U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists conducted field data collection efforts between July 19th and 31st, 2021 over a large stretch of the McKenzie River in Oregon using high accuracy surveying technologies. The work was initiated as an effort to validate commercially acquired topobathymetric light detection and ranging (lidar) data that was collected coincidentally between July 26th and 30th, 2021 for the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP). The goal was to compare and validate the airborne lidar data to topographic, bathymetric, structural, and infrastructural data collected through more traditional means (e.g., Global Navigational Satellite System (GNSS) surveying). Evaluating these data will provide valuable information on the performance of inland topobathymetric lidar mapping capabilities and their potential for use and inclusion in the USGS National Geospatial Program 3D Elevation Program. The airborne topobathymetric lidar data will be used for developing reliable hydraulic models, which can be used to model potential flood inundation and analysis for other potential hazards such as landslides. The bathymetric lidar data will also be used for characterization of endangered species aquatic habitat, including that of salmon and steelhead trout species. Furthermore, a large portion of the McKenzie River corridor that was mapped by the airborne topobathymetric lidar was impacted by the Holiday Farm Fire that burned over 170,000 acres during September of 2020 and the airborne data will be used to support post-fire geomorphic change detection.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists conducted field data collection efforts during the week of September 25 – 29, 2017, using a combination of conventional surveying technologies, for a large stretch of the Kootenai River near Bonners Ferry, Idaho. The work was initiated as an effort to validate commercially acquired topobathymetric light detection and ranging (lidar) data. The goal was to compare the airborne lidar data to topographic and bathymetric data collected through more traditional means (e.g. waded Real-Time Kinematic Global Navigation Satellite System (RTK-GNSS) surveys). The validated topobathymetric lidar data will be used for hydrologic modeling, assessment and restoration of aquatic habitat, sediment transport modeling, and to assess inland bathymetry mapping capabilities for inclusion in the USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP) 3D Elevation Program (3DEP).

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists conducted field data collection efforts during the week of September 25 – 29, 2017, using a combination of conventional surveying technologies, for a large stretch of the Kootenai River near Bonners Ferry, Idaho. The work was initiated as an effort to validate commercially acquired topobathymetric light detection and ranging (lidar) data. The goal was to compare the airborne lidar data to topographic and bathymetric data collected through more traditional means (e.g. waded Real-Time Kinematic Global Navigation Satellite System (RTK-GNSS) surveys). The validated topobathymetric lidar data will be used for hydrologic modeling, assessment and restoration of aquatic habitat, sediment transport modeling, and to assess inland bathymetry mapping capabilities for inclusion in the USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP) 3D Elevation Program (3DEP).

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists conducted field data collection efforts during the time periods of April 25 - 26, 2017, October 24 - 28, 2017, and July 25 - 26, 2018, using a combination of surveying technologies to map and validate topography, structures, and other features at five sites in central South Dakota. The five sites included the Chamberlain Explorers Athletic Complex and the Chamberlain High School in Chamberlain, SD, Hanson Lake State Public Shooting Area near Corsica, SD, the State Capital Grounds in Pierre, SD, and Platte Creek State Recreation Area near Platte, SD. The work was initiated as an effort to evaluate airborne Geiger-Mode and Single Photon light detection and ranging (lidar) data that were collected over parts of central South Dakota. Both Single Photon and Geiger-Mode lidar offer the promise of being able to map areas at high altitudes, thus requiring less time than traditional airborne lidar collections, while acquiring higher point densities. Real Time Kinematic Global Navigational Satellite System (RTK-GNSS), total station, and ground-based lidar (GBL) data were collected to evaluate data collected by the Geiger-Mode and Single Photon systems.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists conducted field data collection efforts during the weeks of September 9-13 and November 18-22, 2019, using a combination of technologies to map and validate topography, vegetation, and features in two areas of interest (AOI's) in north central Colorado. The western AOI included land managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. The eastern AOI included agricultural and urban areas. The work was initiated as an effort to test and evaluate the Leica Geosystems CountryMapper* sensor. The CountryMapper is a hybrid sensor that collects imagery and light detection and ranging (lidar) data simultaneously. The CountryMapper has the potential to collect data that satisfies both USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP) 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) requirements in a single collection. Real Time Kinematic Global Navigational Satellite System (RTK-GNSS), total station, ground based lidar (GBL), Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) lidar, and UAS imagery data were collected to compare to the data collected by the CountryMapper. * Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Airborne light detection and ranging (lidar) can provide high-quality topographic information over large areas. Lidar is an active remote sensing technology that employs laser ranging in near-infrared and green spectral wavelengths to provide three-dimensional (3D) point information for objects, including Earth’s surface, vegetation, and infrastructure. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Geospatial Program (NGP) 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) seeks to systematically acquire airborne topographic lidar for the conterminous U.S. (conus), Hawaii, and the U.S. territories. A series of field accuracy assessment surveys, using conventional surveying methods (i.e. total station and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)) along with ground based lidar (GBL), were conducted at test sites in Northeastern Illinois (NEIL) to evaluate the 3D absolute and relative accuracy of airborne lidar acquired for 3DEP.

