Survey towers were used by U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey surveyors from the mid-1800s through the 1980s to obtain the clear lines-of-sight needed to conduct the surveys that are the backbone of our nation’s spatial reference framework. One of the most enduring and widely used types of towers was the Bilby Tower, designed by Jasper Bilby in 1926.
Many people are interested in how a changing climate will affect the ocean. With the majority of Americans living in coastal states, of particular interest are rising water levels, which can have potentially large impacts, from flooding to loss of wetlands that buffer coastlines from erosion.
One reason coastal areas are so important to Americans is because of their natural beauty and importance to wildlife. For example, estuaries, places where rivers enter the ocean, are crucial spawning areas for many commercial and recreational fish and shellfish. They also buffer upland areas from flooding and shoreline erosion.