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Accessing STAC DEM Mosaics with ArcGIS Pro

This guide demonstrates how to use ArcGIS Pro to interactively browse and access CanElevation's digital elevation models (DEM) mosaics through the CCMEO STAC catalog. Unlike command-line approaches, ArcGIS Pro provides a visual interface for discovering, previewing, and loading DEM tiles directly into your project.

Prerequisites

  • ArcGIS Pro Version: 3.4.0 or later
  • Internet Connection: Required for accessing STAC API and COG files
  • Basic familiarity with ArcGIS Pro interface and project workflows

Learning Objectives

By the end of this guide, you will be able to:

  • Connect to the CCMEO STAC API endpoint
  • Browse available DEM collections
  • Search for DEM tiles by assets and geographic extent
  • Load COG tiles directly into ArcGIS Pro
  • Export tiles for offline use

Part 1: Plugin Installation and Configuration

Configure STAC Connection

  1. Open ArcGIS Pro
  2. Open the Catalog pane: View > Catalog Pane
  3. Create a new STAC connection: Insert > Project > Connections > Stac Connection > New STAC Connection

Create STAC Connection dialog

  1. Enter connection details:
  2. Name: CCMEO STAC API
  3. URL: https://datacube.services.geo.ca/stac/api/

STAC Connection configuration

  1. Click OK to save and create the connection
  2. In the Catalog pane, the new STAC connection should appear under Project > STACs as CCMEO STAC API.astac

STAC connection in Catalog pane

Part 2: Discovering DEM Collections

Browse Available Collections

  • In Catalog pane, right-click the STAC connection and select Explore STAC…

Explore STAC context menu

  • Use the Search Collections bar in the Explore STAC pane to find STAC collections

Search Collections bar

DEM Collections to look for:

  • hrdem-mosaic-1m - Mosaic of High Resolution Digital Elevation Model (HRDEM) at 1m
  • hrdem-mosaic-2m - Mosaic of High Resolution Digital Elevation Model (HRDEM) at 2m
  • hrdem-lidar - Mosaic by LiDAR acquisition project
  • hrdem-arcticdem - Mosaic generated from optical stereo imagery (ArcticDEM)
  • mrdem-30 - Medium resolution digital elevation model – 30 meters (MRDEM-30)

Part 3: Searching and Loading DEM Data

Filtering Options in Explore STAC Pane

Filtering options overview

Search by Assets

  • For each STAC collection, click Select assets

Asset selection interface

  • Select desired assets

Choose assets

  • Click OK to save preferences

Search by Geographic Extent

Method A: Use Map Canvas Extent

  • Navigate to area of interest in ArcGIS Pro map canvas
  • In Explore STAC pane, expand Extent and select Current Display Extent
  • Current map extent will fill (North, West, East, South) fields

Current display extent filtering

  • Click View Results

Method B: Define Extents Manually

  • In Explore STAC pane, expand Extent and select As Specified Below
  • Enter (North, West, East, South) manually

Manual extent entry

  • Click View Results

Preview Search Results

  • Search results appear as a list under Results window

Search results display

  • Use Previous or Next to navigate pages
  • Results can be refreshed or refined in Parameters window
  • Change collections, assets, filtering
  • Click View Results to update
  • Change items per page in Parameters window under Items per page

Items per page configuration

  • Refresh by clicking View Results

For each item in the Results window, you can view

  • Thumbnail: Preview image (if available)

Item thumbnail preview

  • Footprint: Geographic extent on the map

Item footprint on map

  • Metadata: Properties and asset information

Item metadata properties

Load DEM Tiles

  • In Explore STAC pane, under Results, select an item and click Add to Current Map

Load DEM to current map

  • DEM tile loads as raster layer

Part 4: Exporting and Offline Use

Export Tiles for Offline Use

  1. In Contents pane, right-click DEM layer
  2. Select Data > Export Raster
  3. Configure export settings

Export Raster dialog

  1. Click Export button

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

Problem: Cannot connect to STAC API

Solutions:

  • Verify URL: https://datacube.services.geo.ca/stac/api/
  • Check internet and firewall
  • Try accessing URL in a browser
  • Ensure ArcGIS Pro allows external connections
  • Verify you are using ArcGIS Pro 3.4.0 or later

Catalog Navigation

Problem: Cannot see STAC connection in Catalog pane

Solutions:

  • Ensure Catalog pane is open: View > Catalog Pane
  • Restart ArcGIS Pro and try again
  • Verify the connection was created successfully

Collection Discovery

Problem: No collections appearing in search results

Solutions:

  • Verify internet connection is active
  • Check STAC API status at https://datacube.services.geo.ca/stac/api/
  • Try a simpler search term

Data Loading

Problem: COG tiles fail to load

Solutions:

  • Only DEM collections (hrdem-, mrdem-) are currently supported for loading in ArcGIS Pro. There is a known bug preventing other STAC collections from being loaded. Please use DEM collections only.
  • Verify the COG URL is accessible in your browser
  • Check that your map canvas CRS is compatible with the data (EPSG:3979 - LCC NAD83 CSRS)
  • Ensure you have sufficient disk space for the temporary cache files

Performance Issues

Problem: Slow response times or freezing

Solutions:

  • Start with lower resolution data (e.g., mrdem-30) before working with high-resolution data
  • Limit search extent to reduce number of tiles loaded
  • Cache data locally using the export function for repeated use
  • Close unused applications to free up system resources

Export Failures

Problem: Export Raster operation fails

Solutions:

  • Verify sufficient disk space is available in the output directory
  • Ensure you have write permissions to the destination folder
  • Check that the output format (GeoTIFF) is supported
  • Try exporting to a different location or format

Best Practices

  • Start with Lower Resolution: Test workflows with mrdem-30 before high-resolution data
  • Cache Locally: Export tiles locally for repeated use
  • Check CRS: Map canvas CRS should match STAC collection (EPSG:3979 - LCC NAD83 CSRS)
  • Limit Extent: Begin with smaller geographic areas to understand workflow and data characteristics
  • Verify Collections: Always use DEM collections (hrdem-, mrdem-) for optimal compatibility

Additional Resources

Glossary

  • STAC (SpatioTemporal Asset Catalog): An open specification for describing and cataloging geospatial datasets, enabling standardized search and access to spatiotemporal data
  • COG (Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF): A GeoTIFF file optimized for efficient cloud-based access, with internal organization allowing quick data retrieval without downloading the entire file
  • DEM (Digital Elevation Model): A gridded representation of land surface elevation
  • HRDEM (High Resolution Digital Elevation Model): Canadian high-resolution elevation data at 1-2 meter resolution
  • MRDEM (Medium Resolution Digital Elevation Model): Canadian medium-resolution elevation data at 30 meter resolution
  • CCMEO (Canadian Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation): Part of Natural Resources Canada, responsible for providing authoritative geospatial data
  • CRS (Coordinate Reference System): A system for defining positions on Earth using coordinates; essential for accurate spatial data representation and analysis
  • AOI (Area of Interest): The geographic region being analyzed or studied in a project