GPS World

Tag: National Map

  • Dewberry to update lidar for Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands after hurricane

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has selected Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm, to collect and process Quality Level 1 topographic lidar data of Puerto Rico, including the islands of Culebra, Vieques and Isla de Mona; and the U.S. Virgin Islands of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas.

    The new data will be used to identify the impact of Category 5 Hurricane Maria, which struck the territories in September 2017.

    Digital elevation model of El Yunque National Forest produced from 2016 topographic lidar data. (Image: Dewberry)

    The project will be completed under Dewberry’s Geospatial Product and Services Contract with USGS to support the agency’s 3D Elevation Program.

    Dewberry has been performing mapping, mitigation planning and sea-level rise studies in Puerto Rico for more than 10 years, primarily serving the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

    In a similar effort, the firm recently collected and processed more than 3,400 square miles of topographic and bathymetric lidar data for USGS, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

    For that project, the data were collected prior to Hurricane Maria’s landfall, and the new data will be assessed in comparison to that dataset to evaluate the storm’s impact. Lidar data have not been collected for the U.S. Virgin Islands in more than 10 years.

    Digital Elevation Model of the Guajataca Lake Dam produced from 2016 topographic lidar data. (Image: Dewberry)

    The new lidar data will be collected, processed and delivered by the spring of 2019. Dewberry will perform all ground surveys and its geospatial team will complete the processing and creation of digital elevation models and other ancillary products. The firm’s subconsultant, Leading Edge Geomatics, will perform the data acquisition using two Riegl VQ1560i sensors.

    “The pre-storm data we had collected and processed under our prior task order was instrumental in assisting FEMA, its partners and the local Puerto Rican government in planning and conducting its post-Maria disaster recovery work,” said Amar Nayegandhi, CP, CMS, GISP, vice president of geospatial and technology services for Dewberry. “The new data are being collected at a higher density to also support the infrastructure community and will show how the storm has altered the terrain.”

  • USDA aerial maps transitioning to new URLs

    As part of The National Map transition to cloud hosting, several of the National Map Orthoimagery Services will be provided under new URLs by early December.

    One major change involves links to USDA National Aerial Imagery Program (NAIP) orthoimagery. These new URLs have been available and running in parallel for many months and most applications have already made the change to the new replacement services.

    In addition, as part of this transition, USGS legacy Digital Raster Graphic (DRG) or Scanned Map service will also be retired.

    Orthimage of Glenn Canyon Dam, Arizona, taken Oct. 31, 2016. (USGS)
    Orthimage of Glenn Canyon Dam, Arizona, taken Oct. 31, 2016. (USGS)

    The National Map uses NAIP imagery as a key component of its US Topo map products. As part of this service, it also provides imagery compressed files for download and imagery web map services for visualization in applications. These imagery services and data download provide an imagery base that supplements the associated US Topo GIS-based product: the Topo Map Vector Data Product.

    The imagery web map services or imagery downloaded from TNM Downloader may both be used along with TNM vector products in the Topo TNM Style Template, providing GIS basemap layers and data in the cartographic style and layout of the US Topo maps.

    These dynamic imagery services are designed to provide visualization from local to national scales for a variety of use cases. The replacement “Imagery – 1 meter (plus)” service will contain NAIP orthoimagery along with other High Resolution Orthoimagery (HRO) to fill in areas where NAIP is not flown.

    Some of the services are scale-dependent, drawing only at the largest scales (below 18K scale), to facilitate zooming in past the levels currently supported in the faster USGS tile cached Imagery Basemap service. These capabilities are being maintained through the new URLs listed on the transition page.

  • National Map Viewer adds topo template for GIS

    A new geographic information systems (GIS)-ready topographic-map-style template is now available from the USGS National Geospatial Program.

    The Topo TNM Style Template can be readily used with the Topo Map Vector Data products and other data available for download from The National Map (TNM).

    The template and TNM data are intended to be used together to quickly provide an advanced  user with a fully customizable map in the style of US Topo maps using the most current TNM data available.

  • USGS Volunteers Help with Accurate Mapping

    Screenshot of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Facility Mapping Challenge showing the more than 440 edited points (green dots). At this scale, many dots contain more than one edited or verified structure.
    Screenshot of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Facility Mapping Challenge showing the more than 440 edited points (green dots). At this scale, many dots contain more than one edited or verified structure.

