USGS Earth Explorer

This dataset represents natural color, leaf-off, 1 foot high-accuracy orthorectified aerial imagery, acquired by the Los Angeles Regional Imagery Consortium (LAR-IAC) in winter 2010/2011, and made public with the partnership of the US Geological Survey (USGS). The DEM represents bare earth, whereas a related product (DSM) contains elevations and includes buildings, [...]]]>

USGS Earth Explorer

This dataset represents natural color, leaf-off, 1 foot high-accuracy orthorectified aerial imagery, acquired by the Los Angeles Regional Imagery Consortium (LAR-IAC) in winter 2010/2011, and made public with the partnership of the US Geological Survey (USGS).  The DEM represents bare earth, whereas a related product (DSM) contains elevations and includes buildings, vegetation, and roads, as well as natural terrain features, whereas .

This data was down-sampled from the 4-inch orthophotography created as part of LAR-IAC.  Detailed product information is contained in the LAR-IAC Product Guide.

To get this data, you can do one of the following:

Use either the National Map Viewer (nationalmap.gov/viewer) or the EarthExplorer (EarthExplorer.usgs.gov) sites to access this data.

If you have questions please contact the US Geological Survey Representative at the bottom of this page (Drew Decker).

About LAR-IAC

We highly recommend that you visit the LAR-IAC Project Website to find a rich source of information about the data and the LAR-IAC program.  The site includes project documents, full FGDC compliant metadata, data downloads of related GIS used to complete the project, sub-licensing information, sample imagery and data, and information about the 2006 acquisition.

National Map

The Los Angeles Region Imagery Acquisition Consortium (LAR-IAC) Program is a collaborative acquisition program for digital aerial imagery data which has included the participation of 10 County departments, 30 municipalities, and four other public agencies.

The consortium is a model for regional cooperation that improves the quality, access, and cost-effectiveness of high resolution digital aerial imagery. Knowledge transfer is increased through consortium program meetings, user groups, and various workshops that have been established in conjunction with the project. The imagery acquired will enable all participating jurisdictions to leverage this key geographic information asset for numerous decision support and business applications, thereby facilitating the effective and efficient delivery of services.

Layering

The US Geological Survey has made its standard topo maps available for download through The National Map Viewer. NOTE – through research I have found that the USGS topo Store is a better place to go to download the maps. Click here to go to the store

There are now in [...]]]>

Layering

The US Geological Survey has made its standard topo maps available for download through The National Map Viewer.  NOTE – through research I have found that the USGS topo Store is a better place to go to download the maps.  Click here to go to the store

There are now in .pdf format, which is a digital file format which has a couple of unique capabilites:

1. Layers can be turned on and off – see the snapshot to the right.
2. There is an ortho image behind the map now (that’s cool)
3. I believe there are some very cool tools within a plugin for Acrobat called “geo-pdf” which adds GIS capabilities.

Pasadena Quad

US Topo is the next generation of digital topographic maps from USGS.  Arranged in the traditional 7.5-minute quadrangle format, digital US Topo maps are designed to look and feel like the traditional paper topographic maps for which the USGS is so well known. At the same time, US Topo maps provide modern technical advantages that support wider and faster public distribution and enable basic, on-screen geographic analysis for all users.  US Topo maps are available free on the Web. Each map quadrangle is available as a GeoPDF® file created from key layers of geographic data – orthoimagery (2010 NAIP), roads, geographic names, contours, and hydrographic features – found in The National Map, which is a nationwide collection of integrated data from local, state, federal, and other sources.  The National Map data layers make up the US Topo products and much of these data are available for download through The National Map Viewer (nationalmap.gov/viewer).  Stay tuned for additional emails soon from us about these digital resources (data download and consumable map services).

Note that California also played a significant role in developing end user requirements for the US topo.  There were a number of interviews and workshops that took place across the state in 2008 and 2009.  These gathered information from many of you as private sector, educational, and local, state, and federal government customers on the direction for future USGS mapping products and services – including US Topo.

The US Topo News Release refers to the USGS Store at the place to go for the new maps.  Visit the USGS Store site at store.usgs.gov.  Then click on the “Map Locator & Downloader” in the center of the page.  From there you can locate your favorite maps in CA by searching by map or place name or by pan/zoom on the viewer.  Maps are available as GeoPDF® files for free download.  Besides the map downloads at the Store, we have lots of information on US Topo and related products.

