This document discusses Hawaii and Pacific Basin orthoimagery updates. It provides an overview of recent and planned orthoimagery acquisitions by USDA-NRCS in Hawaii and the Pacific Basin. Key points include: - USDA-NRCS has collected high-resolution orthoimagery for nearly all land areas in Hawaii and the Pacific Basin using satellite imagery. - Recent acquisitions include new DigitalGlobe WorldView-2 imagery for all Hawaiian islands, providing the first statewide coverage with 8-band multi-spectral data. - Plans are outlined to acquire additional imagery for Hawaii island and other areas in 2012 to fill gaps and improve cloud coverage. - Distribution of the imagery

1. Hawaii and Pacific Basin Orthoimagery Update
Hawaii Geographic Information Coordinating Council
March 5th, 2012
Above the Clouds on Haleakala Crater NP at Sunset
Tony Kimmet
USDA-NRCS-National Geospatial Management Center

2. What is USDA-Nature Resources Conservation Service?
Provide support for
Conservation, Soil Survey, and
Wildlife Habitat Restoration
primary on private lands.
NRCS works with Private Land
owners including …
- Native American
- Native Alaskan
- Asian Pacific Islanders
NRCS is largely a non regulatory
agency.
2

3. Mission: To provide USDA-NRCS and
cooperators with accessible, always
available, up-to-date, authoritative, and
trusted geospatial data and value-added
cartography and geospatial services:
Key Services:
- Mapping Sciences
- Orthoimagery (Aerial, Satellite)
- DEM/Elevation Data (LiDAR, IfSAR)
- Global Positioning Systems
- GIS/Remote Training for USDA
- Web Services (ArcMap and URL
Internet access)
- Geospatial Data Integration & Support
for NRI/WRP, Soil Survey, Engineering
and Conservation Planning (CDSI).
- Inter-Governmental Coordination on
Orthoimagery, DEM’s and GPS.
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/ngmc 3

4. Kauai
Niihau
Oahu
Molokai
Maui
Lanai
Kahoolawe
Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands NRCS Offices

5. Guam NRCS Offices
NRCS Office Locations
Pacific Basin
Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands NRCS Offices
Fairbanks
Mariana Islands
NRCS Office
Anchorage
Juneau
Kodiak
American Samoa NRCS Office
Alaska NRCS Offices
Palau NRCS Office
• USDA-NRCS invests in Geospatial Data such as Soil Survey, Orthoimagery, Digital Elevation in all areas of
the United States including Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Alaska, Hawaii and the Pacific Basin.
• NRCS has over 35 offices and 200 employees who require quality Geospatial Data and Services.
USDA-NRCS Office

7. USDA-Web Soil Survey

8. USDA-NRCS Program Initiative

9. Since the early 1990’s, the Federal
Government has worked together to
acquire Orthoimagery for the United
States.
NDOP members believe in acquisition
partnerships to best utilize limited
funding and have the “one payer, many
users” model.
NDOP was responsible for the first
complete Orthoimagery acquisition in
the continental US.
9
Including coordination w/ NPS, BIA, FWS, EPA and USACOE

10. Why USDA for Orthoimagery ?
•USDA supports GIS data acquisition and development in all geographical
areas of the United States including Hawaii, Pacific Basin, Alaska, Puerto
Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
•USDA collects the most Orthoimagery of any Civilian Government Agency.
•USDA supports Special Emphasis Programs such as the Pacific Islanders
programs.

12. USDA 2011 Acquisition Highlights – Continental US

14. Alaska Update

15. USDA-NRCS Digital Orthoimagery Acquisition in Alaska
2005-2006 Status Graphic

16. Other Tasking by NRCS Alaska –
ASRC/FAS Contract
• NRI - Remote Segments
– 854 AOI’s awarded to Geoeye
– $993,097
50 sq. km AOI’s -
9 NRI segments per AOI
– 1:24000 NMAS
– 20% or less CC
– Tier 2 License
– 10% Delivered in 06

17. 2011/2012 Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Acquisition Plan
•High Resolution Orthoimagery, 1 feet, 4 Band Orthoimagery for Puerto Rico and the US
Virgin Islands.
-USACOE, NGA, USGS and USDA-NRCS/FS are principle funding partners.
- Acquisition finished in January, 2012.

