Reset Permission

[kayakbird]

A year ago a private landowner gave me permission to reset one of the 1885 Missouri River Commission Bench Marks that is leaning about 45 degrees at the edge of his yard. It is a NONPID pipe with cap and securing bolt.

 

Would anyone like to do a road trip to north-central Montana in July and help with this one day (I hope) project?

 

The plan would be to carefully dig down and hopefully find the underground stone undisturbed, run a level loop to a couple of nearby Bench Marks (another MORC and a 1934 C&GS), and then re-plumb the pipe with a time capsule inside that gives details of the MORC survey and this reset.

 

If there is interest, we can discuss logistics off forum. MEL

[Bill93]

I don't think I'm going to be there, but it sounds like fun. Are you going to meet NGS standards for a reset PID? Will the result be published anywhere? I'm curious what experience and equipment you have for doing such work.

 

Link to NGS Reset Procedures.

 

The biggest leveling project I've been involved in was 0.3 mile to verify that a mark with issues in the description had not been re-planted by some well-intentioned but misinformed person. I closed much better than I had any right to expect and submitted it as FOUND GOOD.

Edited June 25, 2010 by Bill93

[kayakbird]

 

Are you going to meet NGS standards for a reset PID? Will the result be published anywhere?

 

 

Bill93,

 

I am not planning to Blue Book the L/L, but could run three wire levels for the easy one mile loop. The first set at the reset should be able to read an 8-10 foot rod and then be on basically level roads the rest of the way. The run distance between the two known points is less than 1500 ft - would be smart to verify their accuracy first, I guess.

 

Somewhere I have an Excel file that will do the math which I would send to anyone that wanted it, along with lots of photos.

 

Also hoping to convince NGS that one of our check points is a BM that is more than six seconds off and get it updated.

 

I'll have to scrounge or rent equipment. Would be nice to double team it like MORC did most of the time.

 

Several recently recovered 1885 TRI's are within a days hunting range if anyone wants to pad their pre-1900 list. MEL

[kayakbird]

Stone was uncovered 3 July 10 - nearly four feet down in an abandoned irrigation ditch bank.

 

http://img.geocaching.com/benchmark/lg/10e...cf64f608fd2.jpg

 

MORC BM underground stone.

 

All MORC Bench Mark and Triangulation standpipes should have a similar quarried, finished, machine etched stone with or without a bolt in the center hole. I have now seen two TRI, two BM and one baseline end.

 

Sad to report that this one is slightly damaged. It appears that when the standpipe was hit by farm equipment the bottom of the pipe moved about four inches, bending the bolt that may have protruded about 3/4 inch and cracking the stone.

 

A preliminary elevation was moved up to the nearby public road, but we did not have time to run a level loop to two other BM's. Project for another day in paradise along the Mighty MO.

 

MEL

[square nail]

As usual, another job well done! I wish I could have been there to share your excitement when you uncovered the stone. Sad to see the damage but at least it has been restored to the best possible position.

 

Keep up the great work!

 

Gary