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 completed a multidisciplinary data collection effort during the week of October 21-25, 2019, using new technologies to map and validate bathymetry over a large stretch of the non-tidal Potomac River. The work was initiated as an effort to validate commercially-acquired topobathymetric light detection and ranging (lidar) data funded through a partnership between the USGS and the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB). The goal was to compare airborne lidar data to bathymetric data collected through more traditional means (boat-based sonar, wading Real Time Kinematic Global Navigational Satellite System (RTK-GNSS) surveys) and through unmanned aerial systems (UAS). In addition to accurately measuring river bottom elevations with GNSS and sonar, remote sensing imagery was collected with optical, multispectral, thermal, and ground-based lidar (GBL) sensors to test new technologies. The bathymetric lidar data, once delivered, will be used for hydrodynamic and water supply risk modeling, aquatic habitat assessments, and to test inland bathymetry mapping capabilities for inclusion in the USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP) 3D Elevation Program (3DEP). The data contained within this particular release are comprised of conventional survey (i.e. total station and GNSS) and GBL data.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists conducted field data collection efforts between August 17th and 28th, 2020 over a large stretch of the Niobrara River in Nebraska using high accuracy surveying technologies. The work was initiated as an effort to validate commercially acquired topobathymetric light detection and ranging (lidar) data. 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). The airborne topobathymetric lidar data will be used for characterization of endangered species aquatic habitat, improving the understanding of fluvial geomorphic features, sediment transport modeling, and 2D/3D hydrologic and hydraulic modeling. The impacts of the spring 2019 flood and resulting Spencer Dam failure will be further assessed and monitored using the lidar data along with testing inland topobathymetric lidar 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 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 between September 30th and October 9th, 2021 over a large stretch of the Potomac River in Maryland and West Virginia 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 October 3 - 5, 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 primary uses for the airborne topobathymetric lidar data will be hydrodynamic and water supply risk modeling and aquatic habitat assessments. The data contained within this particular release are comprised of conventional survey (i.e. total station and GNSS) and ground based lidar data.

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.

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.

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.

The Niobrara River is a National Scenic River in northern Nebraska. The Niobrara River is characterized by a sand channel with areas of gravel and bedrock. Bathymetric and topographic surveys were completed at five sites (Norden, Meadville, Mariaville, Spencer, and Niobrara) on the Niobrara River in August 2020. The bathymetric data were collected using Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) attached to kayaks. The ADCP data were collected on transects and between the transects following the flow of the river at each site. Topographic data including water surface elevations were collected with survey grade Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). A temporary reference point was established at each of the five sites on which a GNSS base station was deployed. Eight to fourteen hours of static satellite observation data were collected over the temporary mark and submitted to the National Geodetic Survey Online Positioning Users Serve (OPUS) to get an accurate horizontal and vertical position on the temporary mark. This corrected position for the base station was used to adjust and correct the rover data (water surface elevations and shallow streambed elevations). Water surface elevations were applied to the data collected along each transect to give a cross-section of streambed elevation from the measured depth. For data collected in between transect lines, a slope model was used to apply water surface elevations to the measured depths to give a longitudinal profile of streambed elevation. At random locations with depth greater than 0.15 meters (m), light intensity measured by a LICOR LI-192 Underwater Quantum Sensor in µmol of photons m^-2 s^-1, Secchi depth m, and turbidity Formazin Nephelometric Unites (FNU)) were measured. The data will be used by the Earth Resources Observation and Science Center (EROS) to evaluate topobathymetric lidar data collected with a Riegl VQ-880-G topobathymetric lidar sensor. The Niobrara River provided environmental conditions with varying degrees of streambed type, water clarity, and depth that were useful in understanding lidar sensor performance. Bathymetric and GNSS survey data were collected during the same day as the topobathymetric lidar data to ensure an accurate comparison because each site had a complete or partial sand streambed. The light intensity, Secchi depth, and turbidity readings will be used to determine water clarity. The water clarity will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the topobathymetric lidar sensor and assess the conditions that are optimal for the topobathymetric lidar sensor use. Two data files in comma separated values format are included: Niobrara_River_Bathymetry_GNSS_Data_2020.csv which includes streambed elevations from the ADCP and GNSS surveys and Niobrara_River_Light_Secchi_Turb_Readings_2020.csv which includes water clarity data.