Floating With Your Computer: With more than 2.9 billion miles of water traced in just eight months of operation, the highly popular "Streamer" just got better. Streamer is an easy to use, on-line mapping program that traces rivers and streams from any starting point all the way downstream to where the stream drains. Streamer also produces a report that includes a map of information about the people and places encountered along the traced stream. To learn about the product improvement and user endorsements, go to the Top Story at the USGS website: http://on.doi.gov/1ij5uQ2

New Hydro Tools: The USGS has released a web-based geospatial services known as the Hydrography Event Management (HEM) Tools that allow users to create, edit, and display geospatial markers, called Events, that are referenced to the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD). Events can be customized by the user to represent nearly any water-related feature. Some examples of Events include streamgages, scenic or impaired stretches of river, fish passage barriers, toxic spills, or put-ins/take-outs for boats. For this initial release, users can customize their own HEM Web edit tool using a sample application and the required web services. http://bit.ly/R7RvCB

NHD Newsletter: The most recent edition of the NHD Newsletter has been posted. The monthly bulletin highlights some of the USGS hydrography presentations as part of the 48th annual Alaska Surveying and Mapping Conference, new hydrography tools and other current NHD related news. Newsletter readers are encouraged to send in articles on their work to help spread the word of how the NHD and WBD are contributing to water management and science. To view past newsletters go to http://nhd.usgs.gov/newsletter_list.html

You Can Contribute to National Mapping: This April marks the one year anniversary of the USGS's The National Map Corps (TNMCorps) transition from a small regional pilot project in the heart of Denver, Colo., into a very successful nation-wide project. During the past year, civilian volunteers in every state have increasingly provided accurate mapping data to the The National Map. Some numbers: 1,422 volunteers; 33,698 points edited; 18 volunteers who have earned more than 500 points. Earn points, get badges! http://on.doi.gov/1heH7y1

KY, ME, MO, MT, OR & TN 3DEP Fact Sheets: Increasing the pace of production, he 3D Elevation Program or 3DEP has added six more states to its rapidly growing selection of state-specific fact sheets that features the applications, benefits, and examples of 3DEP. This data is critical in such fields as agriculture, precision farming, natural resources conservation, flood risk management, infrastructure and construction management, water supply and quality, and other business uses. The Kentucky 3DEP Fact Sheet, the Maine 3DEP Fact Sheet, the Missouri 3DEP Fact Sheet, the Montana 3DEP Fact Sheet, the Oregon 3DEP Fact Sheet, and the Tennessee 3DEP Fact Sheet join the mounting list of 21 state Fact Sheets. All are available for viewing and download from The National Map website.

ASPRS Elections: USGS Physical Scientist Jason Stoker has been elected as the Assistant Director of the Lidar Division of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS). Jason is currently at the Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center and is former Director of the USGS Center for Lidar Information Coordination and Knowledge (CLICK). He has been a conference keynote speaker for ASPRS and guest editor for Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing (PE&RS), the Journal of the Imaging and Geospatial Information Society. Additionally, USGS Research Physical Scientist Lynn Usery, who was elected as the ARPRS Vice President last year, has been elevated to President-Elect. http://bit.ly/1dNRaj4

NHD Newsletter: The most recent edition of the NHD Newsletter has been posted. The monthly bulletin highlights people and programs involved in the National Hydrography Dataset and Watershed Boundary Dataset. To this point, more than 740 pages of information have been written about these programs. Newsletter readers are encouraged to send in articles on their work to help spread the word of how the NHD and WBD are contributing to water management and science. To view past newsletters go to http://nhd.usgs.gov/newsletter_list.html

The National Map and National Atlas Merge: During this year, National Atlas of the United States and The National Map will transition into a combined single source for geospatial and cartographic information. This transformation is projected to streamline access to maps, data and information from the USGS National Geospatial Program (NGP). This action will prioritize our civilian mapping role and consolidate core investments while maintaining top-quality customer service. http://on.doi.gov/1bS7luv

Border Waters: The U.S. and Canada recently completed a trans-continental project to join digital surface waters along the International Boundary. This linking of water systems data makes it easier to solve cross-border water quality issues and improve environmental coordination. The principle agencies involved in this effort are the USGS and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), with oversight by the International Joint Commission (IJC). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Agricultural Foods Canada, and Environment Canada also participated throughout the process. http://on.doi.gov/N9WTDp

NHD in the News: USGS Physical Scientist Pater Steeves was interviewed for, and quoted in an article in the Montana Missoulian. The feature titled, "USGS releases watershed maps that cross U.S. - Canada border", highlights the real benefits of the USGS and Canadian border "harmonization" project.

