Chapter WM

LAND USE AND OWNERSHIP,

WILLISTON BASIN

By T.T. Taber and S.A. Kinney

In U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1625-A.
WM-ii

Contents

Explanation of Cultural Information........................................WM-1

Map Information for the Williston Basin Land Use

And Land Cover Map.........................................................WM-2

Map Information for the Williston Basin Subsurface

Ownership map................................................................WM-3

Map Information for the Williston Basin

Surface Ownership............................................................WM-4

Figures

WM-1. Land Use and Land Cover; Williston Basin

WM-2. Subsurface Ownership; Williston Basin

WM-3. Surface Ownership; Williston Basin
WM-1

EXPLANATION OF CULTURAL INFORMATION

Roads—These are selected roads from USGS 1:2,000,000-scale

digital line graphs (DLG). These contain two types of roads.

Interstate—These are major roads that are part of the national

interstate system.

Highway—These include State and other highways.

Railroads—These are railroads from USGS 1:2,000,000-scale digital

line graphs (DLG).

City/Towns—These features represent general locations of cities and

towns in the basin.

Latitude/Longitude Tic Marks—These tics show locations of key

parallels and meridians that pass through the basin.

Bowman-Dickinson Coal Field (Beulah-Zap Coal Zone) The

estimated outcrop and extent of the Beulah-Zap coal zone.

Center-Falkirk Coal Field (Hagel Coal Zone) The estimated outcrop

and extent of the Hagel coal zone.

Beulah Coal Field (Harmon-Hansen Coal Zone) The estimated extent

of the Harmon and Hansen coal zones derived from isopach coal

thickness lines.
WM-2

MAP INFORMATION FOR THE WILLISTON BASIN

LAND USE AND LAND COVER MAP

Sources—U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Land Use and Land Cover

Geographical Information Retrieval and Analysis System (GIRAS) files.

1:250,000 scale. The original maps were compiled from data collected

between 1972 and 1979. Land Use and Land Cover Digital Data from

1:250,000 and 1:100,000 Scale Maps, Data Users Guide. 1990. Reston,

Virginia. A complete description of these files can be obtained from the

USGS at

http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/doc/edchome/ndcdb/ndcdb.html

See figure WM-1.

Description—The land use and land cover maps were simplified from their

original format for increased readability. The narrowly defined categories

were grouped into the following categories:

Agriculture—This category includes cropland, pastures, hay fields,

and other agriculture.

Barren Land—This category includes sandy areas, bare rock, and/or

bare ground.

Forest—This category includes deciduous and/or evergreen forest

land.

Rangeland—This category includes shrub, brush, and/or herbaceous

rangeland.

Urban/Industrial—This category includes residential, commercial,

and/or industrial land uses.

Water—This category includes rivers, streams, and lakes.
WM-3

MAP INFORMATION FOR THE WILLISTON BASIN

SUBSURFACE OWNERSHIP MAP

Sources—Surface ownership data were compiled from three sources of

varying scales, accuracy, and attributes.

The digital data for the Montana part of the basin were digitized and

attributed by the Montana BLM Office. The source maps were 1:24,000-

scale ownership maps created by the BLM.

The digital data for the North Dakota part of the basin near Roosevelt

National Park were digitized and attributed by the Montana BLM Office.

The source maps were 1:24,000-scale ownership maps created by the

BLM.

The digital data for the North Dakota part of the basin surrounding

Roosevelt National Park digitized and attributed by the USGS Energy

Team. The source map was the 1:500,000-scale map prepared by the

BLM. This map is titled "Minerals Management for the State of

Montana, Northern Great Plains Resources Program, 1974.”

See figure WM-2.

Description—This graphic is intended to give an overview of subsurface

areas managed by Federal agencies within the Williston Basin. The specific

Federal management agencies were not identified, due to the lack of

differentiation in the 1:500,000-scale BLM map. An explanation of the

legend items are given below.

Federal All Minerals—The federal government owns the rights to all

minerals. This includes coal, oil, gas and other mineral rights.

Federal Coal—The federal government owns the rights to coal minerals

only.

Federal Other Minerals—The government owns mineral rights not

listed. These mineral rights may include oil and gas rights.

No Federal Minerals—The federal government did not own subsurface

mineral rights at the time the data were compiled.
WM-4

MAP INFORMATION FOR THE WILLISTON BASIN

SURFACE OWNERSHIP MAP

Sources—Surface ownership data were compiled from three sources of

varying scales, accuracy, and attributes.

The digital data for the Montana part of the basin were digitized and

attributed the Montana BLM Office. The source maps were 1:24,000-

scale ownership maps created by the BLM.

The digital data for the North Dakota part of the basin near Roosevelt

National Park were digitized and attributed by the Montana BLM Office.

The source maps were 1:24,000-scale ownership maps created by the

BLM.

The digital data for the North Dakota part of the basin surrounding

Roosevelt National Park digitized and attributed by the USGS Energy

Team. The source map was the 1:500,000-scale map prepared by the

BLM. This BLM map is titled "Minerals Management for the State of

Montana, Northern Great Plains Resources Program, 1974.”

See figure WM-3.

Description—This graphic is intended to give an overview of surface areas

managed by Federal agencies within the Williston Basin. The specific

Federal management agencies were not identified, due to the lack of

differentiation in the 1:500,000-scale BLM map. An explanation of the

legend items are given below.

Federal Ownership—Lands administered by the U.S. Bureau of

Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. National Park

Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Department

of Defense.

Federally Acquired Lands—These lands are typically composed of

Bankhead-Jones Lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service or the

BLM.

Non Federal Lands—These lands are composed of private, state, or

Indian reservations.
Figure WM-1. Land Use and

Land Cover Williston Basin
Figure WM-2. Subsurface

 Ownership Williston Basin
Figure WM-3. Surface 

Ownership Williston Basin