News
Jul 21, 2025
We are excited to announce a major expansion of OpenTopography's international data catalog with the addition of the High Resolution Digital Elevation Model (HRDEM) from Natural Resources Canada.
The HRDEM is part of the CanElevation Series and supports the National Elevation Data Strategy implemented by Natural Resources Canada. OpenTopography now provides on-demand access to the 1-meter, lidar-derived portion of this collection, offering unprecedented detail across much of southern Canada.
Derived from high-precision airborne lidar, this 1-meter resolution dataset is ideal for a wide... more
Jul 2, 2025
OpenTopography provides easy, centralized access to a diverse collection of topographic data. We strive to simplify data discovery by providing a single, accessible platform that integrates data from academic, private, and federal sources, including the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) and NOAA Coastal Lidar. Below are highlights of datasets that became available on the OpenTopography platform in June 2025.
Left hand panel shows the location of new data over Mount Ruapehu, New Zealand. Right hand panel shows the location of a new Community Dataspace dataset in purple on the coast of Lake... more
May 29, 2025
OpenTopography provides easy, centralized access to a diverse collection of topographic data. We strive to simplify data discovery by providing a single, accessible platform that integrates data from academic, private, and federal sources, including the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) and NOAA Coastal Lidar. Below are highlights of datasets that became available on the OpenTopography platform in May 2025.
Left hand panel shows new Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) dataset coverage added in May 2025 in red. Right hand panel shows the location of a new Community Dataspace dataset in... more
May 16, 2025
Lidar systems produce a high density 'point cloud' - a collection of precise three-dimensional coordinates - that offers a detailed digital representation of scanned surfaces and their features. To unlock the full potential of this data for analysis, these points are classified after collection using algorithms and manual processing to differentiate surface types. This means each point is assigned a code identifying the type of feature it reflected from—such as ground, buildings, or vegetation. The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) has established a widely adopted... more
Apr 29, 2025
OpenTopography provides easy, centralized access to a diverse collection of topographic data. We strive to simplify data discovery by providing a single, accessible platform that integrates data from academic, private, and federal sources, including the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) and NOAA Coastal Lidar. Below are highlights of datasets that became available on the OpenTopography platform in April 2025.
Left hand panel shows new Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) dataset coverage in red. Middle panel shows two new Community Dataspace datasets in purple in Southern California.... more
Apr 9, 2025
OpenTopography provides easy, centralized access to a diverse collection of topographic data. We strive to simplify data discovery by providing a single, accessible platform that integrates data from academic, private, and federal sources, including the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) and NOAA Coastal Lidar. Below are highlights of datasets that became available on the OpenTopography platform in March 2025.
Location of USGS 3DEP and NOAA Coastal Lidar point cloud datasets released in March 2025 and accessible through OpenTopography. USGS 3DEP datasets are in green, NOAA Coastal Lidar... more
Mar 25, 2025
OpenTopography provides easy, centralized access to a diverse collection of topographic data. We strive to simplify data discovery by providing a single, accessible platform that integrates data from academic, private, and federal sources, including USGS 3DEP and NOAA Digital Coast. Below is a highlight of datasets that became available on the OpenTopography platform in February 2025.
Location of datasets released in February 2025 and accessible through OpenTopography. USGS 3DEP datasets are in green, OpenTopography-hosted data is in red, and Community DataSpace datasets are in purple.... more
Jan 15, 2025
The Yurok Tribe Fisheries Department Design and Technical Services Program, in conjunction with the United States Bureau of Reclamation Central Valley Project Improvement Act Habitat Restoration Program, conducted a system wide base-line data collection effort across 174 miles on the Sacramento River. High resolution aerial imagery, topography, bathymetry, and water surface elevations were collected and are intended to support the development of a hydrodynamic model framework for predicting habitat across a range of flows. The model will support measures needed to restore anadromous fish to... more
Jan 13, 2025
The ongoing Los Angeles wildfires, including the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires, are scorching parts of the city and have destroyed thousands of homes and other buildings. On January 7, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency due to the fires.
In response to these devastating wildfires in southern California, OpenTopography is temporarily opening our services applied to all USGS 3D Elevation Project (3DEP) and NOAA Coastal lidar datasets covering Los Angeles County.
OpenTopography's easy to use web-based interfaces for accessing, processing, and visualizing high... more
Jan 9, 2025
The U.S. Department of the Interior Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement has provided access to lidar and aerial imagery over several mines throughout the US. The intended use of the data is to support the corresponding mine teams on current and future projects. Example use cases include: precise area and volumetric measurements, assisting with upcoming Termination of Jurisdictions and bond releases, change detection analysis, monitoring the progression and reclamation of mining, and visualizing 3D models.
Find the data here:
Lidar Survey of the Kayenta Mine, AZ 2023
Lidar... more
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