New York and Maryland 3DEP Fact Sheets: The 3D Elevation Program or 3DEP has added the "Empire State" and "The Old Line State" to its growing selection of state-specific fact sheets that features the applications, benefits, and examples of 3DEP. This data is critical in such fields as agriculture, precision farming, natural resources conservation, flood risk management, infrastructure and construction management, water supply and quality, and other business uses. The New York 3DEP Fact Sheet and the Maryland 3DEP Fact Sheet join the growing list of 15 total state Fact Sheets. All are available for viewing and download from The National Map website.

3DEP in the News:

• National Geospatial Program Director Mark DeMulder and senior NGP advisor Larry Sugarbaker were interviewed for and quoted in the February 27 edition of Government Computer News. The article titled, "Alaska's scale put USGS mapping systems to the test" looks at the advantages and challenges of the collection of Lidar and Ifsar data through the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) over the U.S. and especially Alaska.
• DeMulder, Sugarbaker and 3DEP were also featured in a February 20 GCN article labeled, "Flood-risk planners await next-generation laser mapping".

The National Map Corps in the News: Shawana Johnson, the President of Global Marketing Insights cited the USGS "crowdsouring" project during an interview with the most recent edition of Earth Imaging Journal. She noted that the growing project has resulted in improving map data and government/private sector relations even in an era of budgetary restrictions.

New NGAC Appointments: Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell has appointed 17 new and continuing members to the National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC). The advisory committee provides recommendations on geospatial policy and management issues to the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), the interagency executive group responsible for providing leadership and direction in federal geospatial programs.

Demand for Elevation Data: National Geospatial Program geographers David Saghy and Allyson Jason were quoted in an article titled, "Demand for Elevation Data is on the Rise" in the January 2014 edition of Point of Beginning (POB) Magazine, p. 14. The report highlighted the benefits 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) to a wide variety of management, hazards and infrastructure matters. It also discusses the interagency cooperation and involvement in the developing program.

Has the Grand Teton Grown?: USGS geographer Steve Reiter was quoted in feature story "It's the same old Grand, only now it's 5 feet grander" that appeared in the Jackson Hole News & Guide. The story looks at a recent release of information indicating that official height of the Grand Teton is now 13,775 feet - up from the previous 13,770 feet. The column further describes the height difference in not a result of mountain growth or new technology, but is due to a more accurate definition of mean sea level, known as the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88).

Crowd-Sourcing the Nation update: The National Map Corps (TNMCorps) has just passed an exciting milestone. Using crowd-sourcing techniques, the USGS' Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) project has surpassed 25,000 manmade feature edits since 2011. Structures being updated include schools, hospitals, post offices, police stations and other important public buildings. Tools on TNMCorps web site explain how a volunteer can edit any area, regardless of their familiarity with the selected structures. Becoming a volunteer for TNMCorps is easy; go to The National Map Corps web site to learn more and to sign up as a volunteer. Participants are enrolled in a recognition program that awards "virtual" badges to volunteers as they submit map edits. http://on.doi.gov/1dODMX8

South Dakota 3DEP Fact Sheet: The 3D Elevation Program or 3DEP has added the "Mount Rushmore" state to its growing selection of state-specific fact sheets that feature the applications, benefits, and examples of 3DEP. This data is critical in such fields as agriculture, precision farming, natural resources conservation, flood risk management, infrastructure and construction management, water supply and quality, and other business uses. The South Dakota 3DEP Fact Sheet, along with the preceding 12 state Fact Sheets, are available for viewing and download from The National Map website.

Thirteen Years of Publication: The December edition of the NHD Newsletter marks the start of the thirteenth year of publication. The monthly bulletin has highlighted people and programs involved in the National Hydrography Dataset and Watershed Boundary Dataset. To this point, more than 720 pages of information have been written about these programs. Newsletter readers are encouraged to send in articles on their work to help spread the word of how the NHD and WBD are contributing to water management and science. To view past newsletters go to http://nhd.usgs.gov/newsletter_list.html

Florida 3DEP Fact Sheet: The 3D Elevation Program or 3DEP has added the "Sunshine" state to its growing selection of state-specific fact sheets that feature the applications, benefits, and examples of 3DEP. This data is critical in such fields as agriculture, precision farming, natural resources conservation, flood risk management, infrastructure and construction management, water supply and quality, and other business uses. The Florida 3DEP Fact Sheet, along with the preceding 11 state Fact Sheets, are available for viewing and download from The National Map website.

