Earth Sciences (Agriculture, Geography, Geology, and Weather)

Best places to start

• United States Geological Service (USGS)
  The USGS is the agency that is responsible for creating geographical and geological maps and publications for the continental United States and surrounding waters.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Service (NOAA)
  This is the web portal for the NOAA, the agency responsible for tracking the weather, monitoring coastal waters and fisheries, and applying scientific techniques and research methods towards these ends.
• National Weather Service
  This sub agency of the NOAA is responsible for weather forecasting and monitoring for the United States and its coastal waters.

United States sources

• nationatlas.gov
  The nationalatlas.gov provides interactive and online mapping, printable maps, and allows user to order printed maps.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
  The USDA monitors agricultural production in the United States, monitors soils, oversees agricultural extension offices throughout the United States, and compiles statistics relating to these activities.
• National Climatic Data Center
  This sub agency of the National Weather Service provides historical weather statistics collected at weather stations throughout the United States and offers them here (some are free and some require a fee). As a member of the Federal Depository Library Program, Polk Library has one free account to assist patrons in accessing all of the information provided here.
• University of Texas CIA Maps (Perry Castenada Collection)
  The University of Texas provides online access to printable maps from the CIA, other government agencies, and from map publishers.
• Geodata.gov
  Geodata.gov is described as a one stop center for geographic data from the federal, state and local governments.
• Soils Site - U.S. Department of Agriculture
  This USDA web site provides access to soil surveys and scientific and research information related to the study of soils in the United States.
• Web Soil Survey
  This interactive site allows users to access county soil survey information from throughout the United states and create maps of areas of interest to them.
• USGS Water Science Center
  This site provides information from the USGS exclusively on water resources in the state of Wisconsin such as water quality, stream flow, and groundwater levels.
• STORET
  This database from the Environmental Protection Agency provides water quality data for wetlands, oceans and watersheds from across the United States.
• U.S. Gazetteer
  The U.S. Gazetteer is a database maintained by the United States Census Bureau.
• FEMA Mapping Web Site
  This site maintained by the Federal Emergency Management Administration provides interactive flood hazard maps for the entire United States.
• Astronomical Atlas Online
  This site maintained as a collaboration between the United States Navy and the Royal Navy provides a annual schedule of predicted astronomical events.
• TOXMAP
  The National Institutes of Health maintains this site which allows users to create maps cross tabulating data fields from mortality statistics with the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)from the Environmental Protection Agency.
• HAZMAP
  This site presented by the National Library of Medicine provides information about the occupational exposure to hazardous materials.
• Bureau of Land Management - General Land Office Records
  The BLM provides live access to some historical General Land Office Records.
• U.S. Forest Service
  This is the web portal for the U.S. Forest Service, the agency responsible for overseeing the management of our nation's forests.
• Treesearch
  Treesearch is a database for searching the digital collection of U.S. Forest Service Research Station publications.
• Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory(GLERL)
  This is the web portal for GLERL, a sub agency of the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) that focuses on environmental research pertaining to the Great Lakes.

Wisconsin sources

• Wisconsin Maps - DNR Managed Lands
  Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Managed Lands Mapping Application provides interactive maps for locating information about state owned managed lands.
• Wisconsin Geography, Maps and Graphics - Department of Administration
  This site provides interactive maps that include population statistics for Wisconsin.
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
  This is the web portal for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources charged with overseeing the natural environment in wisconsin.
• Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
  This is the web portal for the Wisconsin ATCP, which is responsible for food safety, animal and plant health, protecting water and soil and monitoring fair and safe business practices.
• Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey
  The Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, which is a division of the UW Extension Office provides full text access to some of its publications at this site.
• Surface Water Data Viewer
  This site provides access to interactive maps of wisconsin watersheds and waterways and related attributes. Users can find information down to the neighborhood level.
• Wisconsin's Water Library
  This web site, maintained by the University of Wisconsin, is about Wisconsin's water resources.
• Water Quality Data for Wisconsin
  This site provides water quality data for drinking water, groundwater and surface water throughout Wisconsin.
• GetFacts
  This web site, presented by the University of Wisconsin's Applied Population Laboratory, allows users to create customized maps and tables relating to population and demographic characteristics of the state of Wisconsin.

International sources

• World Health Organization - ReliefWeb (Maps)
  Reliefweb provides maps of recent and current natural catastrophes where relief efforts are currently being undertaken.
• David Rumsey Historical Map Collection
  This site provides access to online images of historical maps throughout history.
• Intellicast
  Intellicast provides interactive maps of current weather conditions and weather forecasts throughout the world.
• Impact of Land Use Change on Water Resources
  This site offers access to L-THIA - Long term Hydrologic Impact Assessment. The site, which is sponsored by Purdue University, allows users to model alterations in a development area to estimate the impact on runoff and pollution. The site has coverage for all of the watersheds in the United States.
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
  The IPCC, which has been in existence for twenty years, provides information on climate change issues including speeches, presentations, power point slides and publications, many of which are available here at their web portal online.