Are some benchmarks not listed?

[+Kai Team]

I haven't logged a benchmark in a long time but discovcered two on a recent trip to Arizona (see attached photos).    According to the exif data on the photos the first one is located at 34.29128 N, 114.11591 W and the second one is at 35.08429 N, 109.78827 W.     I went to log these benchmarks but cannot locate them using any of the Geocaching.com search tools or the NGS Benchmark Viewer by ScaredCatFilm.  What am I missing? 

[foxtrot_xray]

I am actually surprised you're asking this, because you're an old-timer!

 

Yes, the NGS database only contains stations that have data that was submitted/blue-booked to the NGS. For example, USGS disks. not all were submitted or leveled to, so ones that weren't, won't be in the NGS online database.

[Z15]

A quote from another post by DaveD

Quote

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), an agency in the Dept. of the Interior has the responsibility for producing our national topographic maps. They completed the monumental task of complete national mapping of the 1:24,000 scale map series (about 55,000 maps) in the early 1990's. USGS would often set survey monuments to help "control" the map. Maps are produced from aeronautical photos mosaiced together. In order to provide accurate location, orientation, scale and elevation to a flat map of a curved surface, it is required to have numerous points that can be identified on the photographs for which the coordinates/elevations are well known. The marks set by USGS were a vital part of this operation. In the days when mapping surveys were conducted primarily by line-of-site methods, these marks helped save money by helping to ensure a network that cartographers could rely on for mapping update procedures. With the rapid developments in surveying and mapping technology, especially GPS, USGS sees little need to setting new marks or maintaining the old networks. Unfortunately the data for tens of thousands of these marks set by USGS were never submitted to NGS for inclusion in the National Spatial Reference System. Due to major reductions in staff and the changing nature of mapping requirements, it is highly unlikely that USGS will ever automate these data.

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by Z15