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Committee on Spatial Data Enabling USGS
Strategic Science in the 21st Century
Mapping Science Committee
Board on Earth Sciences and Resources
Division on Earth and Life Studies
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001
NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing
Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of
the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute
of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for
their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.
This study was supported by Award No. 08HQ4G0145 between the National Academy of
Sciences and the U.S. Geological Survey. The opinions, findings, conclusions, or recom-
mendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily
reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.
Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by
the U.S. government.
International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-26457-0
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-26457-X
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2010921862
Additional copies of this report are available for sale from the National Academies Press,
500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-
3313; http://www.nap.edu/.
Cover: Cover design by Anne Rogers. Image courtesy of Michael Hitoshi/Stone/Getty
Images.
Copyright 2012 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
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The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of
distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the
furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the
authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate
that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr.
Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of
the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers.
It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with
the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government.
The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at
meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior
achievements of engineers. Dr. Charles M. Vest is president of the National Academy of
Engineering.
The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences
to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examina-
tion of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the
responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to
be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of
medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute
of Medicine.
The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in
1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy's
purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in
accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the
principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National
Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the
scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both
Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Charles M. Vest
are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.
www.national-academies.org
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COMMITTEE ON SPATIAL DATA ENABLING USGS STRATEGIC
SCIENCE IN THE 21ST CENTURY
ROBERT DENARO (Chair), Nokia Corporation, Chicago, Illinois
GEORGE BRIMHALL, University of California, Berkeley, California
ROBERT CHEN, Columbia University, Palisades, New York
ANDREA DONNELLAN, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California
MICHAEL EMCH, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North
Carolina
IAN JACKSON, British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham
JOHN KELMELIS, Pennsylvania State University, University Park,
Pennsylvania
XAVIER LOPEZ, Oracle Corporation, Nashua, New Hampshire
DENNIS OJIMA, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
BRIDGET SCANLON, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas
National Research Council Staff
MARK D. LANGE, Study Director
PEGGY TSAI, Program Officer
NICHOLAS D. ROGERS, Financial and Research Associate
JASON R. ORTEGO, Research Associate (until June 2012)
ERIC J. EDKIN, Senior Program Assistant (from September, 2010)
TONYA FONG YEE, Senior Program Assistant (until September, 2010)
NORMAN GROSSBLATT, Senior Editor
iv
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MAPPING SCIENCE COMMITTEE
DAVID R. MAIDMENT (Chair),The University of Texas, Austin, Texas
LUC E. ANSELIN, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
CECILIA R. ARAGON, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley,
California
BUDHENDRA L. BHADURI, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge,
Tennessee
SUSAN CARSON LAMBERT, EarthWorks, LLC, Frankfort, Kentucky
LEWIS A. LAPINE, South Carolina Geodetic Survey, Columbia, South
Carolina
CAROLYN J. MERRY, Ohio State University, Columbus
JAYANT SHARMA, Oracle Spatial, Nashua, New Hampshire
DANIEL Z. SUI, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
MICHAEL F. WORBOYS, University of Maine, Orono, Maine
MAY YUAN, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
National Research Council Staff
ANNE M. LINN, Senior Program Officer
ERIC J. EDKIN, Senior Program Assistant
v
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BOARD ON EARTH SCIENCES AND RESOURCES
CORALE BRIERLEY (Chair), Brierley Consultancy, LLC, Denver, Colorado
WILLIAM E. DIETRICH, University of California, Berkeley
WILLIAM L. GRAF, University of South Carolina, Calcott
RUSSELL J. HEMLEY, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC
MURRAY W. HITZMAN, Colorado School of Mines, Golden
EDWARD KAVAZANJIAN, JR., Arizona State University, Tempe
DAVID R. MAIDMENT,The University of Texas, Austin, Texas
ROBERT McMASTER, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
M. MEGHAN MILLER, UNAVCO, Inc., Boulder, Colorado
ISABEL P. MONTAÑEZ, University of California, Davis
CLAUDIA INÉS MORA, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico
BRIJ M. MOUDGIL, University of Florida, Gainesville
CLAYTON R. NICHOLS, Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory
(retired), Sandpoint
HENRY N. POLLACK, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
DAVID T. SANDWELL, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California
PETER M. SHEARER, University of California, San Diego
REGINAL SPILLER, Allied Energy, Houston, Texas
TERRY C. WALLACE, JR., Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New
Mexico
National Research Council Staff
ANTHONY R. DE SOUZA, Director (until April 2012)
ELIZABETH A. EIDE, Director (from April 2012)
ANNE M. LINN, Senior Program Officer
SAMMANTHA L. MAGSINO, Senior Program Officer
MARK D. LANGE, Program Officer
NICHOLAS D. ROGERS, Financial and Research Associate
COURTNEY GIBBS, Program Associate
ERIC J. EDKIN, Senior Program Assistant
CHANDA IJAMES, Program Assistant
vi
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Preface
T
his report summarizes the findings and recommendations of the Com-
mittee on Spatial Data Enabling USGS Strategic Science in the 21st
Century. The National Research Council (NRC) has published several
reports that have helped to guide the development of the spatial data infrastruc-
ture (SDI) both in the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and nationally (1993,
1994, 1995, 2001, 2003, 2007). Those reports envisioned an SDI for the USGS
and the nation and suggested the research needed to achieve that vision. Over
the last decade, the USGS has conducted breakthrough research that has over-
come some of the challenges associated with implementing a large SDI. This
report is intended to ground those efforts by providing a practical roadmap to
full implementation of an SDI to enable the USGS to conduct strategic science.
