National Geospatial Technical Operations Center
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National Geospatial Technical Operations CenterThe U.S. Geological Survey National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) provides essential support for the acquisition and management of trusted geospatial data, products, and services, through world-class geospatial technical expertise and customer service, for the USGS and the Nation. NGTOC supports The National Map (TNM) and the National Atlas of the United States®, among other related efforts. NGTOC News and Highlights News Archive
May 2, 2013
US Topo Update: Production and release of the USGS's new series of digital topographic maps, the US Topo started in October 2009. In October 2012, the project met its very aggressive long term goal of replacing all quads in the lower 48 states in three years with the new GeoPDF maps. Thus, the second cycle of US Topo map production has started, beginning with Kansas. Also, all previous "Digital Map–Beta" products have been removed from distribution. The National Geospatial Technical Operations Center reports the following US Topo maps are loaded to the Map Locator of the USGS Store (as of 05-02-13):
"USGS Topo Data on the Go": Got a smart phone and want to use USGS topographic data for navigation? Now you can. The USGS has published information on how to leverage USGS topographic mapping data into mobile devices, and using the power of the device’s GPS to find precise locations while hiking, biking, running or other outside activities. The National Map data is available on devices that are using the Android operation system or iOS. http://go.usa.gov/Tmne
Sequestration Impacts: Mark DeMulder, the Director of the USGS National Mapping Program, responded to a query from GIM International asking about the impacts of sequestration on the USGS as well as the greater geomatics/geospatial community. The question was partly due to the postponement of this year's The National Map Users Conference and decreased participation in other geospatial related conferences and meetings because of reduced travel and sponsorship funds. http://bit.ly/ZWpDT5
New elevation data released: The April 2013 update of the National Elevation Dataset (NED) 1-, 1/3- and 1/9-arc-second collections has been posted. The release incorporates 27,895 square miles of new light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data into the NED 1/9-arc-second layer primarily over CONUS. The NED 1- and 1/3-arc-second layers were updated with 54,762 square miles of migrated high resolution source data and 13,700 square miles of 5-meter Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IFSAR) source data over Alaska. The update also includes topobathymetric data covering the North Carolina Outer Banks. April Release Notes. NED data are available via The National Map Viewer
ASPRS Awards: The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) recently presented the 2013 Outstanding Service Award to USGS scientist: George Y. G. Lee for his service as Technical Editor of the Manual of Photogrammetry and his dedicated efforts to fully endow the Francis H. Moffitt Memorial Scholarship. Also, USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) Director Kari Craun was recognized for her achievements as part of a working group which developed guidelines for procurement of commercial geospatial mapping products. http://bit.ly/10W7SX7
New Database Maps Biodiversity: The UGS Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON) system allows users - often land managers, researchers, refuge managers, citizen scientists, agriculture professionals, fisheries managers, water resource managers, educators and others - to search for hundreds of thousands of species records in search fields ranging from the entire country and U.S. territories down to specific towns or parks. BISON displays search results in list or interactive map formats, and each species occurrence point can be clicked on to find more information about who provided or collected the data. http://go.usa.gov/TETj
Mapping Like a Deere: USGS representative Mark Newell was quoted and provided background for an article titled "Free maps, in seconds" for the recent edition of Homestead Magazine, published by Johne Deere (page 29). The short article describes the advances of the US Topo map program and how to download new quadrangles for free. http://bit.ly/18de6SD
USGS Cited in GCN: The USGS-sponsored National Enhanced Elevation Assessment was referenced in the recent edition of Government Computer News. The study found that a national program of light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data collection could result in net benefits ranging from $116 - $620 million per year. Biggest savings would be found in flood risk management, infrastructure and construction management, natural resources conservation, agriculture and water supply management. http://bit.ly/13MZQwu
Getting closer to 2k! The National Map Twitter site recently surpassed 1,855 followers in less than two years. Let's make it to 2,000 by TNM UC@USGSTNM. Sign up today and join in the conversation!
