NOAA’s National Height Modernization

Program

Regional Height Modernization ForumWichita, Kansas

May 2, 2008

Renee ShieldsHeight Modernization Manager

• NGS Mission and Height Modernization Overview

• Needs and Benefits of Accurate Heights

• NGS Roles and Responsibilities

Overview

Mission of NGS

To define, maintain and provide access to the National Spatial Reference System to meet our nation’s economic, social, and environmental needs

http://geodesy.noaa.gov/INFO/ngs_tenyearplan.pdf

• Define the NSRS– “The NSRS must be more accurate than all activities which

build upon it, while still being practicably achievable.”

• Maintain the NSRS– “NGS must track all of the temporal changes to the defining

points of the NSRS in such a way as to always maintain the accuracy in the NSRS definition.”

• Provide Access to the NSRS– “NGS must develop and maintain guidelines for users to

access the NSRS at a variety of accuracies.”– “NGS will publish all coordinates of defining points of the

NSRS with an epoch tag and will furthermore publish velocities relative to that epoch-tagged set of coordinates”

http://geodesy.noaa.gov/INFO/ngs_tenyearplan.pdf

From the NGS 10-Year Plan

• The official national coordinate system of the U.S. federal government which includes:– Geodetic latitude, longitude and height– Scale, gravity, and orientation– How these values change with time

• Components include:– National and Cooperative CORS– Network of passive monuments– Official national shoreline – Precise orbits of GNSS satellites used to define NSRS– Models and tools to describe how all of these

quantities change over time.

Mission – The NSRS is…

Height Modernization Objective

NSRS

Reliable

Cost-effective

Accurate

Standardized Legally Established

NSRS

GEODETIC CONTROLNAVD88

Height Modernization is …

…the establishment of accurate, reliable heights using GNSS technology in conjunction with traditional leveling, gravity, and modern remote sensing information….

The Roots of Height Modernization

• In 1994 - First meeting held in

Sacramento, CA

– Some heights in CA in error by more than a meter

– GPS could be immediately used to meet some of California’s requirements

– Necessary for the implementation of NAVD 88

• In 1998, $1.0 M was added to NGS budget

to perform Height Modernization Study

• Study Goals:– Identify/document user requirements for

height data – Identify/document applications for GPS

height data– Evaluate estimated cost benefits and

implementation costs– Recommend actions to meet

requirements – all technologies

• Study Components:– User forums and outreach– Evaluate 16 case studies– Compare costs of similar surveys using

different methods

Height Modernization Study

• In 2000, $500K added to NGS’ budget for Height Modernization planning

• In 2001, $2.25M added to NGS budget – to implement Height Modernization in NC– to support the California Spatial Reference

Center (CSRC)– to support NGS related Height Modernization

activities

• Also in 2001, NOAA is directed to work with LA and WI to assess their requirements for Height Modernization

The Roots of Height Modernization

Height Modernization Program Timeline

• 2002-2006 – Program expanded to 11 states through Congressionally directed earmarks

• 2007 – Program funded at previous year’s levels but without Congressional Direction

• 2008 – Appropriations includes Height Modernization line plus earmarks, but total funding is decreased

Height Modernization Appropriations(FY01-FY08)

Fiscal Year Appropriations States

FY 2001 2.25 M CA, NC

FY 2002 3.75 M CA, NC, LA, WI

FY 2003 3.75 M CA, NC, LA, WI, MS

FY 2004 9.0 MCA, NC, LA, WI, MS,

AL, WA, SC

FY 2005 9.6 MCA, NC, LA, WI, MS,

AL, WA, TX, KY

FY 2006 9.9 MCA, NC, WI, MS,

AL, SC, TX, KY, AZ

FY 2007 9.9 M “without direction”

FY 2008 4.995 M + 1.152 M Line + AL, KY, IL

FY07 Height Modernization - Recipients

CA Scripps Institution of Oceanography (CSRC)

NCNorth Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (and North Carolina A&T State University)

