431 
in level 3 data may be the most cost effective long-term approach. This 
has been the NMD strategy. When the geographic-information-system appli 
cations become effective the concurrent requirements for large amounts 
of level 3 data can be met. 
CONCLUSION 
These are the accomplishments, perspectives, and concerns of the NMD as 
we move into the development and implementation of a national digital 
cartographic/geographic data base. We have not completely solved all 
issues but we believe we have made good progress to date. We currently 
are encoding and storing our data in a way to minimize data loss and 
thereby maximize future use of the data. Many of these future uses have 
yet to emerge, and we are progressing step by step and attempting 
to assess all the implications of any particular action or design feature 
of this data base. The complete transition to achieve all of our objec 
tives and reconfigure the mapping process is anticipated to take most of 
this decade and beyond. However, the NMD is firmly committed and will 
increasingly become the manager of the national digital cartographic 
data categories through sophisticated data base management systems. 
REFERENCES 
McEwen, R. B. and Calkins, H. W., 1981, Digital cartography in the USGS 
National Mapping Division: Euro-Carto I Conference, Oxford, England, 
December 13-16, 1981, Proceedings (in press). 
Roney, J. I., 1982, U.S. Geological Survey provisional edition maps: 
Paper presented at 1982 ACSM-ASP Annual Convention, Denver, Colo., March 
14-20, 1982.