Solicitation Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) FY23 Awards

The USGS has recommended 22 proposals in 15 states for lidar partnership awards. These projects are expected to add over 98,000 square miles of public domain lidar point cloud data and derived elevation products to the 3DEP data holdings. 

Project Descriptions

AK - Lake and Peninsula Borough Lidar 

Native villages of the Lake and Peninsula Borough of Alaska have been subjected to a long history of intensified river and coastal erosion from an increase in storm intensity, impacting community infrastructure and safety. Home to 16 communities of which six lie along the coastline, the Borough aims to use new lidar data to more effectively monitor and manage resource and development permitting, to characterize and monitor erosion, and to assist in emergency response planning. 

• Award Recipient: Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska 

• Project Size (mi²): 415 

• Quality Level: 1 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

AL - 2023 11 County Lidar Acquisition

The lidar collection for the 2023 Alabama 11 County Lidar Acquisition will result in updated and enhanced elevation coverage for 11 counties within the State of Alabama. In addition, many of the counties selected in this effort would not be able to acquire lidar due to the cost. This project is permitting the state an opportunity to share in the cost for areas that would not acquire it otherwise. 

• Award Recipient: Alabama Department of Transportation

• Project Size (mi²): 7,740

• Quality Level: 2 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

AZ - North Central Arizona National Forests Lidar Acquisition 

This project will acquire Quality Level 1 lidar over portions of the Kaibab, Coconino, Prescott, and Tonto National Forests. Areas on the Kaibab National Forest will be collected with 50% side overlap to support modeling of forest inventory variables. The goal is to fill in areas without lidar on the Coconino, Prescott, and Tonto National Forests and to update lidar that was collected in 2018 on the Kaibab National Forest. The data will be used to inform timber sales, prescribed fires, dispersed recreation management, restoration efforts, and forest planning projects. These acquisitions will also establish a baseline for conducting outyear resource monitoring. 

• Award Recipient: Kaibab Coconino National Forest – U.S. Forest Service (USFS)  – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

• Project Size (mi²): 3,404 

• Quality Level: 1 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

CA - 2023 California Lidar Gaps 

This project fills numerous small gaps in existing lidar coverage that align with funding provided to the California Natural Resources Agency for remote sensing to address public safety and natural resource management challenges with a focus on fire prone forest, shrubland, and grassland dominated areas of the state. Covering approximately 2,462 square miles divided across four units this Quality Level 1 coverage fill in gaps in existing coverage spread from Central to Southern California. 

• Award Recipient: California Natural Resources Agency 

• Project Size (mi²): 2,462 

• Quality Level: 1 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

CA - Creation of Quality Level 1 lidar 3DEP datasets for San Mateo County 

The San Mateo Resource Conservation District (RCD) and the Santa Cruz Mountain Stewardship Network (SCMSN) have embarked on a project to collect Quality Level 1 lidar data for San Mateo County. Neighboring counties collected Quality Level 1 lidar in 2020, but there is still a large gap of Quality Level 1 coverage in San Mateo County. Once this data gap is filled, much of the entire central coast of California will have high quality lidar data to support regionwide and local land management and policy.  The lidar data will support creation of 80-100 class fine scale vegetation maps with a 1 acre Minimum Mapping Unit (MMU), digital surface models, digital terrain models, hillshade, contours, and 5 m wildland fuels map including lidar derived ladder fuels 

• Award Recipient: San Mateo Resource Conservation District 

• Project Size (mi²): 404 

• Quality Level: 1 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

CA - Filling in San Luis Obispo County’s Gaps in Lidar Data 

San Luis Obispo (SLO) County contains some of California’s most ecologically diverse ecosystems in California. The area’s wild and working lands are impacted by a variety of threats, including global climate change, altered fire regimes, invasive/non-native plants and animals, habitat fragmentation, plant diseases and pathogens, and other human and natural impacts. To effectively care for the county's ecosystems and infrastructure, land managers and stewards across a variety of jurisdictions must know the location and distribution of resources across the landscape. Other existing datasets are crude, incorrect, and out of date. This data collection will enable the creation of cohesive region-wide lidar derivative products to manage and monitor wildfire planning and response, recreational opportunities, carbon stocks, hazards, critical habitats, and climate resiliency. 

