Topographic Survey Data from Photogrammetry of Fountain Creek between Colorado Springs and the Confluence of Fountain Creek at the Arkansas River, Colorado, 2017

In 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Colorado Water Science Center in cooperation with Colorado Springs Utilities selected 10 reaches or study area along Fountain Creek between Colorado Springs and the confluence of Fountain Creek at the Arkansas River for annual bed and bank characterization and topographic surveys. The 10 selected study areas are approximately 5 to 20 bank-full channel widths in length. The topographic surveys collected point data of location and elevation in the active channel and along both left and right banks and flood plains. Historically, the topographic data have been collected exclusively using real-time kinematic Global Navigation Satellite Systems. However, on January 12, 2017, at Study Area 3, the topographic survey data were collected with a 3DR Solo Unmanned Aircraft System using structure from motion photogrammetry. These point data will be compared to real-time kinematic Global Navigation Satellite Systems which also was collected at Study Area 3 in 2017. The new topographic survey data will allow UGSG to evaluate the utility and functionality of using drone collected data in support of the an annual assessment of the geomorphic change at each study area. These data have been georeferenced but have not had any additional processing to remove vegetation or other obstructions. Work is underway to generate a bare-earth model that has all vegetation and other erroneous points removed.