    Volunteer mappers continue to make contributions to ability of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to provide accurate mapping information to the public. Recently, volunteers were asked to update all of the law enforcement structure points in Tennessee. The volunteers answered the call and added, verified, edited or deleted 440 points.

    All of the points were quality checked by either a peer reviewer or an advanced editor, so the data was ready to go into the National Geospatial Program’s web-based The National Map at the conclusion of the USGS Mapping Challenge.

    The volunteer additions and edits will be symbolized on US Topo maps during the next production cycle for Tennessee, slated for 2016.

    Mapping Challenges, conducted by the National Map Corps, ask volunteers to concentrate on specific areas and structure types that need updating. They encourage volunteers to remain engaged and incentivize participation. Once a need is determined, a call to action goes out to the volunteer corps with information on the geographic location and the type of structures that need updating. Volunteers who participate can earn a series of virtual recognition badges and are recognized on social media and the Map Corps project site.

    Using crowd-sourcing techniques, the National Map Corps encourages volunteers to collect manmade structures data in an effort to provide accurate and authoritative spatial map data for The National Map. Structures being updated include schools, hospitals, post offices, police stations and other important public buildings.  

    “At times, locating structures seems similar to solving puzzles or detective work,” commented fconely, a Challenge veteran and one of the project’s more active participants.

    Tools on TNMCorps project site explain how a volunteer can edit any area, regardless of their familiarity with the selected structures. Volunteers can register by going to The National Map Corps Editor.

    The most recent status graphic showing the number and density of The National Map Corp submitted edits or verification for the past three years.
    The most recent status graphic showing the number and density of The National Map Corp submitted edits or verification for the past three years.

  • USGS National Map Corps Hits Crowdsourcing Milestone

    National Map Corps

    The U.S. Geological Survey citizen science project, The National Map Corps, has realized remarkable response. In less than two years, the volunteer-based project has harvested more than 100,000 “points.” Hundreds of volunteer cartographers are making significant additions to the USGS ability to provide accurate mapping information to the public.

    Each point represents a structure or manmade feature on a map that has been verified and updated, and then submitted to support The National Map and US Topo maps.

    Using crowd-sourcing techniques, the USGS Volunteer Geographic Information project known as The National Map Corps (TNMCorps) encourages citizen volunteers to collect manmade structure data in an effort to provide accurate and authoritative spatial map data for the USGS National Geospatial Program’s web-based map products.

    “I am 80 years old. I work three days a week for a golf course trapping moles and gophers,” said a prominent citizen scientist volunteer who goes by the handle Mole Trapper. “I spent 11 years volunteering for a fish and wildlife agency. When the big landslide at Oso, Washington, happened, I went on the USGS website and discovered the map corps. I worked summers while in high school for a surveyor who was very precise, and he told me an inaccurate survey is worthless. I hate inaccurate maps, so this program was just right for me. I hope my work is as accurate as it can be, but if it isn’t, I plead old age.”

    Structures being updated include schools, hospitals, post offices, police stations and other important public buildings. The data being collected by volunteers becomes part of The National Map structures dataset, which is made available to users free of charge.

    “I am retired from an unrelated field, but I have loved maps and travel all my life,” explained another active volunteer who goes by fconley. “When I saw that USGS was looking for volunteers, I immediately joined, first working with paper maps and quads. As digital mapping, satellite imagery, and GPS became more available I was enthralled. With the imagery now accessible, it is almost like being able to travel sitting at my desk. At times, locating structures seems similar to solving puzzles or detective work. This whole project is not only enjoyable,it makes me feel that I am making a lasting and useful contribution. I am thankful for the opportunity to be involved in this fascinating endeavor.”

    Beginning as a series of pilot projects in 2011, The National Map Corps has grown state by state to include the entire U.S. By August 2013, volunteers were editing in every state in the country and the U.S. territories. To date, the number of active volunteers has grown to 930, including some participants who have collected in excess of 6,000 points.

    To show appreciation of the volunteers’ efforts, The National Map Corps instituted a recognition program that awards “virtual” badges to volunteers. Each edit submitted is worth one point towards the badge level. The badges consist of a series of antique surveying instruments and images following the evolution of land survey and moving to aerial observation of the Earth’s surface, such as pigeon-mounted cameras and hot-air balloons. Additionally, volunteers are publicly acknowledged (with permission) via Twitter, Facebook and Google+.

