Composite Image Service for Minnesota

MnGeo’s Composite Image Service provides a single layer image service that automatically switches to an appropriate set of air photos or satellite imagery depending on the scale and extent. The images are provided as a WMS (web map service).  The primary focus is the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area and the State of Minnesota.  The secondary interest is the areas bordering Minnesota, especially Wisconsin counties close to the metro area.

Imagery is evaluated based on criteria of color, currency, resolution, coverage, season, leaf cover and image quality in order to determine which imagery to include at which scale.

The url for users to paste into their software, or for developers to access the WMS service is:

     http://geoint.lmic.state.mn.us/cgi-bin/mncomp?
 

• Need help using Web Map Services?  Click here
• Documentation for the Composite Image Service
• Criteria and process for evaluating imagery to be added to the service
• Newsletter article describing why the service was developed
• Interactive Twin Cities Transit Map from Metro Transit, an example of a website that uses the Composite Image Service
   

Imagery Visible at Different Scales

The layers higher in the list will show through in areas not covered by layers further down. For example, Landsat will continue to be displayed across bordering states where the FSA 2010 data does not exist.

Scale	Title	Geographic Area	Year	Season	Resolution	Metadata
1:250,000 and above	Landsat	Minnesota plus 100-200 miles into adjoining states and Canada	1999-2002	Varies	30-meter
1:250,000 - 1:10,000	FSA NAIP	Minnesota	2010	Summer	1-meter
	FSA NAIP	western Wisconsin counties	2008	Summer	1-meter
<1:10,000	East-Central MN	Twin Cities 7-county metro; 4 counties north of the metro	2010	Spring	6-inch (Dakota, Scott); 1-foot (Anoka, Carver, Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington); 0.5-meter (Chisago, Isanti, Sherburne, Wright)	6-in. (in-progress) 1-ft 0.5-m
	Southern MN	37 counties in southern MN	2011	Spring	0.5-meter
	Northern Border	Areas along Minnesota's border with Canada; Lake Superior lakeshore of MN and northern Wisconsin	2009	Summer	0.3-meter (approx. 1-foot)	NW Ncentral remainder in-progress

 If you have imagery that you would like to suggest or contribute, or you would like to participate in the workgroup that will govern future additions, contact Matt McGuire at matt.mcguire@metc.state.mn.us or (651) 602-1964.
 

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