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Jason Stoker, PhDUSGS National Geospatial Program

The 3D Elevation Program:Overview

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Elevation Historically

For 15 years, the National Elevation Dataset (NED) has been the primary elevation data product produced and distributed by the USGS. The NED provides seamless raster bare earth elevation data of the conterminous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and the island territories. The NED is derived from diverse source data sets that are processed to a specification with a consistent resolution, coordinate system, elevation units, and horizontal and vertical datums.

Powered by the NED

• The NED served as the elevation layer of The National Map, and provided basic elevation information for earth science studies and mapping applications in the United States.

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Tying it all together- HistoricallyFrom NED to derivatives to TNM to US Topo currently

+ 4+ 4Bare earth DEMs from Lidar/Ifsar feed our Elevation HistoricallyFrom Lidar/Ifsar DEMs to NED to derivatives to TNM to US Topo

Bare Earth DEMs

Point Clouds

• CLICK• Earth

Explorer• TNM

Ifsar

Lidar

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3D data include surface elevations and natural and constructed features

3DEP increases the quality level of lidarbeing acquired to enable more accurate understanding, modeling, and prediction

Goal to acquire national coverage in 8 years

Applies ground-breaking lidartechnology to acquire and distribute 3D data

Addresses a broad range of critical applications of national significance

3D Elevation Program (3DEP)

+ 6+ 6What is the 3D Elevation Program?

Address the mission-critical requirements of Federal agencies, states, local governments, tribes, private and not‐for profit organizations

Increase the overall investment in 3D data from about $45 M to $146 M annually to return more than $690 million annually in new benefits

Leverage collaboration among Federal, states, local and tribal partners to systematically complete national 3D data coverage in 8 years

Leverage the capability of private industry mapping firms, create jobs Achieve a 25% cost efficiency gain by collecting data in larger projects Completely refresh national elevation data holdings with new lidar and ifsar elevation

data products and services

3DEP is a call for community action to…

Natural Resource Conservation

Infrastructure Management

Flood Risk Mitigation Precision Farming Land Navigation and Safety

Geologic Resources and Hazards Mitigation

+ 7+ 73DEP 2012-2015READY for a national, 8-year program

Developed 3DEP infrastructure■ Consolidated and modernized IT systems, ready

to initiate first phase of cloud implementation

■ GPSC3 to be in place in FY15 to address increased data volume

■ Revised the base lidar specification to include 3DEP quality levels

■ New products and services being made available in 2015 from The National Map

Lidar Point Cloud1 meter DEMs5 meter Alaska DEMs Alaska Ifsar ORIs Alaska Ifsar DSMs

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Quality Levels – A New “Floor”

Quality Level

SourceVertical

Accuracy RMSEz

Nominal Pulse

Spacing (NPS)

Nominal Pulse Density

(NPD)

DEM Post Spacing

QL1 Lidar 10 cm 0.35 m 8 points/sq. meter 0.5 meter

QL2 Lidar 10 cm 0.7 m 2 points/sq. meter 1 meter

QL3 Lidar 20 cm 2.0 m 0.7 points/sq. meter 3 meters

QL4 Imagery 139 cm N/A N/A 5 meters

QL5 Ifsar 185 cm N/A N/A 5 meters

Legacy

Now

Alaska

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Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)Background

72 pre-proposals submitted, requested funds over $50M, 29 were funded Total estimated committed = $9.8M, with a total estimated value of $26.5M (estimates will be refined) The $9.8M is comprised of USGS, FEMA and NRCS funds Total square miles is estimated at 94,114, with average project size of 3,245 sq mi Additional selections may follow with remaining funding as project estimates are refined and FY15 funding is

clarified

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Managing 3DEP data

3DEP provides unique challenges in how we acquire, check, process and deliver data and provide information to decision makers

We have a legacy and history with the NED (bare earth DEMs), but have expanded our work to include lidar point cloud data, ifsar sources, emerging technologies, and services

The public/stakeholders have gotten more sophisticated regarding 3D information needs, and has grown used to technology being ‘easy’ (and free)

People expect 3DEP to provide massive amounts of 3D data and information, quickly, reliably and easily

We have a very unique data management situation

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Putting the pieces together

GPSC

Partner

Contributed

Pre-3DEP Data(NED)

Q/A 3DEP Production Delivery

Source Standard

ScienceBase

TNM

Services

Geoplatform

Data.gov

Metadata

Incoming Data

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3DEP is Big Data

Data from Appendix H ofNATIONAL ENHANCED ELEVATION ASSESSMENT FINAL REPORThttp://www.dewberry.com/services/geospatial/national-enhanced-elevation-assessment

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So what is the 3DEP mindset?Need to change how you perceive elevation at USGS

Bare Earth DEMs

Point Clouds

Ifsar

Lidar

From This:

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So what is the 3DEP mindset?Need to change how you perceive elevation at USGSTo This:

SOURCE DATA

Bare EarthDEMs

Contours/hillshades

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From point cloud data to information

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Emerging 3D Technologies Working Group

Result of Emerging Lidar Technology Federal Roundtable meeting of 9/14

Members from USGS, NOAA, NGA, FWS, USACE, USFS, NRCS

Coordination with NGA-led Lidar Interoperability Work Group (LIWG)

Better understand emerging instruments: potential strengths and limitations

Come to Federal consensus on whether these instruments can meet 3DEP requirements

Current focus on high altitude and topobathy lidar systems

E3D-WG under the 3DEP Working Group

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Emerging 3D Technologies Working Group

Study contracted through the USGS Geospatial Products and Services Contracts (GPSC) Single Photon Lidar – Sigma

Space, HRQLS Geiger Mode Lidar –

HARRIS Corp., Intelliearth

Emerging Lidar Technical Assessment

Study area (red outline) 500 sq. mi. overlaps recently acquired Sandy QL2 data in Connecticut Includes landcover and terrain variability, portions of Hartford including the main airport,

and rivers and lakes to test hydro-flattening Includes leaf-on QL2 linear lidar data acquisition (yellow outline) Data collected in August/September – expected delivery of data for evaluation October 1st

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Emerging 3D Technologies Working Group

Dewberry, Woolpert and E3D-WG will independently assess data, reports will be reviewed by E3D-WG and results presented at ILMF and published

Absolute Accuracy will evaluated using ASPRS Positional Accuracy Standards for Digital Geospatial Data : Relative to the existing QL2 Lidar data Relative to the new QL2 Lidar data Absolute to ground surveyed points

Study evaluates how the data meet the accuracy standards set forth by USGS Lidar Base Specification v 1.2

Study does not evaluate potential cost for implementing these technologies Cost efficiency will be assessed if data are found to meet 3DEP accuracy standards Future data acquisition at higher altitudes will require additional assessment

North Carolina has conducted a similar evaluation, and will be sharing results with the E3D-WG as soon as they are finalized.

Emerging Lidar Technical Assessment

21Questions?