Coastal Services Center

High resolution topographic data from IOCM pilot project available

The NOAA Coastal Services Center has recently added two new topographic lidar (light detection and ranging) data sets from the NOS Remote Sensing Workgroup Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping (IOCM) Pilot Project. As part of the project, the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) collected high-resolution digital aerial imagery and topographic lidar data covering the Outer Banks of North Carolina from Hatteras Island, NC to Virginia Beach, VA, including coverage of Currituck Sound in and around the Currituck Banks National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR).

As part of a second IOCM demo project, NGS acquired lidar data and imagery in the Portsmouth NH area.  Data from the North Carolina project and lidar data from the Portsmouth, NH area are available via the Digital Coast website.  Imagery for Portsmouth, NH will be available soon. CSC, NGS and NERR personnel are currently using the data to help the NERR monitor changes in bathymetry, seasonal conditions of hydrology and subtidal habitats and broad scale changes in land cover.

The IOCM Pilot Project was initiated to demonstrate the integration and coordination of ocean and coastal mapping capabilities across NOS for increased efficiency, consistency, and cost-effectiveness and to eliminate duplication in its ocean and coastal mapping activities.  For more information please contact Chris.Kinkade@noaa.gov or Mike.Aslaksen@noaa.gov.