18. Hawaiian History of Orthoimagery 1993 - 2012
There are many programs from the late 1970’s to 2012.
I will focus on the following:
- USGS 1993 – 1995
- USDA-NRCS/FSA (Emerge)
- Hawaiian Ikonos Consortium (State of Hawaii, USDA-NRCS etc..)
- USDA-NRCS (DigitalGlobe QuickBird-2)
- USDA-NRCS, USGS, State of Hawaii, USFS (DigitalGlobe WorldView-2)

19. History of Hawaii Orthoimagery
1. USGS Statewide Digital Ortho Quarter Quads (DOQQ’s): 1 - 1.5 meter
Panchromatic, DOQ format (BIL), 1993 .1995 timeframe.
- IDP, or imagery derived product, meaning they are only releasable to Federal
agencies that sign non-disclosure agreements)
Issue: IDP DOQ.s are only releasable to federal agencies and their contractors,
because they are marked .U.S. Government Use Only. by NIMA (where the photography
originated) and the USGS. This distribution is too small to allow this dataset to serve as
the spatial standard .

20. USDA - NRCS/FSA EMERGE Statewide Digital Ortho Quarter Quads (DOQQ’s)
- First use of a Digital Aerial Camera for collecting an entire state (Hawaii)
- All eight major islands contracted
- Contract from 1997 – 2002 (Maximum length of Federal Contract)
- Public Domain dataset
- False Color Infrared (CIR): Needed for Soil Mapping Applications
- No true natural color Orthoimagery
- Quality was fair.

21. USDA-NRCS/FSA collected Orthoimagery for the Hawaii Islands in 1997-2002.
When the contracts finished in 2002, 70% of the Hawaiian Islands was
successfully collected at a cost of +1.0 Million.

22. What motivates you in your position or field?
•I went to the USDA-NRCS Field Office while in Maui about 10 years ago to assist in the installation of the
Emerge Orthoimagery dataset.
•While there I loaded in Arc GIS the Threatened & Endangered Species datasets similar to the one above.

23. Hawaiian Islands - Endangered Species
•Hawaii comprises less than .02 percent of the land area of the United States,
yet it has more than 25 percent of the country's listed endangered species.
•Nearly half of the 114 species that have become extinct in the first 20 years of
the federal Endangered Species Act were in Hawaii.
•Invasive species (Flora and Fauna) contribute to Plants and Animals
Threaten/Endangered species in the Hawaii Islands.
•The following few slides discuss the “Kahilli Ginger” or Himalayas Ginger in
•Makawao Forest Preserve in East Maui.

24. Hawaiian Islands
December 2009
• As a result of the Emerge Aerial acquisition collection, Satellite
Technology was considered for the subsequence collection.
• USDA- NRCS started using Satellite acquisition in 2004 with primary
DigitalGlobe. Complete statewide acquisition was finished in 2009.
• Oahu is collected by DHS/NGA/USGS as part of the Urban 133 areas
project in 2004 and 2008.
• All islands have DG .6 Meter Resolution, Four Band Orthoimagery
data except Oahu (1 Ft., Natural Color).
• Complete coverage was accomplished in 2009 with the deliveries of
DOQQ’s for Hawaii Island at a cost of ~ $ 600,000 including Enterprise
Premium upgrades.

25. DigitalGlobe Enterprise Premium License would allow the following:
- All Federal/State/Local Government, Universities, Non-Profit Organizations
and the General Public would be allowed to use DG Satellite data.
- Allows USDA to post compressed mosaics on the “Public” side of the USDA
Gateway. All users would have access to these datasets.
- Allows DigitalGlobe data to be hosted on a Web Map Service (WMS)
available to the General Public if the site does not charge a fee for the service.
- DigitalGlobe currently does not offer a “Public Domain” license for
QuickBird-2 data. The Enterprise Premium License is the most open license
available from DigitalGlobe.
- The only exclusion in broad terms of the Enterprise Premium License is that
DigitalGlobe data itself could not be re-sold by anyone else (Vendors,
Universities etc..).

