Do You Ever Talk With GIS Technicians Working Out In The Field?
Wed, 07/29/2026 - 2:33pm
Jim1348
19 years
This past Monday, I rode my bicycle on the Minnesota Valley State Trail in Bloomington MN. During that ride, I saw someone in a red GMC pickup with some equipment, but I didn't talk to him.
This morning, on another ride, the same pickup was there and I talked to the guy holding what appeared to be very high end GPS equipment. After I got home, I read up a bit on GPS benchmarks. I think this is the sort of work he was doing.
Hennepin County provides precise horizontal and vertical geodetic control monuments and public land survey system (PLSS) points via interactive online maps and downloadable data sheets. You can access these resources directly through the Hennepin County Geodetic Control page and the Hennepin GIS Hub.
Accessing Benchmark and Survey Data
• Geodetic Control Map: View permanent horizontal and vertical control monuments, check point status, and download individual data sheets via the Hennepin County Geodetic Control Overview on ArcGIS Online.
• PLSS Monuments: Access Public Land Survey point locations and related ties through the Hennepin County PLSS Monuments Map.
• Maintenance Schedule: County survey and monument data is updated and maintained on a monthly basis by the Hennepin County Survey Division.
Coordinate System Standards
• Datum Basis: Coordinates use Hennepin County ground feet based on the Minnesota Coordinate System, Southern Zone, NAD83.
• Data Formats: Available through the Hennepin GIS open data portal as feature services, shapefiles, and linked PDF/data sheets.
This past Monday, I rode my bicycle on the Minnesota Valley State Trail in Bloomington MN. During that ride, I saw someone in a red GMC pickup with some equipment, but I didn't talk to him.
This morning, on another ride, the same pickup was there and I talked to the guy holding what appeared to be very high end GPS equipment. After I got home, I read up a bit on GPS benchmarks. I think this is the sort of work he was doing.
Hennepin County provides precise horizontal and vertical geodetic control monuments and public land survey system (PLSS) points via interactive online maps and downloadable data sheets. You can access these resources directly through the Hennepin County Geodetic Control page and the Hennepin GIS Hub.
Accessing Benchmark and Survey Data
• Geodetic Control Map: View permanent horizontal and vertical control monuments, check point status, and download individual data sheets via the Hennepin County Geodetic Control Overview on ArcGIS Online.
• PLSS Monuments: Access Public Land Survey point locations and related ties through the Hennepin County PLSS Monuments Map.
• Maintenance Schedule: County survey and monument data is updated and maintained on a monthly basis by the Hennepin County Survey Division.
Coordinate System Standards
• Datum Basis: Coordinates use Hennepin County ground feet based on the Minnesota Coordinate System, Southern Zone, NAD83.
• Data Formats: Available through the Hennepin GIS open data portal as feature services, shapefiles, and linked PDF/data sheets.