Federal agencies including the USGS, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are making significant investments in LiDAR data collection programs to support key missions. In addition, several states have either completed statewide projects or are actively planning LiDAR programs. Elevation data collection projects are usually coordinated with multiple funding organizations. Data acquisition projects are limited to the geographic areas where funding and common requirements coincide, and data consistency varies from project to project. These limitations can compromise any analysis over large geographic areas or any place an operational need crosses project boundaries. As LiDAR technology has gained widespread acceptance, and more organizations are considering acquisition programs, the need for coordination among the LiDAR user community has increased.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and other members of the National Digital Elevation Program (NDEP) sponsored the first-ever national assessment to document Business Use requirements for and benefits of national enhanced elevation data that would significantly expand national elevation data availability, quality and usability. The goal of the assessment was to develop and refine requirements for a national program and to identify program implementation alternatives, costs and benefits for meeting priority national elevation data needs. The assessment quantifies answers to three key questions.

1. Is it more cost effective for the government to manage these activities within the context of a

national program?

2. Are there additional national or agency benefits derived from such a strategy?

3. What does the optimized program look like?

The assessment results provide significant evidence that an enhanced national elevation program could provide conservatively-estimated net benefits between $116M/year and $620M/year and Benefit/Cost Ratios between 4.3 to 1 and 4.9 to 1, depending upon options implemented. The National Enhanced Elevation Assessment (NEEA) was performed by Dewberry under contract to the USGS to provide technical input and analysis to the Government concerning alternatives and strategies for better meeting the Nation’s needs for enhanced elevation data. This report is an intermediate work product and does not make directed recommendations or reflect Government positions related to possible future program preferences or expectations. The report can be downloaded at: http://www.dewberry.com/Consultants/GeospatialMapping/FinalReportNationalEnhancedElevationAssessment