Attendees: Liz Cook, Rod Ellis, Mike Weller, Tim Haithcoat, Andy Wagner, Tim Donze, Ray Fox

Note: Meeting delayed hour due to tornado drill at Rolla USGS office

Lidar:

• Meramec Lidar Project Update: Rod Ellis, Tim Donze
  • Rod Ellis and Tim Donze gave an update on the project. Surdex has completed flying the partner and SEMA only areas, and are in the process of checking the data, no problems encountered to date. Surdex is sending a sample DVD to DNR and USACE for their review. Rod suggested that all partners be included in the sample distribution. Tim will request DVDs be sent to NRCS, SEMA, AMEC, and USGS for review. Ground control has been collected for all but Dent, Rolla, and Steelville areas, this is in work. Rod reported he has spent considerable time developing and getting concurrence on how the project should be scoped out. USGS and SEMA funding has not been received by the USACE to date. Ray Fox reported that the Contracting Officer contacted him on a few minor changes to the MOA between USGS and the Corps, this should be moving forward.
  • ACTION: USGS and SEMA work on completing transfer of funds to USACE.
  • Note: Ray received a call from the USGS Contracting Office on 3/9 to answer several questions. CO is contacting Ted Stanton and expects to send MOA for signature today.
  • ACTION: Surdex to send sample Lidar DVDS to NRCS, USGS, SEMA, and AMEC for review. Partners should review and return comments to Rod in a timely manner.
• Wash U Lidar Node: Discussion on how it is working, ideas for improvement: Mark D, others?
  • Tim Haithcoat reported that there are several minor issues that have been reported and are either resolved or in work. Liz Cook reported using the data repository for her workshop at the GIS conference. The shapefiles are not zipped, making it awkward to download. This has been reported to Aaron. The repository only has the DEMs for download.
• On-going project update: Boone, Greene, Perry (USACE-MS river) Ray
  • Jason Warzinik of Boone County has been working with the contractor to resolve the hydro flattening problems with the data. USGS Lidar QA unit has been reviewing sample tiles and was able to provide some additional guidance on what is required; the problem appears to be resolved. The contractor should be delivering a corrected dataset to Boone County this month. Greene County was reflown this winter; the county expects delivery in April. USGS should see the data if it passes Greene Countys inspection later this spring, early summer. Perry County was flown in February; delivery to USGS is unknown as it will be processed by a third party. Liz reported on the Monroe, Audrain, Boone, Randolph, Macon, Calloway & Shelby County project (this needs an acronym). NRCS headquarters is contracting this through the USGS GPSC (similar to the USACE contracting mechanism). Lidar will be collected at .5 meter resolution. Note, after the call I asked the GPSC manager about this project and he had not seen it come through yet, doubt if it will happen this spring.
  • ACTION: Ray will notify all when lidar has been accepted and begin distribution.
• Data Inventory: Ray
  • Ray distributed the high resolution elevation data inventory to the committee. No response on the usefulness of the inventory. Liz Cook suggested that the inventory not be included at the Wash U as it might cause to much demand for the data which we are not equipped to meet.
• New Opportunities: All
  • I returned a call from Continental Mapping immediately after our conference call, they are collecting lidar for the Little Rock District, USACE for the Table Rock lake area. I will contact that office to obtain a copy of the data when available.
  • NRCS headquarters has asked FEMA to coordinate their lidar projects with federal and state partners. FEMA is looking at the Lower Grand, Lower Chariton, Sac and Upper Gasconade watersheds.
  • The Meramec Project will need additional funds to complete processing in areas wished for but not part of the required partners area. Flying is complete for this area.
  • USDA-Forest Service nationally has expressed interest in lidar.
  • Andy Wagner to bring up potential for lidar at the April 6 St Louis 2012 Imagery Consortium meeting.
  • ACTION: Ray, Ryan Mueller to contact Mark Twain NF about potential partnering.

Imagery:

• St Louis 2012 Consortium: Andy Wagner, Ray
  • Andy reported that there will be a kick off meeting April 6 at the Maryland Heights office. The goal is to expand the project beyond St Louis City and County, St Charles cities and county will be invited along with the Illinois counties in the area. NGA has suggested a different funding approach for 2012, setting a $ per square mile amount for their area of interest. Ray is confirming this with NGA and will present this at the meeting.
  • ACTION: The NGA area includes the Herculaneum and Festus 7.5 quadrangles in Franklin County, representatives from Franklin should be invited to attend.
• Kansas City 2012 Consortium: Ray
  • MARC has initiated a committee for their 2012 flight. This consortium has grown with Buchanan County asking to be part of this project.
• Jefferson City Project: Greg Resz
  • This 2011 NGA project was not completed last year, the contractor was not able to refly the area in February due to the heavy snowfall. They will provide NGA with leaf on imagery this month and with a fully compliant project following this springs reflight. The entire project which USGS partnered on includes all of Cole and Callaway counties. NGA has agreed to this approach.
• State Imagery Contract: Tim Haithcoat
  • The contract has been pulled from the state contracting office. Tim is developing a full service contract to include mapping by products and may include lidar as well. This will be presented at the Maryland Heights meeting for discussion.
• New Opportunities: All
  • Continental Mapping is collecting imagery for Stone County as part of their lidar collect for Table Rock Lake.

NHD:

• Stewardship Progress: Jeff Schloss
  • Ray reported that DNR is making good progress on this project which includes updating the 24K NHD with new lakes and ponds along with some updating of major streams to coincide with the state imagery.
• 2012 Stewardship: Jeff, Ray
  • A meeting was held Feb 28 at DNR to discuss continuation of the project. Jeff is preparing a new statement of work which Ray will use to request USGS funding.
  • Note: All NHD project proposals will be decided upon by USGS at their April 6 meeting. The proposal needs to be to Ray by March 23 in order to be on the docket.

Standards:

• Update on any standards development activities: All
  • Tim is working on the parcel mapping standards with DNR.

Annual Plan:

• Comments: All
  • Jeff Schloss asked that establishment of an NHD working group be removed from the plan as he is not ready to open up stewardship at this time.

Other Business:

• Should we meet monthly or quarterly, and is conference call adequate?
  • Ray will continue to update everyone via email as new information becomes available. Monthly meetings are not necessary; Ray will call meetings as needed.
  • We will plan on quarterly meetings. The next meeting will be scheduled for June 14.
  • A lidar stakeholders meeting is needed.
  • ACTION: Ray to contact this group and set up a meeting.

Thanks to all for participating and coming to the call prepared.