26. Constellation Covering the Spectrum
DG-WV2 Successfully Launched
Fall, 2009
Minimum Lower Maximum Upper
Band Name Band Edge (nm) Band Edge (nm) Sensors
Panchromatic 400 - 450 800 -900
Coastal 400 450
Blue 450 510 - 520
Green 510 - 520 580 - 600
Yellow 585 625
Red 630 690
Red Edge 705 745
NIR1 760 -770 895 - 900
NIR2 860 1040
3/14/2012 DigitalGlobe Proprietary 26

27. Hawaiian Islands
Status of DG-WV2 Delivered in 2010-2011
Delivered in 2012
?
•USGS, State of Hawaii and USDA will contract for
complete coverage of all 8 major Hawaiian Islands with
DigitalGlobe/WorldView-2 Satellite Orthoimagery.
•ALL of Hawaii will be collected with DigitalGlobe –
WorldView-2, 8 Band Multi-Spectral Imagery!
•Hawaii will be the first state with complete coverage of
High Resolution Multi-Spectral data!

28. Hawaii Imagery Specifications
- Basically the specs for Imagery for the Nation (IFTN)
- 8 Multi-Spectral Bands/Pan Band (8 Band Bundle)
- Enterprise Premium License (Minimum requirement for Imagery for the Nation!)
- Approval from USDA-NRCS before production of Orthoimagery (goal of 98%
Cloud Free or higher)

29. Kauai
DG-WV-2

31. Please Note: Extra coastal Oahu, Hawaii
water areas are acquired
when possible.
DG-WorldView2
Image Dates:
January 2011 (+ 95%)

32. Oahu, DG-WV2
CIR (Bands 3,4,7)

33. Oahu, DG-WV2
CIR (Bands 3,4,7)

34. Niihau
DG-WV2

35. Kahoolawe
DG-WV2

36. DG shipped WV2 imagery:
Maui, Hawaii
DigitalGlobe, WorldView-2
September, 2010 - Last NDOP-TMS/IADIWG
16 Bit, Original Values meeting a briefing was made
on an upcoming review of
different Satellite data formats
was discussed.

38. Maui, Version 3, 2/07/2011
Radiometric Balanced
16 Bit, 8 Band
Official Release Version

39. New Hawaiian Orthoimagery

40. Lanai, Hawaii, DG-WV2, August 2011

41. Lanai, Hawaii
DG-WV2
December 2011

42. Lanai, Hawaii
DG-WV2
December 2011

43. Lanai, Hawaii
DG-WV2
December 2011
North Shore
Soil Erosion/Sedimentation Issue?

44. Molokai, Hawaii, DG-WV-2, January, 2011

45. Molokai, Hawaii, DG-WV2, December, 2011

46. Molokai, Hawaii
DG-WV2
December 2011

47. Molokai, Hawaii
DG-WV2
December 2011

48. Hawaii Status
Due to funding considerations and availability of WV-2 Imagery, Hawaii was split into 3 AOI’s.
Green Area: This area had good WV-2 Imagery in 2010 and has already been delivered to NRCS
via USGS-MCMC.
Orange Area: This AOI has been contracted for tasking. Good imagery exists for most areas with
significant cloud patching. This AOI was contracted via USGS-MCMC in August 2010.
Blue Area: This AOI has been contracted for tasking. Good imagery exists for most areas with
significant cloud patching. This AOI was contracted via HIES Inc. Environmental Engineering,
GIS & Remediation Services in August 2010 with funding from the State of Hawaii (Joan/Craig)