The committee was charged by the USGS to examine progress made in
establishing spatial data infrastructures and the challenges faced by them in the
context of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure. The committee examined
the role that the USGS can play in continuing to ensure access to high-quality
geospatial data and in supporting their use in scientific analyses and decision-
making through an SDI construct. The committee was charged with three main
tasks: identify existing knowledge and document lessons learned during previous
efforts to develop SDIs and their support of scientific endeavors; develop a vision
for optimizing an SDI to organize, integrate, access, and use scientific data; and
create a roadmap to guide the USGS in accomplishing the vision within the scope
of the USGS Science Strategy.
To address its charge, the committee examined SDI development in local,
state, national, and international contexts and solicited advice from a variety of
sources. Program managers and scientists in federal agencies, state organizations,
vii
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viii PREFACE
and academe provided programmatic information and user perspectives on future
research directions. The committee also requested written feedback from leaders
and data users in the geospatial community who generously provided guidance
regarding what has and has not worked in SDI development; the major technical,
organizational, cultural, policy, financial challenges still facing SDI development;
and their own vision of an effective SDI at the USGS.
The committee was struck by the similarity of challenges faced by other
organizations in developing their SDIs; the experiences cited in Chapter 3 on
lessons learned are rich with examples of approaches that may be particularly
valuable to the USGS. But a recurrent theme in nearly all the case studies was
the crucial role of leadership in implementing an SDI. A strong, energetic, and
inspirational leader with senior-level authority who stays with the program for the
long term is the cornerstone of a successful program. The leader will be instru-
mental in executing the outside partnerships that are essential to the mission of
the USGS and establishment of its SDI.
The names of respondents and other persons consulted by the committee are
listed in Appendix B. Many of the conclusions and recommendations reached by
the committee reflect ideas articulated in their thoughtful contributions; however,
any errors or omissions are the responsibility of the committee, not of the exter-
nal contributors. Finally, the committee expresses its gratitude to the NRC study
director, Mark Lange, for his efforts in managing the committee and editing its
report and to NRC staff Peggy Tsai, Jason Ortego, Eric Edkin, and Tonya Fong
Yee, who assisted the committee extensively with Web site development, docu-
ment tracking and assembly, and logistics.
Robert Denaro
Chair
References
NRC (National Research Council). 1993. Toward a Coordinated Spatial Data Infrastruc-
ture for the Nation. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
NRC 1994. Promoting the National Spatial Data Infrastructure Through Partnerships.
Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
NRC. 1995. A Data Foundation For The National Spatial Data Infrastructure. Washing-
ton, DC: National Academy Press.
NRC. 2001. National Spatial Data Infrastructure Partnership Programs: Rethinking the
Focus. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
NRC. 2003. Weaving a National Map: Review of the U.S. Geological Survey Concept
of The National Map. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
NRC. 2007. A Research Agenda for Geographic Information Science at the United
States Geological Survey Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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Acknowledgments
T
his report has been reviewed in draft form by persons chosen for their
diverse perspectives and technical expertise in accordance with procedures
approved by the National Research Council's Report Review Committee.
