diff --git a/include/osgTerrain/Layer b/include/osgTerrain/Layer
index 22a09aa98..51c50b38f 100644
--- a/include/osgTerrain/Layer
+++ b/include/osgTerrain/Layer
@@ -35,14 +35,15 @@ class OSGTERRAIN_EXPORT Layer : public osg::Object
         
         
         void setLocator(Locator* locator) { _locator = locator; }
-        
         Locator* getLocator() { return _locator.get(); }
-        
         const Locator* getLocator() const { return _locator.get(); }
 
         virtual unsigned int getNumColumns() const { return 0; }
         virtual unsigned int getNumRows() const { return 0; }
 
+        void setDefaultValue(const osg::Vec4& value) { _defaultValue = value; }
+        const osg::Vec4& getDefaultValue() const { return _defaultValue; }
+
         virtual bool getValue(unsigned int /*i*/, unsigned int /*j*/, float& /*value*/) const { return false; }
         virtual bool getValue(unsigned int /*i*/, unsigned int /*j*/, osg::Vec2& /*value*/) const { return false; }
         virtual bool getValue(unsigned int /*i*/, unsigned int /*j*/, osg::Vec3& /*value*/) const { return false; }
@@ -112,7 +113,8 @@ class OSGTERRAIN_EXPORT Layer : public osg::Object
 
         virtual ~Layer();
 
-        osg::ref_ptr<Locator>           _locator;
+        osg::ref_ptr<Locator>   _locator;
+        osg::Vec4               _defaultValue;
 
 };
 
diff --git a/src/osgTerrain/GeometryTechnique.cpp b/src/osgTerrain/GeometryTechnique.cpp
index 07a2f103e..48c827cc9 100644
--- a/src/osgTerrain/GeometryTechnique.cpp
+++ b/src/osgTerrain/GeometryTechnique.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@
 
 #include <osgTerrain/GeometryTechnique>
 #include <osgTerrain/TerrainNode>
+
+#include <osgUtil/SmoothingVisitor>
+
 #include <osg/io_utils>
 
 using namespace osgTerrain;
@@ -100,6 +103,14 @@ void GeometryTechnique::init()
     
     unsigned int numRows = 100;
     unsigned int numColumns = 100;
+    
+    if (elevationLayer)
+    {
+        numColumns = elevationLayer->getNumColumns();
+        numRows = elevationLayer->getNumRows();
+    }
+    
+    
     unsigned int numVertices = numRows * numColumns;
 
     // allocate and assign vertices
@@ -129,6 +140,15 @@ void GeometryTechnique::init()
         {
             unsigned int iv = j*numColumns + i;
             osg::Vec3d ndc( (double)i/(double)(numColumns-1), (double)j/(double)(numColumns-1), 0.0);
+            
+            if (elevationLayer)
+            {
+                float value = 0.0f;
+                elevationLayer->getValue(i,j, value);
+                // osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"i="<<i<<" j="<<j<<" z="<<value<<std::endl;
+                ndc.z() = value;
+            }
+            
             osg::Vec3d model;
             masterLocator->convertLocalToModel(ndc, model);
 
@@ -158,6 +178,9 @@ void GeometryTechnique::init()
         _geometry->addPrimitiveSet(elements);
     }
 
+    osgUtil::SmoothingVisitor smoother;
+    _geode->accept(smoother);
+
     _dirty = false;    
 }
 
diff --git a/src/osgTerrain/Layer.cpp b/src/osgTerrain/Layer.cpp
index f574f44ed..ec14289c1 100644
--- a/src/osgTerrain/Layer.cpp
+++ b/src/osgTerrain/Layer.cpp
@@ -81,7 +81,42 @@ void ImageLayer::setImage(osg::Image* image)
 
 bool ImageLayer::getValue(unsigned int i, unsigned int j, float& value) const
 {
-    osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Not implemented yet"<<std::endl;
+    const unsigned char* data = _image->data(i,j);
+    switch(_image->getDataType())
+    {
+        case(GL_BYTE): 
+            value = *((const char*)data); 
+            // osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"byte "<<value<<std::endl;
+            break;
+        case(GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE): 
+            value = *data;
+            // osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Unsigned byte "<<value<<std::endl;
+            break;
+        case(GL_SHORT):
+            value = *((const short*)data);
+            // osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Short "<<value<<std::endl;
+            break;
+        case(GL_UNSIGNED_SHORT):
+            value = *((const unsigned short*)data);
+            // osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Unsigned Short "<<value<<std::endl;
+            break;
+        case(GL_INT):
+            value = *((const int*)data);
+            // osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Int "<<value<<std::endl;
+            break;
+        case(GL_UNSIGNED_INT):
+            // osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Unsigned Int "<<value<<std::endl;
+            value = *((const unsigned int*)data);
+            break;
+        case(GL_FLOAT):
+            // osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Float "<<value<<std::endl;
+            value = *((const float*)data);
+            break;
+        default: 
+            value = _defaultValue.x(); 
+            return false;
+    }
+
     return false;
 }
 
@@ -126,24 +161,30 @@ void HeightFieldLayer::setHeightField(osg::HeightField* hf)
 
 bool HeightFieldLayer::getValue(unsigned int i, unsigned int j, float& value) const
 {
-    osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Not implemented yet"<<std::endl;
-    return false;
+    value = _heightField->getHeight(i,j);
+    return true;
 }
 
 bool HeightFieldLayer::getValue(unsigned int i, unsigned int j, osg::Vec2& value) const
 {
-    osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Not implemented yet"<<std::endl;
-    return false;
+    value.x() = _heightField->getHeight(i,j);
+    value.y() = _defaultValue.y();
+    return true;
 }
 
 bool HeightFieldLayer::getValue(unsigned int i, unsigned int j, osg::Vec3& value) const
 {
-    osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Not implemented yet"<<std::endl;
-    return false;
+    value.x() = _heightField->getHeight(i,j);
+    value.y() = _defaultValue.y();
+    value.z() = _defaultValue.z();
+    return true;
 }
 
 bool HeightFieldLayer::getValue(unsigned int i, unsigned int j, osg::Vec4& value) const
 {
-    osg::notify(osg::NOTICE)<<"Not implemented yet"<<std::endl;
-    return false;
+    value.x() = _heightField->getHeight(i,j);
+    value.y() = _defaultValue.y();
+    value.z() = _defaultValue.z();
+    value.w() = _defaultValue.w();
+    return true;
 }