49. East End, Hilo
Hawaii
DG-WV2, Partial
Volcano’s National Park (4 Band)

50. Hawaii DG-WV2 Status, November 2011

51. Hawaii DG-WV2 Status, November 2011

52. Tasking Required Hawaii Island Status
For DG-WV2
DG-WV2
February 2012
Imagery is DG-QB2

53. The Nature Conservancy
Makawao, Maui
53

54. Searching on Bing/Google you will
note many cooperative partnerships
between NRCS and The Nature
Conservancy.

55. Species List provided by
US Fish and Wildlife Service

56. Maui, Makawao Forest Preserve, Google, Oct 2011

57. Maui, Makawao Forest Preserve, USDA, IMG Format, Oct 2011

58. Makawao Forest Preserve, Maui, Hawaii, The Nature Conservancy Land Area USDA-NRCS DG-WV2
Orthoimagery, Bands 7-4-3

59. Endangered-Rare
Species are threaten by
Feral Pigs, Goats and
over abundance of Axis
Deer. In addition,
Invasive species such
as Himalayan Ginger
plants are a major threat
to native species.

60. Makawao Forest Preserve, Maui, Hawaii, The Nature Conservancy Land Area USDA-NRCS DG-WV2
Orthoimagery, Bands 7-4-3

61. Himalayas Ginger
Invasive Species

62. In some cases special
barriers are erected
to save an endangered
species

64. Conclusion:
The Nature Conservancy will examine the new
DigitalGlobe WorldView-2, 8 Band MS dataset for
vegetation detection of threatened/endangered species
and to detect invasive species such as the Himalayas
Ginger.

65. Pacific Basin
Orthoimagery Activity

66. Pacific Basin Orthoimagery Data Distribution

67. USDA-NRCS Orthoimagery Distribution Status
Pacific Basin Status
• USDA has collected approximately ~ 98% of all land mass within the jurisdiction of the
United States:
- Guam
- Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
- Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
- Palau
- American Samoa
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Marshall Islands
- US Trusts (Palmyra, Wake, etc..)
• Most islands acquired also contain any visible shallow water reef areas.
• All data is Satellite One Meter or higher resolution (DG-QB2, DG-WV2, GeoEye-1)
• USDA upgraded most but not all DG-QB2 and all new DG-WV2 data to Enterprise Premium
License in Fall 2009.
•Data delivered starting in May 2011. More or less a farewell present to Henry Wolter!

68. Distribution List (11/20/11) for USDA-NRCS Orthoimagery for Hawaii & Pacific Basin.
Most data has been distributed by NRCS-NGMC or USGS-Hawaii (Henry Wolter).
- NRCS - Hawaii
- FSA - (Hawaii, APFO-Salt Lake City)
- USGS Hawaii(Henry Wolter)
- University of Hawaii (Many locations in Hawaii-Oahu, Hilo, Majuro/Marshall Islands)
- USFS (4 Location in California, Oregon and Hawaii)
- USGS-Rocky Mountain Mapping Center
- USGS-Eros Data Center (EDC)
- USGS- Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (Santa Cruz, CA)
- NOAA (Several Locations including South Carolina, Maryland and Hawaii)
- DOD - Florida (Soon will receive)
- NGA (2 Locations, USGS-EDC and Maryland - Soon)
- DHS (FBI, CG, Secret Service and others via USGS in Hawaii)
- Pacific Disaster Center (Kihei, Maui and Honolulu, Oahu)
- The Natures Conservancy (Several Locations)
- West Maui Watershed
- Maui County
- FAA/SOA Training (IfSAR, Maui-WV2, Kauai-WV2, Nicholas Mastrodicasa)
- Island Conservation (David Will, Santa Cruz)
- NPS (Several Locations, Maui, American Samoa, Denver etc..)
- EPA (Washington DC, Raleigh, NC)