US Topo Update: Production and release of the USGS's new series of digital topographic maps, the US Topo started in October 2009. In October 2012, the project met its very aggressive long term goal of replacing all quads in the lower 48 states in three years with the new GeoPDF maps. Thus, the second cycle of US Topo map production has started, beginning with Kansas. Also, all previous "Digital Map–Beta" products have been removed from distribution. The National Geospatial Technical Operations Center reports the following US Topo maps are loaded to the Map Locator of the USGS Store (as of 05-02-13):
New Maps for Texas & New York: The release of new maps covering Texas and New York continues the US Topo map revisions, updates and product improvement. The 4,309 quadrangles for Texas and 972 quads for New York replace the existing US Topo maps for those states, and will be added to the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection. All of these maps are available for free download from The National Map and the USGS Map Store website. http://go.usa.gov/TxGV
Crowd-Sourcing the Nation: The USGS is expanding the involvement of volunteers to enhance data collection about structures for The National Map. This program, known as The National Map Corps, focuses on encouraging citizens to collect data relating to structures such as schools, hospitals, police stations and other important public places. Becoming a volunteer for TNMC is easy; go to the website to learn more and to sign up. First states: Arkansas, Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, West Virginia http://go.usa.gov/2tAP
New Users Guide: A new Users Guide for US Topo maps and the Historical Topographic Map Collection has been posted. The Guide, available as a downloadable PDF, features a "Quickstart" page at the beginning as well as detailed instructions for locating, downloading, manipulating and printing US Topo quadrangles and Historical maps - in a step-by-step fashion.
Conference Postponed: Due to the mandatory budget cuts from sequestration, the USGS has postponed The National Map Users Conference and USGS Community for Data Integration Workshop, May 21-24, 2013 in Denver. We regret any inconvenience this postponement has caused, and look forward to continued service with our data users, partners, customers and the public. More information: http://nationalmap.gov/tnmuc_cdiworkshop/
CEGIS Director Elected ASPRS VP: E. Lynn Usery, a Research Physical Scientist and Director of the USGS Center of Excellence for Geospatial Information Science (CEGIS) has been elected as the Vice President of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) for the coming year. Usery has been very active in national and international geospatial governance and management organizations and is currently the Chair of the U.S. National Committee to the International Cartographic Association. For more on his career and achievements: http://bit.ly/WqxTZW
OK Quads Featured: The US Topo and Historical Topographic Map Collection websites have added an interactive map application to their home pages. The flash thumbnails of original scanned maps display all available versions of the featured state quadrangles in an animated format. The display allows the user to view the maps in chronological order, access larger versions of the map and go directly to the download services. The new series is 12 topographic maps of the Oklahoma City area - ranging from 1893 to the present. http://1.usa.gov/82461k, http://1.usa.gov/oSPTDv
HDDS tutorial: Geospatial data and imagery are critical components of disaster response. The USGS has a web-based application called the Hazard Data Distribution System (HDDS) that provides the capability to download incident related imagery. To learn more about the HDDS, go to this short tutorial video. Note that if you are involved in disaster response you will need to request permissions from the USGS to obtain access to the licensed imagery. More info on HDDS: http://hdds.usgs.gov/hdds2/
New Elevation Report: A recently posted USGS Open-File Report titled, "A Conceptual Prototype for the Next-Generation National Elevation Dataset" is available for download at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2013/1023/ Authors: Jason Stoker, Hans Karl Heidemann, Gayla Evans, and Susan Greenlee (This publication is online only).
