The 16 metropolitan areas included in the study were Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Orlando, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Raleigh-Durham, Reno-Sparks, Sacramento, Seattle-Tacoma and Tampa-St.Petersburg. On average, between 1973 and 1992, these metropolitan regions averaged 173 square miles of additional urban land over the two decades with Houston, Orlando and Atlanta as the top three regions by area. The growth leaders by percentage change were Las Vegas (193%), Orlando (157%), and Phoenix (103%).
USGS scientists continue to assess the status of the Nation’s land surface and to analyze trends in land use. These assessments aid decision makers in considering such critical issues as ecology of urban environments, ecosystem health, water quality and quantity, resource availability and vulnerability to natural hazards.
The USGS serves the nation by providing reliable scientific information to: describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.
From a USGS press release. To receive USGS news releases go here.
The first word in the above story is not quite right. It should be “Grazing land”, as that has decreased over the decades while cropland has not. Grazing land is agricultural land not used for crops, and most is rangeland which is not suitable for crops. Look at the layered chart about 2/3rds down in “land use, value, and management:
urbanization and agricultural land”. Some changes in land use are easier to see as amount of change, in “Major uses of land”. Urban, parks, and miscellaneous uses increased 10-11% over 1992-1997. Rangeland, cropland, and forest decreased 1-2%.
When looking at such numbers, consider whether they include Alaska. Alaska has a lot of “forest” and “miscellaneous” land.