Expired Solicitation Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) FY15/16 Awards

The U.S. Geological Survey National Geospatial Program awards resulting from the USGS Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP), initially issued on July 17, 2015. 

In 2016, the 3DEP program offered partnership funding to 28 proposals in 24 States and Territories.

Click on an individual "Project Name" for a full description

Project Descriptions

AK - Western Alaska Landscape Conservation Cooperative via U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - collection in outer coastal regions of the Yukon and Kuskokwim River Deltas: 

The massive Yukon-Kuskokwim River Delta (the delta) in western Alaska is one of the flattest and most vulnerable regions in Alaska. The delta provides critical habitat for arctic nesting waterbirds and includes some of the most imperiled villages in Alaska. The delta is highly vulnerable to coastal flooding associated with storm surges due to its shallow bathymetry, orientation, low relief, permafrost thaw and subsidence. Vulnerability is increasing with climate changes. Seven Federal and State partners are joining together with USGS's 3DEP to support light detection and ranging (lidar) acquisition on the outer delta. The resulting elevation data will inform emergency response as well as research and management activities.

AL - Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), Office of Water Resources and the Alabama Geographic Information Office: 

On May 14, 2015, the USGS hosted the Alabama 3DEP Broad Agency Announcement Public Workshop in Montgomery, AL. At that event, ADECA OWR presented its 5-year priorities for completing lidar coverage by County based on watersheds within the State of Alabama. All State, local and Federal agencies in attendance at that workshop agreed that the State of Alabama lidar strategy should be focused on first completing those priority areas in which lidar data does not exist before putting an emphasis on upgrading existing QL3 or QL4 data to QL2. Using that strategy, the FY2016 priorities for ADECA-OWR / FEMA Region IV along with the FY2016 priorities of the Alabama Geographic Information Office and the USDA-NRCS priorities were identified and combined to form Alabama's 2016 BAA 3DEP project coverage area to include a total of 12 counties: Franklin, Marion, Fayette, Pickens, Greene, Sumter, Hale, Bibb, Perry, Dallas, and Chilton. The total proposed project area is approximately 8,845 square miles from northwest Alabama to central Alabama. This partnership with the USGS 3DEP program provides the opportunity to complement and enlarge previous lidar collection efforts in the state. The project will enhance the well-being of the citizens of Alabama through improvement in infrastructure, preservation, and conservation efforts (agriculture and water).

AR - USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Arkansas - Arkansas Lidar Partnership 2016: 

The Arkansas Lidar Partnership 2016—led by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and accompanied by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission and the US Fish & Wildlife Service Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge, in conjunction with the 3DEP Initiative led by the US Geological Survey—will fund collection of digital elevation data for almost 7000 sqmi in Arkansas. The bulk of the area is of southwest Arkansas—including all of Miller, Lafayette, Hempstead, Sevier, Howard, and Polk Counties and portions of Pike and Montgomery Counties. The effort also finishes out collections for several counties in east Arkansas—Arkansas, Lonoke, Prairie, White County, and Jackson. Digital elevation data provides numerous benefits—such as improved emergency management through high quality flood zone and topographic mapping, efficient evaluations of the landscape for wildlife and natural resources conservation, and wide-area surveys for studies of large-scale construction projects.

CA - California Department of Water Resources - Delta Lidar Acquisition of Winter 2017: 

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is critical to California's water supply and many anadromous fish species. Two-thirds of the State's population and millions of acres of farmland rely on water that either crosses or is pumped from the Delta. Delta water exports are a vital component of the State's $2.3 trillion economy. In addition, the Delta is a valuable ecological area, with many threatened and endangered species that rely on this unique estuarine environment. Maintenance of the Delta's 1,100 miles of levees is necessary to protect prime farmland, water quality, the State water supply, and the fragile estuarine ecosystem. Elevation data are vital in determining areas of levees that require maintenance and repair, and for determining the suitable locations for habitat restoration projects. Light detection and ranging (lidar) can also be used to develop spatially explicit subsidence rate mapping in a cost-effective manner. The proposed work will conform to USGS QL2 and be performed in winter of 2017.

CA - San Diego Association of Governments: 

SANDAG, on behalf of the San Diego Regional GIS Council (SDRGC) - Imagery Working Group will acquire Quality Level 2 (QL2) lidar and derivative products for the eastern portion of San Diego County. The San Diego Regional Elevation Data Acquisition Project supports regional and national elevation program goals by completing the acquisition of Quality level 2 lidar data and derivative products for all of San Diego County.

