Alaska DEM Workshop

1. Alaska DEM Workshop Statewide Digital Mapping Initiative (SDMI) www.alaskamapped.org agdc.usgs.gov July 22 -23, 2008 Anchorage, Alaska Tom Heinrichs, UAF-GINA tom.heinrichs@alaska.eduwww.gina.alaska.edu

2. Conveners Statewide Digital Mapping Initiative (SDMI) www.alaskamapped.org agdc.usgs.gov The purpose of the Alaska Geographic Data Committee is to provide a forum for: 1. Coordination of spatial data development projects; 2. Development of coordinated methodologies for implementing standards and policies; and 3. Review and response to Federal Geographic Data Committee initiatives. The Alaska Statewide Digital Mapping Initiative’s goals are to acquire new and better statewide orthoimagery, elevation, and control data for Alaska and to make existing map data more easily available.

3. Sponsors

4. An Example of Existing NED Error in Western Alaska Swathviewer: http://sv.gina.alaska.edu 162.1W, 68.1N

5. Western Alaska - Landsat 7 draped on NED(horizontal accuracy of Landsat data confirmed along coast) Kevin Engle – UAF GINA: http://www.gina.alaska.edu

6. Alaska High-Altitude Photography Program Alaska was photographed from high-altitude U-2 and ER-2 aircraft between 1978 and 1986 under a multi-agency, State and Federal partnership led by the USGS. Program docs at http://www.alaskamapped.org

7. Alaska has been mapped before – 1950’s 1:63,360

9. Format • Tuesday: • Dave Maune keynote • Data provider presentations • Wednesday AM: • ASTER global DEM • National Digital Elevation Program • Control, QA, Data Distribution • Hosted lunch (Quarterdeck) • Wednesday PM: • Workshop breakouts • Summarize and wrap up

10. Goals • Learn about potential solutions from data providers • Study requirements for an improved, statewide Alaska DEM • Summarize options and classify potential solutions • Make recommendations for next steps. • Outcome: Whitepaper report that informs next steps

11. Requirements • A requirement is a documented need of what a particular product or service should be or do. It is a statement that identifies a necessary attribute, capability, characteristic, or quality of a system in order for it to have value and utility to a user.1 [1] Young, Ralph R. Effective Requirements Practices. Boston: Addison-Wesley, 2001. through http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Requirement

12. Requirements are not: • A particular type of data you have worked with in the past and are comfortable with • What your colleague was able to get to map his/her project site, municipality, or state • What would be really nice to have… Let’s try to avoid: • Same dog, same trick • DEM envy • Wish lists

13. Choices • “In deciding the specification for an organizations acquisition of DEMs, it ultimately comes down to making choices. Some of these choices impact costs, whereas others do not.” 1 Tradeoffs • Given a limited pool of funding, how do we manipulate the variables of data accuracy, product (DTM, DSM, hydro edits), spatial extent of coverage, and licensing to optimize the impact and value of funds spent? [1] Maune, David F. Digital Elevation Model Technologies and Applications: The DEM Users Manual, 2nd Edition, ASPRS, 2007.

14. Statewide and Broad Scale Requirements • Need to differentiate between statewide or broad scale requirements and local or project requirements • No sharp line: mapping the Chugach National Forest or NPR-A are broad scale projects (and no one-size fits all)

15. Statewide and Broad Scale Focus • Keep our focus on statewide needs, to the extent possible • This was the driver behind the data providers presenting today • Projects tend to take care of themselves • That said, we will be spending a lot of time talking about project level requirements and technologies that can serve projects

16. Plenty of Reason for Optimism It’s been done twice before…

17. Thank you!