Lidar Data for Minnesota

Lidar ("Light detection and ranging") is an active remote sensing technology that uses laser light to detect and measure surface features on the earth. Lidar-derived high-resolution elevation data products are available for all of Minnesota.

• Statewide Lidar Data Collections
• Education and Training
• Programs
• Uses of Lidar in MN

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Featured Resources

• Minnesota Geospatial Commons: Search on "lidar" to find lidar elevation and hydrography data, hillshades, and more lidar datasets and derivatives for Minnesota
• Minnesota Lidar Hub: The latest lidar information for Minnesota, including availability of data from the 2021-2024 statewide lidar acquisition
• Minnesota Lidar Plan: Aquisition plan for the 2021-2024 lidar collection in Minnesota
  • Minnesota Lidar Plan StoryMap: An introduction to lidar, how it is used in Minnesota, and the need for the 2021-2024 lidar acquisition.

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Statewide Lidar Data Collections

Two statewide lidar data acquisitions have taken place for Minnesota - visit the collection you're interested in to find more information and access the data and related derivatives: 

• Second Generation Statewide Lidar Collection: includes data collected 2021-2024
• First Generation Statewide Lidar Collection: includes data collected 2008-2012

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Uses of Lidar in Minnesota

Examples illustrating how lidar data is being used in Minnesota: 

• Protecting water quality
• Minnesota Solar Suitability Analysis project, which used Minnesota's statewide lidar data, wins Esri Climate Resilience App Challenge award
• View more lidar use examples on the Minnesota Lidar Hub, including uses by local government and for feature extraction!

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Education and Training

• Training Modules, Webinars, and Tools
  • Conservation Applications of Lidar (University of Minnesota) Six training modules on conservation applications of lidar. Each module was taught as a half- or full-day workshop at locations around Minnesota.
  • Webinars: 
    • Using Lidar data to Advance Local Conservation Work: An overview for managing administrators and non-technical staff, Tim Loesch, MN Dept. of Natural Resources, recorded June 12, 2013
    • Using Lidar-based Terrain Analysis Products, recorded May 22, 2013
  • Hydrology and Terrain Analysis Tools for Using Lidar Data (NRCS) Free python-based ArcGIS tools
    • Webinars
      • Hydrology and Terrain Analysis Tools, introduction to the tools, recorded February 6, 2013
      • Lidar-Based Design of Water and Sediment Control Basins: March 19, 2013 (only the introductory slides are online since the original webinar had technical problems)
    • Download the tools: as one zip file (updated: v. 1.1.14, 1/26/18)
• Glossary of Lidar-related Terms
• 2013 MN GIS/LIS Consortium Conference Presentation
  • Accessing and Viewing Minnesota Lidar Data On-line, Tim Loesch, MnDNR (25 slides, 5MB, PPTX)
• Lidar and DEM Tips and Tricks (9 MB, PPT), Tim Loesch, MnDNR, 2011 Tips to help effectively display Lidar and DEM data.
• Accessing and Using Minnesota Lidar Data Packets (2.4 GB, zipfile), Tim Loesch and Shelly Sentyrz, MnDNR, 10/5/11 Powerpoint slides, exercise materials and data from a GIS/LIS Consortium workshop. 
  • Slides only (29 MB, zipfile)
• Esri Training 
  • Search on "lidar" in Esri's Course Catalog.
• 3DGeo Education Workgroup
  • Identifies education and training needs.

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Programs

• 3DEP
  • The primary goal of 3DEP is to systematically collect enhanced elevation data over the United States and the U.S. territories. 
  • Base lidar specifications 
• Red River Basin Mapping Initiative
  • The goal of the Red River Basin Mapping Initiative was to use lidar to develop a high resolution DEM for the Red River of the North Basin south of the Canada-U.S. border.