December 1995, June 2001

This data set contains the sea floor topographic contours, sun-illuminated topographic imagery, and backscatter intensity generated from a multibeam sonar survey of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region off Boston, Massachusetts, an area of approximately 1100 square nautical miles. The Stellwagen Bank NMS Mapping Project is designed to provide detailed maps of the Stellwagen Bank region's environments and habitats and the first complete multibeam topographic and sea floor characterization maps of a significant region of the shallow EEZ. Data were collected on four cruises over a two year period from the fall of 1994 to the fall of 1996. The surveys were conducted aboard the Candian Hydrographic Service vessel Frederick G. Creed, a SWATH (Small Waterplane Twin Hull) ship that surveys at speeds of 16 knots. The multibeam data were collected utilizing a Simrad Subsea EM 1000 Multibeam Echo Sounder (95 kHz) that is permanently installed in the hull of the Creed.

MassGIS scanned the USGS topographic quadrangles to create a digital database that can provide images of the paper maps. These images can be used as a backdrop for plotting vector data and for interpretation and analysis. MassGIS scanned the 15-minute series (vintage 1982-1990) where these maps were available; the 7.5-minute maps (1967-1979) were used elsewhere. Note that the elevation labels for the contours on the maps may be in meters or feet, depending on the vintage of the original paper map that MassGIS scanned. Contour labels on maps from 1982 and later are in meters; labels on maps from 1967 through 1979 are in feet. See the

Topographic map of Dedham, Massachusetts with contours and shaded relief. Shaded relief and contours were generated from LiDAR data collected on December 8th, 2013 and also April 7th, 2014.

This tile service is derived from a digital raster graphic of the historical 15-minute USGS topographic quadrangle maps of coastal towns in Massachusetts. These quadrangles were mosaicked together to create a single data layer of the coast of Massachusetts and a large portion of the southeastern area of the state.The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) obtained the map images from the Harvard Map Collection. The maps were produced in the late 1890s and early 20th century at a scale of 1:62,500 or 1:63,360 and are commonly known as 15-minute quadrangle maps because each map covers a four-sided area of 15 minutes of latitude and 15 minutes of longitude.

The quadrangle template datalayer contains the boundaries of the 189 1:25,000 USGS 7.5-minute topographic map sheets that cover Massachusetts.See full metadata.

Elevation maps (also known as Digital Elevation Models or DEMs) of Cape Cod National Seashore were produced from remotely-sensed, geographically-referenced elevation measurements in cooperation with NASA and NPS. Point data in ascii text files were interpolated in a GIS to create a grid or digital elevation model (DEM) of each beach surface. Elevation measurements were collected in Massachusetts, over Cape Cod National Seashore using the NASA Experimental Advanced Airborne Research LiDAR (EAARL), a pulsed laser ranging system mounted onboard an aircraft to measure ground elevation and coastal topography. The system uses high frequency laser beams directed at the earth's surface through an opening in the bottom of the aircraft's fuselage. The laser system records the time difference between emission of the laser beam and the reception of the reflected laser signal in the aircraft. The plane travels over the beach at approximately 60 meters per second while surveying from the low-water line to the landward base of the sand dunes. The EAARL, developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) located at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, measures ground elevation with a vertical resolution of 15 centimeters. A sampling rate of 3 kHz or higher results in an extremely dense spatial elevation data set. Over 100 kilometers of coastline can be easily surveyed within a 3- to 4-hour mission time period. The ability to sample large areas rapidly and accurately is especially useful in morphologically dynamic areas such as barrier beaches. Quick assessment of topographic change can be made following storms comparing measurements against baseline data. When subsequent elevation maps for an area are analyzed, they provide a useful tool to make management decisions regarding coastal development. For more information on Lidar science and the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL) system and surveys, see http://ngom.usgs.gov/dsp/overview/index.php and http://ngom.usgs.gov/dsp/tech/eaarl/index.php .

USGS Historical Topographic Map Explorer

Geospatial data about Worcester County, Massachusetts Contours. Export to CAD, GIS, PDF, CSV and access via API.

Smoothed contours were produced at 2 foot intervals from topographic vector data (breaklines) collected by photogrammetrists. Breaklines denote the major terrain shifts as percieved by viewing the aerial photography stereoscopically. Major breaks, such as the top and bottom of hills were marked with the breaklines. Point data (DTM) was used to supplant the breakline data to provide enough information to model the terrain of the area. The data was collected at scale of 1"= 40'.

Survey field crews surveyed 14 photo identifiable points used for photo control. All the ground control points were used in the final analytical triangulation solution. The horizontal positions were reported in feet; NAD1983 (2011) Massachusetts State Plane Coordinate System, Mainland Zone, Epoch 2010.00. Elevations were based on the NorthAmerican Vertical Datum, 1988.