• Award Recipient: Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District 

• Project Size (mi²): 539 

• Quality Level: 1 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

CA - Lake County, California Wildfire Prevention Planning, Response, and Resiliency 

Over the last 7 years, California has experienced unprecedented wildfires. Nowhere has this devastation been more evidenced than in Lake County, where 66% of the county has burned since 2015 resulting in a loss of 5.5% of the county's housing. Lake County’s valuable resources are at risk due to serious gaps in knowledge about the region's landscapes and communities. Existing vegetation maps are piecemeal, out of date, or at a statewide scale which cannot support local decision making. Topographic data are coarse or non-existent. Lidar data provides detailed information about the topography of an area, its infrastructure and the structure of forests and wildland fuels, thereby supporting a myriad of applications. The high resolution lidar provided by this project are also foundational to prioritizing management activities to ensure that communities, built infrastructure, natural and working lands are more resilient to climate change, floods, fires and droughts. 

• Award Recipient: County of Lake, CA 

• Project Size (mi²): 1,343 

• Quality Level: 1 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

CA - Lidar Acquisition flight for Solano County Regional GIS Consortium 

Solano County Regional GIS Consortium (REGIS) will be flying a complete countywide Quality Level 1 lidar for the first time ever. The comprehensive data capturing four times as much data as Quality Level 2 will provide the rich context needed to assess Solano County which is especially important given the high risk of fires and the drought conditions impacting the water sources in the County. Solano County is in need of a Quality Level 1 lidar data collection which has never been done before. There were two previous Quality Level 2 collections in 2017 and 2018 but never the entire county at one time at Quality Level 1 data density. Lidar data will provide residents, planners, engineers, public safety personnel and others with a valuable tool for recognizing and communicating risks and mitigation actions.  

• Award Recipient: Solano County 

• Project Size (mi²): 920 

• Quality Level: 1 

• Contract Mechanism: Financial Assistance 

CA - Los Angeles County Los Angeles Regional Imagery Consortium (LARIAC) 2023 Quality Level 1 Lidar Collection 

The County of Los Angeles, home to over 10 million residents and 88 cities, oversees the Los Angeles Regional Imagery Consortium (LARIAC) which brings together municipalities, government agencies and other partners in the geographic area of the County to acquire imagery and lidar. The Los Angeles County LARIAC 2023 Quality Level 1 lidar collection project will update existing lidar data that were acquired in 2015, enabling accurate flood modeling, emergency response, property assessment, road design, solar and cellular tower placement analysis, and tree mapping and fire resiliency modeling, among other benefits. 

• Award Recipient: Los Angeles County 

• Project Size (mi²): 4,056 

• Quality Level: 1 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

CA - 2023 California North Coast Ranges Lidar 

This proposal updates pre-fire lidar with 5,435 square miles of quality level 1 lidar in an area prone to large and high severity wildfires in the coastal ranges of Northern California. These data will support pre- and post-fire planning, monitoring, and analysis activities to ensure public safety and improve natural resource management in a sensitive area of the state with intermixed public and private lands with numerous communities. 

• Award Recipient: California Natural Resources Agency 

• Project Size (mi2): 5,435 

• Quality Level: 1 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

DE - Tide-coordinated Lidar acquisition for the state of Delaware 

The State of Delaware aims to employ the new lidar dataset to support many ongoing statewide research and management programs. Delaware last acquired statewide lidar in 2014 following Superstorm Sandy. Since then, many parts of the state have experienced extensive land cover changes due to urban development, which has altered the landscape and hydrology of many areas within the state. Additionally, Delaware has a high rate of relative sea level rise compared to other areas of the Atlantic Coast. This has prompted a large number of studies on tide and coastal flooding dynamics and their implications for local ecology, agriculture, and infrastructure vulnerability. However, the existing lidar dataset was not tide-coordinated, which has posed challenges for these analyses. A new tide-coordinated lidar dataset will be critical for supporting a wide array of state programs. 

• Award Recipient: Delaware Geological Survey 

• Project Size (mi²): 2,237 

• Quality Level: 2 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

KY - KYFromAbove 2023 Lidar Acquisition 

The KYFromAbove program will re-acquire lidar data for 52 counties that were previously collected during the 2010-2017 timeframe. Reacquisition of data for this area will ensure that it meets current 3DEP specifications.  Many of these counties were impacted by historic flooding in 2022 and have been designated high-priority by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Kentucky Division of Water (DOW), and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and other program partners. The data will be leveraged by the Kentucky Division of Water, NRCS, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Daniel Boone National Forest and 52 Counties to improve analysis, design, and research conducted within the area. All partners understand the importance of acquiring new lidar data to capture the post flood landscape. All collected data will be shared across state government and in the public domain where it brings value to a wide array of business processes.              

