Alternative Text Description for SWFWMD FLUCCS (1999)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays a comprehensive land use and land cover inventory for a region in west-central Florida from 1999. The map shows the classification of land areas according to the Florida Department of Transportation's FLUCCS (Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System) at level 3 detail. The map visualizes 17 different land use categories ranging from various residential densities to agricultural lands, forests, wetlands, and infrastructure, providing a snapshot of how land was utilized and what natural features existed in this region at the end of the 20th century.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers a large portion of west-central Florida, extending from the Gulf of America coastline on the west to areas east of Orlando. Major cities visible include Tampa, Sarasota, and Orlando. The mapped area encompasses several counties in the region. Cities labeled on the base map include Daytona Beach and Port Orange to the northeast, Orlando in the central-east portion, Kissimmee to the southeast, Deltona and Eustis in the eastern area, Leesburg in the north-central area, and Tampa and Sarasota along the western coastal region. The Gulf of America forms the western boundary of the mapped area.

KEY INSIGHTS

The map reveals a distinct east-west contrast in land use patterns. The western coastal zone along the Gulf of America shows concentrated urban development with high-density residential, commercial, and industrial areas forming a nearly continuous corridor from north to south. The interior and eastern portions are dominated by agricultural lands (bright green) interspersed with wetlands (olive green), creating a patchwork rural landscape. A significant concentration of extractive land use (magenta/pink) appears in the central-southern portion of the map. Upland forests (dark green) are scattered throughout but appear more concentrated in certain areas. Urban open lands and recreational areas are distributed throughout the developed zones, while waterbodies appear as scattered features across the region. Transportation and utility corridors create linear patterns connecting urban centers.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

SWFWMD FLUCCS (1999) Land Use and Land Cover Classification

This layer represents a comprehensive inventory of land uses and land covers classified according to the FLUCCS system using 1999 imagery.

Residential, Low Density (light pink/salmon)

Appearance: Light pink or salmon-colored areas

Distribution: Extensively distributed throughout the western coastal region and around urban centers; appears in patches radiating outward from city cores and along major corridors

Notable locations: Forms large patches in the Tampa metropolitan area, around Orlando, and throughout coastal communities from north to south along the Gulf of America

Spatial patterns: Creates transitional zones between high-density urban cores and rural/agricultural areas; often appears in suburban ring patterns around cities

Residential, Medium Density (medium pink/coral)

Appearance: Medium pink or coral-colored areas, slightly darker than low-density residential

Distribution: Concentrated in urban centers and established suburban areas; appears intermixed with low-density residential zones

Notable locations: Prominent in Tampa, Orlando, and other urban centers; forms distinct neighborhoods within the developed corridor

Spatial patterns: Clustered in older established neighborhoods and denser suburban developments; often adjacent to commercial areas

Residential, High Density (dark red/burgundy)

Appearance: Dark red or burgundy-colored areas

Distribution: Most concentrated along the western coastal corridor, particularly in the Tampa metropolitan area and extending south toward Sarasota

Notable locations: Heavily concentrated in Tampa and the immediate coastal urban areas; smaller concentrations appear in Orlando and other city centers

Spatial patterns: Forms the dense urban cores; appears as concentrated nodes rather than dispersed patterns; often located near commercial and industrial zones

Commercial and Services (tan/beige)

Appearance: Tan or light beige-colored areas

Distribution: Distributed throughout urban and suburban areas; appears as scattered patches within developed zones

Notable locations: Present in all major cities including Tampa, Orlando, and Sarasota; concentrated along major corridors

Spatial patterns: Typically appears along transportation routes and at intersections; forms commercial nodes and strips within residential areas

Industrial (bright red/orange-red)

Appearance: Bright red or orange-red colored areas

Distribution: Concentrated in the Tampa area and along the western coastal corridor; scattered occurrences in other urban centers

Notable locations: Major concentrations in Tampa's port and industrial areas; smaller industrial zones appear near other urban centers

Spatial patterns: Clusters near transportation infrastructure, ports, and urban edges; forms distinct industrial districts

Extractive (magenta/bright pink)

Appearance: Bright magenta or hot pink colored areas

Distribution: Prominently concentrated in the central-southern portion of the mapped area; scattered smaller sites appear throughout

Notable locations: A large, distinctive concentration appears in the central-southern region, forming one of the most visually prominent features on the map

Spatial patterns: The major concentration forms an irregular but substantial patch; likely represents mining or quarrying operations

Institutional (dark purple)

Appearance: Dark purple colored areas

Distribution: Scattered throughout urban and suburban areas as small, discrete patches

Notable locations: Present in all major urban areas including Tampa, Orlando, and other cities

Spatial patterns: Appears as isolated nodes representing schools, hospitals, government facilities, and other institutional properties

Recreational (light purple/lavender)

Appearance: Light purple or lavender colored areas

Distribution: Distributed throughout the region, with notable occurrences in both urban and rural areas

Notable locations: Scattered throughout developed areas; some larger patches appear in specific locations

Spatial patterns: Represents parks, golf courses, and recreational facilities; appears as discrete patches of varying sizes

Urban Open Land (light tan/cream)

Appearance: Light tan or cream-colored areas

Distribution: Interspersed throughout developed areas; appears as small patches within urban zones

Notable locations: Present in all urban and suburban areas as undeveloped lots and open spaces

Spatial patterns: Fills gaps between developed areas; represents vacant land and open spaces in urban contexts

Agricultural (bright green)

Appearance: Bright green colored areas

Distribution: Dominates the interior and eastern portions of the mapped area; forms the predominant land use outside the coastal urban corridor

