Web map displaying Wisconsin DNR-produced Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and Hillshade image services, along with their index layer, in formats that are clickable and can be symbolized and filtered. This map can also be used as a starting point to create a new map. To open the web map from DNR's GIS Open Data Portal, click the View Metadata: link to the right of the description, then click Open in Map Viewer.

Note: This service is only for using online; full resolution downloads are not supported. Hillshade image service created from Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) derived from county-produced LiDAR covering several Wisconsin counties, with a vertical exaggeration factor of 2. This service was last updated in May, 2023. It can be used in conjunction with its associated Index layer, DEM and Hillshade from LiDAR - Index, to determine flight years of source LiDAR and resolution of source DEMs. Also see the Index layer item details for detailed information about counties included in this service and in related services: DEM from LiDAR (Units in Meters) and DEM from LiDAR (Units in Feet).Some areas display as data gaps (white artifacts) when the service is viewed at statewide scales but display normally when zoomed in to scales of approximately 1:1,000,000 or larger. We hope to address the no-data areas and small-scale data gaps in future updates to this service. The source DEMs have not been hydrologically conditioned. The Vertical Datum for the DEMs is NAVD88.

The Hillshade is intended for visualization of the landscape, rather than analysis. When queried, the Hillshade pixel values do not indicate elevation; instead, the pixel values range from 0 to 255 because the image is rendered as an 8-bit greyscale image. If elevation values are needed, use the LiDAR-Derived DEM Imagery Layer.

WI DNR acknowledges the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USGS, FEMA, the Southeastern WI Regional Planning Commission, and the individual counties listed in DEM and Hillshade from LiDAR - Index, for making source data available. For more information, visit https://dnr.wi.gov/feedback/ and choose Geographic Information Systems Data as the subject.

Note: This service is only for using online; full resolution downloads are not supported. To enable pop ups when opening this in a new web map, then click the ellipsis (three blue dots) under the layer name in the contents, and choose Enable Pop-up.Image service created from Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) derived from county-produced LiDAR covering Wisconsin. Elevation units are in feet. This service was last updated May 2023. It can be used in conjunction with its associated Index layer, DEM and Hillshade from LiDAR - Index, to determine flight years of source LiDAR and resolution of source DEMs. Also see the Index layer item details for detailed information about counties included in this service and in related services: DEM from LiDAR (Units in Meters) and Hillshade from LiDAR.Some areas display as data gaps (white artifacts) when the service is viewed at statewide scales but display normally when zoomed in to scales of approximately 1:1,000,000 or larger. We hope to address the no-data areas and small-scale data gaps in future updates to this service. The source DEMs have not been hydrologically conditioned. The Vertical Datum for the DEMs is NAVD88.WI DNR acknowledges the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USGS, FEMA, the Southeastern WI Regional Planning Commission, and the individual counties listed in DEM and Hillshade from LiDAR - Index, for making source data available. For more information, visit https://dnr.wi.gov/feedback/ and choose Geographic Information Systems Data as the subject.

Product: These lidar data are processed Classified LAS 1.4 files, formatted to individual 4500 ft x 4500 ft tiles; used to create intensity images, 3D breaklines, and hydro-flattened DEMs as necessary.

Geographic Extent: 8 counties in Wisconsin, covering approximately 6733 total square miles. Crawford - covers approximately 606 square miles Juneau - covers approximately 813 square miles K...

Geographic Extent: Waushara County, Wisconsin covering approximately 647 square miles.

Dataset Description of Original Data: Waushara County, Wisconsin 2017 QL2 LiDAR project required planning and acquisition of LiDAR data collected with a point density of 2 pulses per meter with at a nominal point spacing of 0.71 meters. Project specifications were based on the U.S. Geological Survey N...