• Award Recipient: Commonwealth of Kentucky 

• Project Size (mi²): 18,132 

• Quality Level: 2 

• Contract Mechanism: Financial Assistance  

LA- Coastal Louisiana Parishes Lidar Acquisition 

This acquisition will support the Louisiana Statewide Topographic Mapping Program in the goal to provide updated Quality Level 1 elevation data to the entire state.  This dataset will be available to be used by all state and local agencies for community planning, resource planning, disaster planning and mitigation, among other uses.  This area of interest (AOI) will complete a new statewide acquisition plan that began in 2017 and will be the basis for planning a renewal cycle of data around the state with constant new acquisitions to be planned every year.  This AOI contains some of the most critical land to monitor in the state due to the erosion and subsidence that the coastal communities have experienced in the recent decades.   

• Award Recipient: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development 

• Project Size (mi²): 5,235 

• Quality Level: 1 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

ME - Maine Mid Central Update 

The Maine GeoLibrary and Maine Office of Geographic Information Systems have assembled a diverse team of partners working towards the same goal of acquiring updated and tidally coordinated (where applicable) lidar data at USGS Quality Level 2 specifications. The Maine Mid Central Update Lidar project will acquire a total of 3,272 square miles and provides a complete set of USGS Quality Level 2 accuracy data. 

• Award Recipient: Maine Library of Geographic Information 

• Project Size (mi²): 3,302 

• Quality Level: 2 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

MN - Minnesota River East Lidar Acquisition Block 

The Minnesota River East Lidar Acquisition Block (LAB) is one of the last remaining blocks in the Minnesota Lidar Plan. The Plan began implementation in FY20, when the Rainy Lake LAB was submitted for 3DEP consideration. Since then, several LABs have been successful with 3DEP awards going towards Quality Level 1 lidar for over 51,000 square miles thus far. Our pace in successful completion of these planned acquisition areas fulfills the goals of the Minnesota Lidar Plan, and most importantly, 3DEP. This proposed project has eight partners who understand the return on investment of high density lidar, particularly related to resource management. Numerous stakeholders are eager to make immediate use of updated high density lidar in their risk mitigation strategies for the consistently changing landscapes of Minnesota. Minnesota’s existing lidar data in this region is at or over 12 years old and does not meet specifications for the expanded business needs that require higher quality and greater point density. Additionally, this area of the Minnesota River West (2020 total pop. 185,000) has experienced significant natural and anthropogenic changes that are not reflected in the existing data. New lidar with the support of 3DEP will capture impacts and changes from intense precipitation events, including flooding and shoreline erosion, invasive species, and substantial urban and rural development. 

• Award Recipient: Minnesota Geospatial Information Office (MnGeo) 

• Project Size (mi²): 5,029 

• Quality Level: 1 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

MN - Minnesota River West Lidar Acquisition Block 

The Minnesota River West Lidar Acquisition Block (LAB) is one of the last remaining blocks in the Minnesota Lidar Plan. The Plan began implementation in FY20, when the Rainy Lake LAB was submitted for 3DEP consideration. Since then, several LABs have been successful with 3DEP awards going towards Quality Level 1 lidar for over 51,000 square miles thus far. Our pace in successful completion of these planned acquisition areas fulfills the goals of the Minnesota Lidar Plan, and most importantly, 3DEP.  This proposed project has six partners who understand the return on investment of high density lidar, particularly related to resource management. Numerous stakeholders are eager to make immediate use of updated high density lidar in their risk mitigation strategies for the consistently changing landscapes of Minnesota. Minnesota’s existing lidar data in this region is at or over 12 years old and does not meet specifications for the expanded business needs that require higher quality and greater point density. Additionally, this area of the Minnesota River East (2020 total pop. 225,000) has experienced significant natural and anthropogenic changes that are not reflected in these existing data. New lidar with the support of 3DEP will capture impacts and changes from intense precipitation events, including flooding and shoreline erosion, invasive species, and substantial urban and rural development. 

• Award Recipient: Minnesota Geospatial Information Office (MnGeo) 

• Project Size (mi²): 8,926 

• Quality Level: 1 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

NJ - NJ Northeast 6-County QL2 Collection, 2023 

This project is to collect lidar covering approximately 1,411 sq.mi. in 6 north east New Jersey counties previously collected in 2014 following super storm Sandy. Sandy devastated coastal New Jersey dramatically changing the landscape of major portions of the state with the result that the pre-Sandy elevation model did not accurately represent post Sandy topography. This project is to collect leaf-off, tide-coordinated, Quality Level 2 data for the following 6 northeast New Jersey counties: Monmouth, Middlesex, Union, Essex, Hudson and Bergen. Data collected in this project will be used to update the statewide digital elevation model (DEM), associated inundation models, resiliency plans, and other framework data layers critical to protecting the population and natural resources in this densely populated portion of New Jersey. 

