Blog
Keep up to date with the latest from Equator and the HD mapping world
How to Delineate All Watersheds in QGIS
How to Delineate All Watersheds in QGIS Delineating a single watershed is a common task, but what if you need a complete watershed inventory for an entire region or river network? Performing a watershed analysis in QGIS allows you to systematically map every drainage area within your study area. This is essential for comprehensive flood risk modeling, regional water resource planning, sediment load assessment, and
How Rebecca finds archeological discoveries faster with LiDAR and Equator
How Rebecca uncovers hidden history with Equator and LiDAR! About Rebecca: Founder, Principal Investigator and Executive Director Organization: Smyrnéa Archaeological Research Institute (SARI) Location: Florida Meet Rebecca! Rebecca is the founder, principal investigator and executive director of Smyrnéa Archaeological Research Institute (SARI) in New Smyrna Beach, Florida (pictured here with Vice President of Research
Equator Launches North Cowichan LiDAR Data
Equator Launches the North Cowichan LiDAR data set Equator provides unprecedented access to centimeters of accuracy, in a user-friendly online design platform. Last Updated: November 11, 2021 Access LiDAR Data Equator is pleased to announce the launch of the North Cowichan LiDAR data set in Equator. The North Cowichan LiDAR data set covers approximately 24,000 ha and was collected in
Our Top Civil Engineering Podcasts for 2024
Our Top Civil Engineering Podcasts for 2024 Written by: Lindsay Mooradian, P.Eng. | June 2024 In the fast-paced world of civil engineering, staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends, innovations, and best practices is essential. However, finding the time for continuous learning can be a challenge amidst the demands of projects and deadlines. This is where podcasts come into play, offering a
BC Open Infrastructure Data
BC Municipal Infrastructure Open Data Master List This article contains a list of municipal open data portals in British Columbia, Canada. Each of the open data portals has been reviewed for data sets related to municipal infrastructure, including drainage, water, sanitary and transportation related map layers. If map layers were found in any of these categories, a check mark was provided to
Key Mapping and GIS Terms
Key Mapping and GIS Terms: A Clear and Concise Glossary Updated 2023-08-23 Terms related to mapping and GIS can be confusing, especially if you are new to the topic. Understanding these terms is essential to realizing just how powerful a tool mapping can be. Once you understand these key words and phrases, you can use a piece of software to its full potential, or complete
How to export USGS LIDAR as a DEM
How to export USGS LiDAR as a DEM The easiest way to turn USGS LiDAR into a DEM is to use Equator. Follow the short steps below to learn how you can turn LiDAR into a DEM. Step 1: Locate available USGS LiDAR First, visit Equator at maps.equatorstudios.com. Then, open the Data menu on the left sidebar. Once the
West Texas LiDAR Project
West Texas LiDAR Project The West Texas LiDAR project was completed for the USGS in 2019. The data can be accessed in Equator by clicking below. Access USGS Data The West Texas LiDAR Project The West Texas LiDAR project was completed between February 16 and May 14, 2019. The following counties were included in the survey: Culberson,
How to Import Your DEM Into HEC RAS
Tutorial: How to Import Your DEM Into HEC RAS Learn how to set up your HEC RAS project and bring your DEM into HEC RAS This tutorial will walk you through how to set up your project in HEC RAS, create a new RAS Terrain, and then import your DEM. If you don't have a DEM, do not worry! The first part of this
Texas East LiDAR Project
Texas East LiDAR Project The Texas East LiDAR project was completed for the Texas Water Development Board. Access the data in Equator by clicking below. Access USGS Data The Texas East LiDAR Project The LiDAR survey of Texas East was completed between December 29, 2016 and May 30, 2018. The Texas Water Development Board requested the survey, but other
AutoCAD vs Civil 3D
AutoCAD vs Civil 3D Which one is right for you? We have a lot of questions come through our help chat about AutoCAD or Civil 3D, which one is better and which one should I purchase? The answer to that is completely dependent on your intended use of the product. We break down the difference between them below. Download Topography Data for AutoCAD or
USGS Point Cloud Sample Gallery in Equator
Gallery: USGS Point Cloud This post includes a gallery of images created in Equator from the USGS point cloud. Data Source: USGS Access in in Equator: Click Here New Mexico Colorado Smoky Mountains Hoover Dike Texas
How Tom Accelerated Real Estate Development and saved $30,000 using Equator
How Tom Accelerates Real Estate Development and saved $30,000 using Equator About Tom: Director of Real Estate Development Location: Kentucky Tom’s Challenge: Finding Accurate and Timely Data Tom works as the Director of Real Estate Development at an engineering consultancy in Kentucky. The engineering consultancy does everything from purchase negotiation, to building design to their own steel
