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FIGURE 3.- Permanent full-time U.S. Geological Survey employees, fiscal year 1981.

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National Mapping, Geography, and Surveys

Mission

The National Mapping Division of the U.S. Geological Survey formally began operations in April 1980, combining the former Topographic Division with most elements of the Publications Division and the Survey's Geography Program. The purpose of the consolidation was to form a broadbased mapping organization built on the scientific disciplines of cartography and geography and to incorporate the related physical resources for map printing and distribution. The new Division continues to operate the National Cartographic Information Center and the Public Inquiries Offices maintained by the two predecessor Divisions. Fiscal year 1981 is the first full year of operation of the new organization.

PRODUCTION CENTERS

Within the National Mapping Division, four regional mapping centers are the principal locations for map production. These centers, at Reston, Virginia, Rolla, Missouri, Denver, Colorado, and Menlo Park, California, also serve as points of contact and coordination for mapping on a regional basis, working with other Federal agencies and coordinating joint mapping activities with the States.

A fifth center, responsible for the printing and distribution of maps, is headquartered at Reston, Virginia. It is responsible for map storage and distribution activities conducted in Arlington, Virginia, Denver, Colorado, and Anchorage, Alaska, as well as the operation of the Survey's printing plant at the National Center in Reston.

MAJOR ACTIVITIES

The National Mapping Division conducts the National Mapping Program of the United States, which includes the following major activities: • Quadrangle mapping and revision, including production and revision of 7.5-minute maps at 1:24,000 scale (inch-pound system units) and 1:25,000 scale (metric units) for the conterminous United States, Hawaii, and developing areas in Alaska and maps at 1:63,000 scale (inch-pound system units) and

1:50,000 scale (metric units) for Alaska.

• Small-scale and special mapping, including preparation of maps and map products from the intermediate-scale (1:50,000 and 1:100,000) series to the small-scale (1:250,000) series and other smaller scale U.S. base maps.

• Information and data services, which include acquisition and dissemination of information about the Nation's maps, charts, and aerial and space photographs; geodetic control; cartographic and geographic (spatial) data and other related information; distribution of earth science information to the public; and sale of map and map-related products through more than 2,500 private retailers. • Advanced development and engineering to improve the quality of standard products; to provide new products, such as digital cartographic data, that make maps and maprelated information more useful to people; to reduce costs and to increase productivity of mapping activities; to acquire innovative and more useful equipment; and to design and develop techniques and systems to speed the mapping of important areas of the Nation.

• Cartographic and geographic research with particular emphasis on spatial data techniques for studies employing modern geographic analysis with new and improved cartographic concepts and techniques.

• Digital mapping to produce base categories of cartographic data at standard scales, accuracies, and formats suitable for computerbased analysis.

Budget and Personnel

For fiscal year 1981, National Mapping Division obligations amounted to $89.1 million, an increase of about 8 percent over fiscal year 1980. Included are funds from 38 States, which, together with Federal funds, amounted to $6 million under joint funding agreements for mapping. These joint funding projects mutually benefit the State and national program by ensuring completion of map coverage sooner than would otherwise be possible.

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The National Mapping Program of the Geological Survey is carried out through a combination of in-house and work-share efforts and through contracts. The permanent full-time strength of the Division at the end of fiscal year 1981 was 1,861, encompassing a variety of professional skills including geography, cartography, data processing, engineering, photographic technology, and the physical sciences. An additional 263 employees, many on work-study programs, were on the rolls at the end of the fiscal year

Quadrangle Mapping,
Revision, and
Orthophotoquads

During fiscal year 1981, 1,185 new standard
topographic maps, covering 68,667 square miles,
were published. Most of the maps were in the
7.5-minute 1:24,000-scale series (1:63,360-scale
series in Alaska). There are 16 States with com-
plete published topographic map coverage at
1:24,000 scale, and, overall, 77.2 percent of the
conterminous United States has been published at
this scale. These maps also are used to prepare
intermediate- and small-scale and special maps.

As national coverage in the 7.5-minute series increases, the map revision workload grows. The need for revision of individual maps is determined by the amount of change detected when

published maps are compared to current aerial photographs. Maps are reviewed cyclically with emphasis on urban areas, coastal areas, airports, major transportation corridors, and other areas of high national interest. During the year, 3,606 7.5-minute maps were reviewed, and 1,332 revised maps were published.

One innovation in the mapping process, the preparation of a provisional map, was initiated to get more new maps to users by shortening the production cycle and reducing the initial costs. This concept would help meet the Survey's objective of having complete map coverage of the conterminous United States by the end of 1988.

A provisional map would be published in colors as is a standard map and would show about the same level of detail. The major difference is that a provisional map would show data compiled in the photogrammetric stage of production; that is, with hand lettering, with some data unclassified by symbol, and with some extraneous data such as crop lines and road scars unedited. User reaction to sample products has been excellent.

After initial map coverage is complete, the provisional maps will be updated and will receive full cartographic treatment. By that time, digitized map data (data that can be stored in and manipulated by computers) should be available to simplify and expedite the revision and mapfinishing processes.

Orthophotographs are produced by processing aerial photographs to correct image displacement caused by camera tilt and terrain variations. Orthophotographs become orthophotoquads when grid and name information are superimposed in a standard quadrangle format and have many applications as map substitutes or as companions to published line maps. In fiscal year 1981, 3,222 orthophotoquads were prepared. Printed copies are available for a limited number, with the remainder available in nonlithographic form (diazo print) on sale by regional mapping centers.

Intermediate-Scale

Mapping

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes an intermediate-scale series of maps at scales of 1:50,000 and 1:100,000 to meet a variety of customer requirements for formats and detail that cannot be met with the 1:24,000- and 1:250,000scale series.

Intermediate-scale maps have proven to be a valuable multiuse product. These maps have the flexibility of combining layers of map information in a number of ways to produce base maps on

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