National Geospatial Program
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The National Geospatial Program provides a foundation of digital geospatial data representing the topography, natural landscape, and built environment of the United States. These data and derived products and services can be accessed through The National Map Data Download and Visualization Services.
US Topo Maps
US Topo topographic maps are produced by the National Geospatial Program of the USGS. The project was launched in late 2009, and the term “US Topo” refers specifically to quadrangle topographic maps published in 2009 and later.
Learn More3D Elevation Program (3DEP)
3DEP is a cooperative program that is accelerating the rate and quality of 3D elevation data collection to address a wide range of critical needs. The goal of 3DEP is to complete national data coverage in 8 years.
Learn MoreNews
2018 Lidar Partnership Awards Announced
Collaboration continues to move the 3D Elevation Program forward.
The 3D Elevation Program – Flood Risk Management
Flooding is the leading cause of Presidential disaster declarations. On average, the water hazard has resulted in more than 80 fatalities and cost the U.S. nearly $8 billion annually.
Lidar Base Specification Version 1.3 Released
The US Geological Survey National Geospatial Program has released a new version of the USGS Lidar Base Specification that defines deliverables for nationally consistent lidar data acquisitions.
The United States Interagency Elevation Inventory (USIEI)
The USIEI is a comprehensive, nationwide listing of known high-accuracy topographic and bathymetric data for the United States and its territories. The project is a collaborative effort of the USGS and NOAA with contributions from other federal agencies. The inventory supports the 3D Elevation Program and the Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping effort. This resource is updated in Spring and...
3D Elevation Program (3DEP) - Your Source for 3D Elevation Data
High quality 3D elevation data are critical to flood risk management, resource management, conservation, alternative energy, agriculture, infrastructure management, and a broad range of other nationally significant applications. 3DEP is a cooperative program, managed by the USGS on behalf of the community, with the goal to complete national coverage of 3D elevation data in 8 years.
National Geospatial Program User Engagement Office
Would you like to learn more about USGS National Map products and services? Then welcome to the National Geospatial Program User Engagement office. We can help you leverage NGP products and services through The National Map and other venues. Connect with us through our network of National Map Liaisons. There's a liaison for every state!
USGS Topographic Maps
The USGS took over responsibility for mapping the country in 1879 and has been the primary civilian mapping agency of the United States ever since. The best known USGS maps are the 1:24,000-scale topographic maps, also known as 7.5-minute quadrangles. More than 55,000 7.5-minute maps were made to cover the 48 conterminous States.
The National Map - Your Source for Topographic Information
The National Map is a collaborative effort among the USGS and other Federal, State, and local partners to improve and deliver topographic information for the Nation. It has many uses ranging from recreation to scientific analysis to emergency response. The National Map is easily accessible for display on the Web, as products and services, and as downloadable data.
Regional Assessments of Land-Use Change in the Delaware River Basin
This U.S. Geological Survey project consists of two primary studies about long-term land-cover change in the Delaware River Basin, particularly in Pennsylvania. The objectives for these projects were to address and quantify predominant affects and outcomes of land-surface change in urbanizing areas.
National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC)
The U.S. Geological Survey National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) provides leadership and world-class technical expertise in the acquisition and management of trusted geospatial data, services, and map products for the Nation. NGTOC supports The National Map as part of the National Geospatial Program.
125 Years of Topographic Mapping
U.S. Geological Survey: a History of the National Program for Topographic Mapping (1884–2009) Topographic maps became a signature product of the USGS because the public found them - then and now - to be a critical and versatile tool for viewing the nation's vast landscape.
National Geospatial Program Standards and Specifictions
Standards and specifications are essential to facilitate the development and sharing of geospatial data and products. The USGS standards and specifications define the requirements to ensure that all products and data prepared by the USGS under the National Geospatial Program are consistent in accuracy, structure, format, style, and content.
U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)
The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is the Federal standard for geographic names. The U.S. Geological Survey developed the GNIS in support of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names as the official repository of domestic geographic names for the Federal Government, and the source for applying geographic names to Federal electronic and printed products.
USGS Geospatial Data Contracts
The National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) of the USGS administers a set of Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts through a competitive process, that provide a mechanism to obtain geospatial data services throughout the United States. The contracts primarily support The National Map, but are flexible to be used by other Federal, State, and local agencies.
Historical Topographic Map Collection (HTMC)
USGS topographic maps originally published on paper in the period 1884-2006 have been scanned and published as PDF documents. This collection is of topographic quadrangle maps with scales between 1:10,000 and 1:250,000. These historic documents are downloadable free of charge through several interfaces.
