Introductory Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) workshops are scheduled for Tuesday, April 5, in Park River and Thursday, April 7, in Wahpeton.
The workshop in Park River will be held at the Park River City Office building at 514 Briggs Ave. S. The Wahpeton workshop will be held at the Law Enforcement Center at 418 Second Ave. N. Both workshops will start at 9 a.m. and end at noon.
LIDAR is a technology that utilizes lasers to determine the distance to an object or surface by measuring the time delay between the transmission and
reflection of a pulse. LiDAR technology has been used in airplanes to measure features on the Earth's surface, including a detailed elevation model.
LiDAR data can be used to create accurate ground surface elevation contours that can be used to prepare both surface and subsurface field drainage patterns. Workshop participants will learn how to download LiDAR images for their fields and how to use a free geographic information system viewer to prepare initial drainage patterns for fields.
John Nowatzki, North Dakota State University Extension Service agricultural machine systems specialist, will present the LiDAR information at the workshops.
Participants are encouraged to bring their own computers to use during the workshop. However, computers will be available for participants without
computers.
Preregistration is requested for the workshops. To register for the Park River workshop, go to http://www.suretomeet.com/exec/gt/event.h,event=8b4bd0d98c38 or call the Walsh County Extension Service office at (701) 284-6248.
To register for the Wahpeton workshop, go to http://www.suretomeet.com/exec/gt/event.h,event=7b3bc0c97c27 or call the Richland County Extension Service office at (701) 642-7793.
The workshops will not cover the final steps of installing LiDAR contour maps into computer programs that are used on surface or tile installation equipment.
