purposes. These coverages do not meet National Map Accuracy Standards. If you use these coverages, please be aware of our disclaimer. For purposes other than mapping national NRI data we recommend using coverages from the NRCS Geospatial Data Gateway. Additional national coverages are available from the Water Resources web site and the National Atlas, both maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey.

8-Digit Hydrologic unit coverages - preview

• Continental United States
• Alaska
• Hawaii
• Puerto Rico
• Guam and the Northern Marianas

County and FIPS coverages - preview

• Continental United States
• Alaska
• Hawaii
• Guam and the Northern Marianas
• American Samoa
• Puerto Rico
  The National Resources Inventory does not follow standard FIPS for Puerto Rico. It uses NRCS service areas as county equivalents instead of Municipios. Details on this and other FIPS changes specific to the NRI.

Major Land Resource Area coverages - preview

• Continental United States
• Alaska
• Hawaii
• Puerto Rico
• Guam and the Northern Marianas
• These coverages include Land Resource Regions

State/8-Digit Hydrologic unit coverages without islands

• Continental United States
• Alaska
• Hawaii
• Puerto Rico
• These coverages are used for most of our dot density maps

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