The National Map
The National Map is a collaborative effort among the USGS and other Federal, State, and local partners to improve and deliver topographic information for the Nation. It has many uses ranging from recreation to scientific analysis to emergency response. The National Map is easily accessible for display on the Web, as products and services, and as downloadable data.
Alaska IfSAR Elevation Data
Radar data is being collected statewide for Alaska under direction of the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP). The new data is vastly improving the accuracy and resolution of elevation data for the state, and is being collected using an airborne Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IfSAR) sensor. USGS and the State of Alaska maintain web-based status maps and download services.
Transportation Data
The transportation data theme consists of roads, airports, railroads, and features associated with the transport of people or commerce. The data includes the location, classification, name/route designator, for most roads, and address ranges. The data supports mapping and geographic analysis for applications for routing, traffic safety, congestion mitigation, and disaster planning and response...
Structures Data
USGS data portray selected structures data, including the location and characteristics of manmade facilities. Characteristics consist of a structure's physical form (footprint), function, name, location, and detailed information about the structure. The types of structures collected are largely determined by the needs of the disaster planning and response and homeland security organizations....
Landcover Data
The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) serves as the definitive Landsat-based, 30-meter resolution, land cover database for the Nation.
Boundaries Data
Boundaries data or governmental units represent major civil areas including states, counties, Federal, and Native American lands, and incorporated places such as cities and towns.
Hydrography Data
The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) are used to portray surface water on The National Map.
The United States Interagency Elevation Inventory (USIEI)
The USIEI is a comprehensive, nationwide listing of known high-accuracy topographic and bathymetric data for the United States and its territories. The project is a collaborative effort of the USGS and NOAA with contributions from other federal agencies. The inventory supports the 3D Elevation Program and the Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping effort. This resource is updated in Spring and...
Elevation Data
The 3DEP products and services available through The National Map consist of lidar point clouds (LPC), standard digital elevation models (DEMs) at various horizontal resolutions, elevation source and associated datasets, an elevation point query service and bulk point query service. All 3DEP products are available, free of charge and without use restrictions.
Orthoimagery Data
Orthoimagery data typically are high resolution aerial images that combine the visual attributes of an aerial photograph with the spatial accuracy and reliability of a planimetric map. The National Map offers public domain, 1-meter orthoimagery for the conterminous United States with many urban areas and other locations at 2-foot or finer resolution.
The National Map Small-Scale Collection
The National Map offers a collection of small-scale datasets, most of which are at 1:1,000,000. The National Map publishes two data collections at one million-scale: one for Global Map users and one for National Map users. In terms of vector geometry, the lines, points, and areas in these data collections are identical. The difference is in the attributes assigned to these features.
The National Map Data Download and Visualization Access
The National Map, managed by the USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP), provides free visualization, inspection, and download access to our most current US Topo and Historical Topographic Map products as well as GIS data for our primary data themes including: Elevation, Orthoimagery, Hydrography, Geographic Names, Boundaries, Transportation, Structures, and Land Cover.
1-Meter DEM - Availability
1-Meter DEM Availability.
Elevation Data
The 3DEP products and services available through The National Map consist of standard digital elevation models (DEMs) at various horizontal resolutions, elevation source and associated datasets, an elevation point query service and bulk point query service. All 3DEP products are available, free of charge and without use restrictions.
The National Map Small-Scale Collection
The National Map offers a collection of small-scale datasets, most of which are at 1:1,000,000. The National Map publishes two data collections at one million-scale: one for Global Map users and one for National Map users. In terms of vector geometry, the lines, points, and areas in these data collections are identical. The difference is in the attributes assigned to these features.
US Topo - the Current Generation of USGS Topographic Maps
US Topo maps are modeled on the familiar 7.5-minute, 1:24,000-scale quadrangle maps of the period 1947-1992, but are mass-produced from national GIS databases on a 3-year cycle.The maps are layered PDF documents with geospatial extensions. They are downloadable free of charge through several interfaces.
Download Topographic Maps from the National Map
This is the primary search and download application for USGS topographic maps and base-layer GIS data. The same topographic maps are also downloadable through other interfaces.
Historical Topographic Map Collection (HTMC)
USGS topographic maps originally published on paper in the period 1884-2006 have been scanned and published as PDF documents. This collection is of topographic quadrangle maps with scales between 1:10,000 and 1:250,000. These historic documents are downloadable free of charge through several interfaces.