An Innerspace 456 single-beam echosounder in conjunction with a Trimble® differential Global Positioning System (DGPS), HYPACK® navigation software, and Ashtech Z-Xtreme and Trimble® R8 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers was used to survey 7 chutes and 3 backwaters on the Missouri River yearly from 2011-13. These chutes and backwaters are located on the Missouri River between Newcastle, Nebraska and Rulo, Nebraska in the States of Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. Surveys of chutes consisted of topographic and bathymetric data collected along transects spaced 30.48 m apart from high bank to high bank. Surveys of backwaters consisted of topographic and bathymetric data collected along a transect grid of 76.2 m spacing. The data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Omaha District as part of the Missouri River Habitat Assessment and Monitoring Program.

In June and September 2022, NV5 Geospatial collected aerial imagery and near-infrared (NIR) lidar from crewed aircraft over 34 square kilometers of headwater streams in the Breitenbush River Basin in northwestern Oregon. Repeat aerial imagery and NIR lidar data were collected over an area spanning from the northern slope of Triangulation Peak to the mainstem Breitenbush River near the confluence of the North Fork and South Fork Breitenbush rivers. Several headwater streams were covered in the survey, including Devils Creek, Hill Creek, Leone Creek, and Skunk Creek. This data release includes orthoimagery and lidar data, including point clouds, bare-earth elevation rasters, and intensity rasters, from both June and September 2022, and a tiling index. This documentation describes the hydro-flattened bare earth elevation rasters from the June data collection and is adapted from information provided by NV5 Geospatial to the U.S. Geological Survey.

This dataset provides a modified version of the previously published Lake Powell topobathymetric digital elevation model (TBDEM; Poppenga and others, 2020). The original TBDEM is comprised of four source datasets: (1) a 2017 1-meter multibeam bathymetric survey; (2) a 2018 topographic light detection and ranging (lidar) derived digital elevation model (DEM); (3) a historical topographic DEM that was interpolated from contours maps created in 1947 and 1959; and (4) interpolated topography where gaps existed in the bathymetric and lidar data or where historical data were not suitable (Poppenga and others, 2020). For this data release, two corrections were made to the TBDEM to address errors associated with the historic DEM and interpolated topography across data gaps: (1) filled in selected gaps of the TBDEM dataset that were corrected with the historic DEM but have since been filled with sediment; and (2) spliced alternate topographic data sources instead of the hydro-flattened elevations in the river channel upstream of the Colorado and San Juan River deltas. The modified TBDEM was generated in a horizontal projection of UTM Zone 12N, North American Datum of 1983, referenced to the North American Vertical Datum 1988 (NAVD88), Geoid 12b at a 1-meter horizontal resolution. The modified TBDEM and an updated spatial metadata shapefile detailing data sources used and modifications made to the TBDEM are included with this release.

A first surface elevation map (also known as a Digital Elevation Model or DEM) of Thomas Stone National Historic Site was produced from remotely-sensed, geographically-referenced elevation measurements in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), National Air and Space Administration (NASA), and the National Park Service (NPS). Elevation measurements were collected over the area using the NASA Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL), a pulsed laser ranging system mounted onboard an aircraft to measure ground elevation, vegetation canopy, and coastal topography. The system uses high frequency laser beams directed at the earth's surface through an opening in the bottom of the aircraft's fuselage. The laser system records the time difference between emission of the laser beam and the reception of the reflected laser signal in the aircraft. The plane travels over the target area at approximately 50 meters per second at an elevation of approximately 300 m. The EAARL, developed by NASA at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, measures ground elevation with a vertical resolution of 15 centimeters. A sampling rate of 3 kHz or higher results in an extremely dense spatial elevation data set. Over 100 kilometers of coastline can be easily surveyed within a 3- to 4-hour mission time period. When subsequent elevation maps for an area are analyzed, they provide a useful tool to make management decisions regarding land development. For more information on Lidar science and the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL) system and surveys, see http://ngom.usgs.gov/dsp/overview/index.php and http://ngom.usgs.gov/dsp/tech/eaarl/index.php .