On December 14, 2005 the northern Taum Sauk reservoir dam broke sending a rush of water 200 yards wide, emptying the reservoir’s 1.5 billion gallons in 12-minutes, causing the evacuation of the near-by town of Lesterville, Missouri.

In need of disaster response, the United States Geological Survey (USGS), in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, called on Sanborn, an industry leader in GIS, photogrammetric mapping and remote sensing solutions, for rapid response mapping to provide high accuracy last return topographic lidar data. The company was contracted on December 15, 2005 by the USGS and was able to take flight and acquire the lidar data within 24 hours.

Also used to locate new construction in flood prone areas and for planning construction of embankments, levees or drainage channels to protect urbanized areas already built, city engineers will have the ability to not only assess damage but also make effective decisions over repair estimates, design plans, and prioritizing the project.

“Sanborn was prepared and quick to respond,” states David Brostuen, Senior Program Manager with Sanborn.  “Lidar technology provides crucial information and control so the region can evaluate damage caused by the breach effectively and support remediation planning.”
About Sanborn
With a rich tradition of mapping dating back to 1866, Sanborn offers end-to-end spatial solutions to GIS and photogrammetric mapping customers. The company’s combined product and service offerings include consulting, off-the-shelf products, analog, digital and lidar data acquisition, photogrammetric mapping, geospatial solutions, remote sensing solutions, and data conversion. Sanborn offers product solutions for government and commercial customers. A nationally recognized company, Sanborn has multiple offices in the United States. For more information, visit www.sanborn.com.