LA Louisiana State University (LSRC)

WI Wisconsin Department of Transportation

SC South Carolina Geodetic Survey

AL Alabama Department of Revenue

MS University of Southern Mississippi

WAWashington State Department of Natural Resources (SRCW)

TX Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi (TSRC)

KY Morehead State University

AZ Arizona State Land Development (ASRC)

IL Illinois State Geological Survey

Spatial Reference Centers Regional Leaders Other funded partners

Current Funded Partners

States engaged in HM without federal funding assistance

Participating and Interested States

Image credit:: AP Photo/Rick Bowmer

Height Matters

Measure, Monitor, Model - Crustal Motion/ Subsidence/Isostatic Rebound /Seasonal changes

Gulf Coast Subsidence – LA, MS

Localized Subsidence – AZ, NC

West Coast Crustal Motion –

CA, WA

PA147 - PennDOT

17

17 8 2

13

12

91118

3 56

19

15

10 1416

4

0021

26

2322

20

2724

28

NE

LKHU

ADKS

TMC

HOUSTON

FORT BEND

MONTGOMERY

GALVESTON

HARRIS

Water Management – Water LevelsSeasonal Subsidence - TX USM

Measure, Monitor, Model …..

Great Lakes region uplift - WI

• Determining High Water Marks

• Evacuation Route Surveys

• Damage Mitigation

Flooding: river overflow, coastal, storm surge, flash flood

• FEMA Map Modernization Program

– Flood Insurance Rate Maps

– Elevation Certificates

– FEMA Cooperative Technical States, e.g. NC

• Dam Safety

• Water resources

• Relating tidal and geodetic datums

– Ship transport: underwater/overhead clearance

Water Resource Management

Folsom dam

Novi Special WT, MI

•Transportation

•Mapping and Charting

•Construction, Engineering

•Recover decimated control networks

DEMs, Geoid modeling

New and Non-traditional Applications:

• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

• Precision Farming

• Fleet Management

Local Issues

How can Height Modernization help?

• Control network is becoming

decimated

• Costly, time consuming

• Difficult to maintain

“To define, maintain and provide access to the NSRS…”

Problems with traditional leveling

Can we get accurate heights with GNSS?

• Infrastructure

• Models and Tools

• Outside Capacity Building

NGS Business Plan: 3 Areas of Focus

• “Define, maintain, provide access to NSRS”

• Active control network – CORS

• Passive control network as needed

• Guidelines and standards for geodetic field and processing practices

• Quality check data that is incorporated in the NGS database

• Enable positioning consistent with NSRS

Infrastructure

Kansas Primary Control –

CORS

KAN1 – Kansas City 1

FBYN – Fairbury, NE

Oklahoma Primary Control –

CORS

OKAL – Altus, OK

OKMU – Muskogee, OK

Primary Control - Kansas High Accuracy Reference Network

Primary Control - Oklahoma High Accuracy Reference Network

• 1 National Geodetic Survey, Retrieval Date = APRIL 30, 2008• HF0551 ***********************************************************************• HF0551 DESIGNATION - E 349• HF0551 PID - HF0551• HF0551 STATE/COUNTY- KS/SEDGWICK• HF0551 USGS QUAD - DERBY (1982)• HF0551• HF0551 *CURRENT SURVEY CONTROL• HF0551 ___________________________________________________________________• HF0551* NAD 83(2007)- 37 37 21.93338(N) 097 20 11.12620(W) NO CHECK • HF0551* NAVD 88 - 389.052 (meters) 1276.41 (feet) ADJUSTED • HF0551 ___________________________________________________________________• HF0551 EPOCH DATE - 2002.00• HF0551 X - -645,931.125 (meters) COMP• HF0551 Y - -5,016,973.614 (meters) COMP• HF0551 Z - 3,872,584.437 (meters) COMP• HF0551 LAPLACE CORR- -0.48 (seconds) DEFLEC99• HF0551 ELLIP HEIGHT- 360.265 (meters) (02/10/07) NO CHECK• HF0551 GEOID HEIGHT- -28.77 (meters) GEOID03• HF0551 DYNAMIC HT - 388.745 (meters) 1275.41 (feet) COMP• HF0551• HF0551 ------- Accuracy Estimates (at 95% Confidence Level in cm) --------• HF0551 Type PID Designation North East Ellip• HF0551 -------------------------------------------------------------------• HF0551 NETWORK HF0551 E 349 1.00 0.76 2.70• HF0551 -------------------------------------------------------------------