The aerial photographic mission was carried out on April 12, 2017. 459 exposures were taken in 16 flight lines at 3300' AMT resulting in a pixel resolution of 0.22' . The photography was collected with 60% overlap to ensure proper stereo viewing.

The digital photographs were triangulated using KLT software. The interior orientations of each photo were measured, the photos were tied togther within flight lines and lastly each flight line was tied, creating one single unified block. This block was then projected into Massachusetts State Plane NAD 83 coordinates using the14 aerial photo ground control points that were collected by traditional survey. RMS formulas were used to compute error propagation and reduce error.

The breakline and dtm data collected through the stereocompilation process was edited in KLT Atlas software to check for continuity. A TIN was generated from the edited topographic data which was then used to produce smoothed contours at 2' intervals. The contour information was then checked for errors and converted into AutoCAD .dxf format for GIS import.

The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) launched the Shoreline Change Project in 1989 to identify erosion-prone areas of the Massachusetts coast. Seventy-six maps were produced in 1997 depicting a statistical analysis of shoreline change on ocean-facing shorelines from the mid-1800s to 1978 using multiple data sources. In 2001, a 1994 shoreline was added. More recently, in cooperation with CZM, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) delineated a new shoreline for Massachusetts using color aerial ortho-imagery from 2008 to 2009 and topographic lidar data collected in 2007. This update included a marsh shoreline, which was defined to be the tonal difference between low- and high-marsh seen in ortho-photos. Further cooperation between CZM and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has resulted in another update in 2018, which includes beach shorelines, marsh shorelines and dune parameters, all of which were calculated from 2013-14 topographic lidar data. This metadata fil ...

This map includes shoreline change data for the state of Massachusetts hosted by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management.The active data layer in this map is Massachusetts Shoreline Change Transect (1970-2014) with short-term shoreline change rates. To view long-term rates, open map in Map Viewer to turn on layer.The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management launched the Shoreline Change Project in 1989 to identify erosion-prone areas of the coast. The shoreline position and change rate are used to inform management decisions regarding the erosion of coastal resources. In 2001, a shoreline from 1994 was added to calculate both long- and short-term shoreline change rates along ocean-facing sections of the Massachusetts coast. In 2013, two oceanfront shorelines for Massachusetts were added using 2008-9 color aerial orthoimagery and 2007 topographic lidar datasets obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Ocean Service, Coastal Services Center. In 2018 two new mean high water (MHW) shorelines for Massachusetts were extracted from lidar collected between 2010 and 2014 (described below). 2018 addition shoreline 1The North Shore and South Coast uses 2010 lidar data collected by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise. The South Shore and Outer Cape uses 2011 lidar data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Geospatial Program Office. Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard uses 2012 lidar data collected by the USACE (post Sandy)from a 2012 USACE Post Sandy Topographic lidar survey. 2018 addition shoreline 2The North Shore, Boston, South Shore, Cape Cod Bay, Outer Cape, South Cape, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and the South Coast (around Buzzards Bay to the Rhode Island Border) is from 2013-14 lidar data collected by the (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology Program. This 2018 update of the rate of shoreline change in Massachusetts includes two types of rates. Some of the rates include a proxy-datum bias correction, this is indicated in the filename with “PDB”. The rates that do not account for this correction have “NB” in their file names. The proxy-datum bias is applied because in some areas a proxy shoreline (like a High Water Line shoreline) has a bias when compared to a datum shoreline (like a Mean High Water shoreline). In areas where it exists, this bias should be accounted for when calculating rates using a mix of proxy and datum shorelines. This issue is explained further in Ruggiero and List (2009) and in the process steps of the metadata associated with the rates. This release includes both long-term (~150 years) and short term (~30 years) rates. Files associated with the long-term rates have “LT” in their names, files associated with short-term rates have “ST” in their names.

This is a seamless bare earth digital elevation model (DEM) created from lidar terrain elevation data for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It represents the elevation of the surface with vegetation and structures removed. The spatial resolution of the map is 1 meter. The elevation of each 1-meter square cell was linearly interpolated from classified lidar-derived point data.This version of the DEM stores the elevation values as integers. The native VALUE field represents the elevation above/below sea level in meters. MassGIS added a FEET field to the VAT (value attribute table) to store the elevation in feet as calculated by multiplying VALUE x 3.28084.Dates of lidar data used in this DEM range from 2010-2015. The overlapping lidar projects were adjusted to the same projection and datum and then mosaicked, with the most recent data replacing any older data. Several very small gaps between the project areas were patched with older lidar data where necessary or with models from recent aerial photo acquisitions. See https://www.mass.gov/doc/lidar-project-areas-original/download for an index map.This DEM is referenced to the WGS_1984_Web_Mercator_Auxiliary_Sphere spatial reference.See the MassGIS datalayer page to download the data as a file geodatabase raster dataset.View this service in the Massachusetts Elevation Finder.

