Useful Data Sources & Links

Geologic Surveys

These sources tend to have data related to water, geologic layers, mines, etc.

National Geologic Map Database: https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/ngmdb/ngmdb_home.html

  • The Map View can be used to access scanned geologic maps, but they are georeferenced images only (no vector or raster data).

  • The Topo View can be used to access topo maps for a range of dates, but they are georeferenced images only.

Indiana Geological Survey: https://igws.indiana.edu/

Ohio Geological Survey: https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-ODNR/geologic-survey

  • Ohio REST Service Endpoints: https://gis.ohiodnr.gov/arcgis/rest/services

    • D = Department; GS = Geological Survey, NR = Natural Resources, OG = Oil & Gas, OW = Water, MRM = Mineral Resource Management, OIT = Office of Information Technology

Kentucky Geological Survey: http://www.uky.edu/KGS/

Wisconsin Geological Survey: https://wgnhs.wisc.edu/

  • Has no interactive data viewer nor REST services. All maps or GIS data must be downloaded.

Illinois Geological Survey: https://isgs.illinois.edu/


Elevation Data

USGS LiDAR Explorer: https://apps.nationalmap.gov/lidar-explorer/#/

  • An easy to use web app that allows you to view where LiDAR data are available in the US. You can then download the LiDAR data directly (LAS files) or you can download the derived DEM.

Open Topography: https://www.opentopography.org/

  • A large collection of high resolution topographic data (DEMs) as well as access to LiDAR point cloud data if you have a university email.

Indiana Geospatial Information Consortium: http://igic.jinha.org/

  • This web app run by IGIC provides download access to the LiDAR data flown for the entire state of Indiana in 2013 and 2018.


Nationwide Datasets

TopoView: https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/topoview/viewer/#4/40.01/-100.06

  • Provides fast & easy access to current & past topo maps of varying scales. Can be quickly viewed at high resolution & offers download options in multiple formats.

The National Map Downloader: https://viewer.nationalmap.gov/basic/

  • Has both current and historic Topo Maps

  • Boundary files (governmental boundaries, boundaries of major features such as airports, etc.)

  • Elevation datasets (1/3 arc second is highest nationwide resolution, but has 1/9 arc second for some areas as well as other elevation data)

  • LiDAR datasets (many of the same as are available through Open Topography

  • Hydrography (watershed boundaries & streams)

  • National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) aerial imagery (1 m to 1 ft resolution)

  • Topo Map data (contour lines, transportation features, etc. which can be added to a different map)

  • Transportation (roads)

National Map Rest Services: https://viewer.nationalmap.gov/services/

  • Rest service options for almost all the data downloadable from the National Map.

US Census TIGERweb REST Services: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/tigerwebmain/TIGERweb_restmapservice.html

  • Contains much of the polygon areal units used at various scales throughout the US.

Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics: https://www.mrlc.gov/

  • National Land Cover datasets along with land cover change assessments for CONUS.

US EPA Environmental Data Gateway: https://edg.epa.gov/metadata/catalog/main/home.page


Satellite Imagery

USGS Earth Explorer: https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/

  • This is the largest single source for free satellite imagery available.

Sentinel Open Access Hub: https://scihub.copernicus.eu/dhus/#/home

  • Provides access to data from all 3 Sentinel missions (only 2 is available through EarthExplorer). Can be tricky to get the data so check out a description of how to download it here.

NASA EarthDATA Search: https://search.earthdata.nasa.gov/search?m=15.639676518650207!30.871582031250004!7!1!0!0%2C2

  • Has many satellite products and many derived products for many platforms & instruments.

NOAA Data Access Viewer: https://coast.noaa.gov/dataviewer/#/

  • Access to three principle types of data: Imagery, Land Cover, and Elevation datasets (focused around coastlines including the Great Lakes) that are not available elsewhere. Ex. Coastline LiDAR flights!

Digital Globe Open Data Program: https://www.digitalglobe.com/ecosystem/open-data

  • There are no free high resolution satellites, but data from Digital Globe has been made available for disaster & humanitarian relief instances (ex. the Beirut explosion). That data can be downloaded at this link & if a project area is open ended, this could be a good source.

UNAVCO Synthetic Aperature Radar Data: https://www.unavco.org/data/sar/sar.html

  • SAR data from the UNAVCO consortium which is great for showing deformation (if you know how to use SAR data & interpret an interferogram).

US National Park Service Rest Services: https://mapservices.nps.gov/arcgis/rest/services/


Climate & Weather Data


Additional Sources & Lists of Sources