2021 Bathymetric Lidar Digital Elevation Model for Sleeping Bear Dunes, Michigan

A 2-meter resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) derived from classified topo-bathy lidar point clouds collected over Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in August and September 2021. Woolpert, Inc., contracted NV5 to acquire the data using a Leica HawkEye 4X sensor, aiming for a vertical accuracy of less than or equal to 15 cm RMSE for bathymetric measurements. The dataset is intended to support new benthic mapping products using the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS).

Use Cases

• Model coastal erosion and sediment transport based on high-resolution underwater and topographic elevation data.
• Create benthic habitat maps using the elevation model aligned with the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS).
• Analyze beach and dune morphology changes from the bare earth DEM derived from classified lidar points.
• Support hydrodynamic modeling for the lakeshore area using the integrated topographic and bathymetric elevation data.

Strengths

• High-resolution 2-meter grid derived from lidar with a target vertical accuracy of ≤15 cm RMSE for bathymetry.
• Data collection dates (August 31 and September 3, 2021) are explicitly stated, providing temporal specificity.
• Point cloud data (classes 2, 40, 43) are also available for custom download, offering raw data access.

Limitations

• Row count and total file size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale projects.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The dataset's primary formats are PDF and HTML, which may require conversion for direct geospatial analysis.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Airborne lidar survey using a Leica HawkEye 4X sensor, with topographic ground control points collected.

Time Range

August 31 and September 3, 2021

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 22:18:22.659105; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan, North America