The vertical land change activity focuses on the detection, analysis, and explanation of topographic change. These detection techniques include both quantitative methods, for example, using difference metrics derived from multi-temporal topographic digital elevation models (DEMs), such as, light detection and ranging (lidar), National Elevation Dataset (NED), Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IFSAR), and qualitative methods, for example, using multi-temporal aerial photography to visualize topographic change. The geographic study areas of this activity are in Chippewa, Eau Claire, Jackson, Monroe, Trempealeau, and Wood counties in west central Wisconsin. Available multi-temporal lidar, NED, SRTM, IFSAR, and other topographic elevation datasets, as well as aerial photography and multi-spectral image data were identified and downloaded for these study area counties. Locations of industrial sand mines and processing plants (vector features) were obtained from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Mines/ISMMap.html, and from the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, October 2012, update at https://fusiontables.google.com/DataSource?docid=17nDFI4iUPOdyDOEWU7Vu1ONMiVofa3aWR_Gs-Zk#rows:id=1. These features were used to spatially validate some of the mining locations that were predefined with Landsat-detected mining locations (polygons). Previously developed differencing methods (Gesch, 2006) were used to develop difference raster datasets of NED/SRTM (1961-2000 date range) and SRTM/IFSAR (2000-2008 date range). The difference rasters were evaluated to exclude difference values that were below a specified vertical change threshold, which was applied spatially by National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) 1992 and 2006 land cover type, respectively. This spatial application of the vertical change threshold values improved the overall ability to detect vertical change because threshold values in bare earth areas were distinguished from threshold values in heavily vegetated areas. Lidar point cloud data and high-resolution (1-3 m) lidar DEMs were acquired for the Wisconsin six-county study area from Chippewa County Land Records Division, Chippewa Falls, WI; Eau Claire County, Eau Claire, WI; Jackson County and Jackson County Land Information Council, Black River Falls, WI; Monroe County, Sparta, WI; Trempealeau County, Whitehall, WI; and Wood County Planning and Zoning, Wisconsin Rapids, WI. ESRI Mosaic Datasets were generated from lidar point-cloud data and available topographic DEMs for the specified study areas. These data were analyzed to estimate volumetric changes on the land surface at three different periods with lidar acquisitions collected for Chippewa County, WI on May 15, 2011 and April 14, 2012; Eau Claire County, WI in 2013; Jackson County, WI in April, 2015; Monroe County, WI April 11-12, 2010; Trempealeau County, WI April 26, 2014 to May 5, 2014; and Wood County, WI March 21-31, 2015. The most recent difference analysis consisting of a raster dataset time span (2008-2015 date range) was analyzed by differencing the Wisconsin lidar-derived DEMs and an IFSAR-derived dataset. The IFSAR-derived data were resampled to the resolution of the lidar DEM (approximately 1-m resolution) and compared with the lidar-derived DEM. Land cover based threshold values were applied spatially to detect vertical change using the IFSAR/lidar difference dataset. Chippewa County lidar DEM metadata reported the root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.083 m. Eau Claire County lidar DEM metadata described an RMSE of 18.5 cm that supports 2 ft contours. Jackson County lidar DEM metadata reported that a comparison of the ground survey versus lidar model values indicated an RMSE of 0.214 ft (0.065 m). Monroe County lidar DEM metadata was obtained from the U.S. Interagency Elevation Inventory, which indicated an RMSE of 0.106 m. Trempealeau County lidar DEM included metadata describing RMSE values for different land cover types. A comparison of the Trempealeau ground survey versus lidar model values indicated an overall vertical RMSE of 0.344 ft (0.105 m). An RMSE was reported for each of the following land cover types in Trempealeau County: Urban: 0.169 US Survey Feet (0.051 m); Low Grass: 0.150 US Survey Feet (0.046 m); Tall Grass: 0.489 US Survey Feet (0.149 m); Low Trees: 0.432 US Survey Feet (0.132 m); Tall Trees: 0.342 US Survey Feet (0.104 m). This allowed additional refinement of the spatially explicit threshold values. Wood County lidar DEM RMSE was obtained from the US Interagency Elevation Inventory (0.122 m).References: Gesch, Dean B., 2006, An inventory and assessment of significant topographic changes in the United States Brookings, S. Dak., South Dakota State University, Ph.D. dissertation, 234 p, at https://topotools.cr.usgs.gov/pdfs/DGesch_dissertation_Nov2006.pdf.

