landscape of Saratoga County

The rich and diverse landscape of Saratoga County forms a beautiful and healthy tapestry with something for everyone.

From the clay soils on the east along the Hudson River to the sandplains that stretch from Glens Falls to Rexford to the deep waters of Ballston and Saratoga lakes to the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains surrounding the Sacandaga Reservoir, our landscape has it all! The land is our life support system, providing us with clean air, pure water, nutritious food, abundant wildlife, places to recreate and recharge, climate moderation, and scenic views to soothe and inspire us.

Saratoga PLAN, with help from GIS consultant Seleen Associates, mapped and analyzed the resources of Saratoga County. Now that we understand the landscape of Saratoga County a little better, we use this knowledge to guide our work. We mapped land cover and many other characteristics of the county’s geography. We analyzed and ranked the quality of stream systems, fertile agricultural areas, groundwater recharge, terrestrial habitats, and the primary trail routes through the county.

Land Cover In Saratoga County

What we found is that Saratoga County’s landscape is composed of:

Maps & Analyses

All of the maps and analyses we created are available for use by anyone wishing to learn more about the landscape of Saratoga County. Just click on the one you want to view or download from the list below:

Descriptions of Data and Analyses used to Create Landscape Maps of Saratoga County
General Reference – Municipal Boundaries, Major Waters and Major Roads
Aerial Photograph of County
Land Cover
Darkness of the Night Sky
Conserved Agricultural Lands
Groundwater Recharge
Subwatersheds
Level of Impervious Surfacing and Development in Subwatersheds
Predicted Growth and Grey Infrastructure
Conserved Lands
Physiography – basic landform
Soil Quality for Agriculture (from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Agricultural Lands
Major Trail Routes
Resiliency of Terrestrial Habitats
Terrestrial Habitat Complexes – uplands and wetlands
Aquatic Habitats