The National Map Viewer
The National Geospatial Program satisfies the needs of customers by providing geospatial products and services that customers incorporate into their decisionmaking and operational activities.
Alaska Mapping
New US Topo maps for Alaska are being produced statewide, with digital 7.5 minute 1:25,000-scale maps providing a comprehensive update to the 15-minute 1:63,360-scale printed maps produced nearly fifty years ago. You can view a status map showing where the new maps are available, and link to a site to download the maps.
Simulated flooding, Denver, CO
A 3D Elevation Program lidar point cloud colored by RGB color from imagery from the National Agriculture Imagery Program and showing simulated flooding (in blue) of an area in Denver, Colorado.
3dep_GML_Point_Cloud
3dep GML Point Cloud
3dep Linear Point Cloud2
3dep Linear Point Cloud2
3dep SPL 2 Image of Point Cloud
3dep SPL 2 Image of Point Cloud
Alaska US Topo Map Production Status March 2018
This graphic depicts the status of USGS US Topo map production as of March 20, 2018, showing maps published from 2013 to 2017, and maps planned to be published in fiscal year 2018, under the Alaska Mapping Initiative.
Lesson 3c The National Map Viewer: Adding Data
This lesson shows how to add data to the map view in the National Map Viewer from URLs or files.
3D rendering of Mesa County landslide from 3DEP lidar
3D rendering of Mesa County, Colorado landslide from 3DEP lidar. Lidar point cloud with color from imagery.
A perspective view of Mount hood
A perspective view of Mount hood, made from the OR_Sandy_River_2007 lidar data
Lidar point cloud over Tacoma WA bridge
Lidar point cloud over Tacoma WA bridge
3D Rendering of part of Grand Tetons National Park
3D view of USGS_LPC_WY_GrandTetonElkRefuge_2014 data
Lidar point cloud showing structures
An example of a lidar point cloud showing structures
Bismarck, ND DEM
Bismarck, ND DEM- inverted blue color ramp.
2018 Lidar Partnership Awards Announced
Collaboration continues to move the 3D Elevation Program forward.
The 3D Elevation Program – Flood Risk Management
Flooding is the leading cause of Presidential disaster declarations. On average, the water hazard has resulted in more than 80 fatalities and cost the U.S. nearly $8 billion annually.
Lidar Base Specification Version 1.3 Released
The US Geological Survey National Geospatial Program has released a new version of the USGS Lidar Base Specification that defines deliverables for nationally consistent lidar data acquisitions.
CMGP Lidar Coordinator selected to serve as USGS Federal Point of Contact/Coordinator for 3D Nation Elevation Requirements and Benefits Study
Xan Fredericks, Lidar Coordinator for the Coastal and Marine Geology Program and Chair of the USGS Lidar Points of Contact Working Group, was selected by the USGS National Geospatial Program to serve as the USGS Federal Point of Contact for the national 3D Nation Elevation Requirements and Benefits Study, coordinating survey nominations across Mission Areas and Regions and compiling responses...
Making your Mark on a Map: Volunteer map editors contribute more than 300,000 map points
The USGS citizen science project, The National Map Corps, has reached another major milestone.
National Geospatial Program Garners Elevation Award
The USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) team has been selected as the recipient of the 2018 “LIDAR Leader Award”, presented February 5 at the International LIDAR Mapping Forum in Denver.
NHD and WBD Map Services Moving to the Cloud
As part of an ongoing effort to improve performance and reliability for the suite of USGS Hydrography web-based map services, the USGS is migrating the National Hydrography Dataset and Watershed Boundary Dataset services to a Cloud location.
Recent Changes to Dynamic Services in The National Map
Many of The National Map dynamic overlay services have new schemas and updated cartography to provide a better user experience in The National Map viewer and other applications.
The National Map Legacy Viewer Retirement
The USGS is planning to discontinue service to the previous versions of the National Map viewer application.
Imagery Services Update to The National Map
The USGS would like to remind users of the upcoming sunset of National Map High Resolution Orthoimagery Data and Services.
3DEP Data Acquisition Opportunity - FY17/18 Broad Agency Announcement
Call for elevation project funding proposals and requests issued.
Collaboration in a Disaster
To illustrate the USGS and FEMA working together in the 2016 Louisiana flood response, the agency has released an interactive Story Map.
Locations
U.S. Geological Survey Headquarters
National Geospatial Technical Operations Center - Rolla, MO