NGS Datasheet – Leveling/GPS

• HF0551• HF0551 VERT ORDER - SECOND CLASS 0• HF0551• HF0551.The horizontal coordinates were established by GPS observations• HF0551.and adjusted by the National Geodetic Survey in February 2007.• HF0551• HF0551.The datum tag of NAD 83(2007) is equivalent to NAD 83(NSRS2007).• HF0551 See National Readjustment for more information.• HF0551.No horizontal observational check was made to the station.• HF0551.The horizontal coordinates are valid at the epoch date displayed above.• HF0551.The epoch date for horizontal control is a decimal equivalence• HF0551.of Year/Month/Day.• HF0551• HF0551 The orthometric height was determined by differential leveling• HF0551 and adjusted in June 1991.• HF0551• HF0551 Photographs are available for this station.• HF0551• HF0551.The X, Y, and Z were computed from the position and the ellipsoidal ht.• HF0551• HF0551.The Laplace correction was computed from DEFLEC99 derived deflections.• HF0551• HF0551 The ellipsoidal height was determined by GPS observations• HF0551 and is referenced to NAD 83.• HF0551• HF0551 The geoid height was determined by GEOID03.

NGS Datasheet – Leveling/GPS

• 1 National Geodetic Survey, Retrieval Date = APRIL 30, 2008• HF1492 ***********************************************************************• HF1492 CBN - This is a Cooperative Base Network Control Station.• HF1492 DESIGNATION - WICHITA CBL 0• HF1492 PID - HF1492• HF1492 STATE/COUNTY- KS/SEDGWICK• HF1492 USGS QUAD - DERBY (1982)• HF1492• HF1492 *CURRENT SURVEY CONTROL• HF1492 ___________________________________________________________________• HF1492* NAD 83(2007)- 37 34 03.82210(N) 097 18 55.14283(W) ADJUSTED • HF1492* NAVD 88 - 385.7 (meters) 1265. (feet) GPS OBS • HF1492 ___________________________________________________________________• HF1492 EPOCH DATE - 2002.00• HF1492 X - -644,557.097 (meters) COMP• HF1492 Y - -5,020,904.766 (meters) COMP• HF1492 Z - 3,867,742.688 (meters) COMP• HF1492 LAPLACE CORR- -0.61 (seconds) DEFLEC99• HF1492 ELLIP HEIGHT- 356.976 (meters) (02/10/07) ADJUSTED• HF1492 GEOID HEIGHT- -28.76 (meters) GEOID03• HF1492• HF1492 …• HF1492 The orthometric height was determined by GPS observations and a• HF1492 high-resolution geoid model.• HF1492• HF1492.The X, Y, and Z were computed from the position and the ellipsoidal ht.• HF1492

NGS Datasheet - GPS Height Mod

• 1 National Geodetic Survey, Retrieval Date = JANUARY 4, 2008• DH5603 ***********************************************************************• DH5603 HT_MOD - This is a Height Modernization Survey Station.• DH5603 DESIGNATION - ALTO S GPS• DH5603 PID - DH5603• DH5603 STATE/COUNTY- WI/FOND DU LAC• DH5603 USGS QUAD - BRANDON (1980)• DH5603• DH5603 *CURRENT SURVEY CONTROL• DH5603 ___________________________________________________________________• DH5603* NAD 83(2007)- 43 38 45.90850(N) 088 49 31.20449(W) ADJUSTED • DH5603* NAVD 88 - 283.45 (meters) 930.0 (feet) GPS OBS • DH5603 ___________________________________________________________________• DH5603 EPOCH DATE - 2002.00• DH5603 X - 94,770.713 (meters) COMP• DH5603 Y - -4,621,912.764 (meters) COMP• DH5603 Z - 4,379,891.970 (meters) COMP• DH5603 … • DH5603 … • DH5603 The orthometric height was determined by GPS observations and a• DH5603 high-resolution geoid model using precise GPS observation and• DH5603 processing techniques.• DH5603• DH5603.The X, Y, and Z were computed from the position and the ellipsoidal ht.• DH5603

