+Revent Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 As an introduction, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tide_gauge As stated in the Wikipedia article, there are over 1700 examples of this type of object worldwide. This would be a category for Tidal Measurement Stations such as listed on the US National Ocean Service's "Tides and Currents" website at... http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ though it would of course not be exclusive to the United States. There are also examples of this type of measurement station located on the Great Lakes. Also included would be the National Ocean Service (or similar agency) benchmarks that are used to define reference datums for tidal measurements. These are explicitly distinct from the subject of the "River Gauges" category, as they make much more complex measurements and are visually quite different and varied. There are historical examples of these stations that have existed for centuries, as will as the prolific modern ones. These modern stations make measurements of not just water levels, but also current, wind, salinity, air and water temperatures, air pressure, humidity, etc. These are not my photos, though they are of ones in my immediate area that I am familiar with, of the 'modern US variety'. This is what these stations typically look like when onshore... (This one is at Rockport, Texas) http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/stationphotos.html?id=8774770 This is an offshore station located at the entrance to Galveston Bay, and easily visible from the Port Bolivar ferry... http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/stationphotos.html?id=8771341 This one is located at the Freeport TX US Coast Guard station... http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/stationphotos.html?id=8772447 Other historical photos can be seen in the Wikipedia article. While I'm unaware of any existing waymarks for these, it seems obvious that the category would not be useless, and I myself have about a half dozen (plus the benchmarks) that I'd like to submit. The benchmarks associated with these stations are almost universally NOT listed in the National Geodetic Survey database, and are thus not on geocaching.com. While they would also be eligible for inclusion in the various national benchmark categories, I think that duplicate listing here would also be appropriate due to their direct association. I've yet to create a group for this proposed category, as I'd like to get feedback first. Thanks for reading. Quote Link to comment
+Revent Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 (edited) Sounds interesting. Maybe it would be a good addition to the existing river gauges. That was actually my first thought, but the river gauge category as currently written excludes them. Adding them there would require the managers to revamp that gategory. They are also pretty distinct, as river gauges just measure height and flow, while modern tidal gauges are much more technically complex. http://www.ggos-portal.org/lang_en/nn_316020/SharedDocs/Bilder/GGOS-Portal/Topics/Techniques/TideGauges/TideGauges2,property=poster.jpg Example c in this image is in Alexandria, Egypt, and actually uses radar to measure the water level below the metal cylinder. Tide gauges are used for many purposes other than just flood warnings (the purpose of a river gauge), most explicitly the determination of Mean Sea Level. Here's a map from the "Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level", showing the worldwide locations of tide guages that contribute to their dataset. http://www.psmsl.org/data/obtaining/map.html Quite a few are located on small islands in the middle of the ocean that don't even have rivers. Edited April 23, 2014 by revent Quote Link to comment
+UMainah Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 I would support the proposed category. Quote Link to comment
+fi67 Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 I like the idea. These structures definitively deserve a category where they can be placed. This can be a new dedicated category or a change and expansion of the existing River Gauges category. I do not have any preference here, but I guess, creating a new category is easier. Quote Link to comment
+Rikitan Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Let's see how it will be described in category writeup, but I think it is suitable for new category and I would support it. Thank you for investigation and proposal. Quote Link to comment
+Revent Posted April 25, 2014 Author Share Posted April 25, 2014 It might be a bit before I have the time to sit down and mess with it myself, but anyone else is welcome to move ahead with this if they want before I get to it. It's my idea, but it's not 'my' idea. Quote Link to comment
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