Height Modernization Activities at NGS Christine Gallagher National

Height Modernization Activities at NGS Christine Gallagher National Partner Meeting April 30, 2014

The National Height Modernization Program: 1. aims to improve access to accurate, reliable, consistent “heights; ” 2. often focuses on obtaining orthometric heights using GNSS; 3. also includes leveling projects, GRAV -D Project, geoid modeling, and other research; and 4. ultimately enables efficiently obtaining accurate heights, with major cost savings.

NGS Ten-Year Plan & HMOD Plan Updated NGS Ten-year Plan Goal 1: Support NSRS users today Goal 2: Modernize & improve NSRS Goals 3 -5: Expand stakeholder base; improve workforce and organizational functionality P A R A L L E L G O A L S Height Modernization National Plan Goal 1: Support NAVD 88 users today Goal 2: Modernize & improve vertical datum Goal 3: Increase technical capacity with stakeholder base & workforce

Goal 1 SUPPORT NAVD 88 USERS TODAY

Height Modernization guidelines NOS NGS 58 GPS-derived ellipsoid heights (November 1997) NOS NGS 59 GPS-derived orthometric heights (March 2008) 5

Updating NGS 58/59 • Data collected in Oct. thru Dec. 2013 • Data analysis ongoing • Goal for updated guidelines in 2016

More ongoing projects • Refine and streamline submittal process (“reinvent” Bluebooking) – Completing improvements to ADJUST – Defining requirements for improved LOCUS • Update River Crossing Procedures – Proof of concept planned for summer 2014 – Goal for updated procedures in winter 2014

Upcoming projects • GPS survey in southern Louisiana – Following 2004, 2006 and 2010 surveys • GPS survey in Great Lakes – Preparing for next International Great Lakes Datum • Nationwide vertical adjustment – Use NAD 83(2011) ellipsoid heights, GEOID 12 A, and subset of national GNSS network – Constrain to leveled NAVD 88 bench marks – Determine GNSS-derived NAVD 88 heights on non-leveled marks

Goal 3 INCREASE STAKEHOLDER AND WORKFORCE TECHNICAL CAPACITY

Regional Coordination • NGS coordinated webinars – Nov. 19, 2013 for western states – Mar. 4, 2014 for eastern states • Locally lead meetings projects – Great Lakes Consortium – Gulf Coast cross-state projects – Western group now meeting regularly – Eastern kick-off meeting on June 10

COMET projects • Creating videos introducing datums to nontechnical audience • Developing online lesson on vertical datums to non-surveying technical professionals

NGS webpage(s) • Height Mod regional pages will be updated and will replace state pages by June 2014 • Height Mod pages will continue to update events, outreach, news and project information

Collaborative efforts • GPS on bench marks – Publicity for surveying – Improve future hybrid geoid models • Research and university – Hollings scholar research projects – NOAA Cooperative Institute Program • Professional Societies – National Society of Professional Surveyors

Questions Christine Gallagher Program Analyst National Geodetic Survey Email: Christine. Gallagher@noaa. gov Office: 301 -713 -3187 x 132 Cell: 202 -236 -6092 http: //www. ngs. noaa. gov/heightmod/