The U.S. Geological Survey has conducted geologic mapping to characterize the sea floor offshore of Massachusetts. The mapping was carried out using a Simrad Subsea EM 1000 Multibeam Echo Sounder on the Frederick G. Creed on four cruises conducted between 1994 and 1998. The mapping was conducted in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and with support from the Canadian Hydrographic Service and the University of New Brunswick.

The long-term goal of this mapping effort is to produce high-resolution geologic maps and a Geographic Information System (GIS) project that presents images and grids of bathymetry, shaded relief bathymetry, and backscatter intensity data from these surveys that will serve the needs of research, management and the public.

Massachusetts cached tiled basemap with topographic base, detailed features, and property tax parcels. Parcels display at levels 17, 18 and 19. Created August 5, 2025.Detailed Features include:Political Boundaries: Massachusetts cities and towns, counties and state border (Community Boundaries (Towns) from Survey Points, MassGIS)Transportation: Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Roads (MassDOT, MassGIS); MBTA subway and Commuter Rail lines and stations (Central Transportation Planning Staff, MassGIS); Airports, Ferry Routes and Seaports (MassDOT); Airport Runways and Airfields (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA))Infrastructure and Facilities: Lighthouses and Lights (Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management); Licensed Child Care Programs (Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care); Schools (Pre-K - High School) (Massachusetts Department of Education, MassGIS); Colleges and Universities (MassGIS); Acute Care Hospitals (Massachusetts Department of Public Health Office of Emergency Medical Services); Non-acute Care Hospitals, Police Stations, Fire Stations, Town Halls (MEMA), Libraries, Places of Worship, Prisons, and DCR Pools. This Topographic Base includes shaded relief, elevation contour lines with labels in feet, protected open space (parks, forests, preserves, etc.), hydrography (lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, wetlands), ocean, surrounding states, developed land areas, and airfields and runways.

This tile layer from MassGIS displays elevation and shaded relief imagery derived from 2013-2021 lidar data for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The elevation data is symbolized with a custom color ramp. The shaded relief data is symbolized with the sunlight shining from the northwest (315 degrees) at a sun angle of 45 degrees. The two image datasets are displayed using a blending mode as mapped in ArcGIS Pro software.Data for the eastern and central areas of the mainland was captured in 2021, Nantucket from 2018, and the western part of the state from 2013 and 2014. The tile service will display at scale levels 7 (1:4.6M) to 19 (1:1128).For more information and links to data downloads, see MassGIS' Lidar Terrain Data page.

Link to the ScienceBase Item Summary page for the item described by this metadata record. Service Protocol: Link to the ScienceBase Item Summary page for the item described by this metadata record. Application Profile: Web Browser. Link Function: information

The Elevation Contours tile cache service displays at large scales contour lines at 3-meter intervals created from Digital Terrain Model (DTM) data points collected during the production of the 1:5,000 Black and White Digital Orthophoto images. See https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massgis-data-elevation-contours-15000 for more details.At smaller scales the service displays contour lines at 30-foot intervals originally developed at a scale of 1:250,000 and distributed by the U.S. Geological Survey. Please see https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massgis-data-elevation-contours-1250000 for more details.For both datasets, the index contours are labeled in feet above sea level.

These data were created as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management's efforts to create an online mapping viewer called the Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer. It depicts potential sea level rise and its associated impacts on the nation's coastal areas. The purpose of the mapping viewer is to provide coastal managers and scientists with a preliminary look at sea level rise and coastal flooding impacts. The viewer is a screening-level tool that uses nationally consistent data sets and analyses. Data and maps provided can be used at several scales to help gauge trends and prioritize actions for different scenarios. The Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer may be accessed at: https://res1coastd-o-tnoaad-o-tgov.vcapture.xyz/slr. This metadata record describes the Massachusetts digital elevation model (DEM), which is a part of a series of DEMs produced for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management's Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer described above. This DEM includes the best available lidar known to exist at the time of DEM creation that met project specifications. This DEM includes data for Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Middlesex, Nantucket, Plymouth, Suffolk, and Norfolk Counties. The DEM was produced from the following lidar data sets: 1. 2013 - 2014 USGS Hurricane Sandy Supplemental for NE (RI, MA, NH) 2. 2011 USGS ARRA Lidar for the Northeast: Massachusetts The DEM is referenced vertically to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88, Geoid12B) with vertical units of meters and horizontally to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). The resolution of the DEM is approximately 3 meters.

August 2015