Notable locations: Extensive throughout the central and eastern regions; creates large continuous areas in rural zones

Spatial patterns: Forms the rural matrix of the region; appears as large, relatively continuous areas punctuated by other land uses; particularly extensive east of the coastal development corridor

Rangeland (olive/brown-green)

Appearance: Olive or brownish-green colored areas

Distribution: Scattered throughout the agricultural zone; appears intermixed with agricultural lands

Notable locations: Distributed through interior rural areas; appears as patches within the predominantly agricultural landscape

Spatial patterns: Interspersed with agricultural lands; represents grazing lands and less intensively managed areas

Upland Forests (dark green)

Appearance: Dark green colored areas

Distribution: Scattered throughout the mapped area with varying concentrations; appears as patches of multiple sizes

Notable locations: Distributed across both rural and semi-rural areas; present in interior and eastern portions

Spatial patterns: Appears as discrete forest patches; represents remaining natural upland forest areas

Waterbodies (light blue)

Appearance: Light blue colored areas

Distribution: The Gulf of America forms the western boundary; inland waterbodies appear scattered throughout the region

Notable locations: The Gulf of America coastline is prominent on the west; lakes and water features appear throughout the interior

Spatial patterns: Coastal waters form a continuous boundary; inland waters appear as discrete features of varying sizes

Wetlands (olive green/yellow-green)

Appearance: Olive green or yellow-green colored areas, distinct from the brighter agricultural green

Distribution: Extensively distributed throughout the region, particularly in the interior and southern areas

Notable locations: Forms substantial patches throughout rural areas; particularly notable in the central and southern portions

Spatial patterns: Creates an irregular patchwork with agricultural lands; represents marshes, swamps, and other wetland systems that are characteristic of Florida's landscape

Barren Land (gray-tan)

Appearance: Gray or grayish-tan colored areas

Distribution: Appears as small scattered patches throughout the region

Notable locations: Distributed sparsely; represents exposed soil and barren areas

Spatial patterns: Occurs as small, discrete patches; may represent cleared areas, beaches, or naturally barren land

Transportation (dark gray)

Appearance: Dark gray colored linear features and areas

Distribution: Forms linear networks throughout the mapped area; concentrated in urban zones

Notable locations: Connects all major urban centers; forms a network of roads, highways, and other transportation infrastructure

Spatial patterns: Creates linear corridors connecting urban areas; forms increasingly dense networks in developed areas

Communication (tan-gray)

Appearance: Tan-gray colored small areas

Distribution: Appears as scattered small patches, primarily in developed areas

Notable locations: Distributed throughout urban zones

Spatial patterns: Represents communication facilities; appears as isolated small sites

Utilities (light gray)

Appearance: Light gray colored areas

Distribution: Scattered throughout the region as small discrete features

Notable locations: Distributed across both urban and rural areas

Spatial patterns: Represents utility infrastructure including power plants, substations, and other utility facilities; appears as isolated nodes

Overlapping Patterns

The map reveals clear spatial relationships between land use categories. Urban development (residential, commercial, industrial) forms a concentrated corridor along the Gulf of America coast, with high-density development at the core transitioning to medium and low-density residential uses at the periphery. The interior agricultural and wetland matrix is punctuated by the extractive land use concentration in the central-southern area. Transportation infrastructure creates the skeletal framework connecting all developed areas. Wetlands are interwoven throughout the agricultural landscape, reflecting Florida's natural hydrological patterns.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents a historical snapshot of land use and land cover from 1999 and reflects conditions at that time. The classification follows the Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System (FLUCCS) at level 3, which provides detailed categorization appropriate for regional planning and environmental analysis. This dataset was created by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and is part of a statewide effort to document land use and land cover. The map shows only the thematic land use/land cover layer; base map features such as city labels are provided for geographic reference but are not part of the classified data. Land use and land cover information is essential for understanding relationships between human activities, land surface characteristics, and water resources in Florida's complex environmental systems.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

This dataset was created by the Southwest Florida Water Management District as part of a statewide land use and land cover inventory initiative. The classification was derived from imagery and follows the Florida Department of Transportation's FLUCCS classification system at level 3 detail. The data represents one component of a larger statewide effort involving five Water Management Districts and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Watershed Restoration. Source data layer name: LU_SWFWMD_1999.

Definition Query:

No definition query or filter criteria was applied. The map displays the complete dataset for the Southwest Florida Water Management District's coverage area.

Scale Information:

The map displays regional-level land use and land cover data appropriate for broad planning and analysis purposes. The level 3 FLUCCS classification provides detailed categorization suitable for understanding land use patterns across large areas.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The data represents land use and land cover conditions from 1999, derived from imagery collected during that time period.

Limitations:

This dataset represents conditions from 1999 and does not reflect subsequent changes in land use or land cover. As noted in the source metadata, this layer was created by merging source data layers with priority given to the most recent data available at the time. Users should consult the full metadata for information about specific source dates and inputs for different areas within the mapped region. The classification accuracy depends on the quality and resolution of the source imagery and the interpretation methods used.

Map Coverage:

The map covers the jurisdiction of the Southwest Florida Water Management District in west-central Florida, extending from the Gulf of America coastline eastward to include portions of the Orlando metropolitan area. The coverage includes major urban centers such as Tampa, Sarasota, and portions of Orlando, as well as extensive rural and natural areas in the interior. Portions of the base map context showing areas such as Daytona Beach, Port Orange, and the eastern extent near Orlando are included for geographic reference.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.