Download DEM Data for Wisconsin: A Guide to Digital Elevation Models
Where Wisconsin's digital elevation models come from, how to download them, and how to get processed elevation results straight away without GIS software or raw file handling.
Need elevation data without the hassle?
Clip a GeoTIFF of exactly your area, or skip the raster and go straight to contours, profiles or enriched files from the same USGS 3DEP lidar.
Use DEM data now →What is a digital elevation model (DEM)?
A digital elevation model is a regular grid of elevation values. Each cell holds one height, and together the cells describe the shape of the land. DEMs underpin flood modeling, viewsheds, slope analysis and contour generation.
Open one in QGIS or ArcGIS and you see a grayscale image where brighter cells are higher. The resolution is the size of each cell on the ground: a DEM at 3.3 ft per pixel has cells 3.3 ft on a side.
DEMs are usually stored as GeoTIFF or Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF, which carry the coordinate system and extent in the file so GIS software can place the grid correctly on a map.
DEM, DSM and DTM: the differences
Digital surface model (DSM)
The highest surface at each point: tree crowns, roofs, power lines. On a wooded Northwoods slope a DSM shows the canopy, not the ground under it. Use it for line of sight, shade and object heights. This site uses Brown County's lidar surface model, which covers that county only; elsewhere in Wisconsin its tools use bare earth.
Digital terrain model (DTM)
The bare ground with vegetation and buildings removed, made by keeping only the lidar returns classified as ground. It is the right model for drainage, slope, contours and earthwork.
DEM as an umbrella term
“DEM” is sometimes used for both and sometimes for the bare-earth model alone. The USGS 3DEP seamless DEM is bare earth. For contours, profiles and slope, bare earth is what you want.
Wisconsin DEM sources
USGS 3DEP lidar DEM (highest resolution)
Ground elevations come from the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) seamless bare-earth model, with elevations above NAVD 88. Source cells are 3.3 ft per pixel in the finest work units, with about 9.8 ft per pixel and 33 ft per pixel sources elsewhere. USGS elevation data is public domain. Lidar coverage and source dates vary across Wisconsin. Check your site against the USGS 3DEP work-unit index; an unavailable lookup means coverage is unknown. Values in the downloaded file are in meters, as USGS publishes them. See the lidar data guide for how it was flown. More from the USGS 3D Elevation Program and Wisconsin elevation resources.
USGS 3DEP 1/3 arc-second
The seamless 3DEP model fills any place without a lidar work unit with 1/3 arc-second data, about 33 ft per pixel. It covers everything, and it is far coarser: fine for a regional picture, not for site work.
County lidar products
Many Wisconsin counties have had lidar flown and publish their own elevation products, often in WISCRS county coordinates in US survey feet. The State Cartographer's Office keeps a directory of Wisconsin elevation and lidar data, and WisconsinView points to imagery and lidar downloads. Read each product's metadata for its date, units and coordinate system.
Global satellite models
Global elevation models from satellite missions cover the whole planet at roughly 100 ft per cell or coarser and often record the top of the forest rather than the ground. In Wisconsin the 3DEP model is far more detailed.
How to download raw DEM data
- Open The National Map Downloader. The National Map Downloader is USGS's download tool for 3DEP products.
- Mark your area. Draw or search for the area you need on its map.
- Choose the elevation product. Pick the lidar DEM where it exists, or the 1/3 arc-second seamless model for wider coverage. Check each product's metadata for its resolution, coordinate system and date.
- Download the tiles. Data comes as tiles; you may need several to cover your area, and you merge and clip them yourself.
- Or request exactly your area. The 3DEP elevation image service can export a GeoTIFF of any bounding box directly, which is how this site reads it.
That gets you the raw data. Turning it into contours, profiles or enriched files still takes GIS skills — or a shortcut through this site.
Working with DEM files
GeoTIFF
A GeoTIFF is a TIFF image with geospatial metadata embedded: coordinate system, extent and cell size. Each cell holds a floating-point elevation rather than a color. High-resolution DEMs get large quickly: a lidar DEM of a block a few miles on a side runs to tens of millions of cells.
Coordinate systems and units
Wisconsin data comes in several systems. USGS publishes 3DEP elevations in meters above NAVD 88. County lidar products often use WISCRS county coordinates in US survey feet. This site's DXF contours use Wisconsin State Plane, US survey feet. Keep track of horizontal and vertical units separately: a metric DEM draped on a drawing in feet is the classic mistake.