1. US Topo information is online at
http://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/        (main page)
http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2009/3108/      (fact sheet)

2. A Users Guide to US Topo and other USGS GeoPDF® products is available here:
http://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/quickstart.pdf

3. There is a good FAQ section too.  It has information for queries such as bulk data downloads (Q2 under Product Access and Download ) and GIS formats (Q6 under Product Use).  See:
http://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/faq.html

4. News items and tweets on the USGS National Geospatial Program are at
http://nationalmap.gov/tnm_news.html
http://twitter.com/#!/USGSTNM

5. We welcome your comments and suggestions about new US Topo maps.  Please submit comments online at
http://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/ustopo_feedback.html

While downloading US Topo maps and looking around the USGS Store. you will also notice that the digital historical topographic maps for California are available.  We had announced the historical topo maps release before but this is a good time for a reminder.  The historical map collection includes over 13,700 historic maps across the state with some maps dating back over 100 years.  All published map scales are available, including: 7.5-minute (1:24,000), 15-minute (~1:63,000), 30-minute (1:100,000), and 1×2 degree (1:250,000).  For dataset needs that cover the entire state, please contact Carol or Drew.

Like with US Topo, we have lots of additional information on the historical map collection and the program that produced them.  For example:

1. Information about the USGS historical topographic map collection and the historical quadrangle scanning project can be found here:
http://nationalmap.gov/historical/     (main page)
       http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2011/3009/      (fact sheet)

2. We have a 19 minute video from the September 2011 International Map Trade Association Conference on distribution of USGS historical topo maps:
http://gallery.usgs.gov/videos/465

3.  See a press release on the historical topographic map collection.  The article is from late 2011 but provides good additional information on the project:
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=3024

USGS CLICK site

This site is a valuable resource for downloading LIDAR and Elevation data, including recent hi-resolution LIDAR along the coastlines of the United States.

Click to go to the USGS Center for LIDAR Information Coordination and Knowledge (CLICK).

This dataset was downloaded, extracted and prepared from the National Hydrography Dataset. The NHD is a comprehensive effort by the US Geological Survey to manage and maintain a comprehensive, high quality, nationwide dataset for GIS mapping and analysis of water features and [...]]]> This dataset contains watershed boundaries for watersheds covering Los Angeles County.

This dataset was downloaded, extracted and prepared from the National Hydrography Dataset.  The NHD is a comprehensive effort by the US Geological Survey to manage and maintain a comprehensive, high quality, nationwide dataset for GIS mapping and analysis of water features and conveyance.  While it is not perfect, and you may find a number of errors, LA County applauds this effort, and is determined to support the enhancement and maintenance of this valuable information since it supports our long-term goal of public, authoritative data.  We are currently investigating the feasibility of stewarding the NHD data for the LA County region.

A description of the NHD from the USGS site:

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) is the surface water component of The National Map. The NHD is a digital vector dataset used by geographic information systems (GIS). It contains features such as lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, canals, dams and streamgages. These data are designed to be used in general mapping and in the analysis of surface-water systems.

Samples

Please note that the symbology on the attached maps (and the layers within the downloads) are those developed by the County in order to highlight various hydrographic features.  They are not final in any way.  These sample images contain symbology for all of the NHD layers, since we are making the data available as a single download.

Click a thumbnail to expand
Legend	Countywide	Mid-zoom	Zoomed
Watersheds	Watershed(2)

Processing steps

This data was downloaded from the NHD Data Viewer portal: http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/nhd.html?p=nhd.

1. I selected the data covering the County of Los Angeles and retrieved the data in personal geodatabase format (I have link to download that file below).
2. To prepare the shapefiles that are available for download, I have joined the features to their descriptions in the NHDFCODE table through the FCODE field and exported them, since a direct export from the geodatabase will not include the related information.  To ensure consistency, I have not deleted any fields that have been created through this join.
3. Symbols were created using the Description Field.

