Lessons From the NAVD 88 Project

Dave Zilkoski

May 11-12, 2010

2010 Federal Geospatial Summit

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

No Matter What You Do• Some Users Will Not

Worry About A Datum Change Until It Is Officially Published

And

• They Will Then Ask You Why You Didn’t Inform Them Earlier About The Change

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Saying that –

Here’s a few thoughts based on my experience as NAVD 88 Project Manager

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

KEEP USERS INFORMED and INVOLVED

• Keep Users Informed Even If There Doesn’t Appear To Be Much Progress

• Find Many Different Ways To Allow Users To Ask Questions About the Status of The Project

• Prepare Quarterly Articles For Professional Magazines and NOAA Web Site Documenting Various Activities

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Involve Everyone

• Involve State and Local Government– Use NGS Height Modernization Partners

and Spatial Reference Centers

• Involve Universities – Research

• Involve Professional Societies– Training/Seminars/Articles

• Involve Private Industry– Data Acquisition and Evaluation of Results

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Create an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

• Involve All Users in the Process and Work With Existing Groups to Get Their Input (ACSM, FGCS, NSGIC, ASPRS, TRB)

• Convene Symposiums that Involve All Users of the NSRS and Hold “Short” Non-Technical Interactive Webinars

• Prepare a Work Plan With Action Items That Include NGS Collaborating With Other Agencies and Users

• Work With Others to Prepare Their Transition Action Plans

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Understand Each Other’s Requirements

• Obtain an Understanding of All User Requirements

• Have Users Identify Concerns and Assist in Developing Potential Solutions

• Develop Models and Tools Prior to the Completion of the Project

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Institutionalize the Process

• Create an Official NGS Team Responsible for the Project Including the IMPLEMENTION Phase

• Formalize Agency Decisions and Work Plans [Most Agency Leads Involved in the Project Today

Will Not Be in Their Current Role in 2018]

– FGCS for Feds– ACSM for Surveyors and Mappers– AASHTO (?) for State DOTS

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Impacts, Benefits, and Responsibilities

• Identify and Document Impacts and Benefits Resulting from the New Datums

• Assign Responsibilities and Hold NGS/Users Accountable

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Example From NAVD 88 ProjectIMPACT

• Users Will Have to Retrieve New datasheets because all Published Heights of Bench Marks Will Have Changed

• Data Bases containing heights referenced to NGVD 29 will have to be updated to NAVD 88

• Maps depicting NGVD 29 Heights will have to be modified for NAVD 88 Heights

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Example From NAVD 88 ProjectBENEFITS

• Surveys between bench marks will often close better

• NAVD 88 will provide a better reference to compute GPS-Derived Orthometric Heights

• 40,000 Additional bench marks of First-Order accuracy will be available on NAVD 88

• Data and NAVD 88 adjusted height values will be readily available and accessible in a convenient format from NGS’s web site: http://www.ngs.noaa.gov

• Federal Surveying and Mapping agencies will publish only on NAVD 88

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Example from NAVD 88 ProjectNGS’ RESPONSIBILITIES

• Data Acquisition, Analyses, and Adjustment

• Perform procedures to officially replace NGVD 29 with NAVD 88

• Compile documentation to brief Congress and State officials on NAVD 88 impacts and benefits to minimize problems with uniformed users

• Estimate conversion (bias) shifts between NGVD 29 and NAVD 88

• Incorporate other data, e.g., COE and/or USGS data, into NAVD 88 (data must be in computer-readable form)

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Example from NAVD 88 ProjectUSER’S RESPONSIBILITIES

• Data Acquisition of Local First- and Second-Order Leveling Data to be Incorporated into NAVD 88 (data must be in computer-readable form)

• Provide Kinds Of Data, Reports, Routines, and Training Required To Implement NAVD 88

• Relay (In A Timely Manner) To NGS Problems with Implementation Of NAVD 88

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Geospatial Solutions Require an Integrated, Collaborative Environment

Final Thought2018 Will Be Here

Before You Know It

And

Before You’re Ready Unless Everyone Collaborates to

Achieve a Common Goal