• Award Recipient: NJDEP (Bureau of GIS)/NJ Office of Information Technology (Office of GIS) 

• Project Size (mi²): 1,411 

• Quality Level: 2 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

NY -  Lake Ontario Shoreline (Partial) 

This project continues New York State's efforts to update statewide elevation data via lidar collection in coordination with Federal efforts. The planned project will cover all or parts of six counties (Cayuga, Jefferson, Orleans, Oswego, St. Lawrence and Wayne) in NY along the Lake Ontario Shoreline, replacing portions of two lidar-derived datasets. All new collections will meet Quality Level 2 specifications, and are planned to begin in Spring 2023. Project extents will include overlap with existing projects to ensure no gaps and to allow for comparisons. Proposed areas overlap a high priority area of interest identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. All six counties have shoreline along Lake Ontario which is a critical economic and ecological asset. This shoreline is susceptible to negative impacts of lake level rise in the springtime and was under a state of emergency from May 20, 2019 thru May 20, 2020. Completion of this project will have the Lake Ontario shoreline with data that is 2019 or newer. This watershed is an irreplaceable natural resource and up-to-date geospatial data is an effective tool in protecting it. 

• Award Recipient: New York Office of Information Technology Services 

• Project Size (mi²): 2,338 

• Quality Level: 2 

• Contract Mechanism: Financial Assistance  

TX - Central and East Texas Lidar Updates 

The Central and East Texas Lidar Update covers ~6,090 square miles of areas in Central and East Texas. This acquisition covers portions of four major rivers in Texas (Brazos, Colorado, West Fork Trinity, and Sabine) and their watersheds. In addition, there is partial or full coverage of 8 major reservoirs and lakes. This project will be managed by the Texas Strategic Mapping (StratMap) Program and utilize the StratMap contracts held by the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR). Lidar acquired from this project will be used for floodplain management and planning, feature extraction, water quality modeling, stream restoration potential analysis, change detection, wildfire mitigation, and habitat identification/modeling for endangered species. 

• Award Recipient: Texas Water Development Board 

• Project Size (mi²): 6,090 

• Quality Level: 2 

• Contract Mechanism: Financial Assistance  

VA - Hampton Roads East Lidar Collection 

This project will acquire consistent QL2 level data for seven independent cities (Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach) and York County in southeastern Virginia. The existing publicly available LiDAR data in these areas are 10 years old. Adjacent areas in the state were the subject of a separate acquisition in 2018-2019 at the QL2 level. This acquisition will thus produce more consistent coverage for regional and statewide elevation-based analysis. 

• Award Recipient: Hampton Roads Planning District Commission

• Project Size (mi²): 1,117 

• Quality Level: 2 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC) 

VT - Vermont 2023 Statewide Quality Level 1 

Vermont Center for Geographic Information (VCGI) proposes a collaborative project to collect 9,649 square miles of Quality Level 1 lidar data in a single season for the entire State of Vermont. Presently, large portions of Vermont's Quality Level 2 lidar dataset are out of date (greater than 8 years) and stakeholders have expressed a desire to obtain more recent elevation data at a higher resolution.  Vermont has a history of engaging with partners to acquire lidar data and this project will leverage the relationships built from past experiences.  The resulting Quality Level 1 lidar products will be made publicly available through The National Map, USGS/Entwine, and the Vermont Open Geodata Portal as streamable services, direct downloads, in interactive map viewers, and in customized web mapping applications where they can serve an abundance of end user needs. 

• Award Recipient: State of Vermont 

• Project Size (mi²): 9,649 

• Quality Level: 1 

• Contract Mechanism: Financial Assistance 

WI - 2023 Wisconsin High-Resolution Lidar Data Collection - 2 County 

The Wisconsin Land Information Program (WLIP) in partnership with Wisconsin counties will continue to update lidar statewide through the USGS 3DEP Program. In 2023, Quality Level 1 lidar data for two Wisconsin counties will be collected by USGS through a GPSC acquisition. The project area supports local data needs by the Department of Transportation, Department of Natural Resources, county government, private business and more. The 2023 round of data collections will update two areas of the state that have experienced significant landscapes changes: one area with prolonged flooding on the Mississippi River and the other with severe shoreline erosion due to high water levels on Lake Michigan.  

• Award Recipient: Wisconsin Department of Administration 

• Project Size (mi²): 1,360 

• Quality Level: 1 

• Contract Mechanism: Geospatial Product and Services Contract (GPSC)