Skip Links

USGS - science for a changing world

Fact Sheet 2013–3051

The 3D Elevation Program—Summary for Minnesota

By William J. Carswell, Jr.

Thumbnail of and link to report PDF (353 KB)Abstract

Elevation data are essential to a broad range of applications, including forest resources management, wildlife and habitat management, national security, recreation, and many others. For the State of Minnesota, elevation data are critical for agriculture and precision farming, natural resources conservation, flood risk management, infrastructure and construction management, water supply and quality, coastal zone management, and other business uses. Today, high-quality light detection and ranging (lidar) data are the sources for creating elevation models and other elevation datasets. Federal, State, and local agencies work in partnership to (1) replace data, on a national basis, that are (on average) 30 years old and of lower quality and (2) provide coverage where publicly accessible data do not exist. A joint goal of State and Federal partners is to acquire consistent, statewide coverage to support existing and emerging applications enabled by lidar data. The new 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) initiative, managed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), responds to the growing need for high-quality topographic data and a wide range of other three-dimensional representations of the Nation’s natural and constructed features.

First posted September 18, 2013

For additional information contact:
Director, National Geospatial Program
U.S. Geological Survey
511 National Center
Reston, VA 20192
http://www.usgs.gov/ngpo/
http://nationalmap.gov/3DEP/

Part or all of this report is presented in Portable Document Format (PDF); the latest version of Adobe Reader or similar software is required to view it. Download the latest version of Adobe Reader, free of charge.


Suggested citation:

Carswell, W.J., Jr., 2013, The 3D Elevation Program—Summary for Minnesota: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2013–3051, 2 p., https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2013/3051/.



Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

Take Pride in America logo USA.gov logo U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://pubsdata.usgs.gov/pubs/fs/2013/3051/index.html
Page Contact Information: GS Pubs Web Contact
Page Last Modified: Tuesday, 29-Nov-2016 17:49:52 EST