“Joy of Leveling”

First Order Leveling Step by Step Guide and Source Document

July 2009
Created by PJF

Critical Documents

Bench Mark Reset Procedures (pdf format,1.3MB )( September 2007)

Geodetic Leveling - NOAA Manual NOS NGS 3 (Reprinted June 2001)

FGCS Specifications and Procedures to Incorporate Electronic Digital/Bar-Code Leveling Systems

(July 1994)

Geodetic Bench Marks - NOAA Manual NOS NGS 1 (September 1978)

Control Leveling -NOAA TR NOS 73 NGS 8 (pdf format)(May 1978)

Input Formats and Specifications of the National Geodetic Survey Data Base - "NGS Blue Book"
Volume II for Vertical Control
Annex H for Standard Time Zones

Additional Reference - Scope of Work Geodetic Leveling Surveys, version 9c –

http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/ContractingOpportunities/PR_SOW_v9C.pdf

Guidelines for Establishing GPS-derived Orthometric Heights (Standards: 2 cm and 5 cm) NOAA TM
NOS NGS-59 PDF (March 26, 2008)

Guidelines for Establishing GPS-Derived Ellipsoid Heights - NOAA TM NOS NGS-58 (November 1997)
HTML| PDF

Main website - www.ngs.noaa.gov

Planning
Recon Old Marks and Locations for New Marks
Include extra points for tie points
Use GPS to check uncorrected heights
Use DS-World to search for existing stations
http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/PC_PROD/PARTNERS/index.shtml#DSWORLD
Use datasheets for to reach and other needed information
http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/datasheet.prl
Search database by PID and Project ID to find marks in same L* project.
http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_proj.prl
Enter PID for known station to get L* [Select ‘determine’ from top of page]
Enter L* to find other stations in that L* [Enter L* in ‘Enter Survey Project ID:’ box]

Collect photos of Existing Marks

Label Correctly
Add a photo caption in the field or in the office with the photo file name
http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/PROJECTS/INSTRUCTIONS/photos/Digital_Photo_Requirements.pdf
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 Caption format: PID, Station Name, photo number and direction [3NW], date [YYYY, MM, DD]
Filename format: PID-StationName-photonumberDirection-date.jpg
Ensure you use original jpg, otherwise, if converted from pdf it may not work
Take at least 3 photos, close-up (taken vertically), eye-level (taken vertically), horizontal view
(with mark in foreground)
Additional Reference - Scope of Work Geodetic Leveling Surveys, version 9c –
Contracting Opportunities, Leveling Scope of Work,
http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/ContractingOpportunities/PR_SOW_v9C.pdf

Write Recovery Descriptions of Existing Marks

Export datasheets in WinDesc to NGS *.dsc format then update descriptions
WinDesc (Version 4.15);
link to download latest http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/PC_PROD/pc_prod.shtml#WinDesc

Blank Forms - http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/PROJECTS/FBN/

Create Project Map

Create an overview map showing marks not found, destroyed or in poor condition, planned new
locations, lat/long tick marks, scale, state area and state
Sample – Curt’s workshop CD; Attachment #1

Submit Project Proposal to NGS

Include project map, min/max, lat/long, existing mark PIDS, non NSRS point lat/long, photos
Acquire L* number by emailing Bob Siclari and requesting, bob.siclari@noaa.gov
Acquire sequence for new station names by emailing Bob Siclari and requesting
Project Proposals, found at bottom of main website
http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/PROJECTS/proposals/project1.shtml

Set New Marks

Geodetic Bench Marks - NOAA Manual NOS NGS 1 (September 1978)
Bench Mark Reset Procedures (September 2007)
Scope of Work Geodetic Leveling Surveys, version 9c –
http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/ContractingOpportunities/PR_SOW_v9C.pdf

Collect Photos of New Marks

Label Correctly
See “Collect photos of existing marks” above

Write Descriptions of New Marks

See “Write Descriptions of existing marks” above

Create Detailed Project Map for Field

Show details of distance between marks, short summary of mark
description, show direction crew will actually walk, show SSN’s
and station names.
Use programs such as Google Earth or any mapping software.
Sample – Curt’s workshop CD; Attachment #2

Enter all Descriptions, both existing and new, into WinDesc

WinDesc (Version 4.15)
Upload Existing datasheets and write any necessary updates

Run WinDesc for errors

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Begin Project Report
NGS "Blue Book" Annex K
Include description of project, area, equipment, crew;
Describe procedures, processes, errors
Sample ___

Set data file structure for your project

L* project Name
Bluebook Files
Descriptions
Field Logs
Raw data
Original data
Reports
Software

Collecting Leveling Data

Read Geodetic Leveling - NOAA Manual NOS NGS 3 (Reprinted June 2001)

Create Project Report template before Leveling and enter what information you can; continue completing
as you go
See Translev for a step by step option to complete
Translev (Version 4.13)

Set up data file structure before Leveling (see above)

Run Translev DAILY

Correct errors in Translev Daily
Re-run Translev DAILY so NO errors
Maintain a Project notebook Daily

Finalize Translev data outputs

Submit Data and Project Report to NGS

Complete Transmittal (see Translev)
Send Hardcopy of project report, project map, abstract
Send digital copy of all data files including the above
This should include both the *.des and *.dsc files, photos, abstract, *.hgz, all raw data
(edited), all original data, *.bok, all notes
Send to Deb Brown (for vertical data only) at:
NGS43 SSMC3 STAT 8400 Silver Spring, MD 20910

GPS Data Collection

Collect GPS data as soon as close to the time of leveling

Reading Material
Guidelines for Establishing GPS-Derived Ellipsoid Heights- NOAA TM NOS NGS-58(November
1997) HTML| PDF

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 Guidelines for Establishing GPS-derived Orthometric Heights (Standards: 2 cm and 5 cm) NOAA
TM NOS NGS-59 PDF (March 26, 2008)

Height Modernization Study - Report to Congress - June 1998

Recon Points
Create Project Map
Create GPS Observation Schedule

Submit Project Proposal to NGS

Collect GPS Data

Process through
Pages and ADJUST and

Submit data to NGS

Send to Julie Prusky (for GPS data) NGS4 SSMC3 STAT 8458 Silver Spring, MD 20910

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 Attachment #1
Sample Project Map - Overview

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 Attachment #2
Sample Project Map - Detailed