Michigan Resource Information System (MIRIS) Land Cover Maps

Dataset Abstract/Summary

MIRIS Land Cover Maps were derived from 1:24,000 scale color-infrared and black-and-white aerial photographs. They depict some 52 categories of urban, agricultural, wooded, wetland, and other land cover types for the entire state of Michigan. This map series is maintained by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources', Michigan Resource Inventory Program (MRIP).

Each land cover category is depicted by a polygon and identified with a land cover code. Patterned land cover maps have also been created for selected counties depicting urban, agriculture, woodland, and wetland categories (products 201, 202, 203, and 204 respectively).

The Michigan State Plane Coordinate System is used to internally store the x,y position of all lines, points and areas. This system separates the state into 3 zones. The north zone contains the entire Upper Peninsula. The central zone contains the counties including the north of Mason, Lake, Osceola, Clare, Gladwin and Arenac counties. The south zone contains the remainder of the Lower Peninsula. Coordinate positions are based on the North American Datum of 1927.

Map features are separated into different levels. Files do not contain topological relationships of map features, but can be used to create a topologically structured data base.

MIRIS Map files are created in an Intergraph IGDS vector format and can be translated to Data Exchange Format (DXF).

Archival and Access Information

The MIRIS County Land Cover Maps are archived by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Resource Inventory Program (MRIP).

Maps are available for purchase from the MDNR in both digital and hardcopy formats. They can be ordered by county, township, quadrangle, or 36 sq. mile area. Here is a price list.

Digital MIRIS Land Cover Maps at the county level (product number 200)are available for purchase through the Consortium for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN).

Data Acquisition/Collection Summary

Land cover identification followed standard air photo interpretation procedures. Cover types were derived from 1:24,000 (1"=2000') scale color infra-red and black-and-white source materials. All cover features are 2.5 acres in size or larger.

Related Datasets

Other datasets maintained by the MDNR include Base Maps (Product Number 100), Soil Types (Product Number 300), and Water Wells (Product Number 400).

Additional data sets may be located through CIESIN's Gateway.

Contacts and References

Keywords

Land Cover, Land Use, Urban, Agriculture, Woodland, Wetland, Water Bodies, Barren Land, Built Up Land, Aerial Photography, Digital Cartography, Thematic Maps, GIS, Map, MDNR, MIRIS, MRIP, Counties, Quadrangle, Township.