AverStar Develops Drainage-Enforced Digital Elevation Models for Superior Hydrologic and Topographic Representation.

BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 16, 1998--AverStar's Pacer Infotec subsidiary has developed a new type of digital map that offers a more reliable hydrologic and topologic representation in the detailed maps used by scientists and hydrologists for hydrology studies. This new Digital Elevation Model (DEM), called a Drainage-Enforced DEM (DE-DEM), meets the needs of water studies by providing a degree of hydrologic data reliability not found in standard DEMs.

AverStar created the DE-DEM in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Forest Service for the Coastal Landscapes Analysis and Modeling Study (CLAMS) which develops and evaluates concepts and tools to understand patterns and dynamics of provincial ecosystems such as the Coast Range in Oregon. It also analyzes the aggregate ecological, economic and social consequences of the forest policies for different owners of the province. The staff involved in CLAMS is using DE-DEMs to generate a stream layer and identify watersheds and gradients of the streams in those watersheds. The intent is to overlay satellite imagery on the DE-DEMs to characterize general forest cover types and changes in forest conditions.

CLAMS needed a seamless, higher resolution DEM dataset that had continuous flow for detailed slope and flow analysis. Coverage was needed on a regional scale, in a fast turn around time. As standard USGS 30 meter DEMs were unable to satisfy these criteria, AverStar was brought in to develop a specialized Drainage Enforced DEM.

Incorporating hydrologic data into the DEM helps represent drainage basins more precisely and eliminates unnecessary data found on standard DEMs. AverStar's use of hydrologic and hypsographic elements in creating the elevation model has resulted in a more accurate portrayal of hydrographic flow on the model. These high-resolution models exceed USGS DEM standards for Level 2 DEMs.

AverStar continues to create DE-DEMs for target areas of western Oregon and central Washington. AverStar currently has more than $500,000 in DE-DEM orders. About AverStar, Inc.

AverStar creates and validates software and solutions for the critical systems of government and commercial customers. The company consistently delivers high-quality, reliable products and services in areas such as civil government, aerospace, defense, and corporate enterprise. As part of its products and services, AverStar offers an extensive array of GIS consulting and data conversion services for clients around the world. The company produces several varieties of digital data at various resolutions from source maps of differing sizes and scales. The AverStar headquarters is located in Burlington, Mass with 30 offices throughout the United States. Please visit AverStar's website at www.averstar.com.