Other NGP in the News: Several NGP related article have recently been published to include:
Landsat 8: Launched by NASA, the new Landsat 8 satellite is expected to transmit
images and data about the Earth within 100 days. Landsat data from more than 3 million
current and archived images of Earth - available free of charge the USGS - have spurred
extensive research and innovations, ranging from scientific investigations around the
globe to the development of applications like Google Earth. If you missed the launch, you
can access a replay at: http://1.usa.gov/VRsblN
New lidar data: The February, 2013 update of the National Elevation Dataset (NED)
1-, 1/3- and 1/9-arc-second collections has been released. This marks the 70th update
of the 1-arc-second layer since bi-monthly revisions began in June, 2000. This release
incorporates 22,996 square miles of new light detection and ranging (lidar) data into the
NED 1/9-arc-second layer. The NED 1- and 1/3-arc-second layers were updated with
18,613 square miles of migrated high resolution source data. All NED data are available
via The National Map Viewer: http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/
New Fact Sheet: A new fact sheet titled "USGS Natural Hazards Response", is now
available. The primary goal of USGS Emergency Operations is to ensure that the disaster
response community has access to timely, accurate, and relevant geospatial products,
imagery, and services during and after an emergency event: http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2012/3061/
Round #2: Kansas and Oklahoma usher in the second round of US Topo quadrangle revisions, updates and product improvement. The initial round US Topo map production for the 48 contiguous states was announced last September. The 1,403 quadrangles for Kansas and 1,032 quads covering Oklahoma replace the current US Topo maps, which will be added to the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection. All of these maps are available for free download from The National Map and the USGS Map Store website.
Call for Abstracts Reminder: Calling for abstracts in support of the joint 2013 The National Map Users Conference and Community for Data Integration Workshop, May 20 – 24, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. Abstracts should address (1) experiences based on use of The National Map data theme or application and (2) data integration issues, planning, and execution in support of science, including products and tools to help users find, get, and use data for conducting interdisciplinary studies. Abstracts must be submitted through this online form not later than February 22, 2013. Authors will be notified of acceptance by April 1, 2013. Questions?
3DEP Reports: "The Benefits of Improved National Elevation Data" by USGS scientist Gregory Snyder is featured in the current issue of Photogrammetric Engineering andRemote Sensing (PE&RS) Magazine along with a forward by USGS scientist Jason Stoker, titled, "Are We Moving Past the Pixel?" (p. 133) .Elevation data are essential for flood hazard mitigation, agricultural productivity, infrastructure and energy development, resource conservation, national security, and many other applications. Under the leadership of the USGS and the National Digital Elevation Program (NDEP), Federal agencies, State agencies, and others work together to acquire high-quality elevation data for the US its territories.
2013 Gannett Award: The USGS is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 2013 Henry Gannett award. This award commemorates the first USGS Chief Geographer, (1882-1914) Henry Gannett, and his tremendous contributions to topographic mapping in the United States. The Henry Gannett award is designed to recognize and celebrate talented individuals or groups of individuals for outstanding accomplishments to the topographic mapping mission of the USGS. Individuals, both internal and external to the USGS are eligible to make nominations or receive this award.
The call for nominations is made biennially through the USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP). Each nomination package must be submitted no later than February 26. 2013. Details on award criteria and processes are found at http://nationalmap.gov/gannett/. The award will be presented at The National Map Users Conference and Community for Data Integration Workshop and Training during an award ceremony in May 2013.
This is a unique opportunity for the USGS to honor significant contributions in our community. We look forward to receiving a broad range of nominations of individuals that have furthered USGS topographic mapping of the Nation.
US Topo Report: USGS Scientist Larry Moore authored an update to the US Topo map program. The report and accompanying graphics give an overview of the project successes thus far and potential obstacles for 2013. The report was initially published in Direction's Magazine (Jan 14, 2013) and has been referenced or linked by related trade publications, blogs and Twitter. http://www.directionsmag.com/articles/us-topoa-new-national-map-series-2012-update/300690
Geographic Information to the Masses: An article featuring the US Topo, the National Map Viewer and the National Atlas ® titled, "USGS Provides Geographic Information to the Masses" has been published in the most recent edition of the "Esri News for Federal Government" newsletter. http://www.esri.com/Industries/government/federal/~/media/Files/Pdfs/library/newsletters/federal/fall-2012.pdf ( page 8).
