|
- Click sponsor logos for whitepapers, case studies, and best practices.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Digital Communities
Industry Members
Geodetic Survey Upgrade to Improve Mapping, Emergency and Land Planning
May 14, 2010 By News Report
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Geodetic Survey -- the official U.S. government source for determining precise latitude, longitude and elevation -- is undergoing a modernization effort that takes into account advances in GPS and other technologies. The effort is important to all activities requiring accurate positioning information including levee construction projects, the design of evacuation routes in hurricane-prone areas and the forecast of sea-level rise in coastal communities. The modernized National Spatial Reference System will take even greater advantage of newer technologies and better track changes in position and elevation over time to improve and update digital maps.
The proposed changes will affect civilian-federal mapping authorities, as well as state and municipal governments that have adopted the National Spatial Reference System.
"The reference frame in the past was hampered by being held static in time on an Earth that is constantly changing," says Juliana Blackwell, director of NOAA's National Geodetic Survey. "The new methodologies better capture changes, such as subsidence or sea level rise, and the improved points of reference benefit everyone using positioning data for the foundation of their work."
A modernized reference system will allow users to easily calculate accurate positions using a survey-grade GPS receiver in conjunction with a scientific model of Earth's gravity field. In 2009, a NOAA commissioned, independent socio-economic study estimated the value of these modernization efforts to be $4.8 billion over the next 15 years, including $2.2 billion in avoidance costs from improved floodplain management.
"An improved vertical datum means elevation measurements will become more accurate and less expensive, helping the National Flood Insurance Program to reduce the impacts and losses caused by flooding," said Paul Rooney, a Mapping Technology Specialist at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Photo: Geospatial Corp.
In Our Library
- Are You Sure You Are Maximizing the Value of Your Microsoft SharePoint Investment?
- The Microsoft SharePoint platform provides a wealth of opportunities for any organization to streamline business processes and expand knowledge sharing; however most government organizations struggle to take advantage of these opportunities.
- Hurricane Preparedness
- Make sure you are prepared for hurricane season before it is here. Join in this Digital Communities teleconference and gain insight on how to prepare from experts who have been on the ground during major hurricanes.
- Kofax Analytics for Capture
- Does your agency struggle to add Business Intelligence to your capture operations? View All
Government Best Practices
Featured White Papers & Reports
Government-to-Government IT Services: What Works and What's Left to Work OutThis Digital Communities white paper highlights discussions with IT officials in four counties that have adopted shared services models. Our aim was to learn about the obstacles these governments have faced when it comes to shared services and what it takes to overcome those roadblocks. We also spoke with several members of the IT industry who have thought long and hard about these issues. The paper offers some best practices for shared government-to-government services, but also points out challenges that government and industry still must overcome before this model gains widespread adoption.
View Full Library
Events
Don't miss this opportunity to see the latest in digital government solutions, keep abreast of current policy issues and network with key government executives, technologists and industry specialists.
Digital Communities News In Your Inbox
Subscribe to Digital Communities
Digital Communities (DC) is e.Republic‘s local government program. The particular strength of DC is its focus on encouraging collaboration and creating productive relationships between and among cities, counties, regions and select private sector companies uniquely positioned to help improve the delivery of public services.
Subscribe | View Digital Issue