Data Downloads

Each of the datasets below contain the following data:

• Download the raw dataset extracted from the USGS NHD site: lacounty_nhd_data_raw.zip (zipped personal geodatabase) – 10 MB
• Download the extracted dataset as created by LA County: lacounty_nhd_data_extracted.zip (zipped shapefiles, layer files, and .mxd file) – 18 MB

The extracted file includes the following shapefiles:

• Hydro Points – nhd_points_withcodes.shp
• Hydro Lines - nhd_flowline_withcodes.shp
• Hydro Polygons - nhd_waterbody_withcodes.shp
• Watershed Boundaries (Levels 8,10, & 12)

It also includes a number of ArcMap 10 layer files that reference the data, and an ArcMap 10 .mxd file as well.

This dataset was downloaded, extracted and prepared from the National Hydrography Dataset. The NHD is a comprehensive effort by the US Geological Survey to manage and maintain a comprehensive, high quality, nationwide dataset [...]]]> This dataset contains hydologic points (gaging stations, gates, rock features, springs, water intakes, wells, waterfalls, reservoir points) in LA County.

This dataset was downloaded, extracted and prepared from the National Hydrography Dataset.  The NHD is a comprehensive effort by the US Geological Survey to manage and maintain a comprehensive, high quality, nationwide dataset for GIS mapping and analysis of water features and conveyance.  While it is not perfect, and you may find a number of errors, LA County applauds this effort, and is determined to support the enhancement and maintenance of this valuable information since it supports our long-term goal of public, authoritative data.  We are currently investigating the feasibility of stewarding the NHD data for the LA County region.

A description of the NHD from the USGS site:

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) is the surface water component of The National Map. The NHD is a digital vector dataset used by geographic information systems (GIS). It contains features such as lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, canals, dams and streamgages. These data are designed to be used in general mapping and in the analysis of surface-water systems.

Samples

Please note that the symbology on the attached maps (and the layers within the downloads) are those developed by the County in order to highlight various hydrographic features.  They are not final in any way.  These sample images contain symbology for all of the NHD layers, since we are making the data available as a single download.

Click a thumbnail to expand
Legend	Countywide	Mid-zoom	Zoomed
Watersheds	Watershed(2)

Processing steps

This data was downloaded from the NHD Data Viewer portal: http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/nhd.html?p=nhd.

1. I selected the data covering the County of Los Angeles and retrieved the data in personal geodatabase format (I have link to download that file below).
2. To prepare the shapefiles that are available for download, I have joined the features to their descriptions in the NHDFCODE table through the FCODE field and exported them, since a direct export from the geodatabase will not include the related information.  To ensure consistency, I have not deleted any fields that have been created through this join.
3. Symbols were created using the Description Field.

Data Downloads

Each of the datasets below contain the following data:

• Download the raw dataset extracted from the USGS NHD site: lacounty_nhd_data_raw.zip (zipped personal geodatabase) – 10 MB
• Download the extracted dataset as created by LA County: lacounty_nhd_data_extracted.zip (zipped shapefiles, layer files, and .mxd file) – 18 MB

The extracted file includes the following shapefiles:

• Hydro Points – nhd_points_withcodes.shp
• Hydro Lines - nhd_flowline_withcodes.shp
• Hydro Polygons - nhd_waterbody_withcodes.shp
• Watershed Boundaries (Levels 8,10, & 12)

It also includes a number of ArcMap 10 layer files that reference the data, and an ArcMap 10 .mxd file as well.

This dataset was downloaded, extracted and prepared from the National Hydrography Dataset. The NHD is a comprehensive effort by the US Geological Survey to manage and maintain a comprehensive, high quality, nationwide dataset for GIS mapping and analysis of water features and conveyance. While [...]]]> This dataset contains lakes & reservoirs in LA County.

This dataset was downloaded, extracted and prepared from the National Hydrography Dataset.  The NHD is a comprehensive effort by the US Geological Survey to manage and maintain a comprehensive, high quality, nationwide dataset for GIS mapping and analysis of water features and conveyance.  While it is not perfect, and you may find a number of errors, LA County applauds this effort, and is determined to support the enhancement and maintenance of this valuable information since it supports our long-term goal of public, authoritative data.  We are currently investigating the feasibility of stewarding the NHD data for the LA County region.

A description of the NHD from the USGS site:

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) is the surface water component of The National Map. The NHD is a digital vector dataset used by geographic information systems (GIS). It contains features such as lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, canals, dams and streamgages. These data are designed to be used in general mapping and in the analysis of surface-water systems.

