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Background • Requirements • Installation • Quickstart • CLI • Notes • Contact

Overview

This package simplifies getting BlueTopo data in your area of interest.

Background

BlueTopo is a compilation of the best available public bathymetric data of U.S. waters.

Created by NOAA Office of Coast Survey's National Bathymetric Source project, BlueTopo data intends to provide depth information nationwide with the vertical uncertainty tied to that depth estimate as well as information on the survey source that it originated from.

This data is presented in a multiband high resolution GeoTIFF with an associated raster attribute table.

For answers to frequently asked questions, visit the FAQ.

Requirements

This codebase is written for Python 3 and relies on the following python packages:

• gdal / ogr
• numpy
• boto3
• tqdm

Installation

Install conda (If you have not already): conda installation

In the command line, create an environment with the required packages:

conda create -n bluetopo_env -c conda-forge 'gdal>=3.4'

conda activate bluetopo_env

pip install bluetopo

Quickstart

To download the desired files, first create a geometry file (such as a geopackage) with a polygon depicting the area of interest. Then run the following commands inside of a Python shell:

from nbs.bluetopo import fetch_tiles

fetch_tiles(r'C:\download_path', 'area_of_interest.gpkg')

To build a GDAL VRT of the downloaded tiles:

from nbs.bluetopo import build_vrt

build_vrt(r'C:\download_path')

CLI

You can also use the command line. Confirm the environment we created during installation is activated.

To fetch the latest BlueTopo data, use fetch_tiles passing a directory path and a geometry file path with a polygon depicting your area of interest:

fetch_tiles -d [DIRECTORY PATH] -g [GEOMETRY FILE PATH]

Pass the same directory path to build_vrt to create a VRT from the fetched data:

build_vrt -d [DIRECTORY PATH]

Use -h for help and to see additional arguments.

For most usecases, reusing the commands above to stay up to date in your area of interest is adequate.

Notes

In addition to BlueTopo, modeling data is available. You can work with modeling data using the source argument in the CLI commands or the data_source argument if you're calling the function directly.

The primary difference between BlueTopo and modeling data is the vertical datum. Modeling data is on a low water datum.

Authors

• Glen Rice (NOAA), ocs.nbs@noaa.gov

• Tashi Geleg (Lynker / NOAA), ocs.nbs@noaa.gov

License

This work, as a whole, falls under Creative Commons Zero (see LICENSE).

Disclaimer

This repository is a scientific product and is not official communication of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the United States Department of Commerce. All NOAA GitHub project code is provided on an 'as is' basis and the user assumes responsibility for its use. Any claims against the Department of Commerce or Department of Commerce bureaus stemming from the use of this GitHub project will be governed by all applicable Federal law. Any reference to specific commercial products, processes, or services by service mark, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply their endorsement, recommendation or favoring by the Department of Commerce. The Department of Commerce seal and logo, or the seal and logo of a DOC bureau, shall not be used in any manner to imply endorsement of any commercial product or activity by DOC or the United States Government.