U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

Steve Wallach – Vice Chair, NGAC Mark DeMulder - Chief, National Geospatial Program

Larry Sugarbaker – Strategic Advisor for The National Map

Steve Wallach – Vice Chair, NGAC Mark DeMulder - Chief, National Geospatial Program

Larry Sugarbaker – Strategic Advisor for The National Map

U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

The National MapSubcommittee Report

U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

The National Map subcommittee report

1. The National Map white paper – Steve Wallach

2. The National Map status report – Mark DeMulder

3. The National Geospatial Program strategic plan – Larry Sugarbaker

4. Transportation workshop – Larry Sugarbaker

U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

The National Map white paper

The National Map – primary products, services and supporting activities

June 19, 2009

The National Map provides the nation with base geospatial information that describes the landscape of the United States and its territories. It is a dynamic system of maps, geospatial data and services managed by the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) and a network of state and Federal partners. Geographic information professionals and public map consumers across the country use The National Map products and services by the thousands every day. Our customers use maps and data services to support their scientific missions, make life saving decisions, enhance their recreational experience and for countless other activities. Nationally consistent geospatial data from The National Map enable better policy and land management decisions and the effective enforcement of regulatory responsibilities. The National Map is accessible for viewing on the web, as downloadable data, and as map products to include printed or digital topographic maps.

Partnerships are fundamental to the success of The National Map. A majority of all data come from partner Federal agencies, state governments, Tribal governments and the private sector. The National Map, in most cases, does not replace the systems in these organizations but rather complements their services with a national or regional perspective. USGS assigns a Geospatial Liaison to each state to coordinate these partnership activities. In addition, liaisons are assigned to the Department of Homeland Security, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency and the Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service.

The National Map is foremost a system of managed data layers designed to meet geospatial data service and information product needs within the USGS, across Federal agencies, state government, and Tribal governments. The long term plan is to have stewardship programs where partners supply high quality data to The National Map. The geographic data available from The National Map include orthoimagery, elevation, hydrography, transportation, boundaries, structures, geographic names, and land cover.

The National Map is a collaborative effort to improve and deliver topographic information for the nation.

The goal: The National Map is to become the nation’s source for trusted, nationally consistent, integrated and current topographic information available online for a broad-range of uses.

The vision:

A seamless, continuously maintained, nationally consistent set of base geographic data

Developed and maintained through partnerships

A national foundation for science, land and resource management, recreation, policy making, and homeland security

Available over the Internet

The source for revised topographic maps

U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

The National MapBase topographic data

Seamless Continuously maintained Nationally consistent

Developed and maintained through partnerships

Available on line

Source for products and services

Important National Map Data Activities

National Hydrographic Dataset (NHD) – advancing the state stewardship program

Elevation – developing a program charter for a national Lidar initiative and making significant investments in Lidar data through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds

Imagery – actively working the IFTN initiative

Transportation – discussions with Census and DOT to support strategic plan development

Geographic Names – Integrating names with geospatial datasets (Hydrographic Dataset and Structures Dataset)

New National Map ViewerLate 2009 Release

Fast Base Map 100% National

Map Content One-stop to

Download National Map Data and view Map Services

Direct Access to Topo Maps (USGS store)

New Advanced Features

Historic USGS quadrangle scanning

•Scan complete collection of approximately 250,000 USGS quadrangles existing as paper copies, using consistent, high quality specifications

•Provide all editions and all scales matching US Topo release cycle

•All maps will have complete Metadata

•GeoPDF files available for download from USGS Store

Topographic Maps fromThe National Map Data

Create next generation 7.5-minute USGS topographic maps

Bundle with scanned historic topographic maps

Public Access Through USGS Store

As of August 24, 2009, 7,393 maps (all produced since May, 2009) are available for immediate download. GeoPDFs distributed free Hardcopy maps (Map on Demand) -

a priced product

Initial hardcopy products through USGS as plotted maps on demand

U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

The Current PlanU.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1379

The National Geospatial Programs OfficeA Plan for Action

By Karen Siderelis, Ivan DeLoatch, Mark DeMulder, Henry (Hank) Garie, Mark Naftzger, Robert (Bob) Pierce, and Stanley (Stan) Ponce

U.S. Department of the InteriorOctober 2005

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Purpose – Place geographic knowledge at the fingertips of the NationVision - Transform the processes of Government to implement key components of the NSDIMission - Provide leadership and guidance for stakeholders and implement key components of the NSDITransformation toward….1.a national GIS2.matters and places of national importance3.management excellence

Key National RequirementsBusiness Case for National GIS

Environment and

Ecosystem Services

Resource Management

Human Services and Infrastructure Development

EnergyDisasters and

National Security

Defining the Future of The National Map: What our customers are asking for…

Imagery, elevation and geodetic control data are important geospatial data layers. These modernized and improved layers should form the foundation of The National Map enabling the integration and improvement of other data layers.

In addition to the foundation layers, the most important data needs are: Transportation Hydrography Boundaries Parcels

Defining the Future of The National Map: Summary Finding…

We should have a goal to improve geospatial positional accuracy consistent with customer needs.

Most regional or national mapping needs could be satisfied with a 3 year update cycle. The exceptions are that parcels and transportation data require a yearly update and customers would be satisfied with 5 year updates for elevation data.

Retention of data to support trend analysis is a high priority for scientific investigations and other applications.

National Geospatial Program at USGS Key questions and issues for a changing landscape

Prioritizing customer requirements – science needs, parcels, higher quality data, more frequent updates

How do we integrate and manage data layers within The National Map when other agencies have A-16 responsibilities?

The edge of the map is growing – 12 miles? 200 miles? Time/History How will we resolve free and open versus licensed and restricted data

policy questions? Toward a National GIS? Organizational challenges - rebuilding not declining

It is time to decide what we will be.

Strategic Plan Key MilestonesFour Iterations – 15 months

Cycle 1 - Mission and Purpose, Strategic Issues Discovery, Link to Enterprise Architecture

Cycle 2 – Mission and Purpose, Strategic Issues Definition, Business Requirements, Enterprise Architecture Adjustments

Cycle 3 – Strategic Issues Resolution, Strategic Actions, Business Requirements, Data, Services, Products, Enterprise Architecture Adjustments

Cycle 4 – Data, Services, Products, Final Enterprise Architecture

Completion - September 2010

Yellow text – plan component completion

The National Map and NGAC

NGAC TNM Subcommittee will review at key milestone points

NGAC – working on key strategic questions National Policy Public data Parcels

U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

TransportationDeveloping a strategic direction

DOT, Census and USGS to jointly sponsor a small workshop to frame the National Transportation Dataset issues and opportunities. October timeframe Expected output is a whitepaper

High level input to the DOT Transportation for the Nation strategic planning activity.