Developing GIS takes resources. Money, time, and effort are all necessary components that make up a successful GIS implementation. One of the most significant monetary investments that local governments make when implementing and maintaning a GIS is aerial photography.
The Iowa Geographic Information Council (IGIC) is working to coordinate a statewide acquisition of high-resolution aerial photography for the state of Iowa. The organization was able to secure $200,000 from the USGS for the acquisition of aerial photography for 17 counties in northwest Iowa (including Pocahontas, Humboldt, and Wright) in the spring of 2007. When that photography is processed, it will be freely available for use in public and private sectors for use in their GIS.
What is shown in large-area collaborative projects is that the square mile cost for acquiring aerial photography is reduced dramatically. Collaboration and coordination reduce the costs of investing in GIS.
In the spring 2007 flight, three of the six MIDAS counties had photography acquired in this statewide initiative. One of the objectives behind this initiative is allowing local governments to specify their photography requirements and have a program that meets those requirements in a consistent and cost-effective manner.
If you're interested or if you are planning on acquiring photography in 2008 or 2009, contact Brad at the MIDAS office for further details. | 