69. Pacific Basin – New Orthoimagery for 2012

70. USDA & NDOP Cooperation of Pacific Basin Orthoimagery
USDA-NRCS/USFS/NOAA 2011 Acquisition Highlights – Pacific Basin
Current List of Pacific Basin Areas to be acquired (August, 2011).
- Guam: High Resolution Orthoimagery and LiDAR (via NGA/USGS)
- American Samoa: (Tutuila, East & West Manua, Swain, Rose) Complete Coverage!!!
- Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands: Saipan
- Federated States of Micronesia: Chuuk Islands, Ant Atoll
- Marshall Islands: Majuro (Capital), Kwajalein, Arno, Ailinglaplap, Namorik, Wotje, Lae,
and Jaluit.
NOAA Collected the following (DG-WV2, 8 Band)
- North West Hawaiian Islands: Midway, French Frigate Shoals, Gardner Pinnacles,
Kure Atoll, Laysan Island, Lisianski Island, Maro Reef and Pearl and Hermes Atoll

71. CNMI-Saipan Imagery Tests
•USDA-NRCS-NGMC received a comment from a user of the new Saipan,
CNMI from DigitalGlobe WorldView-2 that the data was not horizontal
accurate compared to Orthoimagery from NOAA.
•USDA-NRCS-NGMC asked NOAA-Coastal Services Center (Erik Hund,
Charleston, SC) to assist in a accuracy assessment of the new Saipan
DG-WV2 dataset.

72. CNMI-Saipan Accuracy Testing
NOAA/2002 USDA/2011

73. Saipan 2012
DG-WV2 Saipan, CNMI
Orthoimagery Accuracy from DG: 1:12,000
Ordered: 8 Band Bundle (Pan / 8 MS)
Image Date: 2/19/2011
Clouds: Less than 1%
NADIR: 29 Degrees
Pan Sharpen at USDA: ERDAS 2011.04
- High Pass Filter
-Weighting Factor: .56
- Center Value: 106
- 8 Band Pan Sharpen Product produced

74. NOAA Accuracy Tests
•NOAA has Ground Control Points
(GCP’s) for 23 Sites in Saipan.
•Photo’s of GCP locations were also
taken.

75. 15 07 24.16 N
145 43 26.69 E
Saipan GCP Sample

79. Sample Orthoimagery Issues

80. DG-WV2
Orthoimagery Smear
American Samoa, East Manua (Tau)

81. Orthoimagery Issue
East Manua, American Samoa
NADIR = 25%
Very Steep
Landscape
Requested
Unprocessed Imagery
(2/29/2012)

82. Hawaii and Pacific Basin Orthoimagery Data Distribution

83. USDA-NRCS Orthoimagery Distribution Status
Pacific Basin Status
• USDA has collected approximately ~ 98% of all land mass within the jurisdiction of the
United States:
- Guam
- Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
- Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
- Palau
- American Samoa
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Marshall Islands
- US Trusts (Palmyra, Wake, etc..)
• Most islands acquired also contain any visible shallow water reef areas.
• All data is Satellite One Meter or higher resolution (DG-QB2, DG-WV2, GeoEye-1)
• USDA upgraded most but not all DG-QB2 and all new DG-WV2 data to Enterprise Premium
License in Fall 2009.
•Data delivered starting in May 2011. More or less a farewell present to Henry Wolter!

84. Distribution List (02/2012) for USDA-NRCS Orthoimagery for Hawaii & Pacific Basin.
Most data has been distributed by NRCS-NGMC or USGS-Hawaii (Henry Wolter).
- NRCS - Hawaii
- FSA - (Hawaii, APFO-Salt Lake City)
- USGS Hawaii(Henry Wolter)
- University of Hawaii (Many locations in Hawaii-Oahu, Hilo, Majuro/Marshall Islands)
- USFS (4 Location in California, Oregon and Hawaii)
- USGS-Rocky Mountain Mapping Center
- USGS-Eros Data Center (EDC)
- USGS- Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (Santa Cruz, CA)
- NOAA (Several Locations including South Carolina, Maryland and Hawaii)
- DOD - Florida (Soon will receive)
- NGA (2 Locations, USGS-EDC and Maryland - Soon)
- DHS (FBI, CG, Secret Service and others via USGS in Hawaii)
- Pacific Disaster Center (Kihei, Maui and Honolulu, Oahu)
- The Natures Conservancy (Several Locations)
- West Maui Watershed
- Maui County
- FAA/SOA Training (IfSAR, Maui-WV2, Kauai-WV2, Nicholas Mastrodicasa)
- Island Conservation (David Will, Santa Cruz)
- NPS (Several Locations, Maui, American Samoa, Denver etc..)
- EPA (Washington DC, Raleigh, NC)