Height Mod GPS Datasheet

Published Height Modernization Stations

• Modeling – atmospheric, 1-cm geoid

• Development of software, tools

•Software, Online Tool Kit

• OPUS “Variety Pack”

• Field tools – PGM, Digital Level Tool

• VDatum

• Guidelines for use of new technologies and processes like remote sensing, real time

Models and Tools

N O A A T e c h n ic a l M e m o r a n d u m N O S N G S - 5 8

G U ID E L IN E S F O R E S T A B L IS H IN G G P S - D E R IV E D E L L IP S O ID H E IG H T S( S T A N D A R D S : 2 C M A N D 5 C M )V E R S IO N 4 .3

D a v id B . Z i lk o s k iJ o s e p h D . D 'O n o f r ioS t e p h e n J . F r a k e s

S i lv e r S p r in g , M D

N o v e m b e r 1 9 9 7

U .S . D E P A R T M E N T O F N a t io n a l O c e a n ic a n d N a t io n a l O c e a n N a t io n a l G e o d e t icC O M M E R C E A t m o s p h e r ic A d m in is t r a t io n S e r v ic e S u r v e y

Guidelines

Available “On-Line” atthe NGS Web Site:

www.ngs.noaa.gov/PUBS_LIB/pub_index.html

Level Tool under development at TAMUCC

• State Geodetic Advisor Program

• Forums, workshops

• Conferences

• Publications, web site

• Training, capacity building

Outside Capacity Building

www.ngs.noaa.gov/heightmod

Education – Seminars, Workshops, Forums

Michigan

Leveling – Spokane, 2006

Washington

www.ngs.noaa.gov/corbin/index.shtml

Training center in Corbin, VA

- State Agencies - NCGS, SCGS, WiDOT, ALDOR, WADNR, AZSLD

- Spatial Reference Centers – CA, LA, WA, TX, AZ

- Universities – Scripps, LSU, USM, TAMUCC, NCA&T, Morehead State

- NOAA and other Federal Agencies – USACE, USGS, FEMA

Accomplishments – Building Partnerships

www.ncfloodmaps.com

Link to Digital Flood Maps …

Results of partnerships

FEMA – Map Modernization, Post-Katrina recovery project

Results of partnerships

• Role of NGS: Program Management

• Congressional briefings

• Budget, grants management

• Coordination – Partners, SRCs

• Role of NGS: Project Leadership

• Support program growth - develop long range plan

• Support advance of science

• Support NOAA’s Mission – shoreline, weather, climate change

• Needs don’t stop at state boundaries

• States within a region work in concert to support common issues/goals

• More efficient use of funds, people

• Encourages partnerships

• Congress more likely to continue funding for programs that impact a larger area/group of constituents; commitment to program on part of users

A National Program

Height Modernization Regions

Height Mod Objectives

• Consistent, accurate vertical AND horizontal control network– Rebuild decimated network– New network is GPS-able– Reduces survey costs by providing denser control

• Build capacity in the surveying community to perform the surveys and properly use the data

• Provide data to build better models (DEMs, geoid, storm surge) and products (FIRMs)

• Provide access to NSRS to enable expansion of applications, like RTK, GIS

Questions

Renee ShieldsHeight Modernization ManagerN/NGS1, SSMC3, Room 93571315 East-West HighwaySilver Spring, MD 20910301-713-3231, x116Renee.Shields@noaa.gov

Contact information