Remote Sensing Committee

Brief History of Remote Sensing Activity and Related Initiatives in Iowa

• 1971 – statewide consortium of 24 state and federal agencies created to utilize remote sensing data, led by Iowa Geological Survey (IGS)
• 1975-1980 – statewide high altitude CIR aerial photography project (predecessor to NHAP program) managed by IGS
• 1980-1985 – NASA Earth Resources tech transfer program with IGS1996 – first statewide Landsat land cover project completed with 1992 TM data by IGS
• 1999 – Iowa Geographic Map Server launched with black and white 1990s era USGS DOQQs, site developed by ISU GISSRF
• 2001-2003 – UNI STORM Project conducts remote sensing short courses for local government, teachers and private businesses
• 2002 – second statewide Landsat land cover project completed with 2000 TM data by IGS
• 2002 – Iowa Landsat Data server launched by UNI STORM Project
• 2003 – Iowa GAP project completed with 1992 Landsat Data by ISU GISSRF
• 2004 – third statewide Landsat land cover project completed with 2002 TM data by IGS
• 2004 – statewide CIR DOQQ projct completed with 2002 CIR aerial photography by Iowa DNR

Lead Agencies or Organizations Involved in Remote Sensing Applications In Iowa

• Iowa DNR's Geological Survey (IGS) has an ongoing remote sensing and GIS research and application program, begun in 1971 by Dr. James V. Taranik.  Major emphasis has been applying aerial photography and satellite remote sensing to land cover and geologic mapping in Iowa.  Eight full-time GIS and remote sensing staff persons support geospatial technology development for Iowa DNR.  IGS maintains several map viewers ( http://www.iowadnr.com/other/mapping.html) and a GIS data download server ( http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/nrgislibx/).
• Iowa State University's Geographic Information Systems Support and Research Facility (GISSRF) (http://www.gis.iastate.edu/ ) conducts GIS and remote sensing research projects, and provides technical geospatial technology support for Iowa State University students and staff.   The GISSRF carried out the Iowa GAP project, Iowa Aquatic GAP Project and maintains an OGC compliant WMS called the Iowa Geographic Map Server ( http://cairo.gis.iastate.edu/map.html).
• University of Northern Iowa's Geography Department has an ongoing GIS and remote sensing program dedicated to research, teaching and application development.  The master's degree program provides students with hands-on GIS and RS experience, many with Iowa-related projects.  The Geotree Project has an Internet map viewer ( http://geoteree.geog.uni.edu/website/IowaMaps/viewer.htm). The UNI STORM Project ( http://www.uni.edu/storm/) is supported by funding from NOAA and provides meteorological decision support training to Iowa teachers and school administrators.   It also conducts remote sensing projects and training, and maintains the Iowa Landsat Data server on the Internet ( http://www.storm.uni.edu/ArcIMS/viewer.htm).
• Many individual research projects carried out by Iowa universities and colleges, many of which have to do with remote sensing of agricultural crops, soil mapping, hail damage, land cover, wetland mapping, and transportation infrastructure.   Notable ongoing research projects are located at the National Soil Tilth Lab at Ames, native vegetation remote sensing at Drake University, and transportation applications of remote sensing at ISU Center for Transportation Research and Education.
• Past Projects
• Initiatives