A comprehensive inventory of communication tower infrastructure across the range of greater and Gunnison sage-grouse

Sarah C. Webster; Shawn Szabo; Jacqueline B. Cupples; Shawn T. O’Neil; Jonathan B. Dinkins; Steve Abele; Jennifer M. Hill; John Christopher Tull; Michael P. Chenaille; Peter S. Coates

doi:10.1038/s41597-026-07296-y

USGS · 70276379

A comprehensive inventory of communication tower infrastructure across the range of greater and Gunnison sage-grouse

Sarah C. Webster·Shawn Szabo·Jacqueline B. Cupples·Shawn T. O’Neil·Jonathan B. Dinkins·Steve Abele·Jennifer M. Hill·John Christopher Tull·Michael P. Chenaille·Peter S. Coates

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Abstract

We compiled and verified a comprehensive inventory dataset of communication tower infrastructure across the range of the greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ) and Gunnison sage-grouse ( Centrocercus minimus ), two species of conservation concern that are viewed as ecosystem health indicators for the entire sagebrush biome within the United States. Our dataset includes all known towers with emphasis on validating construction year and month for towers built between 1990–2023. The annual spatial time series format of the data allows users to visualize, assess, and download tower locations and duration (including dates of construction and dismantlement) across the sagebrush biome of the western U.S. Tower data were acquired from publicly available infrastructure databases and records were filtered to include communication tower structures within the area of interest. Data records were validated and checked for accuracy with high resolution aerial and satellite imagery, and a subset were verified during field visits. The final filtered dataset comprises 4,322 tower sites, of which 3,528 tower site locations were verified via satellite imagery or field visits, and 794 were unverified tower sites (tower presence could not be confirmed via satellite imagery). Each tower record includes geographic coordinates, structure height, estimated date of construction, number of towers at each site, and, if applicable, date of dismantlement. The data product closes spatiotemporal gaps and resolves discrepancies present in other public versions of similar data and can be used in ecological research, infrastructure planning/siting/permitting, decision support tools for biological or landscape management, environmental assessments, or general use pertaining to the historic and current locations of communication infrastructure across sagebrush ecosystems.

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Scientific Data Article

Source-reported bounding extent: 36.9202492° to 50.043691° latitude; -122.2316322° to -101.9547353° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Sarah C. Webster, Shawn Szabo, Jacqueline B. Cupples, Shawn T. O’Neil, Jonathan B. Dinkins, Steve Abele, Jennifer M. Hill, John Christopher Tull, Michael P. Chenaille, Peter S. Coates. 2026-05-02. A comprehensive inventory of communication tower infrastructure across the range of greater and Gunnison sage-grouse. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-026-07296-y

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