Seamless Access and Delivery for the U.S. Geological Survey's National Elevation Dataset and the National Land Cover Dataset

Author: Dave Greenlee
Organization: Science and Applications Branch

EROS Data Center
Sioux Falls, SD 57198
USA

Phone: 605-594-6017
Fax: 605-594-6529
greenlee@usgs.gov

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Esri entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to develop spatial data modeling, access, and distribution systems for large-scale databases. CRADA Task A.4 establishes a prototype image browse and download capability for the newly developed National Elevation Data Set and the soon-to-be-completed National Land Cover Dataset. These data sets have been assembled at one arc-second resolution for the conterminous United States and were loaded into an Oracle database for access by Esri's Spatial Database Engine. Public Web access will be demonstrated using Esri's newly released Java-based Internet Map Server called ArcIMS.

In subsequent phases of the project, we will demonstrate the server in an Open Data Access mode with our partners in the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, we intend to show how the server can be used to demonstrate interoperability using the OpenGIS's specifications and the Web Mapping Testbed. We plan to use the seamless server to provide imagery and thematic data for several GIS applications including rapid response data delivery (e.g., Red River) and a Web application for providing time-relevant environmental data (e.g., Sioux River Project EMPACT).

It is hoped that this prototype will be the first of a series of USGS geospatial data servers that will provide seamless access to Landsat imagery, shuttle radar topography mission (SRTM) data, and other applications projects that require browse and delivery of large images over the Internet.