Foresthill Public Utility District Partners with Nevada Irrigation District on LiDAR Mapping Project
Press Release For Immediate Release
Foresthill Public Utility District
www.foresthillpud.com
Contact: Hank White – General Manager, (530) 367-5628
Foresthill, CA – November 4, 2014 – The Foresthill Public Utility District (FPUD) announced today a partnership agreement with the Nevada Irrigation District (NID) of Grass Valley, CA. In a pact that will benefit each district, both parties will share certain costs on an aerial mapping project that uses LiDAR technology. Accurate mapping of the FPUD’s Sugar Pine reservoir is required in the process of renewing its current State water rights. Similar mapping requirements exist for the NID in the environmental review of the proposed Parker Reservoir on the Bear River in Placer and Nevada Counties.
The two locations are only 10 miles apart, which will allow the mapping to be accomplished during a single flight covering both areas. A combined savings of $50,000 for the two agencies is anticipated. In addition, the LiDAR process results in images of superior quality and utility compared to conventional photogrammetric techniques.
Combining the two projects was suggested by ECORP Consulting, Inc. of Rocklin, CA. ECORP staff, working with both agencies at the time, realized that public dollars could be saved by the two agencies working together. The FPUD Board of Directors expressed pleasure at the opportunity to work with NID. “We are getting the very best data at one-half the cost,” said Board member Neil Cochran.
LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is a remote sensing technology that collects 3-dimensional point clouds of the Earth’s surface. The aerial technology is used for a wide range of applications including high-resolution topographic mapping and 3-dimensional surface modeling as well as infrastructure and biomass studies.
The mapping flight is scheduled to be completed within six months.
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