Ayres Associates provided Iron County, Wisconsin, with lidar based topographic mapping services in the spring of 2015 as part of WROC. The LiDAR data was collected on 2015/04/15 to 2015/04/17 using an Optech Orion H300 sensor mounted in a fixed-wing aircraft. LiDAR data was collected to support the generation of 2-foot contours to meet FEMA vertical accuracy standards. The LiDAR data was delive...

This project will maintain the University of Wisconsin Arctic High Spectral Resolution Lidar (AHSRL) at Eureka on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic. Instruments were initially deployed at Eureka in August of 2005 in efforts to extend the knowledge of Arctic cloudiness with additional long-term observation sites as part of the Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH). The NOAA cloud radar and the AHSRL are part of this instrument suite. Both instruments are returning continuous high quality data. In combination, they provide unique information on the optical and micro-physical characteristics of clouds. The AHSRL operates as an Internet appliance which is remotely controlled from the University of Wisconsin's laboratory. It is completely eye safe. As a result, the AHSRL is able to gather well-calibrated data sets at much lower cost than possible with conventional lidars. Data is transmitted via the Internet and is made available to researchers around the world in real time via a publicly accessible web site.

EagleView acquired highly accurate Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) elevation data at the USGS QL2 guidelines for the County of Douglas, Wisconsin in November 2016. This data set represents County of Douglas, comprised of approximately 1,333 square miles. LiDAR for this data set was classified and quality controlled by EagleView. Products were generated by Ground Point and subsequently quali...

This topobathymetric digital elevation model (TBDEM) mosaic represents the topography and bathymetry for the Milwaukee River Estuary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and adjacent terrestrial and Lake Michigan nearshore coastal areas. The TBDEM was produced in support of modeling and for developing a physical habitat framework to help with understanding the effects from multidirectional currents and seiche effects associated with the mixing of river flows with Lake Michigan backwater. The TBDEM mosaic is built off existing terrestrial, nearshore, and estuary frameworks developed for other areas around the Great Lakes and the Milwaukee River Harbor. Ranging from 2008-2015, land elevations derived from lidar and historic topographic surveys and bathymetric multibeam sonar were used to generate the seamless Milwaukee River Estuary TBDEM from four different data frameworks: (1) 2015 Milwaukee River Estuary Bathymetry (Dow, 2018), (2) 2015 SEWRPC Topographic LIDAR for Southeast, Wisconsin (Office for Coastal Management (OCM) Partners, 2018), (3) 2012 NOAA Digital Coast Topographic and Bathymetric LIDAR (OCM, 2017), and (4) 2008 NOAA Digital Coast Topographic and Bathymetric LIDAR (OCM, 2008). The TBDEM is provided as a 0.6-meter resolution raster dataset in GeoTIFF format.
References include:
(1) Dow, Brennan,2018, Assessment and mapping of the Milwaukee Estuary Habitat, Theses and Dissertations. 1785: Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, M.S., 49 p., [Also available at https://dc.uwm.edu/etd/1785].
(2) Office for Coastal Management (OCM) Partners, 2018: 2015 SEWRPC Lidar: Southeast WI (Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha Counties) (published 20180619): NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, accessed January 25, 2021 at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/58870 (3) Office for Coastal Management (OCM) Partners, 2017: 2012 USACE Great Lakes Topobathy Lidar: Lake Michigan (published 20170702): NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, accessed January 25, 2021 at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/49736. (4) Office for Coastal Management (OCM) Partners, 2008: 2008 USACE Great Lakes Topo/Bathy Lidar: Wisconsin (published 2008): NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, accessed January 25, 2021, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/50070.

These files contain topographic and bathymetric lidar data collected by the Compact Hydrographic Airborne Rapid Total Survey (CHARTS) system along the coast of Wisconsin. CHARTS integrates topographic and bathymetric lidar sensors, a digital camera and a hyperspectral scanner on a single remote sensing platform for use in coastal mapping and charting activities. Data coverage generally extend...

Product: These lidar data are processed Classified LAS 1.4 files, formatted to individual 1500 m x 1500 m tiles; used to create intensity images, 3D breaklines, and hydro-flattened DEMs as necessary. Geographic Extent: Rusk County covering approximately 939 total square miles.