Software
- QGIS: free and open source; opens GeoTIFF, makes contours, hillshade and slope. Powerful, with a learning curve.
- GDAL: the command-line toolkit behind most GIS software — gdalinfo, gdalwarp and gdal_contour do most DEM jobs.
- ArcGIS Pro: Esri's commercial package with full surface analysis and 3D tools.
- Global Mapper: a commercial package known for straightforward raster handling and contouring.
Why download raw files when you can get results straight away?
Wisconsin Elevation Tools reads the USGS 3DEP model for you: contour maps, elevation profiles and enriched data files in seconds, with no GIS software.
The easy alternative: Wisconsin Elevation Tools
Downloading and processing raw DEMs is powerful but slow: find the right product, choose coordinate systems, download large files, install GIS software and learn it before you get the answer you came for. Wisconsin Elevation Tools delivers the most common DEM-derived outputs directly, with no account and nothing to install.
The DEM itself
The Download Data tool exports a GeoTIFF of the area you select, above NAVD 88 on a WGS84 latitude/longitude grid; values in the file are in meters, as USGS publishes them. Output resolution scales with the size of the area you select. Exports are capped at 1,024 pixels on the longest side, with a floor of 3.3 ft per pixel — so a 900 ft building site is delivered at the full lidar detail, while a block 7.5 miles on a side is resampled to roughly 39 ft per pixel. Select a smaller area when you need fine detail.
The same Download Data tool also delivers a georeferenced color aerial photo of the area from USGS NAIP, which is public domain: a JPEG with a world file and projection file that lands in place under the DEM in QGIS, ArcGIS or Civil 3D.
Contour lines from the DEM
Draw an area, choose an interval and download contours as GeoJSON for GIS, DXF for CAD, PDF for print and more. See the contour lines guide.
Elevation profiles
Draw or tap out a line on the map and get an elevation chart, total climb and descent, and grade. See the elevation profile generator.
Adding elevation to files
Upload a CSV with latitude and longitude, or a GPX, KML or GeoJSON file, and download it with ground elevation added from 3DEP — no point-sampling workflow in GIS.
Common uses for DEM data
Flood and hazard assessment
Fine DEMs show flow paths, low spots and the ground a flood would reach. They complement the official flood maps from FEMA; they do not replace them.
Viewsheds and line of sight
A viewshed uses a DEM to find what can be seen from a point — for an antenna, a house site or a view across a river valley. Trees and buildings block views, so a surface model gives a more realistic answer where one exists.
Slope and aspect
Slope is steepness; aspect is the direction a slope faces. In Wisconsin, south-facing slopes get the most sun, which matters for solar, gardens, snow and frost.
Cut and fill
Comparing the existing ground with a level pad gives the volume of earth to move, in cubic yards. See the Cut & Fill tool.
Drainage and watersheds
Flow direction and accumulation from a DEM trace stream networks and watersheds, and show where water collects — essential for siting a house, a pond or a septic system.
Comparing the sources
| Source | Resolution | Type | Units | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USGS 3DEP lidar DEM | 3.3 ft per pixel | Bare earth | Meters, NAVD 88 | Where a lidar work unit exists |
| USGS 3DEP 1/3 arc-second | About 33 ft per pixel | Bare earth | Meters, NAVD 88 | Seamless |
| County lidar products | Varies by county | Bare earth, sometimes surface | Varies; often US survey feet | County by county |
| Brown County surface model | 1.0 ft per pixel | Surface (DSM) | US survey feet, NAVD 88 | Brown County only |
For most work in Wisconsin the 3DEP lidar model is the right choice. The 1/3 arc-second model fills the gaps for regional work.
Licensing and credit
USGS 3DEP elevation data and USGS maps are U.S. Government works in the public domain: you may use the results, including commercially. A credit to the USGS 3D Elevation Program is appreciated, and every file you download carries it. Wisconsin parcel boundaries are aggregated local-government data, not legal surveys; the parcel disclaimer accompanies the selection. Brown County surface data is credited separately when used. The Esri aerial basemap follows Esri’s terms and is display-only; downloadable aerial photos use USGS NAIP.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best DEM source for Wisconsin?
The USGS 3DEP seamless bare-earth model: 3.3 ft per pixel wherever a lidar work unit exists and about 33 ft per pixel elsewhere. Lidar coverage and source dates vary across Wisconsin. Check your site against the USGS 3DEP work-unit index; an unavailable lookup means coverage is unknown. It is free and in the public domain. Many Wisconsin counties also publish their own lidar products; the State Cartographer’s Office keeps a directory of them.
