The U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Conservation and Survey Division released the first statewide map showing the geology at Nebraska’s land surface on August 31, 2026. It is a regional overview at 1:500,000 scale, built by combining existing maps, soil information, landform data, and elevation models. It shows the sediments that cover most of the state rather than the bedrock beneath them, which is what the state’s previous statewide geologic map depicted.
What the new map shows
Most of Nebraska’s visible geology is not bedrock. The USGS announcement says that “more than three-quarters of Nebraska is covered by sediment, most of it wind-blown sand and silt.” The authors of the map’s journal article, Barrette, Johnstone, Joeckel, and Hanson, write in Journal of Maps (2026) that “more than 87% of the state is covered by post-Miocene surficial sediments, almost exclusively Quaternary in age.” The two figures come from different sources and use different precision, so they should be cited separately rather than merged into one number.
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The map is organized around the state’s surface materials and the landscape history they record. It captures several large features:
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →- Nebraska Sand Hills: dune terrain of wind-blown sand that paul Hanson, a geologist and director of the Geologic Mapping Program at the Conservation and Survey Division, describes as the largest area of dunes in the Western Hemisphere.
- Loess: wind-deposited silt blanketing large parts of the state.
- River sediments: thick sequences deposited by major river systems, including the Missouri and the Platte.
Nebraska lies where the Great Plains and Central Lowland physiographic provinces meet, and the map is designed to show how surface materials and landforms change across that boundary. Hanson said the units are “portrayed in a consistent manner here for the first time.”
#1 Best Overall
- Geologic map of Nebraska showing rock formations, mineral deposits, and geological features from the Late 20th Century.
- Made-to-order historical map reproduction suitable for geologists, educators, students, and geology enthusiasts.
- Wall art print for offices, studies, classrooms, and collections interested in U.S. geological history and earth science.
- FINE ART PRINT QUALITY: Printed on heavyweight 230gsm matte paper with archival giclée inks for crisp detail, rich tonal depth, and long-lasting display quality suitable for home, office, or gallery-style framing.
- PRINTED IN THE USA: Professionally printed on heavyweight matte paper and carefully packaged in a durable protective tube for safe delivery. Many sizes fit widely available standard frames. Each artwork is digitally restored to reduce age-related imperfections while preserving the historic texture, detail, and character of the original map.
Why surface deposits matter
According to the USGS release, the sediments at the surface do more than cover the land. They carry water into aquifers, supply nutrients for crops, provide habitat along the Central Flyway migration corridor, and contain sand, gravel, and other materials used in construction and infrastructure. The map links these functions to the physical materials that produce them, but it does not on its own establish the groundwater availability, resource potential, or hazard at a particular location. Those questions need site-specific data.
How the map was made
The map is a synthesis, not a new field survey of the whole state. The authors evaluated and combined several existing datasets:
- geologic unit maps
- soil maps and soil parent-material information
- geomorphic and landform data
- LiDAR-derived elevation information, including statewide elevation data from the USGS 3D Elevation Program
The source maps range from 1:24,000 to 1:1,000,000 scale. Combining them at a single 1:500,000 scale produces a consistent statewide picture, but it cannot match the detail of the source maps for any one spot. The map is also intended as a building block for a future nationwide USGS Quaternary geologic map, adding information on geologic history near the eastern edge of glacial sediment and the western areas where mountain-derived deposits occur.
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The new map is one of several products available for Nebraska, and each serves a different purpose. The table below compares the main options named in the official sources.
Rank #3
- Geologic map of Nebraska showing rock formations, mineral deposits, and geological features from the Late 20th Century.
- Made-to-order historical map reproduction suitable for geologists, educators, students, and geology enthusiasts.
- Wall art print for offices, studies, classrooms, and collections interested in U.S. geological history and earth science.
- FINE ART PRINT QUALITY: Printed on heavyweight 230gsm matte paper with archival giclée inks for crisp detail, rich tonal depth, and long-lasting display quality suitable for home, office, or gallery-style framing.
- PRINTED IN THE USA: Professionally printed on heavyweight matte paper and carefully packaged in a durable protective tube for safe delivery. Many sizes fit widely available standard frames. Each artwork is digitally restored to reduce age-related imperfections while preserving the historic texture, detail, and character of the original map.
| Map product | Coverage and content | Scale | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 USGS and Conservation and Survey Division surface geologic map | Statewide surface deposits, sands, loess, and river sediments | 1:500,000 | Regional patterns, context, and statewide comparison |
| Nebraska statewide geologic map (1986) | Statewide bedrock structure beneath the surface, not the younger sediments | Not stated in the USGS release | Bedrock and subsurface structure |
| Nebraska surficial mapping since the mid-1990s | Surface deposits, mapped mainly by quadrangle | 1:24,000 (per the journal article) | Local detail and site-level planning context |
When comparing products, check three things: whether it maps surface deposits or bedrock, whether its scale suits your area of interest, and whether you need a static map image or the underlying GIS data.
Access, data format, and reuse
The map is published as a peer-reviewed article in Journal of Maps with DOI 10.1080/17445647.2026.2691982, available at the Journal of Maps article page. The USGS also publishes an article record and abstract in its Publications Warehouse at pubs.usgs.gov.
Rank #4
The digital map data is released as “Digital database of the Surficial Geologic Map of Nebraska,” DOI 10.5066/P14QVCCY, available from the USGS digital data release. The data release is marked CC0 1.0 Universal, which places it in the public domain for reuse. The National Geologic Map Database record, available at ngmdb.usgs.gov, lists the map scale as 1:500,000 and links GIS data in the GeMS format, the geologic map database standard used by USGS and state surveys.
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What the authors say about the work
Christopher Swezey, program coordinator of the USGS National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, said: “One great consequence of this effort is that it has shown how bringing together the right people can be effective in producing a quality product quickly.”
Best Value
- Detailed bedrock geology map of Nebraska showing rock formations, mineral deposits, and geological structures from 1969 USGS survey data.
- Made-to-order historical map print ideal for geologists, educators, students, offices, studies, and geology enthusiasts.
- High-quality reproduction wall art featuring color-coded geological zones and professional cartographic detail for reference and display.
- FINE ART PRINT QUALITY: Printed on heavyweight 230gsm matte paper with archival giclée inks for crisp detail, rich tonal depth, and long-lasting display quality suitable for home, office, or gallery-style framing.
- PRINTED IN THE USA: Professionally printed on heavyweight matte paper and carefully packaged in a durable protective tube for safe delivery. Many sizes fit widely available standard frames. Each artwork is digitally restored to reduce age-related imperfections while preserving the historic texture, detail, and character of the original map.
Nebraska state geologist Matt Joeckel said: “We’re excited about the new map because it’s completely new from the standpoint of synthesis and scale.” He added that “achieving such a high degree of cartographic quality with this digital product would have been impossible without the help of our USGS colleagues.”
The official USGS release also explains that the map is intended to support evaluation of mineral and energy resources and the modeling of where resources or hazards may occur, a use the release describes in general terms for geologic maps.
Quick Recap
Sources
- USGS release, August 31, 2026
- USGS Publications Warehouse article record and abstract
- USGS digital data release
- National Geologic Map Database map record
- Journal of Maps article page
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