LiDAR Elevation Data for Minnesota

Red River Basin

West-central and northwest Minnesota portion of the basin (UTM Zone 15):  LiDAR-derived DEMs and contours for parts of Becker, Beltrami, Clay, Clearwater, Hubbard, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau, Todd, Wadena, and Wilkin counties.  (This data is the same as that distributed by IWI below, except that DNR has reprojected it into UTM Zone 15 and tiled it by USGS quarter-quads.  Not all data is available for all counties and it will soon be replaced by reprocessed data -- see paragraph below.)

• High Resolution DEM (3-meter)
• High Resolution Elevation Contours (2-foot)

Reprocessing in progress:  DNR is reprocessing the Minnesota counties in the Red River Basin to match the state's LiDAR standards, including creating county DEM mosaics.  No breaklines were included in the original delivery, so DNR will be using breaklines created by the USGS from the Red River data.  The data is currently estimated to be available for download in April and will replace the Zone 15 files described above.

Entire U.S. portion of the basin (UTM Zone 14):  Includes all or portions of 45 counties in North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota.

• IWI's LiDAR Applications homepage:  Links to many options to view, print, and download LiDAR data as well as documentation and step-by-step help.
  • Viewer:  View 2-foot contours and print PDF maps.
  • Download Portal:  Download raw/bare earth LAS files, 1- and 3-meter DEM raster data, 2-foot contour shapefiles and intensity images.
  • WMS service
     

Southern Minnesota, independent county projects and smaller projects

MnGeo's Data Download FTP Site (faster download option)  New  3/29/12
Data on DNR's download site, described below, is also being copied onto MnGeo's site.  Both sites are now available for download.  Folder names and organization and the content of some documentation files do not exactly match, and MnGeo's site may change slightly over the coming weeks as it is more closely synchronized with the DNR site.  For the next few weeks, if you cannot find something on MnGeo's site, check DNR's.

DNR's Data Download FTP Site
MN DNR's FTP site provides LiDAR data, documentation, examples, tools and training.  Many of the data files are huge and should be downloaded with an FTP client rather than a browser.  If you haven't used this site or LiDAR data before, see the help files.

HELP Files
Introductory documentation for the FTP site and the data; the main ones are listed below:

1. readme_first.rtf:  Description of how the files on the FTP site are organized and what is in each folder.
2. raw_data_readme_first.rtf:  Description of the tiled LiDAR point cloud information (LAS format) and the tiled file geodatabases storing derived information.
3. county_mosaic_readme_first.rtf:  Description of the files in the county mosaics and tips for using them.
4. watchme_first.swf:  Video describing the FTP site and tips to get started.
5. LAS File Processing Using LASTOOLS:  How to work with LAS/LAZ data format and how to export to a neutral format that can be imported into other software such as AutoCAD.
    

• Southwest (Spring and Fall 2010)
  • 17,260 square miles in 25 counties:  Brown, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Douglas, Faribault, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Pope, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Sibley, Swift, Waseca, Watonwan, Yellow Medicine.
  • Vendor:  AeroMetric, Inc.; Vertical RMSE <=15 cm; Horizontal RMSE <=1 meter; Mean Point Spacing: 1.5 meters
  • Documentation
     
• Southeast (Fall 2008)
  • Overview article
  • 8,800 square miles in nine counties:  Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Steele, Wabasha and Winona County.
  • Vendor:  Aerometric, Inc.; Vertical RMSE <=18 cm; Horizontal RMSE <=1 meter; Mean Point Spacing: 2 meters
     
• Independent county projects:  All of the following counties are or will be available for general distribution via agreements between these counties and the State of Minnesota and/or the U.S. Geological Survey.  Pine County is available by agreement with the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
   

County Name	Vendor	Acquisition Date	Vertical RMSE	Horizontal RMSE	Mean Point Spacing	Available?	Metadata (in progress)
Blue Earth	Optimal Geomatics	2005	15 cm	1 meter	unknown	yes
Chisago	Optimal Geomatics	2007	9.25 cm	1 meter	1.5 meters	yes
Crow Wing	Merrick	2008	<15 cm	1 meter	unknown	yes
McLeod	Optimal Geomatics	2007	10 cm	1 meter	1.5 meters	1- and 3-meter DEMs available; LAS files being processed
Pine	Sanborn	2006	<18 cm	<1 meter	2 meters	1- and 3-meter DEMs; 3-meter hillshade; check points. This collect did not include breaklines.	data check points
Rice	Aerometric, Inc.	2007	15 cm	1 meter	1.5 meters	yes
Stearns	Merrick	2006	18.5 cm	1 meter	unknown	yes
Wright	Merrick	2008	5.4 cm	1 meter	1.5 meters	yes

