The User Engagement Elevation Focus Area assists the National Geospatial Program in acquiring data and understanding user needs in support of the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP). Goals are to promote and support 3DEP partnership opportunities to acquire enhanced elevation data and to improve the experience for those downloading and using USGS elevation data in their applications.
The Elevation Focus Area is Engaged In:
- Encouraging partnerships in the 3DEP lidar acquisition Broad Agency Announcement
- Identifying potential partner-acquired lidar datasets to be included in USGS holdings
- Providing support to the ongoing 3D Nation Requirements and Benefits Study
- Maintaining the national lidar inventory (USIEI)
- Supporting state efforts to establish statewide lidar acquisition plans
- Developing training videos to aide in the download and use of lidar data
- Administering user surveys to understand users' elevation requirements
- Presenting training sessions on access and use of USGS elevation data
- Engaging Native Americans and Native Alaskans regarding Tribal lidar acquisitions
- Establishing MOUs federal agency partners to streamline contractual agreements
- Coordinating with national and local federal agency offices on lidar partnerships
Applications:
- 3DEP Data Download Application
- 3DEP LidarExplorer
- 3DEP Demonstration Elevation Viewer
- USGS Bulk Data Download Instructions
- NOAA's Seasketch Lidar Acquisition Targets
- NOAA's US Interagency Elevation Inventory (USIEI)
Related Content
3DEP FY23 Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Instructional Webinar
This webinar provides an overview of the Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 23 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) solicitation and application process.
What is a digital elevation model (DEM)?
A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is a representation of the bare ground (bare earth) topographic surface of the Earth excluding trees, buildings, and any other surface objects. DEMs are created from a variety of sources. USGS DEMs used to be derived primarily from topographic maps. Those are being systematically replaced with DEMs derived from high-resolution lidar and IfSAR (Alaska only) data...
What types of elevation datasets are available, what formats do they come in, and where can I download them?
Digital elevation data for the United States and its territories are available through The National Map Downloader. Click the “Help” link at the top of the page for detailed instructions on how to find and download data. There is a separate site for The National Map Services. The 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) products and services available through The National Map consist of standard digital...
Where can I find 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) product updates and status maps?
3D Elevation Program (3DEP) product updates and status maps are available at these sites: Updates The National Map Data Delivery News Subscribe to Simple Notification Services to receive emails regarding changes to the status of The National Map Services Status Maps The National Map Download Client – Click “Show” below each elevation product LidarExplorer – Lidar point cloud only DEM Availability...
How do I report errors in 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) elevation data?
If you think you’ve found an error in USGS elevation data, please send an email to tnm_help@usgs.gov. We will add the reported information to our "Digital Elevation Model Issues" data log for further analysis and possible correction. Spikes, pits, seam-line anomalies, and other data errors are of concern to us. We are working to correct or minimize known issues, but it will take some time. Errors...
What is the coverage of 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) DEMs?
Elevation products are summarized on our 3-D Elevation (3DEP) Products and Services website. View detailed availability maps (status graphics) through several sites: The National Map Download Client – Click “Show” below each elevation product Lidar Availability Viewer - Lidar point cloud only LidarExplorer – Lidar point cloud only DEM Availability Viewer - 1 meter DEMs only Learn more: What is...
What is the vertical accuracy of the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) DEMs?
As of 2022, the absolute vertical accuracy of the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) 1/3 arc-second seamless DEM product within the conterminous United States is approximately 0.82 meters root mean square error (RMSE), based on a comparison to almost 25,000 NOAA National Geodetic Survey OPUS points. Accuracy has improved from a RMSE of 1.55 meters tested in 2013, due to the addition of lidar projects...
What data sources are used to produce the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) DEMs?
The USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) is in the process of collecting high-quality lidar and IfSAR (for Alaska) coverage for all of the United States and its territories. As this new data becomes available, legacy Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are being systematically replaced with high-resolution DEMs produced almost entirely from the lidar and ifsar data. Legacy DEMs were produced from sources...
Why are two different file naming conventions used in distribution of 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) DEM products?
Updated digital elevation model (DEM) dataset files are now given a name that includes information about the resolution and format of the data. This prevents users from accidentally overwriting existing data that might have different resolutions and formats. For example: an older file: n44w071.zip would now have the name: USGS_13_n44w071.tif indicating 1/3 arc-second elevation data in geotiff...
What are the projection, horizontal and vertical datum, format, and distributed tile extent of 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) contours?
Contours are not projected, but are provided in geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) in units of decimal degrees, and horizontally referenced to the North American Datum of 1983. Contour elevation values are vertically referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Contours are staged in Esri File Geodatabase 10.1 or Shapefile format, and distributed in 1x1 degree tiles.
Are 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) contour lines updated and what sources were used to create them?
When significant changes in the landscape have occurred, contours will be updated on an as-needed basis. The 100-foot contours were derived from 3DEP (formerly National Elevation Dataset) one arc-second resolution data that was sub-sampled to a cell size of three arc-second. The 50-foot contours were also derived from one arc-second data. Large-scale contours were derived from 1/3 arc-second...
