PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, October 29, 2003Tuesday, October 28, 2003Friday, October 24, 2003

A Survey Team under contract with The City of Frederick recently set permanent elevation reference marks along streams, and is now measuring stream cross sections and verifying the measurements of bridges and culverts. This work is for the modernization of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Frederick County.

The permanent reference marks are concrete posts with a stamped bronze disc set flush with the ground. Flexible orange “witness posts” 3 feet high mark the locations of the reference marks. These reference marks and witness posts should not be disturbed. They are intended for floodplain management and will be an important addition to the City’s horizontal and vertical control system. Locations and elevations of the reference marks will be available from the City Surveyor after the Survey Team completes its work.

The Survey Team is composed of specially trained Surveyors from Harned Surveying and Engineering, Inc., known as HSE, from Louisville, Kentucky and from Alexandria Surveys International, LLC, known as ASI, from Alexandria, Virginia. Generally, the vehicles they use are 4-wheel drive Suburbans and a white pickup truck. This professional Team has also been awarded a contract from FEMA’s mapping contractor for the same-type of work throughout the County.

The Survey Team began work more than a month ago and expects to finish their field-work around the middle of December 2003. The City is regularly monitoring their progress. During this time, the Survey Crews will be seen working along streams within a 36 square mile area between Sundays Lane and Interstate 70, and between the Monocacy River and Catoctin Mountain. They are using satellite and conventional surveying equipment to establish permanent reference marks and gather data for flood plain studies.

The stream survey is part of The City's Cooperating Technical Partnership Agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Also included in the scope of the Partnership Agreement is aerial mapping of the same 36-square mile area. The aerial mapping is almost complete and will consist of 206 digital color orthophoto panels with contours at 2-foot intervals that may be superimposed on the orthophotos.

The aerial mapping, reference marks, and modernized Flood Insurance Rate Maps will be a lasting benefit to the citizens of the City. If you are in need of topographic data or imagery of your property, you may wish to contact the office of the City Engineer.

is currently conducting, through already-awarded contracts, critically-needed mapping studies, involving (1) aerial mapping and ground studies of a 36 square mile area that includes areas between Sundays Lane and Interstate 70 and between the Monocacy River and Catoctin Mountain; and (2) field surveys in support of hydrologic studies of designated waterways, within the same area. These studies are part of The City's Cooperating Technical Partnership Agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The aerial mapping is nearly complete under City Aerial Mapping Agreement #03-O. Two well-established professional mapping companies have teamed to perform the hydrologic survey work for the FEMA Waterways Studies, known as City Agreement #03-V. The Survey Team began work more than a month ago and expects to be finishing their field work around the middle of December 2003. During this time, the Survey Crews can be seen working anywhere along streams within the defined area. They are using satellite and conventional surveying equipment to establish permanent reference marks and gather data for the stream studies. The reference marks are disks, with identifying “witness” posts, set in concrete along the streams. The purpose of the marks is to aid in maintaining the status of the streams, thereby helping to save thousands of dollars for property owners and for the public at large. It is hoped that these disks will remain undisturbed for many years to come. Both the aerial mapping and the reference marks may have good use by citizens of the City. If you are in need of topographic data or imagery of your property, you may wish to contact this office.

The Survey Team is composed of specially-trained Surveyors from Harned Surveying and Engineering, Inc., known as HSE, from Louisville, Kentucky and from Alexandria Surveys International, LLC, known as ASI, from Alexandria, Virginia. The City is constantly monitoring their progress, and the Team is reporting regularly. Generally, the vehicles they use are 4-wheel drive Suburbans and a white pickup truck. This professional Team has also been awarded a contract from Frederick County for the same-type of FEMA-related work throughout the entire County. For mutual cost-savings, they're performing our City work along with some of the County’s whenever they can.

For more information, please contact:

Richard C. Lind, P.E. Wilmer O. Lankford, Prop.L.S.

Project Manager, Assistant City Engineer City Surveyor

(301)600-1767 (301) 600-1458

mailto:rlind@cityoffrederick.com mailto:wlankford@cityoffrederick.com