Samples

Please note that the symbology on the attached maps (and the layers within the downloads) are those developed by the County in order to highlight various hydrographic features.  They are not final in any way.  These sample images contain symbology for all of the NHD layers, since we are making the data available as a single download.

Click a thumbnail to expand
Legend	Countywide	Mid-zoom	Zoomed
Watersheds	Watershed(2)

Processing steps

This data was downloaded from the NHD Data Viewer portal: http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/nhd.html?p=nhd.

1. I selected the data covering the County of Los Angeles and retrieved the data in personal geodatabase format (I have link to download that file below).
2. To prepare the shapefiles that are available for download, I have joined the features to their descriptions in the NHDFCODE table through the FCODE field and exported them, since a direct export from the geodatabase will not include the related information.  To ensure consistency, I have not deleted any fields that have been created through this join.
3. Symbols were created using the Description Field.

Data Downloads

Each of the datasets below contain the following data:

• Download the raw dataset extracted from the USGS NHD site: lacounty_nhd_data_raw.zip (zipped personal geodatabase) – 10 MB
• Download the extracted dataset as created by LA County: lacounty_nhd_data_extracted.zip (zipped shapefiles, layer files, and .mxd file) – 18 MB

The extracted file includes the following shapefiles:

• Hydro Points – nhd_points_withcodes.shp
• Hydro Lines - nhd_flowline_withcodes.shp
• Hydro Polygons - nhd_waterbody_withcodes.shp
• Watershed Boundaries (Levels 8,10, & 12)

It also includes a number of ArcMap 10 layer files that reference the data, and an ArcMap 10 .mxd file as well.

This dataset was downloaded, extracted and prepared from the National Hydrography Dataset. The NHD is a comprehensive effort by the US Geological Survey to manage and maintain a comprehensive, high quality, nationwide dataset for GIS mapping and analysis of water features and [...]]]> This dataset contains rivers, streams, and water conveyance mechanisms (pipelines, aqueducts).

This dataset was downloaded, extracted and prepared from the National Hydrography Dataset.  The NHD is a comprehensive effort by the US Geological Survey to manage and maintain a comprehensive, high quality, nationwide dataset for GIS mapping and analysis of water features and conveyance.  While it is not perfect, and you may find a number of errors, LA County applauds this effort, and is determined to support the enhancement and maintenance of this valuable information since it supports our long-term goal of public, authoritative data.  We are currently investigating the feasibility of stewarding the NHD data for the LA County region.

A description of the NHD from the USGS site:

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) is the surface water component of The National Map. The NHD is a digital vector dataset used by geographic information systems (GIS). It contains features such as lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, canals, dams and streamgages. These data are designed to be used in general mapping and in the analysis of surface-water systems.

Samples

Please note that the symbology on the attached maps (and the layers within the downloads) are those developed by the County in order to highlight various hydrographic features.  They are not final in any way.  These sample images contain symbology for all of the NHD layers, since we are making the data available as a single download.

Click a thumbnail to expand
Legend	Countywide	Mid-zoom	Zoomed

Processing steps

This data was downloaded from the NHD Data Viewer portal: http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/nhd.html?p=nhd.

1. I selected the data covering the County of Los Angeles and retrieved the data in personal geodatabase format (I have link to download that file below).
2. To prepare the shapefiles that are available for download, I have joined the features to their descriptions in the NHDFCODE table through the FCODE field and exported them, since a direct export from the geodatabase will not include the related information.  To ensure consistency, I have not deleted any fields that have been created through this join.
3. Symbols were created using the Description Field.

Data Downloads

Each of the datasets below contain the following data:

• Download the raw dataset extracted from the USGS NHD site: lacounty_nhd_data_raw.zip (zipped personal geodatabase) – 10 MB
• Download the extracted dataset as created by LA County: lacounty_nhd_data_extracted.zip (zipped shapefiles, layer files, and .mxd file) – 18 MB

The extracted file includes the following shapefiles:

• Hydro Points – nhd_points_withcodes.shp
• Hydro Lines - nhd_flowline_withcodes.shp
• Hydro Polygons - nhd_waterbody_withcodes.shp
• Watershed Boundaries (Levels 8,10, & 12)

It also includes a number of ArcMap 10 layer files that reference the data, and an ArcMap 10 .mxd file as well.