NOAA AND UTAH GET TO THE POINT
Ceremony in Lehi to Dedicate Geodetic Marker

Surveyors, map-makers and outdoor enthusiasts in Utah County now have a new tool when looking for an exact location using longitude, latitude and elevation. On Monday, Feb. 17, the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the state of Utah dedicated a geodetic marker located in Lehi, the population center of Utah, according to 2000 census data. The precise horizontal position and height of this location will be computed by surveyors using global positioning system (GPS) measurements and NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey (NGS) will log and blue-book the data as an integral part of the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS).

The NSRS, a coordinate based system, uses latitude, longitude and elevation to determine the exact position, height, distance, and gravity of any point in the United States. Managed by NGS, this information is essential for ensuring the reliability of transportation, communication, and defense systems, land records, mapping and charting, public utilities, coastal zone management, and a multitude of scientific and engineering applications.

“Monday’s event was an opportunity to showcase improvements in GPS technology and acknowledges the increasing need for precise positioning data,” said Charlie Challstrom, director of National Geodetic Survey. “Everyone from the professional surveyor to a person on a camping trip benefits from a system of reference points. This marker provides a real-world, concrete explanation to the abstract coordinate system of longitude meridians and latitude parallels.”

Selection of the site for the Thanksgiving Point marker began in 2002 and was performed through cooperation of the Mayor of Lehi, Thanksgiving Point Village, NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey and the Utah Council of Land Surveyors. The ceremony to dedicate the marker took place on Monday, Feb. 17 at Thanksgiving Point Water Tower at 10 am.

NOAA National Ocean Service (NOAA Oceans and Coasts), which includes the National Geodetic Survey, balances environmental protection with economic prosperity in fulfilling its mission of promoting safe navigation, supporting coastal communities, sustaining coastal habitats and mitigating coastal hazards.

The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources.

On the Web:

NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov

NOAA Oceans and Coasts: http://www.nos.noaa.gov

Thanksgiving Point Marker: http://www.ngs.noaa.gov