Henry Gannett Award: Dr. Cynthia Brewer, an affiliate faculty member who works with the USGS Center of Excellence for Geospatial Information Science, has been awarded the 2013 Henry Gannett Award. The award, presented by the National Geospatial Program, recognizes exceptional contributions to topographic mapping. Dr. Brewer is cited for her involvement in the development of new symbology for the US Topo map project. Additionally, Dr. Brewer directly involves students, both at the graduate and undergraduate level at Penn State University, in her designs and research work, providing a foundation, education and training for the next generation of mapping professionals. http://on.doi.gov/1hIiJvo

Where is Frazeyburg, Ohio? The US Topo map and Historical Topographic Map Collection websites have updated the interactive map application to their home pages. The new series is nine topographic maps of the Dresden, Ohio area maps - ranging from 1910 to the present. The earliest version of the map is centered on Frazeyburg. These 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 "browse" versions of each map, and go directly to the download services. http://1.usa.gov/jtRGVx, http://1.usa.gov/HgbHNw

Alabama 3DEP Fact Sheet: The 3D Elevation Program or 3DEP has added the "Yellowhammer" state to the collection of state-specific fact sheets that feature the applications, benefits, and examples of 3DEP. This data is critical in such areas as agriculture, precision farming, natural resources conservation, flood risk management, infrastructure and construction management, water supply and quality, and other business uses. The Alabama 3DEP Fact Sheet, along with the preceding 10 state Fact Sheets, are available for viewing and download from The National Map website.

Let's Talk Turkey Across the Landscape: For Thanksgiving connections to the names of America's places, check out the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), the national database for standard geographic names. According to the GNIS database, the word "Turkey" appears in Virginia 83 times, Missouri at 118, and 150 instanes on maps of Oklahoma. Texas is the state with the most "Turkey" placenames at nearly 190. So, what's interesting about Thanksgiving names in your state? Or maybe you'd like to find geographic names that match your family name. You can begin looking through the Geographic Names Information System web portal. Complete story: http://on.doi.gov/1ejT4Ur

Trivia Challenge: Which famous explorer was the second director of the USGS? For the answer to this - and other fun science trivia question - go to: http://www.science.gov/trivia. The USGS, as part of 15 Federal science and research agencies who make up the Science.gov alliance, is sponsoring "trivia challenge" questions that are posted on the Science.gov Twitter site. To get the answer to these questions, you will be taken to the Science.gov Trivia Challenge page, where you can get the correct answer, more details and see previous questions from other agencies. So, go ahead, and take the challenge!

Mount McKinley Not Shrinking: Alaska Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell, while addressing the International Map Collectors Society, stated that Mt. McKinley was 83 feet shorter that previously thought, and cited USGS data as the source. A resulting article in the Anchorage Daily News, and ensuing articles by Reuters and the Associated Press, caused a media storm. Within two days, more than 500 major media outlets printed or broadcast versions of the story. To clarify the issue, Kari Craun, the Director of the National Geospatial Technical Operations Center, fielded several media interviews to place the issue into perspective and simply explain that the USGS is not disputing the current "spot" Denali elevation of 20,320 feet. A National Geographic article is a good, fairly simple narrative to summarize the matter as a more official response is being drafted for placement on the Alaska Mapping Initiative website.

Bringing Home the Gold: The USGS was awarded the gold medal at the recent International Map and Trade Association "Americas" Conference in Boston. The marketing and communications plan for, and subsequent execution of, The National Map Corps (#TNMCorps) Crowdsourcing or Volunteer Geographic Information project garnered first place in the "Best Marketing or Promotional Program" category. TNMCorps structures program went nation-wide in mid-August and now has nearly 940 volunteers who have contributed more than 16,900 points. The volunteer process is easy, with virtual awards available for participation. Sign up today and give it a try!

Alaska and Minnesota 3DEP Fact Sheets: The "Frontier State" and the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" have been added to the collection of state-specific Fact Sheets that feature the applications, benefits, and examples of 3D elevation data or 3DEP. This data is critical in such areas as agriculture, precision farming, natural resources conservation, flood risk management, infrastructure and construction management, water supply and quality, and other business uses. The AK 3DEP Fact Sheet and MN 3DEP Fact Sheet, along with the preceding six state Fact Sheets, are available for viewing and downloading from The National Map website.

New maps for Colorado and Minnesota, with CO FS trails: Updated US Topo quadrangles covering Colorado (1,794 maps) and Minnesota (1,689 maps) are now available and replace the first edition US Topo maps for those states. For the first time, the new Colorado US Topo quads include recreational trails in National Forests, provided by the U.S. Forest Service. The new maps also feature a crisper, cleaner design - enhancing readability of maps for online and printed use. http://on.doi.gov/1d7Uz7H

Redrawing America: The USGS support of Hurricane Sandy relief and the employment of new technologies were cited in a recent feature titled, "A Huge Laser-Mapping Project Is Redrawing America". The article also discussed increasing use of lidar (light detection and imaging radar) and the emerging 3D Elevation Program.

