Now Available: USGS Releases Call to Action for 3D National Terrain Model – Part 1: 3D Hydrology Initiative

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The U.S. Geological Survey released 3D National Terrain Model Call to Action – Part 1: 3D Hydrology ProgramThe 3D Hydrology Program (3DHP), based on high-resolution data from the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP), is the first consistent, systematic re-mapping of the nation’s hydrology since the original 1:24:000 scale mapping program, which ran from 1947 to 1992.

The Call to Action outlines an ambitious nine-year vision to completely replace the nation’s existing surface water mapping technologies, much of which is decades old and based on ground surveys, with high-precision hydrographic techniques based on 3DEP elevation data. In addition to improved location accuracy, 3DHP data will be made available to users as web mapping services using a new data model based on the Open Geospatial Consortium’s HYFeatures conceptual model. These web services will form the geospatial foundation for sharing water data through the Internet of Water.

Example of hydrology derived from 3DEP lidar data for a section of Marshyhope Creek near Fort Union, Maryland.

Hydrologically enhanced digital elevation models (DEMs) are also generated as part of the process of deriving hydrology from elevation data. These hydrologically enhanced DEMs remove small obstructions to the water flow surface, such as culverts, fallen trees, or other obvious obstacles, and are critical for applications such as erosion modeling and floodplain management.

“The 3D Hydrology Program is an important step in moving from generating geospatial data to make maps to generating geospatial data as digital infrastructure for science and resource management,” said Dr. Michael Tischler, director of the USGS National Geospatial Program. “The 3DHP was built so that others in the community can leverage and share the data to make better decisions.”

Map showing the improved alignment of hydrological data in the 3D Hydrology Program that is possible by using high-quality elevation data from the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP). The example map shows topography and streams near the border of Skagit and Snohomish counties in Washington state.

Like the 3DEP, the 3DHP is a community effort managed by the USGS. The proposed nine-year implementation plan will cost approximately $685 million, with funding shared among federal, state, tribal, local, and other entities through data collection partnerships.

For more information about 3DHP, visit https://www.usgs.gov/3DHPFor more information on the Water Internet, visit https://internetofwater.org/.

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