• Projects
  • Arrowhead pilot data:  West portion of Duluth.  Part of the data collected Spring 2011; see map of anticipated delivery dates from the vendor to the State. Data publication will be two to four weeks after delivery date contingent on the results of QA/QC work.
  • Lake Superior Bathymetry:  Hydrographic and topographic data collected along the Lake Superior coast of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan for NOAA.  Data extends offshore from the shoreline to extinction depth or 1 km, whichever is closer, and onshore from the shoreline to 30 meters.
  • Lake Shady:  A reservoir on the Zumbro River in Olmsted County.
  • Mille Lacs Kathio State Park:  In Mille Lacs County; see park description; data from an independent project centered on the park.
  • Minnehaha Creek:  In Hennepin County, data from a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project.
  • Minnesota River Basin, South Dakota portion
  • Red River Basin Block I:  Covers Lake of the Woods and Roseau counties, eastern Marshall County and northern portions of Beltrami and Pennington counties; see a graphic showing location of Block I.
  • Seven Mile Creek:  In Nicollet County; see a location map.
     

Other Counties

• Dakota County (ASCII format):  Partial county available
   
• See "Proprietary/Licensed" section below for counties that provide free online viewers.
   

PROPRIETARY / LICENSED

Most of the counties that sell LiDAR-generated contours (see status map) also provide free online viewers.  For more info, see the Contour section of the Contour/Point page.

The second phase of this extensive project covers NE and Twin Cites metro and is in-progress; as data becomes available, it will be listed in the section above.

• Project website
• Project schedule, updated 9/11 (map, 637K, PDF)

• Conservation Applications of LiDAR (U of M)
  Six training modules on conservation applications of LiDAR. Each module will be taught as a half- or full-day workshop at several locations around Minnesota.  Check the site for the 2012 workshop schedule.
   
• LiDAR and DEM Tips and Tricks (9 MB, zipfile)
  Tim Loesch, DNR, 2011
  Tips to help effectively display LiDAR and DEM data.
   
• Accessing and Using Minnesota LiDAR Data Packets (2.4 gigabytes, zipfile)
  Tim Loesch and Shelly Sentyrz, DNR, 10/5/11
  Powerpoint slides, exercise materials and data from a GIS/LIS Consortium workshop.
  • Slides only (29 MB, zipfile)
     
• Digital Terrain Analysis with LiDAR for Clean Water Implementation, May 11, 2010, Joel Nelson, University of Minnesota, and Barbara Weisman, Minnesota Department of Agriculture.  Workshop slides.
   
• From LAS to Contours: Making use of LiDAR data (144 MB, zipfile)
  Tim Loesch, DNR, GIS/LIS Spring 2009 workshop.
  Includes slides and exercises.
   
• Getting Started with LiDAR in ArcGIS (ESRI)
  Complimentary online seminar.
   
• The LiDAR Research and Education Subcommittee of the Minnesota Digital Elevation Committee is working to design and promote best practices with LiDAR data, LiDAR-derived products and LiDAR training statewide.  This design and oversight will ensure there is consistency in data development and application for all users.

• Center for LIDAR Information Coordination and Knowledge (CLICK) (USGS)
  The goal of CLICK is to facilitate data access, user coordination and education about LIDAR remote sensing for scientific needs. The site contains a bulletin board, data viewer, links to other websites/references/media and documents.
  • Base LiDAR specifications
     
• Red River Basin Mapping Initiative (IWI)
  The goal of the Red River Basin Mapping Initiative is to develop a high resolution DEM for the Red River of the North Basin south of the U.S./Canada border using LiDAR. This webpage includes links to the project specs, status, LiDAR viewers, acquired areas, quality control reports and other information.
   
  • State of Minnesota DEM Project, Red River of the North Basin, Phase I (Digital Elevation Committee)
    This webpage describes the in-progress LiDAR project and provides examples of RFPs (Request For Proposals) for those interested in obtaining LiDAR data.