CSRC

California Spatial Reference Center

LSRC

Louisiana Spatial Reference Center

BFE

Base Flood Elevation

An elevation that has a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year by a base flood. (ASPRS) This flood is often referred to as the 100-year flood.

CAD(D)

Computer-Assisted (or Aided) Drafting (and/or Design)

CBN

Cooperative Base Network

CORS

Continuously Operating Reference Stations

CTP

Cooperating Technical Partner

Partnerships available with FEMA in which local and state government partners provide cost share funds, data resources, and other in-kind support to support the production of improved floodplain maps.

DEM

Digital Elevation Model

A digital cartographic representation of the elevation of the land.  As used by the U.S. Geological Survey, a DEM is the digital cartographic representation of the elevation of the land at regularly spaced intervals in x and y directions, using z values referenced to a common vertical datum (ASPRS).

DFIRM

Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map

Digital Orthophoto

(DOP)

The digital version of a rectified (corrected) aerial photograph (see also DOQQ).

DOP

See digital orthophoto.

DOQQ

Digital Orthophoto Quarter Quad

A digital orthophoto that is one quarter the size (3.75-minute) of a typical 7.5-minute (1:24,000 scale) quadrangle map.

DSM

Digital Surface Model

DTM

Digital Terrain Model

A digital terrain model is similar to a digital elevation model (DEM).  However, as used in this report, DTMs may be similar to DEMs, but they may also incorporate the elevating of significant topographic features on the land and mass points and breaklines that are irregularly spaced to better characterize the true shape of the bare earth terrain.

Ellipsoid Height

An ellipsoid height is based on an ellipsoid model of the surface of the Earth. A geoid height value must be applied to compute an elevation (height) relative to mean sea level.

EPA

United States Environmental Protection Agency

FAA

Federal Aviation Administration

FBN

Federal Base Network

FEMA

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FGDC

The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) is an interagency committee, organized in 1990 under OMB Circular A-16 that promotes the coordinated use, sharing, and dissemination of geospatial data on a national basis. The FGDC is developing the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) in cooperation with organizations from State, local and tribal governments, the academic community, and the private sector.

http://www.fgdc.gov/fgdc/fgdc.html; http://fgdc.er.usgs.gov/

FPM

Flood Plain Mapping

Geoid Height

Geoid height is the difference between a GPS height (ellipsoid height) and an orthometric height (elevation relative to mean sea level).

GIS

Geographic Information System

Includes hardware, software, data, people, organizations, and institutional arrangements for collecting, storing, analyzing, and disseminating information about areas of the earth.

GPS

Global Positioning System

A satellite based positioning system funded and operated by the Department of Defense, but available to civilian users. GPS provides very accurate and economical positioning.

HARN

High Accuracy Reference Network

A nationwide effort by NGS to upgrade the horizontal positions and ellipsoid heights of the national geodetic control network using GPS techniques.

Height Modernization

(HM)

Height Modernization

An effort, led by NGS, to enhance the vertical component of NSRS, by promoting the precise determination of heights through the use of GPS surveying.

HM

See Height Modernization.

HPGN

High Precision Geodetic Network

IFSAR

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar

An airborne or space borne interferometer radar system, flown aboard rotary or fixed wing aircraft or spaced-based platform, that is used to acquire three-dimensional coordinates of terrain and terrain features that are both man made and naturally occurring (ASPRS).

(See also INSAR)

I-Team

The I-Team Geospatial Information Initiative (I-Team Initiative) is a joint project of the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Council for Excellence in Government, Urban Logic, TIE, NSGIC, NACo, and other strategic partners.  Part of the next phase of efforts to build a National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), the I-Team Initiative addresses the institutional and financial barriers to development of the NSDI.  It aims to offer a coherent set of institutional and financial incentives to make it easier for all levels of government and the private sector to collaborate in the building of the next generation of framework data.  By aligning participant needs and resources, the I-Team Initiative will help all levels of government and the private sector to save money, migrate from existing legacy systems, make better user of existing resources, and develop the business case for additional public and private resources.

LIDAR

Light Detection and Ranging

An aircraft-mounted laser measuring system that uses a laser to transmit and receive optical pulses for water surface and sea bottom detection to determine seawater depth.

LIS

Land Information System

A subset of geographic information system having as a focus data concerning land and property records.

MPLIS

Multipurpose Land Information System.