USGS LiDAR Viewer – Find, view and extract LiDAR instantly
USGS LiDAR Viewer Find, view and extract USGS LiDAR point cloud data instantly using Equator. Go to Viewer Who is the LiDAR Viewer for? The Equator LiDAR viewer is used by professionals such as infrastructure designers and city builders: Planners Architects Civil Engineers Flood Analysts Construction Professionals Landscape Designers Go to Viewer What can I
How to open a SHP file in Equator
How to open a SHP file in Equator Opening shapefiles and viewing shapefiles in Equator can be done instantly! Follow this brief guide and you will be able to open and view shapefiles in Equator. Step 1: Opening a SHP file in Equator A SHP file on its own won’t be able to show you anything. First it must
VVA (Vegetated Vertical Accuracy) vs NVVA (Non-Vegetated Vertical Accuracy)
What is Vegetated Vertical Accuracy (VVA)? Vegetated Vertical Accuracy (VVA) is a measure of the accuracy of a digital elevation model (DEM) in areas where the land surface is covered by vegetation, such as forests or grasslands. It is expressed as the difference between the true elevation of the ground surface and the elevation that is recorded in the DEM. The
How to Convert LAZ to LAS
Tutorial: How to Convert LAZ Files to LAS Files When you receive LiDAR point clouds from a surveyor or if you download a file from government sources or sites such as Equator, they are usually downloaded as a .laz file. An LAZ file is a compressed version of a point cloud file. However, when importing the point cloud into many programs to complete analysis, you
How Steve Brings His Favorite Places to Life in Vivid 3D Using Topographic Data from Equator
How Steve Brings His Favorite Places to Life in Vivid 3D Using Topographic Data from Equator About Steve Moseley: Civil Engineer, Artist, Builder Location: Waukee, Iowa, USA Steve creating the wood blank that he will carve the terrain model from Meet Steve: a civil engineer by day and a DIY enthusiast by night Steve Moseley
How Ryan’s Foodscape Designs Flourish with Better Contour Mapping in Equator
How Ryan's Foodscape Designs Flourish with Better Contour Mapping in Equator About Ryan Albritton: Design and Foodscape Manager Company: Custom Foodscaping (https://www.customfoodscaping.com/) Location: St Louis, Missouri Ryan Albritton Meet Ryan: edible landscape and permaculture design expert Custom Foodscaping helps residential and institutional clients design and create edible landscaping and permaculture on their properties. As a
Projected vs. Geographic Coordinate Systems
Projected vs. Geographic Coordinate Systems Thought there was only one type of coordinate system? Think again. There are many different kinds that are used for different purposes. This post will be covering the two kinds that are most useful for surveying: projected and geographic. Projected Coordinate Systems Projected coordinate systems are grids of straight lines that are used
Texas Central LiDAR Project (San Antonio and La Grange)
Texas Central LiDAR Project The Texas Central LiDAR Project covers San Antonio and La Grange. Data is provided and managed by the USGS. Texas LiDAR data can be accessed on-demand in Equator. Access USGS Data The Texas Central LiDAR Project The Texas Central LiDAR Project was completed between January 20, 2017 and March 22, 2017. There were various stakeholders
How to convert Lat Long to UTM
How to convert Lat Long to UTM? It is possible to convert geographic coordinates in latitude and longitude (lat/long) to Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates. UTM is a standardized coordinate system that is used to locate positions on the Earth's surface. To convert lat/long coordinates to UTM, you will need to know the longitude of the central meridian for the UTM
How to Create a Hillshade in QGIS
How to Create a Hillshade in QGIS: Upload DEM Data Generate a Hillshade Change the Symbology Download DEM from Equator Step 1 Upload DEM Data Before you can create a hillshade, you will need data. We begin with uploading our DEM (Digital Elevation Model) from the Equator Site Builder. We use Equator’s Site Builder as it provides us with
How Clint Speeds Up Drainage Assessments and Real Estate Decisions with Better Topo Data
How Clint Speeds Up Drainage Assessments and Real Estate Decisions with Better Topo Data About Clint Karsetter: Principal, Owner Company: CK Civil Engineering LLC Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas Meet Clint, Owner and Chief Engineer of CK Civil Engineering Clint, the Owner and Chief Engineer of CK Civil Engineering LLC, runs a civil engineering firm serving commercial
How to create a Civil 3D surface from a contour shapefile?
User Guide / How to create a Civil 3D surface from a contour shapefile? How to create a Civil 3D surface from a contour shapefile? This tutorial will show you one of the fastest and easiest ways to create a surface in Civil 3D from GIS data, specifically contours in shapefile format. Check out