CO - Colorado Water Conservation Board - Central and West Colorado Lidar Acquisition Plan 2016: 

A multi-agency coalition, consisting of the Colorado Geological Survey (CGS), Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), and Garfield County, are using matching funds from the USGS 3D-Elevation Program (3DEP) to collect light detection and ranging (lidar) over a seven-county area in central and western Colorado. The CGS and CWCB will use the high-resolution data to support a three-year-long debris flow, landslide, and flood hazard mapping program that will include both computer modeling and ground-based mapping. Garfield County will provide the data to all county departments to support its citizens, including accurate depiction of terrain for habitat suitability, development potential, energy applications, and hazard mitigation to life and infrastructure. The 3DEP matching funds will allow the single largest lidar collection ever completed in Colorado that will support efforts to provide critical natural hazard information directly to citizens.

FL - Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners- 2016 Palm Beach County Lidar Project: 

Palm Beach County (PBC) is proposing a multi-agency partnership with key stakeholders funding the initial light detection and ranging (lidar) data acquisition. Many of the County’s 38 municipalities support the project and plan to partner with PBC in acquiring additional products. Several existing projects and initiatives in PBC will benefit greatly from the availability of high quality lidar data, including Natural Areas, Sea Level Rise, Emergency Management, National Flood Insurance Rate Maps, Everglades Restoration, and the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System. This project will further the quality and availability of three-dimensional elevation data and provide great benefits to the citizens of PBC.

FL - Suwannee River Water Management District - USGS 3DEP Proposal 2015-16 - Suwannee River Water Management District: 

The SRWMD’s primary goals is the collection of lidar data at USGS QL2 standards or greater for remaining areas of the SRWMD’s region in north central Florida that have no existing lidar data and to also replace existing lidar data greater than 8 years old. In addition, all lidar data shall become part of the USGS The National Map and NOAA's Digital Coast Coastal Topographic lidar programs for public use and distribution. Of particular interest of the proposed data collection areas, is the need for lidar data for FEMA Flood Hazard Risk projects, SRWMD and State and US Forest Service land management projects, USDA and SRWMD Farm and Agricultural Best Management assistance programs, and SRWMD Environmental and Water Use permitting application reviews, and SRWMD water resource planning projects.

ID - Boise State University; State of Idaho Elevation Technical Working Group - Multi-hazard Risk Assessment and Ecosystem Restoration in Idaho: 

Nez Perce Tribe, Nez Perce County, and Clearwater Watershed: The State of Idaho will utilize light detection and ranging (lidar) supported by the USGS 3DEP and their partners to assess multiple hazards in the Clearwater Watershed, Nez Perce County, and Nez Perce Tribe. These hazards include post-fire landslides, debris flows, and floods. The lidar will also be used by the county and tribe to assess ecosystem rehabilitation in areas that have been burned, as well as in areas that have had other disturbance (including urban development, invasive plants, etc.).

IL - County of Lake Illinois - Neil 4 COUNTIES: Cook, Kane, Lake, McHenry: 

The NEIL 4 region has a population (2014 US Census) of 6,786,231, which represents over 52% of the State of Illinois. The NEIL4 region is susceptible to flooding throughout the year, which has an economic impact resulting from loss of property, business, or infrastructure. Lidar data will serve as the primary source for a Digital Terrain Model (DTM), contour generation and planimetric products (buildings/pavement). Benefits include the capability to model flood events and plan preventative measures. The USGS 3DEP program allows the NEIL 4 counties to acquire high resolution lidar, with a capture density >8 ppsm! This project intends to take advantage of the Geiger-mode technology. While the technology shows promise, the USGS has not yet made a determination that data acquired via Geiger-mode technologies is suitable for use by the 3D Elevation Program. In FY16 the USGS is supporting a limited number of acquisitions making use of this technology. By allowing for a limited set of incubator collections across the country, 3DEP can continue to learn about, adapt to, and help these systems come into full compliance with 3DEP specifications.

IN - Indiana Geographic Information Council, Inc.: 

Indiana currently has QL3 lidar for the entire state (~36,426 sq. mi.) across 92 Counties. Contingent on the availability of funds, Indiana proposes to collect new statewide 3DEP QL2 lidar over the course of the next several years organized by County. Acquisition by County is consistent with Indiana’s previous statewide GIS projects, and is the most logical method to solicit local funds and buy-ups, and to organize, produce and deliver final products. In 2016 the state will begin this new cycle with the collection of QL2 lidar for Marion, Hamilton, and Wayne Counties.

