Contractor vertical accuracy checkpoints for 3D Elevation Program digital elevation models in the Northern Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coastal regions, 2012–2020

Vertical accuracy of elevation data in coastal environments is critical because small variations in elevation can affect an area’s exposure to waves, tides, and storm-related flooding. Elevation data contractors typically quantify the vertical accuracy of digital elevation models (DEMs) developed using light detection and ranging data acquisition on a per-project basis to gauge whether the datasets meet quality and accuracy standards. To better understand the vertical accuracy of DEMs along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coast, we collated over 5200 contractor points for this region that were collected for per-project-level analyses produced for assessing DEMs acquired for the U.S. Geological Survey’s 3D Elevation Program. Upon pooling these data, we integrated attributes related to land cover from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Coastal Change Assessment Program (C-CAP) 10 m BETA land cover product. Vegetative state, a derivative of land cover, was described as non-vegetated or vegetated. USGS Lidar Base Specification Quality Level (NGP, 2022), a derivative of point spacing, was obtained via the metadata of the elevation data, and regional classifiers were assigned based on dividing the coastal region using Everglades National Park and the North Carolina-Virginia border.