The 2015 Level I Kansas Land Cover Patterns map represents Phase 1 of a two-phase database development. The map enhances the Cropland Data Layer to be comparable (thematic classes and spatial resolution (cell size) and generalization (or MMU)) to the 1990 and 2005 Kansas Land Cover Patterns map to provide opportunities to identify and examine how the Kansas landscape has changed over time. In Phase II cropland pixels will be extracted from the Level I map and mapped using 2015 MODIS NDVI time-series and compared to crop map results generated in the CDL. The most accurate crop type map will be used for the final Level III map product. Also in Phase II, grassland pixels will be extracted from the Level I map and cool- and warm-season grasslands will be mapped using 2015 Landsat TM and/or 2015 MODIS NDVI time-series.

The map contains ten land use/land cover classes. The positional accuracy and spatial resolution of the map are appropriate for producing 1:50,000 scale maps. The map is not intended to define precise boundaries between landscape features and while the source data has a spatial resolution of 30 m x 30 m, the minimum map unit varies by land cover class and ranges between 0.22 to 5.12 acres (see below).

MMU by LULC type:

water = 1 pixel

woodland = 3 pixels (0.667 acres)

other = 15 pixels (3.114 acres)

urban = 15 pixels (3.114 acres)

grass/crop = 23 pixels (5.115 acres)

The 2015 Level I Kansas Land Cover Patterns map represents Phase 1 of a two-phase database development. The map enhances the Cropland Data Layer to be comparable (thematic classes and spatial resolution (cell size) and generalization (or MMU)) to the 1990 and 2005 Kansas Land Cover Patterns map to provide opportunities to identify and examine how the Kansas landscape has changed over time. In Phase II cropland pixels will be extracted from the Level I map and mapped using 2015 MODIS NDVI time-series and compared to crop map results generated in the CDL. The most accurate crop type map will be used for the final Level III map product. Also in Phase II, grassland pixels will be extracted from the Level I map and cool- and warm-season grasslands will be mapped using 2015 Landsat TM and/or 2015 MODIS NDVI time-series.

The map contains ten land use/land cover classes. The positional accuracy and spatial resolution of the map are appropriate for producing 1:50,000 scale maps. The map is not intended to define precise boundaries between landscape features and while the source data has a spatial resolution of 30 m x 30 m, the minimum map unit varies by land cover class and ranges between 0.22 to 5.12 acres (see below).

MMU by LULC type:

water = 1 pixel

woodland = 3 pixels (0.667 acres)

other = 15 pixels (3.114 acres)

urban = 15 pixels (3.114 acres)

grass/crop = 23 pixels (5.115 acres)