Coastal National Elevation Dataset (CoNED) - Topobathymetric Digital Elevation Model (TBDEM)

Accurate, high-resolution elevation information is vital to understanding highly dynamic U.S. coastal regions. The new dataset consists of a detailed and highly accurate elevation model incorporating the best available multi-source topographic and bathymetric elevation data. The Coastal National Elevation Database (CoNED) Project - topobathymetric digital elevation models (TBDEMs) integrate hundreds of different data sources including topographic and bathymetric LiDAR point clouds, hydrographic surveys, side-scan sonar surveys, and multibeam surveys obtained from multiple agencies. The LiDAR and bathymetry surveys were sorted and prioritized based on survey date, accuracy, spatial distribution, and point density to develop a model based on the best available elevation data. Because bathymetric data is typically referenced to tidal datums (such as Mean High Water or Mean Sea Level), all tidally-referenced heights were transformed into orthometric heights that are normally used for mapping elevation on land (based on the North American Vertical Datum of 1988).