    Tools on TNMCorps website explain how a volunteer can edit any area, regardless of his or her familiarity with the selected structures. To volunteer, go to The National Map Corps website to sign up.

  • Launch a River Trip from Your Computer Using Streamer

    Streamer map of the conterminous United States showing water basins, weather radar, and real-time streamflow stations.
    Streamer map of the conterminous United States showing water basins, weather radar, and real-time streamflow stations.

    Field & Stream called it a “…very cool tool and quite a bit of fun.”  MinnPost described it as a “…high-tech illustration of Norman Maclean’s timeless view that, ‘Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.” And Popular Science noted that, “There’s something especially satisfying about clicking a stream that…shoots its way across multiple states to empty into the ocean.”

    These publications are all describing Streamer, the popular on-line mapping program from the U.S. Geological Survey. Streamer is a powerful, yet easy way to explore our major waterways. With a simple map click, anyone can trace rivers and streams from a starting point all the way downstream to where a stream drains. Even more impressive, they can click on a stream and trace all others that drain to that point. Streamer also produces a report that includes a map and information about the people and places encountered along the streams traced.

    Streamer map of an upstream trace from a point on Belle Fourche River in South Dakota extending into Wyoming and Montana. Weather radar and real-time streamflow stations are shown on the map.
    Streamer map of an upstream trace from a point on Belle Fourche River in South Dakota extending into Wyoming and Montana. Weather radar and real-time streamflow stations are shown on the map.

    As good as Streamer was when it launched last summer, it just got better. Four major enhancements and dozens of small improvements have been made. These include:

    • A new map layer displays the locations of real-time streamflow stations across the country. Streamer updates this information hourly and symbolizes these stations to illustrate current streamflow conditions compared with each station’s observed mean streamflow on the same day of the year.
    • You can tell at a glance whether conditions are above, below, or at normal levels at each station.
    • Links are provided from Streamer directly to selected stations for additional information and data.
    • Another new map layer has been added that shows weather radar across all 50 States.
    • Useful improvements to Streamer’s detailed reports have been added. One of these lists the names of waterbodies (lakes, reservoirs, etc.) along the path of your trace.
    • Congressional Districts encountered along your trace have been added.
    • A mouse click takes you from the Streamer report to additional information from the Census Bureau about socioeconomic conditions in each District.
    • Searching for locations on Streamer’s map by place name, zip code, geographic coordinates and more is greatly enhanced.

    In its first eight months in service, Streamer users traced more than 2.9 billion river miles.

    The USGS announced in February that it is ending production of the National Atlas on September 30, and that some of its products and services would transition to The National Map. With this release, Streamer becomes the first of these National Atlas products and services that The National Map will offer.  For cartographers and geospatial information professionals, Streamer’s surface water data is available for download at no cost.

    Detail from a Streamer map of an upstream trace from a point on the Arkansas River near Geuda Springs, Kansas, extending into Colorado and New Mexico. Real-time streamflow stations are shown.
    Detail from a Streamer map of an upstream trace from a point on the Arkansas River near Geuda Springs, Kansas, extending into Colorado and New Mexico. Real-time streamflow stations are shown.

  • Launch a River Trip from Your Computer Using Streamer

    Streamer map of the conterminous United States showing water basins, weather radar, and real-time streamflow stations.
    Streamer map of the conterminous United States showing water basins, weather radar, and real-time streamflow stations.

    Field & Stream called it a “…very cool tool and quite a bit of fun.”  MinnPost described it as a “…high-tech illustration of Norman Maclean’s timeless view that, ‘Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.” And Popular Science noted that, “There’s something especially satisfying about clicking a stream that…shoots its way across multiple states to empty into the ocean.”

    These publications are all describing Streamer, the popular on-line mapping program from the U.S. Geological Survey. Streamer is a powerful, yet easy way to explore our major waterways. With a simple map click, anyone can trace rivers and streams from a starting point all the way downstream to where a stream drains. Even more impressive, they can click on a stream and trace all others that drain to that point. Streamer also produces a report that includes a map and information about the people and places encountered along the streams traced.

    Streamer map of an upstream trace from a point on Belle Fourche River in South Dakota extending into Wyoming and Montana. Weather radar and real-time streamflow stations are shown on the map.
    Streamer map of an upstream trace from a point on Belle Fourche River in South Dakota extending into Wyoming and Montana. Weather radar and real-time streamflow stations are shown on the map.

