HAZUS-MH MR3 FAQs: Flood Model Inventory and Data Collection

The automatic download button for getting my DEM does not take me to the USGS Seamless Website. What is the work-around?

The USGS occasionally changes its download site causing the automatic download function in HAZUS no longer operates; therefore, users must go through the following unabbreviated download process.

  1. Proceed to the USGS web site. Click on the interactive viewer area that reads, View and Download United States Data.
  2. Under the heading Download Layers on the right-hand side of the page, assure all boxes are deselected except a NED.
  3. Click on the button under the Downloads section for Define Area by Coordinates on the bottom left-hand side of the screen. (Note: You may have trouble viewing this link if your browser window is not large enough. The viewer is most easily seen if your screen resolution is 1024 x 768 pixels.)
  4. Be sure to deselect all other data layers, other than a NED. Failure to do so will typically lead to a message asking you to place an order for a CD-ROM of the data with an associated cost recovery fee. Relatively large areas of NED data can be downloaded for free if the NED is the only layer requested.
  5. The next page you come to will prompt you to enter the latitude and longitude coordinates that define the limits of the DEM data you wish to download. Switch to entering coordinates in decimal degrees by clicking on the link.
  6. Copy the coordinates from your HAZUS study region DEM Extent window onto the USGS page.
  7. When you are done, press the Add Area button. If incorrect numbers are entered or you would like to start over, click on Clear Fields to remove all data from the fields.
  8. Click on the Download button to proceed downloading  the DEM data. The data will be stored in the format of a zip file that you will need to unzip and store on your computer. Any WinZip compatible program should be able to unzip the data. For large areas, the user will be given the DEM in multiple zip files that they need to unzip and then select all one by one in the set DEM Data Paths dialog.

For additional information, the HAZUS User's Manuals and guidance materials are available for download from the HAZUS Resources on this site.

Need Additional Help?
Email: HAZUSGenHelp@nibs.org for general questions about HAZUS 
HAZUSFloodHelp@absconsulting.com for Flood Model questions

Last Modified: Thursday, 08-Nov-2007 10:07:19 EST

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