Do I need GIS software to use DEM data?
For raw GeoTIFF files, yes: QGIS, ArcGIS Pro or a similar package. Wisconsin Elevation Tools reads the DEM for you and returns contour lines, elevation profiles and elevation-enriched files in the browser.
What format should I download a DEM in?
GeoTIFF is the most widely supported format and the right default. Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) is a variant that streams and reads partially, which helps with large areas. Every major GIS package opens both.
How do I make contour lines from a DEM?
In GIS software, use a contour tool (GDAL’s gdal_contour or the QGIS Contour algorithm) at the interval you want. Or let Wisconsin Elevation Tools do it: select an area, choose an interval from 1 ft upward and download GeoJSON, DXF, PDF or another format.
What units and coordinate systems does Wisconsin elevation data use?
USGS publishes 3DEP elevations in meters above NAVD 88. County lidar products are often delivered in WISCRS county coordinates in US survey feet; check each product’s metadata. The GeoTIFF this site exports is on a WGS84 latitude/longitude grid, above NAVD 88; values in the file are in meters, as USGS publishes them. Its contour files carry feet, and its DXF contours are in Wisconsin State Plane, US survey feet. Make sure your project uses the same system as your data, and convert between metric and US units deliberately.
Is Wisconsin DEM data free to use?
USGS 3DEP elevation data and USGS maps are U.S. Government works in the public domain: you may use the results, including commercially. A credit to the USGS 3D Elevation Program is appreciated, and every file you download carries it. Wisconsin parcel boundaries are aggregated local-government data, not legal surveys; the parcel disclaimer accompanies the selection. Brown County surface data is credited separately when used. The Esri aerial basemap follows Esri’s terms and is display-only; downloadable aerial photos use USGS NAIP. On this site every tool is free to use on the map; downloading the results needs a pass: US$29 for 24 hours, US$99 for 30 days or US$399 for 12 months.
Data sources and further reading
This guide describes where Wisconsin DEM data comes from; these are the places to get it. All of it is public and free to use.
Primary sources
- USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) seamless DEM — The bare-earth source for terrain tiles, contours, profiles, statistics, downloads and elevation added to files. Source resolution varies: 3.3 ft per pixel in the finest work units, with older lidar and coarser seamless data elsewhere. Elevations are above NAVD 88. Public domain. Selecting a fine output grid cannot create detail missing from the source.
- Wisconsin State Cartographer’s Office elevation and lidar resources — A directory of Wisconsin elevation and lidar resources. This site uses the USGS 3DEP index for work-unit coverage and available project metadata; it does not infer an acquisition date or accuracy for all Wisconsin from one project.
- Brown County regional lidar digital surface model — Optional surface data for Brown County only, including roofs and tree canopy as recorded by that source. Sunlight, Viewshed and Sightline use bare-earth fallback outside usable surface coverage; Object Heights has no supported result without surface data. The surface and 3DEP ground model can have different source dates and processing. Credit: Brown County, Wisconsin.
- Wisconsin Statewide Parcel Map Initiative — Parcel boundaries aggregated from local governments by the Wisconsin State Cartographer’s Office and Wisconsin Land Information Program. The Property tool queries the public statewide service. Local gaps, outdated boundaries and missing identifiers can occur; no parcel found is not proof that land is unowned. Parcel maps are not legal surveys.
- USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) — Wisconsin place names for search, including towns, peaks, lakes, streams and other named features.
- Basemaps — USGS Topo and Esri World Imagery — USGS Topo, shaded relief rendered from 3DEP, and Esri World Imagery (Imagery: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics, and the GIS User Community) provide map context. The aerial basemap is display-only. Downloadable aerial photos come from public-domain USGS NAIP imagery.
Search, basemaps and terms
- USGS copyrights and credits — The USGS public-domain policy and requested credits. Other publishers’ layers have their own terms.
Related guides
- Lidar data for Wisconsin — lidar technology, coverage and access.
- Contour lines for Wisconsin — contours for any area.
- Topographic maps of Wisconsin — from USGS quads to custom lidar maps.
- Download contours as GeoJSON — for QGIS and GIS workflows.
- Download contours as DXF — for AutoCAD and Civil 3D.
- Elevation profile generator — charts from GPX, KML and GeoJSON routes.
- Add elevation to CSV files — elevations for a spreadsheet of points.