Where is Mount Massive? The US Topo map and Historical Topographic Map Collection websites have updated the interactive map application to their home pages. The new series is 12 topographic maps of the Mount Massive, Colorado area maps - ranging from 1889 to the present. Earlier versions of the map include Leadville and Mount Elbert. These 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 and the map and go directly to the download services. http://1.usa.gov/82461k, http://1.usa.gov/oSPTDv

Alaska US Topo Maps Announced: The first 400-plus new US Topo maps for Alaska are now accessible and are the beginning of a multi-year project, ultimately leading to more than 11,000 new maps for the entire state. The goal of the Alaska Mapping Initiative is the production of a complete series of digital topographical maps at a scale of 1:25,000 to replace the 1:63,360-scale maps produced more than 50 years ago. Prior to this effort, topographical maps for much of Alaska were out of date and not produced to current standards, which rely largely on high resolution digital imagery and elevation data. The accurate data of these new maps are essential to the responsible economic and industrial development of Alaska, the preservation of human life and safety, and the advancement of scientific discovery and physical science. Updated Alaska digital map data and US Topo maps over Alaska are available for free download to the general public.

• News Release: http://on.doi.gov/14gYQpa
• Anchorage Daily News front page article: http://bit.ly/166ia6V

We Will Rock You - Geologic Map Day: The USGS is again partnering with the American Geosciences Institute, the Association for American State Geologists and others to promote the importance of geologic mapping to society by celebrating the 2nd annual Geologic Map Day on October 18, as a part of the Earth Science Week 2013 activities. Geologic maps are vital to education, science, business, and public policy concerns. Geologic Map Day will focus the attention of students, teachers, and the general public on the study, uses, and significance of these tools, by engaging audiences through educational activities, print materials, online resources, and public outreach opportunities. More info: http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=3695

Post Sandy Mapping: The USGS, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are using emergency supplemental funds provided by Congress in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy to survey coastal waters and shorelines in order to update East Coast land maps and nautical charts. The USGS will collect very high-resolution elevation data to support scientific studies related to the hurricane recovery and rebuilding activities, watershed planning and resource management. The elevation data will become part of a new initiative, called the 3D Elevation Program, to systematically acquire improved, high-resolution elevation data across the nation. There were at least 147 direct deaths recorded across the Atlantic basin due to Sandy and damage estimates are near $50 billion, making #HurricaneSandy the second-costliest cyclone to hit the United States since 1900. News Release: http://on.doi.gov/14yeCqd

Lasers and Post-Sandy Maps: National Geospatial Program (NGP) Director Mark DeMulder and senior NGP advisor Larry Sugarbaker were featured in a recent news brief distributed by the Associated Press. The article, titled "How Lasers Will Give the U.S. East Coast Precise New Post-Sandy Maps", explains the use and benefits of lidar (light detection and ranging) technology for Post-Sandy research and many other earth science applications. The results of the research will eventually be added to the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP). http://bit.ly/1e0q4V3

New State 3DEP Fact Sheets: Four more states have been added to the collection of state-specific Fact Sheet to feature the applications, benefits, and examples of 3D elevation data or 3DEP. Those states are Washington, Idaho, Virginia and Colorado. This data is critical in such areas as agriculture, precision farming, natural resources conservation, flood risk management, infrastructure and construction management, water supply and quality, and other business uses. The Fact Sheets are available for viewing and downloading from The National Map website.

• Washington: http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2013/3057/
• Idaho: http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2013/3053/
• Virginia: http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2013/3052/
• Colorado: http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2013/3050/

Top TNMCorps Award: Don Kloker, a very active volunteer with The National Map Corps, has reached the program's top recognition badge, the Theodolite Assemblage, after contributing more than 2,000 points!! "I enjoy mapping structures, it's a unique combination of validating structures from aerial photography and web-based sources," says Kloker, "My structures contributions have provided me with an excellent geography lesson and I have learned many things about communities that I most likely would not have been otherwise able to experience." Please join Don in helping us to update The National Map!

