This presentation will cover what happens with Elevation Derived Hydrography (EDH) data when it arrives at the USGS. Specific topics will include the USGS validation process for contracted or contributed EDH data and USGS workflows for bringing the accepted EDH data into the 3DHP model.
Presenters:
- Lily Niknami, Cartographer, USGS NGTOC
- John Tellini, Cartographer, USGS NGTOC
- Haley Thompson, Cartographer, USGS NGTOC
Lily Niknami is a cartographer with the United States Geological Survey’s National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC(. She has over a decade of experience in GIS, product ownership, and technical leadership. She oversees the development and operational implementation of ingest workflows supporting the 3D Hydrography Program. Throughout her career, Lily has spearheaded efficiency gains, modernized systems, including major transitions to ArcGIS Pro. Her expertise spans watershed data coordination, tool development, and training for Federal and State partners. Lily holds an M.S. in Environmental Science with a Graduate GIS Certificate from the University of Colorado Denver and a B.S. in Soil and Crop Science from Colorado State University.
John Tellini is a cartographer with the United States Geological Survey’s National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC), specializing in elevation-derived hydrography validation. With extensive experience in cartography, geospatial data validation, and tool development, John has led initiatives to improve data processing workflows, implement advanced validation techniques, and develop open-source tools for geospatial analysis. Previously, he served as a Cartographer in the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP), where he validated high-resolution LiDAR data and designed automation tools for raster and point cloud processing. His technical expertise spans GDAL, PDAL, Python scripting, remote sensing interpretation, and multiple GIS platforms. John holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geological Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Haley Thompson is a cartographer with the United States Geological Survey’s National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC). Haley is an applied researcher supporting the 3D Hydrography Program. Haley’s focus is on advancing ingest practices for elevation derived hydrography into the 3D Hydrography Program data model.