What geographic areas do 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) contours cover?
3D Elevation Program (3DEP) contours cover all of the United States and its territories at multiple scales: Small scales (1:578,000-1:289,000) Medium scales (1:144,000-1:72,000) Large scales (1:36,000-1:18,000) Contours are easily viewed in The National Map Viewer and USGS topographic maps, or downloaded through The National Map Download Client. Learn more: Map Scales
Are depression contours identified in 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) contour products?
Yes, depression contours are identified with tick marks in 3D Elevation Program products, but only in large scale contours (1:36,000 scale to 1:18,000 scale).
Related Content
- Multimedia
3DEP FY23 Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Instructional Webinar
This webinar provides an overview of the Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 23 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) solicitation and application process.
- Publications
- Web Tools
- News
- FAQ
What is a digital elevation model (DEM)?
A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is a representation of the bare ground (bare earth) topographic surface of the Earth excluding trees, buildings, and any other surface objects. DEMs are created from a variety of sources. USGS DEMs used to be derived primarily from topographic maps. Those are being systematically replaced with DEMs derived from high-resolution lidar and IfSAR (Alaska only) data...
What types of elevation datasets are available, what formats do they come in, and where can I download them?
Digital elevation data for the United States and its territories are available through The National Map Downloader. Click the “Help” link at the top of the page for detailed instructions on how to find and download data. There is a separate site for The National Map Services. The 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) products and services available through The National Map consist of standard digital...
Where can I find 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) product updates and status maps?
3D Elevation Program (3DEP) product updates and status maps are available at these sites: Updates The National Map Data Delivery News Subscribe to Simple Notification Services to receive emails regarding changes to the status of The National Map Services Status Maps The National Map Download Client – Click “Show” below each elevation product LidarExplorer – Lidar point cloud only DEM Availability...
How do I report errors in 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) elevation data?
If you think you’ve found an error in USGS elevation data, please send an email to tnm_help@usgs.gov. We will add the reported information to our "Digital Elevation Model Issues" data log for further analysis and possible correction. Spikes, pits, seam-line anomalies, and other data errors are of concern to us. We are working to correct or minimize known issues, but it will take some time. Errors...
What is the coverage of 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) DEMs?
Elevation products are summarized on our 3-D Elevation (3DEP) Products and Services website. View detailed availability maps (status graphics) through several sites: The National Map Download Client – Click “Show” below each elevation product Lidar Availability Viewer - Lidar point cloud only LidarExplorer – Lidar point cloud only DEM Availability Viewer - 1 meter DEMs only Learn more: What is...
What is the vertical accuracy of the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) DEMs?
As of 2022, the absolute vertical accuracy of the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) 1/3 arc-second seamless DEM product within the conterminous United States is approximately 0.82 meters root mean square error (RMSE), based on a comparison to almost 25,000 NOAA National Geodetic Survey OPUS points. Accuracy has improved from a RMSE of 1.55 meters tested in 2013, due to the addition of lidar projects...
What data sources are used to produce the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) DEMs?
The USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) is in the process of collecting high-quality lidar and IfSAR (for Alaska) coverage for all of the United States and its territories. As this new data becomes available, legacy Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are being systematically replaced with high-resolution DEMs produced almost entirely from the lidar and ifsar data. Legacy DEMs were produced from sources...
Why are two different file naming conventions used in distribution of 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) DEM products?
Updated digital elevation model (DEM) dataset files are now given a name that includes information about the resolution and format of the data. This prevents users from accidentally overwriting existing data that might have different resolutions and formats. For example: an older file: n44w071.zip would now have the name: USGS_13_n44w071.tif indicating 1/3 arc-second elevation data in geotiff...
What are the projection, horizontal and vertical datum, format, and distributed tile extent of 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) contours?
Contours are not projected, but are provided in geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) in units of decimal degrees, and horizontally referenced to the North American Datum of 1983. Contour elevation values are vertically referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Contours are staged in Esri File Geodatabase 10.1 or Shapefile format, and distributed in 1x1 degree tiles.
Are 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) contour lines updated and what sources were used to create them?
When significant changes in the landscape have occurred, contours will be updated on an as-needed basis. The 100-foot contours were derived from 3DEP (formerly National Elevation Dataset) one arc-second resolution data that was sub-sampled to a cell size of three arc-second. The 50-foot contours were also derived from one arc-second data. Large-scale contours were derived from 1/3 arc-second...
What geographic areas do 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) contours cover?
3D Elevation Program (3DEP) contours cover all of the United States and its territories at multiple scales: Small scales (1:578,000-1:289,000) Medium scales (1:144,000-1:72,000) Large scales (1:36,000-1:18,000) Contours are easily viewed in The National Map Viewer and USGS topographic maps, or downloaded through The National Map Download Client. Learn more: Map Scales
Are depression contours identified in 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) contour products?
Yes, depression contours are identified with tick marks in 3D Elevation Program products, but only in large scale contours (1:36,000 scale to 1:18,000 scale).