    As good as Streamer was when it launched last summer, it just got better. Four major enhancements and dozens of small improvements have been made. These include:

    • A new map layer displays the locations of real-time streamflow stations across the country. Streamer updates this information hourly and symbolizes these stations to illustrate current streamflow conditions compared with each station’s observed mean streamflow on the same day of the year.
    • You can tell at a glance whether conditions are above, below, or at normal levels at each station.
    • Links are provided from Streamer directly to selected stations for additional information and data.
    • Another new map layer has been added that shows weather radar across all 50 States.
    • Useful improvements to Streamer’s detailed reports have been added. One of these lists the names of waterbodies (lakes, reservoirs, etc.) along the path of your trace.
    • Congressional Districts encountered along your trace have been added.
    • A mouse click takes you from the Streamer report to additional information from the Census Bureau about socioeconomic conditions in each District.
    • Searching for locations on Streamer’s map by place name, zip code, geographic coordinates and more is greatly enhanced.

    In its first eight months in service, Streamer users traced more than 2.9 billion river miles.

    The USGS announced in February that it is ending production of the National Atlas on September 30, and that some of its products and services would transition to The National Map. With this release, Streamer becomes the first of these National Atlas products and services that The National Map will offer.  For cartographers and geospatial information professionals, Streamer’s surface water data is available for download at no cost.

    Detail from a Streamer map of an upstream trace from a point on the Arkansas River near Geuda Springs, Kansas, extending into Colorado and New Mexico. Real-time streamflow stations are shown.
    Detail from a Streamer map of an upstream trace from a point on the Arkansas River near Geuda Springs, Kansas, extending into Colorado and New Mexico. Real-time streamflow stations are shown.

  • National Atlas and Map to Merge into One Source

    USGS_National_Map-O

    During this year, National Atlas of the United States and The National Map will transition into a combined single source for geospatial and cartographic information. This transformation is projected to streamline access to maps, data and information from the USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP). The move will prioritize the the agency’s civilian mapping role and consolidate core investments, the agency said.

    The USGS will continue its long history of providing topographic maps, geospatial data and other geographic information by offering a range of scales and layers of geospatial information on The National Map Viewer and through US Topo maps. As a result of the conversion to an integrated single source for geospatial and cartographic information, nationalatlas.gov will be removed from service on September 30, 2014.

    USGS_National_Map-T“We recognize how important it is for citizens to have access to the cartographic and geographic information of our nation. We are committed to providing that access through nationalmap.gov,” said Mark DeMulder, NGP director.

    “We value the National Atlas customers and stakeholders and want to make this transition as easy as possible,” explained Jay Donnelly, the National Atlas Program Manager. “We will post updates to The National Map and National Atlas Websites as this transition unfolds, including information on the future availability of the products and services currently delivered by nationalatlas.gov.”

    Further information is available at http://nationalatlas.gov/transitionfaq.html.

  • USGS Crowdsourcing: Looking at New Ways to Map Structures in Colorado

    The United States Geological Survey (USGS) announced that in light of swiftly changing technical landscapes and increasing uses of social networking, the USGS is exploring a new approach to the volunteer program, and is launching a project to test options for volunteer participation in providing data to The National Map.

    The project involves mapping man-made structures and facilities, such as schools and fire stations, in the state of Colorado. Using an internet mapping application, volunteers can help the USGS update The National Map by correcting or adding information about structures.

    “Even members of the public who can’t tell a sandstone from a rhyolite but have internet access can now help the USGS keep its popular maps up to date through our new experiment in crowd sourcing,” said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. “Correctly locating and identifying fire stations, police stations, schools, and hospitals not only makes USGS maps more useful, but can literally save a life.”

    Over the past two decades, the USGS National Geospatial Program sponsored various forms of volunteer map data collection projects. Volunteers helped the USGS improve its maps during this period, by annotating paper maps, collecting data using GPS units, and submitting data using a web-based tool. However, in 2008, the volunteer mapping program was suspended as new methods for using volunteer data were being studied.

    In recent years, new web- and mobile-based technologies have made it easier to create, combine, and share maps. Recent events have shown how well these technologies support the rapid and relevant production of geographic information.

    If the Colorado pilot project is successful in attracting volunteers and capturing data for use in The National Map, the program may be expanded to other areas in the future.

    This project offers volunteers an opportunity to participate in providing data to The National Map and US Topo map products. For more information, interested Colorado volunteers can visit the National Map Corps website.