Aerial Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) methodology involves taking a scan of the ground below from an aircraft-mounted laser and measuring the time for the reflected light to return to the receiver. Using differences in the laser’s return times and reflected wavelengths, LiDAR can then be used to make 3-dimensional digital representations of the earth's surface and features.
In 2010, a Regional LiDAR Project was a cooperatively funded project of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Albuquerque District, and the MRCOG. The project acquired high resolution LiDAR data in Spring 2010 for an area of approximately 1,233 square miles in Sandoval, Bernalillo and Valencia Counties, New Mexico.
The data supports a variety of applications including:
The Project focused on acquisition of 2-foot contour equivalent elevation data suitable for input into the National Elevation Dataset (NED) at 1/9 arc second resolution. Secondly, an area approximating the 500-year floodplain of the Rio Grande was identified for acquisition and processing for 1-foot contour equivalent terrain data.
See the interactive map linked below to view coverage areas and available data details: (map under development).
In 2018, MRCOG again partnered with multiple regional agencies to acquire aerial LiDAR of USGS Quality Level 2 (QL2) standards for approximately 2,349 square miles of the Albuquerque metro area to include urban, suburban, and rural landscapes in Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance, and Valencia Counties.