Dataset Description: The WI_BrownRusk_2020_B20, Work Unit 193610 project called for the planning, acquisition, pr...

The Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise (JALBTCX) has performed a coastal survey along the Lake Superior coast of WI in 2009. The data types collected include bathymetry and topographic lidar point data, true color imagery and hyperspectral imagery. The collection effort follows the coastline and extends 500m inland and 1000m offshore or to laser extinction, whichever comes first. Topographic lidar is collected with 200% coverage, yielding a nominal 1m x 1m post-spacing. Where water conditions permit, the bathymetry lidar data will have a nominal post spacing of 4m x 4m. The true color imagery will have a pixel size approximately 35cm and the hyperspectral imagery will be provided in 1m pixels containing 36 bands between 375 - 1050 nm with 19 nm bandwidth. The final data will be tied to horizontal positions, provided in decimal degrees of latitude and longitude, and are referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). Vertical positions are referenced to the NAD83 ellipsoid and provided in meters. The National Geodetic Survey's (NGS) GEOID03 model is used to transform the vertical positions from ellipsoid to orthometric heights referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88). Once converted to orthometric heights, the data are then converted to the International Great Lakes Datum of 1985 (IGLD85) using the VDatum program from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

Product: These lidar data are processed Classified LAS 1.4 files, formatted to 1,228 individual 2500 ft x 2500 ft tiles; used to create Reflectance Images, 3D breaklines and hydro-flattened DEMs as necessary.

Geographic Extent: Kenosha and Racine counties, Wisconsin covering approximately 3,844 square miles.

Dataset Description: WI Kenosha-Racine Counties and IL 4 County QL1 Lidar projec...

Product: These lidar data are processed Classified LAS 1.4 files, formatted to 4610 individual 1000 m x 1000 m tiles; used to create intensity images, 3D breaklines, and hydro-flattened DEMs as necessary. Geographic Extent: 3 counties in Wisconsin, covering approximately 1622 total square miles. Dataset Description: The Wisconsin 3 County 2018 QL2 LiDAR project called for the planning, acquisit...

This lidar dataset was collected as part of an NCALM Seed grant for Collin Roland at the University of Wisconsin. This study used airborne lidar to assess Lake Michigan coastal erosion by measuring the geomorphic response to extremely high lake levels. The study area is along the coast of Lake Michigan, east of Milwaukee, WI and covers approximately 84 km2. Publications associated with this dataset can be found at NCALM's Data Tracking Center

This data represents LiDAR-derived breaklines in Buffalo County, Wisconsin in 2016. Hydro breaklines maintain the definition of water-related features in an elevation model. They are used to capture linear discontinuities in the surface, lake shorelines, single-line drains for small rivers, and double-line drains for large rivers.

These data were collected by Dewberry using a CZMIL Super Nova system. The data were acquired from 20220719 through 20220816. The data are rasterized topobathy lidar elevations at a 1 m grid spacing. This dataset consists of approximately 219 square miles of data along the shores of Green Bay and contains 2,630 500 m x 500 m GeoTiff files. In addition to these bare earth Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data, the lidar point data that these DEM data were created from are also available from the NOAA Digital Coast. A link to these data are provided in the URL section of this metadata record.

This data represents LiDAR-derived classified LAS points for Columbia County, Wisconsin in 2011. Point classification uses semi-automated techniques on the point cloud to assign the feature type associated with each point. LiDAR points can be classified into a number of categories including bare earth or ground, top of canopy, and water. The different classes are defined using numeric integer codes in the LAS files. This data is also available as a series of tiles to enable downloads of smaller, more specific areas within the county. To access the tiled data, please visit: https://www.sco.wisc.edu/scoapps/lidar/tile-search/?layer=columbia

This Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) high density lidar project encompassed the entirety of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, which covers approximately 250 square miles and includes a 333 foot buffer around the county boundary. The airborne lidar data was acquired at an aggregate nominal point density (ANPD) of 30 points per square meter. Project specifications are base...