No Descriptive Text Available

[TerraVador]

I was looking through the NGS list of benchmarks in my area when I ran across BRYAN BM PID=BM0847 . The mark is listed as unpublishable due to "No descriptive text." Approximate coords were given as 30 40 20. /096 22 21 ., and I could see a BM marked on the USGS topo. I then found this mark at N30 40 19.68 W96 22 21.02

 

 

The disk is badly marred because it projects from a driveway leading to a parking lot and has been scraped by the underside of cars. I can make out that it is a standard USC&GS Vertical Disk, by I cannot read any letters of the Designation or the date.

 

What I would like to know is, how did this mark end up with "No descriptive text"? Had the paper copy of the file been lost when it came time to computerize the database? Would the NGS like a Recovery Report? I am not sure I can claim a "found " since I cannot read the Designation.

 

About 100 yards South of BRYAN BM, I located a newer NGS benchmark labeled BRYAN RESET 1993. I assume that this one was set since BRYAN BM was so badly marred and in such a poorly protected location Here is the photo:

 

 

This mark is located at exactly NAD83(1998) N 30 40 15.48514 W 96 22 21.45585 . I say exactly because the mark was used in the Geodetic Control Resurvey for Brazos County Texas, which was a first order horizontal survey. But BRYAN RESET 1993 does not appear in the NGS database at all. Was the NGS still placing its markers in 1993, or did they send the disk to Brazos County to be placed by a local entity? How much trouble is it to submit the data to NGS to be included in the database?

[+rogbarn]

You ask many questions here and I will try to help out. I'm sure some others will step in to offer their thoughts as well.

 

BM0847 is a non-puublished marker. That means that it no longer meets the high level requirements to be included in the NGS database. The "D" in the last column indicates that no descriptive text is available which is perhaps the reason why it does not qualify for inclusion in the database. These markers do not show up in the GC database. I suspect that if you filed a found report for it that it would not make any difference. Because the technical data is apparently lost, the marker can not be included in the database.

 

As for the new marker, it does take a while for new markers to show up in the database. From what I understand, typically, the paperwork is not filed until the project is done, the it has to be processed and reviewed by who knows how many people. Or it could be that the county is sitting on the paperwork. Or maybe something else is going on. Maybe someone else might have a better idea.