Campaign Countdown
We now have another 11 months until the December 31st, 2022 cut-off date to collect and submit GPS data to NGS for use in products to be launched with the Modernized National Spatial Reference System. NGS will use the GPSonBM data received by the cut-off date to compute the initial set of 2020.00 Reference Epoch Coordinates (REC) that will be released with the modernized system. This initial set of RECs will be used to build the 2022 Transformation Tool. By getting your data to NGS before the cut-off, you can help us improve the transformation tool in your area and be ready with updated coordinates on the marks you use when the Modernized NSRS is released.
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Recent Progress
Thanks to the enthusiasm and dedication of people around the country, record amounts of valuable geospatial data were submitted to NGS every month throughout 2021! The graph illustrates that the momentum we generated in 2020 increased significantly in 2021. The map shows that data came in from all over the country last year. While Minnesota and Wisconsin have led the pack for the last two years, many other states made great strides toward their data coverage goals in 2021. Check out the GPSonBM Progress Dashboard to see how your state is doing. If you are up for a little competition (or collaboration), check the OPUS Shared Solutions Dashboard to see who in your state is submitting GPS data. |
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10 km hexagons completed in 2021
Opportunities in 2022
All of the green hexagons in the first map below show where we now have data for the transformation tool. Despite all of this progress around the country, there are still areas with large data gaps. By necessity, NGS will interpolate over areas without GPSonBM data, meaning that the transformations will be less accurate in those areas. The final map below shows remaining data gaps of 50km or more in yellow.
Total 10 km hexagons completed to date
Remaining Data Gaps: Yellow areas are data gaps of 50 km or more
Partners Helping to Get the Word Out
We’ve hit the ground running in 2022 with an outreach blitz that has been greatly amplified by our partners across the country. First, I had a great discussion about the value of collaboration on mutually beneficial efforts with Tim Burch, the new Executive Director of the National Society of Professional Surveyors, on his podcast “Surveyor Says!” Check out our episode (#111) here at surveyorsays.podbean.com. NGS looks forward to working closely with Tim and the team at NSPS on getting our community ready for the Modernized NSRS. Please consider getting your state surveying society and/or your local chapter involved in a GPS on Bench Marks project (again) this year. If you get started now, you could be ready to hold an event during Surveyor’s Week March 20-26. You can also use such events to highlight the crucial role that surveyors play in all of the infrastructure projects getting underway around the country.
Next out of the gate was Gavin Schrock’s excellent article in xyHt “GNSS on Bench Marks?” Gavin expertly describes the value of the program, some of the challenges we face in carrying it out, and the exciting developments that NGS is working on to improve productivity. I was hooked by his epic opening line, “The GPS on Bench Marks campaign of the National Geodetic Survey is a triumph of constituency participation to improve the nation’s geodetic infrastructure.”
Finally, we were honored to kick off this year’s NGS Monthly Webinar Series with a webinar titled GPSonBM: NSRS Modernization Campaign Continues through 2022, featuring two inspiring guest stars, Mick Heberlein from Wisconsin DOT, and Jacob Heck, the NGS Great Lakes Regional Geodetic Advisor. Mick and Jacob described how they teamed up to encourage participants across the state to complete observations on nearly all of the priority bench marks in Wisconsin in 2021. Follow their example and take advantage of this extra year of data collection to prepare your communities to derive the full suite of benefits from the Modernized NSRS to come!
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NGS tracks participation in this campaign, but we rely on partner participation to be successful. If you have an accomplishment you want to highlight, email NGS.GPSonBM@noaa.gov.
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