Damaged/Abandoned Bureau of Reclamation Benchmark

[Papa-Tom]

Today 1-19-08, while out geocaching in the American River Confluence area near the Auburn California Dam site dig area, I stumbled on a damaged Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation benchmark. It was in brush at the South side of the Western State Trail at 38' 53.319 N 121' 03.336 W. A 4" brass disk was embedded in a clump of concrete with about 5' of twisted rusted angle iron sticking up out of the top of the concrete clump. The whole thing was laying on it's side. The center ID # was not evident. 2 pin holes were in the center of the disk where the ID tag may have once been secured. The center showed elevation xxxx' (no number) above sea level. Not knowing much about Benchmarks it is possible that this Benchmark has already been reclaimed, identifying features being removed, and then abandoned in the middle of no where. I don't think I would want to try and carry it up and out of the canyon. Or, during one of our big floods it could have been washed down stream from who knows where. My question to someone who knows is, should this be reported to someone, and is it possible to identify the benchmark by the coordinates given above?

 

Papa Tom

[Wintertime]

Today 1-19-08, while out geocaching in the American River Confluence area near the Auburn California Dam site dig area, I stumbled on a damaged Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation benchmark. It was in brush at the South side of the Western State Trail at 38' 53.319 N 121' 03.336 W.

 

My question to someone who knows is, should this be reported to someone, and is it possible to identify the benchmark by the coordinates given above?

I checked the NGS database and didn't find any marks closer than what you probably found on Geocaching.com: JS0785, which is nearly a mile away. (And has several "Found" reports even though it no longer exists. :-) )

 

Anyone here know of a contact at the Bureau of Reclamation for survey mark information?

 

Patty

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

Near your location

 

I see an Old Railroad bed.

I also see a boundary for Roble Point.

This is where the mark may have been once.

 

So the disc was probably moved by grading out the old rail bed during a time of Reclamation?

Just my guess.

Do you know more of the History of this Point?

[+Kewaneh & Shark]

Info and contact numbers for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region's Central California Area Office can be found on their webpage. They may be able to point you in the right direction.

- Kewaneh

Edited January 31, 2008 by Kewaneh & Shark