The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Utah’s Economy

Fact Sheet 2025-3004
By:

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Introduction 

High-quality elevation data for Utah inform decision making to improve the State’s economy. Light detection and ranging (lidar) data are used to support infrastructure planning and management, assess natural resources, and improve resiliency to hazards. The expanding availability of current and more accurate lidar data helps to better support natural resource conservation, wildfire risk management, geologic hazard investigation and mitigation, flood risk management, water supply planning, and urban planning and development. Critical applications that meet the State’s management needs depend on lidar data that provide a highly detailed three-dimensional (3D) model of the Earth’s surface and aboveground features.

The 3D Elevation Program is managed by the U.S. Geological Survey in partnership with Federal, State, Tribal, U.S. territorial, and local agencies to acquire consistent lidar coverage at quality level 2 or better to meet the many needs of the Nation and Utah. The status of available and in-progress 3DEP baseline lidar data in Utah is shown in figure 1. 3DEP baseline lidar data include quality level 2 or better, 1-meter or better digital elevation models, and lidar point clouds, and must meet the Lidar Base Specification version 1.2 (https://www.usgs.gov/3dep/lidarspec) or newer requirements. The National Enhanced Elevation Assessment identified user requirements and conservatively estimated that availability of lidar data would result in at least $8.70 million in new benefits annually to the State. The top 10 Utah business uses for 3D elevation data, which are based on the estimated annual conservative benefits of 3DEP, are shown in table 2.

Suggested Citation

Ritmiller, C., 2025, The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Utah’s economy: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2025–3004, 2 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20253004.

ISSN: 2327-6932 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Introduction
  • Status of 3DEP in Utah
  • Flood Risk Management
  • Natural Resource Conservation
  • Geologic Resource Assessment and Hazard Mitigation
  • References Cited
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Utah’s economy
Series title Fact Sheet
Series number 2025-3004
DOI 10.3133/fs20253004
Publication Date February 05, 2025
Year Published 2025
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) National Geospatial Program
Description 2 p.
Country United States
State Utah
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Additional publication details