KS - Kansas Department of Agriculture – Kansas 2015-16 Lidar Acquisition Project: 

This project will result in acquisition and data development for the remaining approximately 15,000 square miles in Kansas that does not currently have high-resolution elevation data. This will be the most recent project of a 10-year-old attempt at updating elevation data across the state. Partnerships in the past have included USGS, NRCS, EPA, FEMA, USACE, Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas Department of Administration, Kansas Department of Transportation and Kansas Water Office. The project will include data acquisition, QA/QC and product development for all or portions of 15 counties in SW and NW Kansas including Cheyenne, Rawlins, Decatur, Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan, Graham, Wallace, Logan, Gove, Greeley, Wichita, Stanton, Morton, and Stevens.

LA - Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana - Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana (CPRA) Cost-shared Funding Request for a Coastal Louisiana Phased Topographic Airborne Lidar Acquisition with the U.S. Geological Survey - Chenier Plain 2016: 

The Chenier Plain QL2 lidar acquisition updates 15+ year old QL4 equivalent topographic lidar for an area representing approximately half of the Mississippi River Delta Plain Complex. The Chenier Plain has incurred direct surge induced wetland loss impacts from Hurricane Rita (2005) and from Hurricane Ike (2008) as well as economic losses to the local population and surrounding areas. The requested lidar update will provide an elevation base for assessing current conditions as well as providing a solid data platform for monitoring the impacts of future episodic events, from tropical cyclones or other potential inundation events within the region.

ME - Maine Library of Geographic Information, 2016 Western Maine Lidar Acquisition: 

The 2016 Western Maine Lidar Acquisition builds on and is adjacent to previous acquisitions. This project is unique in that the Maine GeoLibrary has formed a close working relationship with the Center for Forestry Research Unit at the University of Maine in Orono. This has resulted in a practical partnership between members of the Maine Forest Products Council and the GeoLibrary to help fund this largest ever acquisition of 5,033 square miles. A review of the GeoLibrary proposal will reveal it has also been successful in attracting many other partners from the Community of Carrabassett Valley to State Agencies.

MI - The United States Department of Agriculture - Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) Michigan Office:

NRCS is the leading partner in the acquisition of 18,890 square miles of QL2 lidar data in central and southern Michigan. The data will be collected in the fall of 2016 and spring of 2017. Lidar has been identified as desirable for Federal agencies, county staff, surveyors and drain commissioners. Many of the communities drain into waters that are areas of concern within the Great Lakes, and the information will support conservation efforts throughout by providing dramatically more information on the watershed including supporting the management of these sources across agricultural, forest and urban landscapes. This will support good decision making for watershed restoration and protection projects. NRCS Michigan will procure the data through the Michigan Statewide Authoritative Imagery & Lidar (MiSAIL) program; the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB), who administers the MiSAIL contract will assist with both administration of the contract and QA/QC of the data prior to delivery to the USGS.

MS - USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Mississippi - Mississippi FY2016 BAA Cooperative Lidar Data Collection: 

The FY2016 Mississippi QL2 3DEP effort was funded by 8 interagency funding partners (NRCS, MSDEQ, NPS, TVA, NOAA, MSU, USGS and FEMA). Approximately 66% of our area of interest is new lidar acquisition, with the remaining 34% designated as high priority update of older (>10 years old) quality level 4 data, which does not meet our current requirements. Due to our large area of interest (8,606 sq. mi.) partnering with adjoining flights in Tennessee and Alabama, the unit cost is very cost efficient. We also have been working closely with USGS to optimize the cost benefit ratio for our Quality Level 2 products.

NC - North Carolina Department of Public Safety: 

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) North Carolina Emergency Management, Risk Management is currently in the midst of a 5-phase statewide Lidar Collection that began in 2014. Phase 1 and Phase 2 are complete and were collected in conjunction with the USGS. Phase 3 was collected in 2015 by North Carolina Risk Management contractors and is also complete. For phase 4, North Carolina proposes to contract for the acquisition of 9,000 square miles of data utilizing the Geiger-mode sensor. The FY16 BAA award represents 3DEP support for the 3,700 square miles of data North Carolina was able to acquire in the spring of 2016. Providing support for the initial phase of the phase 4 acquisitions provides the 3DEP program the opportunity to support and evaluate the results of data acquired via the Geiger-mode sensor. North Carolina has a long history of innovation and consistently shares the results of their research and discovery with national programs. As such, NC represents an ideal choice to be awarded funds to work with the USGS to determine how well the new technologies meet 3DEP requirements and compare to the USGS Lidar Base Specification.