Mapping 111 Years of Norfolk: The US Topo map 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 and the map and go directly to the download services. The new series is 12 topographic maps of Norfolk, Virginia area maps - ranging from 1902 to the present. http://1.usa.gov/82461k, http://1.usa.gov/oSPTDv

New State 3DEP Fact Sheets: Rhode Island is the second state to have a state-specific Fact Sheet to feature the applications, benefits, and examples of 3D elevation data. This data is critical in such areas as agriculture, precision farming, natural resources conservation, flood risk management, infrastructure and construction management, water supply and quality, and other business uses. The Fact Sheets are available for viewing and downloading from The National Map website. http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2013/3040/

On the Radio: USGS Graphics Specialist Kristen Fishburn was interviewed by Jodi Henke, host of "Living the Country Life" for a segment titled, "Reading a Topographic Map". The radio program is the largest rural radio network in the nation and airs twice daily on more than 300 stations in 37 states. The program aired the week of June 3. http://www.livingthecountrylife.com/country-life/reading-topographic-map/

Mapping On the Radio: Kevin Gallagher, Associate Director of the Core Science Systems (CSS) at the USGS, which encompasses the National Geospatial Program (NGP), was featured on Federal News Radio. Kevin interview included the Alaska Mapping Initiative, the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP), highlighting the geospatial platform and new data management strategies. The title of the program is, "USGS mashing up data to create new views of the country."

Trivia Challenge: What is the largest volcano on Earth? For the answer to this - and other fun science trivia question - go to: http://www.science.gov/trivia .The USGS, as part of 15 Federal science and research agencies who make up the Science.gov alliance, is sponsoring "trivia challenge" questions that are posted on the Science.gov Twitter site. To get the answer to these questions, you will be taken to the Science.gov Trivia Challenge page, where you can get the correct answer, more details and see previous questions from other agencies. So, go ahead, and take the challenge!

VGI "Top Story": The National Map Corps (TNMCorps) volunteer geographic information (VGI) project is a featured "Top Story" on the USGS main website. Titled, "USGS Needs YOU! Help Our National Mapping Efforts By Adding Your Community's Landmarks and Buildings", the story and graphics give greater detail to the soon-to-be national effort. The article provides information on how citizens can volunteer to gather structures data and also highlights the "recognition" program, where volunteers can earn virtual "badges" of increasing importance by earning points for data submission.

"Streamer" Launched: National Atlas of the United States® has released a new on-line service called Streamer. Streamer is a new way to visualize and understand water flow across America. With Streamer you can explore our Nation's major streams by tracing upstream to their source or downstream to where they empty. In addition to making maps, Streamer creates reports about your stream traces and the places they pass through simply by picking a point on a stream. The reports include hydrographic and political features encountered along each trace, as well as USGS streamflow gaging stations. http://go.usa.gov/jjc6

Crowd-Sourcing the Nation - More States Added: The USGS volunteer mapping program known as The National Map Corps (TNMCorps) has added 16 more states to the data collection effort. The program encourages citizens to collect and update structures data such as schools, hospitals, post offices, police stations and other important public buildings to augment The National Map. New states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming, bringing the total number of states available for updating to 35. The tools on TNMCorps website explain how a volunteer can edit any area, regardless of where they live. Rewards are available to participants. News Release.

Mapping Solves Cold Case: Aerial images from the USGS were cited as critical in a story about a 30-year-old St. Louis murder investigation in the June 18 edition of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. http://bit.ly/10ybrm1

New State 3DEP Fact Sheets: Wisconsin is the first state to have a state-specific Fact Sheet to feature the applications, benefits, and examples of 3D elevation data. This data is critical in such areas as agriculture, precision farming, natural resources conservation, flood risk management, infrastructure and construction management, water supply and quality, and other business uses. The Fact Sheets are available for viewing and downloading from The National Map website. http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2013/3032

NED Release: The June update of the National Elevation Dataset (NED) 1-, 1/3- and 1/9-arc-second collections have been posted. This release incorporates 16,439 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 10,338 square miles of migrated high-resolution source data and 3,776 square miles of 5-meter Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (ifsar) source data over Alaska. The update also includes 6,023 square miles of topobathymetric data centering over the San Francisco Bay, California. All NED data are available via The National Map Viewer: http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/

Find Points, Get Points: To recognize the important work being done by volunteers who are providing mapping data to The National Map, The USGS The National Map Corps is launching a recognition program based on the number of points a volunteer contributes. Levels of recognition are displayed in the form of icons or badges of antique catalog drawings of different and increasingly sophisticated pieces of surveying equipment. As a volunteer attains each level, a congratulations email is sent, and the accomplishments are recognized via The National Map Twitter site (#TNMCorps) and the USGS Facebook page. http://go.usa.gov/bacT

"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

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

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

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).

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/

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.

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/

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