This raster dataset was developed as part of the Land Cover Project, a cooperative agreement between the Chesapeake Conservancy and the National Park Service funded through an interagency agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency. Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN) coordinated with Worldview Solutions the creation of a separate VA statewide high-resolution land cover dataset, which has unique class names and descriptions. For the purposes of a matching bay-wide dataset, this VA dataset was reclassified and some classes were edited to better match the Chesapeake Bay Dataset class definitions below. High Resolution mapping was used to develop consistent and extremely accurate land cover dataset for all the counties that comprise the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This land cover was created based on 2013/2014 National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) aerial imagery. Anne Arundel County, Maryland updated 09/26/2019.

The Land Cover Dataset has 7 classes:

1 Water: All areas of open water. This includes ponds, rivers, lakes and boats not attached to docks. MMU = 25 square meters.

2 Tree Canopy and Shrubs: Tree canopy is characterized as deciduous and evergreen woody vegetation of either natural succession or human planting that is over approximately 3-5 meters in height. Stand-alone individuals, discrete clumps, and interlocking individuals are included. Shrubs are characterized as a heterogeneous area of both/either deciduous and/or evergreen woody vegetation. Identified by variation in height of vegetation through patchy coverage of shrubs and young trees interspersed with grasses and other lower vegetation. Discrete clumps and small patches of interlocking individuals are included, as are true shrubs, young trees, and trees or shrubs that are small or stunted because of environmental conditions, when intermingled in a heterogeneous landscape with low vegetation. Tree Canopy MMU = 9 square meters, Shrubs MMU = 225 square meters

3 Low Vegetation: Plant material less than approximately 2 meters in height. Includes lawns, tilled fields, nursery plantings with or without tarp cover and natural ground cover. MMU = 9 square meters

4 Barren: Areas void of vegetation consisting of natural earthen material regardless of how it has been cleared. This includes beaches, mud flats, and bare ground in construction sites. MMU = 25 square meters

5 Impervious Surfaces: Human-constructed surfaces through which water cannot penetrate, and that are below approximately 2 meters in height. MMU = 9 square meters

6 Impervious Roads: Impervious surfaces that are used and maintained for transportation. MMU = 9 square meters

7 Aberdeen Proving Ground

Minimum Mapping Unit (MMU) in this instance is the minimum size, dimensions or threshold for features to be mapped or classified within a specific class.

This raster dataset was developed as part of the Land Cover Project, a cooperative agreement between the Chesapeake Conservancy and the National Park Service funded through an interagency agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency. Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN) coordinated with Worldview Solutions the creation of a separate VA statewide high-resolution land cover dataset, which has unique class names and descriptions. For the purposes of a matching bay-wide dataset, this VA dataset was reclassified and some classes were edited to better match the Chesapeake Bay Dataset class definitions below. High Resolution mapping was used to develop consistent and extremely accurate land cover dataset for all the counties that comprise the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This land cover was created based on 2013/2014 National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) aerial imagery. Anne Arundel County, Maryland updated 09/26/2019.

The Land Cover Dataset has 7 classes:

1 Water: All areas of open water. This includes ponds, rivers, lakes and boats not attached to docks. MMU = 25 square meters.

2 Tree Canopy and Shrubs: Tree canopy is characterized as deciduous and evergreen woody vegetation of either natural succession or human planting that is over approximately 3-5 meters in height. Stand-alone individuals, discrete clumps, and interlocking individuals are included. Shrubs are characterized as a heterogeneous area of both/either deciduous and/or evergreen woody vegetation. Identified by variation in height of vegetation through patchy coverage of shrubs and young trees interspersed with grasses and other lower vegetation. Discrete clumps and small patches of interlocking individuals are included, as are true shrubs, young trees, and trees or shrubs that are small or stunted because of environmental conditions, when intermingled in a heterogeneous landscape with low vegetation. Tree Canopy MMU = 9 square meters, Shrubs MMU = 225 square meters

3 Low Vegetation: Plant material less than approximately 2 meters in height. Includes lawns, tilled fields, nursery plantings with or without tarp cover and natural ground cover. MMU = 9 square meters

4 Barren: Areas void of vegetation consisting of natural earthen material regardless of how it has been cleared. This includes beaches, mud flats, and bare ground in construction sites. MMU = 25 square meters

5 Impervious Surfaces: Human-constructed surfaces through which water cannot penetrate, and that are below approximately 2 meters in height. MMU = 9 square meters

6 Impervious Roads: Impervious surfaces that are used and maintained for transportation. MMU = 9 square meters

7 Aberdeen Proving Ground

Minimum Mapping Unit (MMU) in this instance is the minimum size, dimensions or threshold for features to be mapped or classified within a specific class.