National Land Cover Database

What are the class definitions for the NLCD 1992/2001 Retrofit Change Product?

ModifiedAnderson Level 1 Class Codes and Descriptions
0 No Data
1Open Water - All areas of open water, generally with less than 25% vegetation or soil cover. Pixels coded to a value of 1 have not changed between 1992 and 2001.
2Urban - Includes developed open spaces with a mixture of some constructed materials, but mostly vegetation in the form of lawn grasses such as large-lot single-family housing units, parks, golf courses, and vegetation planted in developed settings for recreation, erosion control, or aesthetic purposes. Also included are lands of low, medium, and high intensity with a mixture of constructed materials and vegetation, such as single-family housing units, multifamily housing units, and areas of retail, commercial, and industrial uses. Pixels coded to a value of 2 have not changed between 1992 and 2001.
3Barren - Barren areas of bedrock, desert pavement, scarps, talus, slides, volcanic material, glacial debris, sand dunes, strip mines, gravel pits, and other accumulations of earthen material. Generally, vegetation accounts for less than 15% of total cover. Pixels coded to a value of 3 have not changed between 1992 and 2001.
4Forest - Areas dominated by trees generally taller than 5 meters, and greater than 20% of total vegetation cover. Includes deciduous forest, evergreen forest, and mixed forest. Pixels coded to a value of 4 have not changed between 1992 and 2001.
5Grassland/Shrub - Includes grassland areas dominated by gramminoid or herbaceous vegetation and shrub/scrub areas dominated by shrubs less than 5 meters tall with shrub canopy typically greater than 20% of total vegetation, including true shrubs, young trees in an early successional stage, or trees stunted due to harsh environmental conditions. Management techniques that associate soil, water, and forage-vegetation resources are more suitable for rangeland management than are practices generally used in managing pastureland. Some rangelands have been or may be seeded to introduced or domesticated plant species. Includes those areas in the Eastern United States that commonly are called brushlands. Pixels coded to a value of 5 have not changed between 1992 and 2001 (Anderson, et al., 1976).
6Agriculture - including cultivated crops and pasture/hay – Cultivated crops are described as areas used for the production of annual crops, such as corn, soybeans, vegetables, tobacco, and cotton, and also perennial woody crops such as orchards and vineyards. This class also includes all actively tilled land. Pasture/Hay is described as grasses, legumes, or grass-legume mixtures planted for livestock grazing or the production of seed or hay crops, typically on a perennial cycle. Pixels coded to a value of 6 have not changed between 1992 and 2001.
7Wetlands - including woody wetlands and herbaceous wetlands – Areas where forest or shrubland vegetation accounts for greater than 20 percent of vegetative cover and the soil or substrate is periodically saturated with or covered with water. This class also includes areas where perennial herbaceous vegetation accounts for greater than 80 percent of vegetative cover and the soil or substrate is periodically saturated with or covered with water. Pixels coded to a value of 7 have not changed between 1992 and 2001.
8Ice/Snow - All areas characterized by a perennial cover of ice and/or snow, generally greater than 25% of total cover. Pixels coded to a value of 8 have not changed between 1992 and 2001.
12 Open Water to Urban
13 Open Water to Barren
14 Open Water to Forest
15 Open Water to Grassland/Shrub
16 Open Water to Agriculture
17 Open Water to Wetlands
18 Open Water to Ice/Snow
21 Urban to Open Water
23 Urban to Barren
24 Urban to Forest
25 Urban to Grassland/Shrub
26 Urban to Agriculture
27 Urban to Wetlands
28 Urban to Ice/Snow
31 Barren to Open Water
32 Barren to Urban
34 Barren to Forest
35 Barren to Grassland/Shrub
36 Barren to Agriculture
37 Barren to Wetlands
38 Barren to Ice/Snow
41 Forest to Open Water
42 Forest to Urban
43 Forest to Barren
45 Forest to Grassland/Shrub
46 Forest to Agriculture
47 Forest to Wetlands
48 Forest to Ice/Snow
51 Grassland/Shrub to Open Water
52 Grassland/Shrub to Urban
53 Grassland/Shrub to Barren
54 Grassland/Shrub to Forest
56 Grassland/Shrub to Agriculture
57 Grassland/Shrub to Wetlands
58 Grassland/Shrub to Ice/Snow
61 Agriculture to Open Water
62 Agriculture to Urban
63 Agriculture to Barren
64 Agriculture to Forest
65 Agriculture to Grassland/Shrub
67 Agriculture to Wetlands
68 Agriculture to Ice/Snow
71 Wetlands to Open Water
72 Wetlands to Urban
73 Wetlands to Barren
74 Wetlands to Forest
75 Wetlands to Grassland/Shrub
76 Wetlands to Agriculture
81 Ice/snow to Open Water
82 Ice/snow to Urban
83 Ice/snow to Barren
84 Ice/snow to Forest
85 Ice/snow to Grassland/Shrub
86 Ice/snow to Agriculture
87 Ice/snow to Wetland


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