Latest Announcements (updated 08-7-2007)

• New Delivery Method -- Tiled Data Distribution System (TDDS) Starting August 7, 2007, a new delivery method called Tiled Data Distribution System (TDDS) was released for accessing historical imagery. The concept of TDDS is to provide access to the "best available" geospatial data. In the case of High Resolution Orthoimagery data, there are several generations of imagery available. The older "historical" data for High Resolution Orthoimagery will be migrated from The National Map Seamless Server to TDDS. TDDS allows access to the original tiles or chips of imagery from EROS storage systems. The download includes a zip file containing the images files, metadata, and index. There is a new button under the Download section on the left side of the viewer. Refer to the TDDS Tutorial for instructions pertaining to this delivery method.
  
  The list of data available for TDDS is within the "Products" drop down on the front page called "Tiled Data Distribution System (TDDS) data". Or, go to The National Map Seamless Server on the right side of the map interface, under the Display tab, click the arrow next to the category Layer Extent to open the Layer Index group, then click on the Orthoimagery Historical Tiles for the coverage footprint.


• New Delivery Method -- KML Access to USGS Historical Orthoimagery Not only can you download older orthoimagery datasets using The National Map Seamless Server viewer interface, you can also preview and download the historical orthoimagery datasets with your own KML-compatible viewer. Click USGS Historical Orthoimagery KML to access the kml file.
  
  
• New Areas of High Resolution Orthoimagery:
  New areas of High Resolution Orthoimagery have been released. To see the new areas, check the "List of High Resolution Orthoimagery" within the "Products" drop-down on the front page of http://seamless.usgs.gov.
  
  Or, go to The National Map Seamless Server on the right side of the map interface, under the Display tab, click the arrow next to the category Layer Extent. A list of layers will appear, find Urban Area Index and State & Local Ortho, click the boxes next to them. This will automatically update the map with the footprints showing areas of coverage. The turquoise polygons show where data is available to view and download. The yellow polygons show where data is "View Only".


• Important information pertaining to Downloads and Windows XP SP2:
  If you are having trouble downloading data and have recently installed Windows XP SP2 -- See instructions in the General FAQs

New Products recently added:

• New High Resolution Orthoimagery:
  See List of High Resolution Orthoimagery for new areas released 08-07-2007


• Digital Raster Graphics:
  Digital Raster Graphics are now available as a collarless product. The scales available are 1:24K, 1:100K, and 1:250K. To see coverage areas, at the map interface, open the Layer Index group, then click on the DRG 24K Coverage, 100K, or 250K Coverage Index.

New Features added:

• Template Download Tools
  Template download tools have been added to the Seamless Data Distribution System. The tools will allow a customer to clip out the area of interest by using a 7.5m grid, 15 min grid, and National Atlas State Boundaries.
  To find information on how to use the templates go to the "User Instructions (HELP)" on the map interface (last icon under the Documents section, left side). Or read the Tutorial located on the front page or the map interface.

Map Services:

• Use in GIS Tools
  For information on how to access seamless data using a map service, use the url http://gisdata.usgs.gov, in your GIS Applications.

Web Services:

• Access
  To access seamless data using a web service in your GIS Applications, see http://gisdata.usgs.gov for implementation details.