85. Pacific Basin – New Orthoimagery for 2012

86. USDA & NDOP Cooperation of Pacific Basin Orthoimagery
USDA-NRCS/USFS/NOAA 2011 Acquisition Highlights – Pacific Basin
Current List of Pacific Basin Areas to be acquired (August, 2011).
- Guam: High Resolution Orthoimagery and LiDAR
- American Samoa: (Tutuila, East & West Manua, Swain, Rose)Complete Coverage!!!
- Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands: Saipan
- Federated States of Micronesia: Chuuk Islands, Ant Atoll
- Marshall Islands: Majuro (Capital), Kwajalein, Arno, Ailinglaplap, Namorik, Wotje, Lae,
and Jaluit.
NOAA Collected the following (DG-WV2, 8 Band)
- North West Hawaiian Islands: Midway, French Frigate Shoals, Gardner Pinnacles,
Kure Atoll, Laysan Island, Lisianski Island, Maro Reef and Pearl and Hermes Atoll

87. Sample New Orthoimagery
March, 2012

88. DigitalGlobe WorldView-2
American Samoa – Tutuila
September, 2011
.5 Meter Resolution , 8 Multi-Spectral Bands

89. Kwajalein, Marshall Islands

90. Hawaii/Pacific Basin Orthoimagery Distribution 2012
#1) Hawaii, Version 1 (QB-2, 2009), Complete Orthoimagery for all
islands
#2) Pacific Basin, Version 1 (Mostly QB-2, Summer 2011), Complete
Orthoimagery data for all islands
#3) Hawaii, Version 2 (DG-WV2, 8 Bands, Summer 2011), Islands =
Oahu, Kauai, Niihau, Maui, Kahoolawe
You should have the above. If not please contact Tony Kimmet, USDA-
NRCS
#4) Hawaii, Pacific Basin (DG-WV2).
Hawaii = Molokai, Lanai
Pacific Basin = American Samoa, Marshall Islands etc..
- May reprocess Hawaii DG-WV2
- New Compression Files (ECW, 8 Bands)
Estimated Delivery Early Summer 2012

91. USDA Sample Tasking Reports

93. South Tip, Hawaii Island, DG-WV2
02/22/2012

94. High Priority Tasking Areas
Hawaiian Islands

95. Hawaii Island

99. USDA Orthoimagery Priorities
Hawaii and Pacific Basin 2012
- Palau (Complete Coverage), USFS Funding available
- Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (Remaining Islands)
- Federated States of Micronesia, High Population areas
- Marshall Islands, Remaining High Population islands not completed in 2011
99

100. Hawaii and Pacific Basin Orthoimagery in the future?
- Majority of Orthoimagery will be acquired via High Resolution Satellites
(GeoEye, DigitalGlobe etc..)
- Funding constrains will challenge acquisition in the future
- Cooperation in future with all entities (NDOP, HIGICC) will be very
important
- Some duo acquisitions LiDAR/High Resolution Orthoimagery
(Guam, Saipan, American Samoa)
- Use of Department of Defense Contracts
100

101. What USDA-NRCS needs from you……..
- Funding assistance if possible!
- Information on the use of WV-2 (8 Multi-Spectral Bands) in applications.
- Is the use of the new MS Bands benefits your analysis?

102. USDA (NRCS, FSA, USFS) has a long tradition of collecting Orthoimagery
acquisitions in all areas of the United States including Hawaii and the Pacific
Basin.
And Finally….
By far, I spent more time on Hawaii and Pacific Basin Imagery projects than any
other area.
It is a pleasure to work with you!
102

103. Thank You for your time!
Business Cards and Sign Up Sheet in the Back
tony.kimmet@ftw.usda.gov