Save the Date - Collaborate. Integrate. Innovate: The second biennial The National Map (TNM) Users Conference and the fourth annual Community for Data Integration (CDI) Training and Workshop is planned for May 21-24, 2013 in the Denver, Colorado area. Attendees will have the opportunity to collaborate with other users and scientists at a single venue. The agenda, call for abstracts, registration, hotel information, and other details will be available in the coming weeks. Event highlights include:
Natural Hazards Response Fact Sheet: The USGS strives to ensure that the disaster response community has access to timely, accurate, and relevant geospatial products, imagery, and services during and after an emergency event. To accomplish this goal, products and services provided by the National Geospatial Program (NGP) and Land Remote Sensing (LRS) Program serve as a geospatial framework for mapping activities to assist emergency responders. More information on this system can be found in the new Fact Sheet: http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2012/3061/
USGS ASPRS Fellow: Scientist Dr. George Y. Lee, national lead for the USGS orthoimagery program, has been named a 2013 Fellow in the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. The award is in recognition of more than 38 years of professional service and excellence to science, the ASPRS and the USGS. Among his various accomplishments, Lee was instrumental in the development and implementation of a program to complete first time national coverage with Digital Othrophoto Quarter Quadrangles (DOQQ's). More information: http://www.asprs.org/Press-Releases/ASPRS-2013-Fellows-Named.html
"Science.gov: The Power of 10": Science.gov - the Federal government's "one stop" real-time science data website, is now celebrating its 10th anniversary. The USGS is a founding member of Science.gov and, along with 12 other Federal agencies, has created a web portal to provide wide, public access and a unified search of the government's vast stores of scientific and technical information. Moving into its second decade, the website recently launched a Spanish language version and added multimedia content such as videos, images and audio files. Also, to highlight interesting science facts from the Alliance members, the website added "cool stuff" webpage: http://go.usa.gov/gXxF
Aerial Scans of Sandy's Destruction: USGS researchers coordinated and are analyzing before-and-after lidar images of Hurricane Sandy in at Ocean Bay Park on Fire Island National Seashore. The lidar data will check the accuracy of storm predictions, improve future USGS storm modeling and can help scientists and decision-makers identify the areas along the shore that have been made more vulnerable to future coastal hazards in the storm's wake. http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/sandy/lidar/
Website Updated: In keeping with program progress, the US Topo website has undergone several updates to better serve its customers. Links to the US Topo map protype, the "Digital Map - Beta" have removed as the US Topo program is starting its second revision cycle of US Topo maps for the interior U.S. Also, the US Topo video has been added as well as a "US Topo News" page featuring current map status. Page navigation has been improved and Map Locator renovations and underway.
NAS Report: The National Academy of Sciences recently released a report on the USGS titled, "Advancing Strategic Science: A Spatial Data Infrastructure Roadmap for the U.S. Geological Survey". The report examines the USGS Science Strategy and supports the framework of spatial data, metadata, tools, and a user community that is interactively connected to use spatial data in an efficient and flexible way--known as a spatial data infrastructure (SDI) http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13506
Last Frontier Historical Topo Maps: More than 8,000 historical topographic quadrangles, some dating back to 1899, covering all of Alaska have been released for free download. This recent addition to the Historical Topographic Map Collection provides a comprehensive landscape repository of our northernmost State and shows changes through time, providing essential clues critical in the understanding our Nation's development. |
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Location
NGTOC is one organization with two locations: Denver, Colorado and Rolla, Missouri. 
Product and Service Directory
NGTOC Provides operational support for The National Map which consists of a variety of Products and Services.
NGTOC Contacts
Mailing address: NGTOC U.S. Geological Survey 1400 Independence Road Rolla, MO 65401-2602 - OR - NGTOC U.S. Geological Survey PO Box 25046, MS 510 [or 6th and Kipling, MS 510] Denver Federal Center Denver, Colorado 80225-0046 
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URL: http://ngtoc.usgs.gov/index.html
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Page Last Modified: Monday, 14-Jan-2013 16:41:32 EST