NE - Eastern Nebraska Urban Area Lidar (Douglas County): 

A coalition of public agencies in eastern Nebraska are planning to collect high-resolution lidar data across a 1,789 square mile area in the metropolitan Omaha and Lincoln areas. This group, including Douglas, Lancaster, and Sarpy Counties, the Cities of Omaha, Lincoln, Fremont, and Blair, and the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, will use this lidar data to assist with engineering, environmental, public safety, planning, asset management, and mapping projects throughout the region. This project will improve the quality of surface data available to participating agencies, leading to more effective government services.

NV - Southern Nevada Water Authority: 

The Las Vegas Metropolitan area is the largest population center in Nevada, with nearly 2 million people currently residing in the area. It has been one of the fastest growing urban areas in the United States over the past two decades. The prolonged drought in the western U.S. has made the area’s primary water supply, Lake Mead, steadily diminish over the past 15 years. This has forced the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) to take proactive measurements to help best manage the water resources. However, the drought isn’t the only issue for the region. Geological hazards and potential seismic activity that has the ability to cause major damage in the Metro area, and frequent flash flooding within and in proximity to the highly concentrated urban core has regularly caused damage to homes and infrastructure. The greater Las Vegas Metropolitan area produces nearly 75% of the tax revenue for the entire State of Nevada, and the hazards listed above have the ability to cause severe, large-scale damage, and potential water shortages for the region, all of which can have a dramatic impact on the overall Nevada economy. The lack of any high-quality elevation data greatly hinders the ability for various agencies to map and analyze the potential hazards threatening the region. SNWA and its partnering agencies will share in the funding to acquire Quality Level 1 (QL1) lidar data for 600 square miles of the main urban core of the Las Vegas Metropolitan area. 3DEP funds will allow a 400 square mile QL2 expansion of the project for a total project size of 1000 square miles. Together, these datasets will have the ability to greatly improve existing, outdated surface elevation models, which can be used for a variety of infrastructure planning, including flood control channels and potential flood hazards.

NY - New York State Information Technology Services Geospatial Program Office – New York State Lidar 2016: 

Light detection and ranging (lidar) at USGS Quality Level 2 will be collected for portions of Steuben and Allegany Counties, NY, covering more than 1300 square miles. This will complete lidar coverage of Steuben County in combination with existing data, while starting lidar coverage of Allegany County. The area includes the New York portion of the Tioga River Basin, which is the last portion of the Susquehanna River drainage in NY to be covered with lidar. Southern portions of the Upper Genesee basin will also be covered. The planned collection area has been designed to overlap existing lidar datasets, to maximize utility, and to prepare for future collections in adjacent areas.

OH - State of Ohio Department of Administrative Services Geographically Referenced Information Program - Lower Maumee and Cedar-Portage Sub-Basin Elevation Project: 

Ohio first obtained Statewide light detection and ranging (lidar) in 2006 to support the rectification of orthophotography and in so doing established lidar as a critical component of many GIS programs at various levels of government. The 2016 Lower Maumee and Cedar-Portage sub-basin elevation project will provide transformational data necessary to gain a better understanding of 2,483 terrestrial square miles of northwestern Ohio that drain into Lake Erie. The project addresses several mission-critical functions identified in the National Enhanced Elevation Assessment supporting the efforts of the contributing partners to study and develop programs for natural resource conservation; agriculture and precision farming; flood risk management planning and response; water supply and quality; wildlife management; and river and stream resource management. The data developed and the information derived from this project will have far reaching benefits beyond those identified by the contributing partners.

PA - Tri-County Regional Planning Commission Dauphin County, PA - Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Lidar Collection Project: 

Dauphin County sits on the shore of the Susquehanna River, making it a key piece of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. With a population of more than 270,000 and major regional employers, and multiple regional hospital systems, it is critical to provide flooding and development protections. Increased development along the river and throughout the County has created stormwater runoff and major flooding issues. During Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, the County was crippled by flood waters forcing residents to relocate, businesses to close and limited access to medical facilities. The County's current available light detection and ranging (lidar) data QL3 is from 2008, which does not represent the changes to the landscape caused by these events. In light of the development patterns that have added to the flooding extent, gaining updated data will help to determine appropriate future investment for public services and private improvement.

