Usgs Benchmark

[+The K-C4]

Again I must state that we are new to Benchmark Hunting and don't know about all the databases available. We have recently come across a USGS Benchmark. Is there any place to log this find?

US Geological Survey

Benchmark

Elev. Above SL

532'

6WSM

1951

 

Any help is appreciated. Thanks

[+Black Dog Trackers]

Some of the USGS disks are included in the NGS and Geocaching database. Be sure to use the coordinate search that you find from the Benchmark Search and FAQ page and then clicking on "Other search options" where you can enter coordinates (be sure to click on the "By Coordinates" radio button).

 

Be sure to read the whole FAQ page too, if you haven't already.

 

Unfortunately a large number of USGS disks are not included in the NGS and Geocaching database (the Geocaching database is a circa 2000 copy of the NGS database). The USGS of course has data on all the rest of them, but we've found that their data is not computerized and you have to send them a letter to get a stack of copies of handwritten forms that you may have to pay for (like all their marks in a quad).

Edited September 16, 2005 by Black Dog Trackers

[Wintertime]

Again I must state that we are new to Benchmark Hunting and don't know about all the databases available. We have recently come across a USGS Benchmark. Is there any place to log this find?

There's no USGS survey mark database online that I know of, but information for some areas of California, Maine, and Pennsylvania can be found on Zhanna's site at www.planetzhanna.com. You didn't mention where you found that marker, so probably those files won't do you any good, but I thought I'd mention them anyway.

 

As for logging, there have been USGS contact people mentioned in this forum. Try searching the archives and you might find the name of someone you could report the find to.

 

Have fun!

 

Patty

[Z15]

USGS does not maintain a web database for survey marks and has no intention of doing so ever. They don't have the appropriations, it would be a tedious and time consuming project costing millions of $$. What’s more, it is estimated that over 50% of the marks they set no longer exist today due to cultural changes in many area of the county, i.e. wiped out.

 

You will find some of the marks in the NGS db but those are there primarily because NGS (and other agencies) found them (like you did) and incorporated them in their survey. USGS submitted very little of their own work. They were charged with mapping the US and these marks were in support of that goal. They have not been doing much in that regard for years and thus having the survey marks in a db serves no useful purpose for them. Everything is store in paper form and is rarely updated.

Edited September 19, 2005 by Z15

[+Dream Cache-rs]

Why does Geocaching.com not count these like a cache?

[+Kewaneh & Shark]

Why does Geocaching.com not count these like a cache?

Because they're not caches. While the number of benchmark finds you make will be tallied, the numbers won't be added to your cache finds for that reason.

 

Benchmarks, and what they represent, are in the public domain. As such, they're not 'owned' by anyone, per se, except for the agency that set the mark. Also, benchmarks were never intended to be hidden. They are intended to be a common, easily locatable point for the surveying and engineering community. Benchmark hunters seek them for a multitude of reasons, but it's safe to say that adding to their caching stats isn't one of them.

 

- Kewaneh

[StripeMark]

<<Benchmark hunters seek them for a multitude of reasons, but it's safe to say that adding to their caching stats isn't one of them.>>

 

That's for sure...... especailly when the GeoCache database is several years old and don't include many of the benchmarks that I've located and reported to the NGS.