2007 Issue

www.utahengineerscouncil.org 36 UTAH COUNCIL OF LAND SURVEYORS www.ucls.org Chair/ Chair-Elect Lenard Barney Executive Secretary/Newsletter Editor Pauline Barney UEC Representative Matt Clark 801-743-0696 Program Chair Steve Keisel Finding Your Way With GPS I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS A VERY IM- PORTANT AND URGENT ISSUE. SOME OF YOU MAY BE AWARE OF THE EFFORTS OF AGRC (THE AUTOMATED GEOGRAPHIC Reference Center for the State of Utah) to create, install, operate and maintain a state wide GPS reference network. The vision of this network came into being approximately six years ago. The envisioned benefits to the Land Surveying Profession, various En- gineering disciplines, the GIS community and the public at large, would be realized in many different arenas. To quote AGRC, “This network would strategically locate GPS Reference Stations ranging from 20-50 kilometers in spacing utilizing existing facili- ties and existing base stations where feasible. An estimated 50-70 station will be required. The long term goal is to develop “TURN GPS” to provide state wide coverage for high accuracy GPS survey and map0ping to im- prove the quality of geographic information system data and the productivity, efficiency, and cost effectiveness of government services and open the GPS Network Services to Fed- eral, State, Local and Tribal partners”. See the accompanying map prepared by AGRC showing the proposed network. That being said, the question is asked. What will the benefit be to me or my business? The Utah Council of Land Surveyors sent a request to its membership asking how this statewide network would benefit them. The following is a sampling of the com- mon responses that we received from our membership. • Safety for the crews and public. The safety factor is one of the survey crews, GIS Technicians etc. not being required to occupy control stations which are located in the roadways. By being able to spend less time exposed in the roadways, the crews and the public are exposed to fewer hazards and accidents. • Efficiency. The network will allow the better use of time and people in getting the job finished. The less time needed to initialize and realize satellite solution will enable the industry to better schedule employees time, distribution of equipment and everyday resources used to perform the required work. (Nothing makes a developer or owner happier that saving money and time while improving efficiencies and getting better information to make key decisions). • Accessability to RTK positional accuracies negating the need to post process static observation data. RTK capabilities will ensure the survey grade accuracies required while still allowing the collection of mapping grade data. • Less need to trespass into private properties to continue the collection of survey data. • Greater integrity of collected data resulting in fewer errors within the project survey data collection and dissemination. In the past, when GIS was created, the biggest fault of the systemwas in a rush to use and incorporate the new technology without placing a priority on the data’s degree of accu- racy. As long as structure was represented on a map showing buildings, roads, walkways etc. the maps usefulness and purpose were met. Today we hear a lot about survey grade ac- curacy versus mapping grade accuracy. Early on in the industry standards were set as to what accuracy/precision would be acceptable. One meter (approx. 3’) is the standard for mapping grade GPS. Survey grade accuracy (centimeter positional accuracy) is more and more being required in the collection of data. Let me briefly explain. Mapping grade accuracies are not ac- ceptable, for instance, in the location and/or relocation of underground utilities. Being within 3’ either side of a fibre optic cable is not close enough when a backhoe is excavat- ing. The same goes for water mains, natural gas lines and high voltage lines and road alignments. You can see where I am going. The nature of design, engineering, construc- tion and maintenance of societies needs demands those survey grade accuracies be maintained and used. Mapping profession- als traditionally are not concerned with this survey grade positions. Professional Land Surveyors are required to certify that their survey accuracies are within one centimeter (less than one inch). For Professional Land Surveyors to achieve this level of accuracy means that more precise and expensive equipment be purchased. continued on following page