NACo

The National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States, continues to follow the traditions established by those early county officials. NACo is a full-service organization that provides an extensive line of services including legislative, research, technical, and public affairs assistance, as well as enterprise services to its members. The association acts as a liaison with other levels of government, works to improve public understanding of counties, serves as a national advocate for counties and provides them with resources to help them find innovative methods to meet the challenges they face. NACo is involved in a number of special projects that deal with such issues as the environment, sustainable communities, volunteerism and intergenerational studies.

http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=About_NACo

NAD 83

North American Datum of 1983

NAD 83 is often followed by the year of adjustment in parenthesis (i.e., NAD 83 (1991)).

NAVD 88

North American Vertical Data  (year)

The latest vertical coordinate system for consistently defining heights and is similar to defining an elevation relative to mean sea level.

NED

National Elevation Dataset

Provides elevation data coverage of the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and the island territories in a seamless format with a consistent projection, resolution, elevation units, and horizontal and vertical datums.

NGS

National Geodetic Survey

An office within the National Ocean Service, which is an office within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NGS’s role is to ensure that the United States has a consistent, high accuracy geodetic reference framework to support mapping, surveying, and other infrastructure applications. See NSRS.

NGVD 29

National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929

NHMS

National Height Modernization Study

NOAA

NationalOceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOS

National Ocean Service

NSDI

National Spatial Data Infrastructure

A means to assemble geographic data nationwide to serve a variety of users.  The NSDI provides a framework within which organizations and technology interact to foster activities for using, managing, and producing geographic data.  This framework is the backbone of NSDI containing three aspects: data, procedures and technology for building and using these data, and institutional relationships and business practices that support the NSDI environment.  The framework is designed to facilitate the production and use of geographic data, to reduce operating costs, and to improve service and decision-making.

NSGIC

The National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) is an organization of States committed to efficient and effective government through the prudent adoption of geographic information technology (GIT). Members of NSGIC include delegations of state GIS coordinators and senior state GIS managers from across the United States. Other members include representatives from Federal agencies, local government, the private sector, academia and other professional organizations. A rich and diverse group, the NSGIC membership includes nationally and internationally recognized experts in GIS, geospatial data production and management, and information technology policy.

http://www.nsgic.org/

NSRS

National Spatial Reference System

The national reference framework that specifies latitude, longitude, height, scale, gravity, and orientation throughout the Nation, as well as how these values change with time.

OLIS

Office of Land Information Services

An agency within the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA).

OMB

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) assists the President in the development and implementation of budget, program, management, and regulatory policies. OMB fulfills this role primarily by: developing the President’s annual budget submission to Congress; assisting the President in managing the Executive Branch, developing the Administration’s position on legislation before Congress, and executing the law; and providing the highest quality regulatory analysis.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/organization/index.html

OPUS

On Line Positioning User Service

Orthometric Height

An orthometric height, or elevation, is informally used to refer to height relative to mean sea level.

PLSS

Public Land Survey System

Established by the Federal Government in 1785, it generally covers the states west of Ohio.  It consists of a gridded network of surveyed lines for the purpose of converting federal lands to private ownership.  The network began with baselines running east and west, and meridians running north and south. From these lines the Public Land was divided into townships consisting of 36 sections and still further into quarter-sections, consisting of approximately 160 acres.  Virtually all properties in the State are based on or described coming from the corners of the PLSS.

QC

Quality Control

RMSE

Root Mean Square Error

RTK GPS

Real-time Kinematic GPS

A technique used to provide GPS positioning. The technique involves tracking the carrier phase of the GPS signals and requires a GPS base station close to the user.

SCO

(Wisconsin) State Cartographer’s Office

SEWRPC

Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission

TIE

Trebizon International Enterprises (TIE) is a strategic partner involved with the new approach to establishing and maintaining the NSDI known as the I-Team Geospatial Information Initiative (I-Team Initiative)

http://www.fgdc.gov/I-Team/library/agreements/NACOMOSA.doc

USACE

United States Army Corps of Engineers

USGS

United States Geological Survey

VDatum

A tool for the conversion of elevation data among 28 different vertical datums. Vertical datums can be based on Mean Sea Level (such as NAVD 88), tidally derived surfaces (nautical charts) or three dimensional space systems (GPS, for example).

VRS

Virtual Reference Station

WDNR

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

WGNHS

Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey

WI-HMP

Wisconsin Height Modernization Program

A program developed by WisDOT and NGS, drawing from the National Height Modernization Study recommendations, which utilizes GPS and leveling techniques to improve elevation data throughout the state.

WisDOT

(WI-DT)

Wisconsin Department of Transportation

WLIB

Wisconsin Land Information Board

WLIP

Wisconsin Land Information Program

WLIS

Wisconsin Land Information System