TN - State of Tennessee, Department of Finance and Administration - 2016 East Tennessee Lidar Project: 

Tennessee has been selected for a 3DEP award to produce lidar data for 18 counties in eastern Tennessee. Funding for this project is coming from the Tennessee Department of Transportation, USDA/NRCS, Tennessee Valley Authority, US Forest Service, the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration, and 10 local governments in Tennessee. This project will benefit all levels of government in support of land management, flood plain mapping, forest inventory, economic development, transportation planning, ortho photography processing, and environmental management.

UT - State of Utah Automated Geographic Reference Center (AGRC) - 2016 State of Utah Multi‐Agency Lidar Acquisition for Land Use, Mapping, and Environmental Management: 

The State of Utah, Automated Geographic Reference Center (AGRC, http://gis.utah.gov/) proposed a multi‐agency, local, state, and Federal collaborative effort to acquire over 3212 square miles of 0.5 to 1 meter high‐ resolution Quality Level (QL) 1 and 2 light detection and ranging (lidar) elevation data and derivative products covering portions of Utah and southern Idaho, mainly in the Great Salt Lake, Cache Valley, Bear Lake, and West Desert areas. This data will support land management and development; mapping (geology, hazards, flooding, and wetlands); and environmental management by a variety of governmental, industry, educational, and research organizations.

VT - Vermont Center for Geographic Information, a division of VT Agency of Commerce & Comm. Dev (VCGI/ACCD) - 3D Elevation Lidar Acquisition for the Connecticut River Basin in Vermont: 

With funding from the USGS and other Federal partners, the Vermont Lidar Initiative (VTLI), managed by VCGI, has been working towards full state coverage of this critical resource over the past four years. The flooding caused by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 continues to underscore the ongoing critical need for a statewide, high accuracy digital elevation model (DEM) that meets the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) Quality Level 2 (QL2) specifications. This data facilitates state resiliency efforts to proactively mitigate future storm damage by managing future flood risks, increased erosion, and landslide hazards. Statewide coverage will support the development of both regional and statewide efforts such as accurate FEMA digital floodplain risk maps, innovative stormwater initiatives and revisions to Vermont's Statewide River Corridor Hazard layer. Initially concentrating data development efforts within the Lake Champlain basin, the VTLI is now focusing on the Connecticut River basin.

WA - Washington Department of Natural Resources - Western Washington QL1 Lidar Data Initiative: 

Washington suffers geophysical and economic harm annually from many geological hazards. The western Washington 3DEP QL1 Lidar Data Initiative will significantly enhance coverage of QL1 light detection and ranging (lidar) data for the most populated portions of the State at a time when it is needed most. Ten members strong, including private and public entities, our partnership identifies 5,448 sq miles of collective land interest for lidar collection to empower officials to plan, mitigate, and prepare for geological hazards as well as inform on other vital community needs throughout western Washington.

WI - Wisconsin Department of Administration - QL2 Lidar Processing for Winnebago County, Wisconsin: 

The Wisconsin Land Information Program (WLIP) in cooperation with 3DEP and local funding partner Winnebago County will process light detection and ranging (lidar) data collected in 2014 to QL2 standard and create a classified point cloud, breaklines, and DEM to 3DEP specifications. The total project area is 432 square miles and will cost $99,244, including data processing, contract, and grant administration. Total data processing cost is $83,575. Project partners are contributing $41,787.50 or 50% to the data collection and $57,456.50 of total project costs or 58%. 3DEP will contribute $41,575.50 or 42% of total project cost. WLIP will administer the coop agreement and distribute 3DEP funds to Winnebago County. Winnebago County will contract directly with GPSC contractor Quantum Spatial, for data processing services.

WI - Wisconsin Department of Administration - 2016 Wisconsin Statewide Lidar Data Collection: 

The Wisconsin Land Information Program (WLIP) in cooperation with 3DEP will acquire QL2 light detection and ranging (lidar) data for six Wisconsin counties. With overlapping areas of interest from USGS, NOAA, NPS, and FWS, in addition to high priority areas for FEMA, this data will provide great benefit to multiple organizations while sharing the cost. The total project area is 4,816 square miles and will cost $1,418,414, including data collection, contract, and grant administration. Total data collection cost is $1,324,400. Project partners are contributing $662,200 or 50% to the data collection and $756,214 of total project costs or 53.3%. 3DEP will contribute $662,200 or 46.7% of total project cost. WLIP will administer the coop agreement and distribute 3DEP funds to counties. Local contributing partners of Bayfield, Buffalo, Forest, Portage, Taylor, and Washburn will individually contract with GPSC contractor team, Ayres Associates/Quantum Spatial, for data collection and processing services.