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April 2020
PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING & REMOTE SENSING
PHOTOGRAMMETRIC
ENGINEERING &
REMOTE SENSING
J
ournal
S
taff
Publisher ASPRS
Editor-In-Chief Alper Yilmaz
Assistant Editor Jie Shan
Assistant Director — Publications Rae Kelley
Electronic Publications Manager/Graphic Artist
Matthew Austin
Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing
is the official journal
of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. It is
devoted to the exchange of ideas and information about the applications of
photogrammetry, remote sensing, and geographic information systems. The
technical activities of the Society are conducted through the following Technical
Divisions: Geographic Information Systems, Photogrammetric Applications,
Lidar, Primary Data Acquisition, Professional Practice, and Remote Sensing
Applications. Additional information on the functioning of the Technical
Divisions and the Society can be found in the Yearbook issue of
PE&RS.
Correspondence relating to all business and editorial matters pertaining
to this and other Society publications should be directed to the American
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The United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7.2M. Alaska
became a state in 1959 and has vast natural resources that remain largely unex-
plored today. Alaska was never mapped to National Map Accuracy Standards and
has never had statewide digital orthophotos -- common in every other state. Why,
you ask? Even today, there are very few photo-identifiable control points in a large
state that spreads over 10 UTM zones; GPS hadn’t been invented yet in the 1960s
to survey in remote areas, many of which are inaccessible; for decades, we didn’t
have cloud free aerial or satellite imagery in many areas because of persistent
cloud cover; and modern aerial triangulation techniques had not been invented
yet. It was no surprise to learn that some mountains in the National Elevation
Dataset had been mapped a mile away from their correct location, so attempts to
produce orthophotos resulted in streams that appeared to flow over hills rather
than through the valleys.
In 1884, John Wesley Powell, 2
nd
Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in
his testimony to Congress, stated: “A Government cannot do any scientific work of
more value to the people at large, than by causing the construction of proper topo-
graphic maps of the country.” That statement is as true today as it was in 1884.
In 2008, the Alaska Statewide Digital Mapping Initiative (SDMI) hired Dewberry
Engineers to prepare the
Alaska DEM Whitepaper
that recommended aerial IfSAR
(which maps through clouds) for statewide mapping at mid-accuracy. Dewberry
was selected to write this whitepaper because it had edited and authored the
ASPRS textbook:
Digital Elevation Model Technologies and Applications: The DEM
Users Manual
that provided guidance on the need to establish user requirements,
accompanied by chapters explaining the advantages and disadvantages of pho-
togrammetry, IfSAR, topographic and bathymetric lidar, and sonar for mapping of
elevations from the tops of the mountains to the depths of the waters. Dewberry
stressed the fact that the topographic layer is foundational and must be correct
in order for other mapping layers to fit together in compliance with accuracy
standards
In 2009, Dewberry prepared the
Alaska DEM Funding and Implementation Plan
on
how to pay for statewide IfSAR mapping by cost sharing among stakeholders. Be-
tween 2010 and 2020, as a USGS prime contractor, Dewberry subcontracted with
Fugro EarthData and Intermap Technologies to produce hydro-enforced DTMs and
DSMs and Ortho-rectified Radar Imagery (ORIs), with QA/QC checkpoints surveyed
by JOA Surveys. Dewberry performed all management and QA/QC. Dewberry also
subcontracted with CompassData to survey the official elevation of Denali (20,310
ft.) with GPS and to survey the depth of the ice and snow on Denali’s peak (6.1
meters) using ground penetrating radar (GPR).
The IfSAR mapping was paid for by USGS, the state of Alaska, and other federal
stakeholders, and cost $67.3M to complete in 2020. Statewide US Topo maps and
digital orthophotos will be available from USGS in 2021.
The front cover, from Intermap Technologies, compares the hydro-rich IfSAR DTM
(top) with the prior DTM from the NED (bottom) for a portion of the Kuskokwim
River. The accompanying highlight article summarizes the challenges and joys of
mapping America’s Last Frontier. The article includes several quotes from Kevin
Gallagher, USGS Associate Director, Core Science Systems, who provides great
insights into the value of this mapping program now, and over the next 20, 30 or
50 years.
