LIDAR is a worthwhile
News | Published on September 3, 2021 at 3:14pm EDT | Author: Chad Koenen
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By Tom Hintgen
Otter Tail County Correspondent
LIDAR, used by agencies in Otter Tail County, is a technology that creates high-resolution models of ground elevation with high levels of accuracy.
Included is a Global Positioning System (GPS) mounted on a small aircraft. A laser scanner transmits brief pulses of light to the ground surface.
The five-person Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners, on June 8, approved a LIDAR acquisition agreement.
“Unfortunately, the cost did not align with the anticipated amount that was perceived,” said County Administrator Nicole Hansen.
“Despite the increase in costs, our departments, as part of county government, feel that data collected through the LIDAR system is a good investment, for the well-being of county residents.”
Hansen said that funding sources exist within the county budget to assist with the additional LIDAR costs.