The purpose of the independent review is to provide candid and critical com-
ments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as
possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards of objectivity,
evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft
manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the process. We thank
the following for their review of this report:
Paul Birkel, The MITRE Corporation
Virginia H. Dale, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Ruth Duerr, National Snow and Ice Data Center
John Moeller, JJ Moeller & Associates LLC
Jay B. Parrish, Pennsylvania State University
Cyrus Shahabi, University of Southern California
David G. Tarboton, Utah State University
Bastiaan van Loenen, Delft Technical University
Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments
and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recom-
mendations, nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The
review of this report was overseen by William E. Easterling, Pennsylvania State
University. Appointed by the National Research Council, he was responsible for
making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out
ix
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x PREFACE
Acknowledgments
in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were
carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests with
the author committee and the institution.
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Contents
SUMMARY1
1INTRODUCTION 7
Study Scope, 7
Organization of the Report, 9
2BACKGROUND 11
Defining a Spatial Data Infrastructure, 11
Current Status of the USGS SDI: The National Map, 12
The USGS Science Strategy, 15
The Challenge of an SDI for Science and Decision-making, 24
3 KEY CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNED 32
Organizations and Types of SDIs Examined, 32
U.S. Geological Survey's Spatial Data Infrastructure Initiatives, 50
Findings, 57
4 A VISION FOR OPTIMIZING THE USGS SPATIAL DATA
INFRASTRUCTURE62
Discover and Share for the Long Term, 62
Standards,63
Enterprise Data Management for an SDI, 65
Application Services to Engage and Support Scientific Questions, 67
Institutional Leadership and Culture, 69
xi
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xii
External Service Integration, Partnerships, and Governance, 69
5 A ROADMAP FOR SPATIAL DATA INFRASTRUCTURE
IMPLEMENTATION71
A Roadmap, 71
Organizational Considerations for Successful SDI Implementation, 74
Technical Considerations, 80
Closing Remarks, 86
APPENDIXES
A Committee and Staff Biographies 89
B Presentations to the Committee 96
C On-line Questionnaire 98
D Questionnaire Responses 100
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Abbreviations
AIP architecture implementation pilot
API application programming interface
BGS British Geological Survey
BLM Bureau of Land Management
CBP Containment Biology Program
CEGIS Center of Excellence for Geographical Information Science
CEO chief executive officer
COP common operating picture
CUAHSI Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic
Science
DAAC Data Analysis and Archiving Center
DAMA Data Management Association
DEM digital elevation model
DOE Department of Energy
DOI Department of the Interior
DOQ digital orthophotograph quadrangle
DRG digital raster graphic
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
EROS Earth Resources Observation Systems
ETevapotranspiration
EU European Union
xiii
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xiv ABBREVIATIONS
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
FGDC Federal Geographic Data Committee
FLIR forward-looking infrared
FWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
GA Geoscience Australia
GEO Group on Earth Observations
GEOINT geospatial intelligence
GeoSciML geoscience markup language
GEOSS Global Earth Observation System of Systems
GIS geographic information system
GRACE Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment
HHS Department of Health and Human Services
HIS hydrologic information system
ICT information and communications technology
IFSAR interferometric synthetic aperture radar
IFTN Imagery for the Nation
INSPIRE Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
IT information technology
IUGSCGI International Union of Geological Sciences Commission for the
Management and Application of Geoscience Information
LIDAR light detection and ranging
LULC land useland cover
NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NAWQA National Water Quality Assessment Program
NBII The National Biological Information Infrastructure
NCAR National Center for Atmospheric Research
NCGIS National Center for Geospatial Intelligence Standards
NDCDB National Digital Cartographic Database
NED National Elevation Dataset
NEON National Ecological Observatory Network
NGA National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
NHD National Hydrography Dataset
NHDPlus National Hydrography Dataset Plus
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NPS National Park Service
NSDI National Spatial Data Infrastructure
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ABBREVIATIONS xv
NSF National Science Foundation
NSG National Systems for Geospatial Intelligence
ODM observations data model
OGC Open Geospatial Consortium
OMB Office of Management and Budget
OWS open web services
PAGER Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response
RGE research graded evaluation
RMSE root mean square error
SBA societal benefit areas
SDI spatial data infrastructure
TM Thematic Mapper
TNM The National Map
TNRIS Texas Natural Resources Information System
UAVSAR unmanned air vehicle synthetic aperture radar
UN United Nations
UNSDI UN Spatial Data Infrastructure
USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture
USGS U.S. Geological Survey
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