Terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging Topographic Survey Data for Two Recreation Areas Near Blue Mountain Lake and Nimrod Lake, Arkansas, March 2020

The U.S. Geological Survey collected topographic data in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to assist in the management of two recreation areas at Blue Mountain Lake and near Nimrod Lake in Arkansas. Data were collected March 3-4, 2020 using terrestrial light detection and ranging (T-lidar) surveying equipment, Global navigation Satellite System (GNSS) surveying equipment, and conventional surveying techniques. The surveyed locations had a parking area, boat ramp, and some small recreational structures. Each site was surveyed using a FARO 3D tripod-mounted T-lidar unit. Additionally, a topographic survey was conducted in order to georeference the lidar survey. These topographic data were collected by conventional surveying using a total station and real-time kinematic (RTK) surveying using Trimble R8 and Trimble R10 GNSS surveying equipment and standard methods (Rydlund and Densmore, 2012). Differential corrections for the RTK surveys were obtained from the Arkansas Department of Transportation real-time network, which allowed real-time survey grade horizontal and vertical location information to be determined for one control point in each survey area. The T-lidar survey data are available in LAS format.