Not long ago, survey equipment was largely limited to tape measures, levels, and stakes. Surveyors hit the field in multi-man teams, working in tandem to delineate property lines and identify topographic features. Survey work entailed a slow, albeit effective process of measuring and marking the land for future projects. Today, survey equipment is virtually… Read more »
USGS Recruits Citizen Volunteers for National Map Corps
Since its conception in 1879, the U.S Geological Survey has devoted itself to mapping the vast lands that constitute the United States of America. After over a century of survey work, the USGS is still plugging away, using new technologies and techniques to produce more accurate, comprehensive maps of the nation. With over 3 million… Read more »
Wetland Delineation: What It Is and Why It Matters
At Blaze Design, Inc. we do our best to serve society by conducting detailed, accurate land surveys each and every time we’re out in the field. After all, people all over Vermont and New York depend on us to keep their homes clear of flood plains, unstable terrain, and other environmental hazards. Every now and… Read more »
The Importance of Land Surveying Today
Population growth is reaching unprecedented levels across the world. Having breached 7.1 billion, the concentration in world population is centered in the East, such as China and India. Domestically speaking, the population growth is gobbling up residential and commercial land faster than ever. The population of the US surpassed 300 million for the first… Read more »
What is the 100-Year Floodplain?
A 100-year floodplain or flood zone is a zone that has a one percent chance of flooding on an annual basis. There are areas on maps specifically signaled to be 100-year flood zones because that area should expect a flood at least once every 100 years — thus the one percent chance. These are areas… Read more »
A Land Surveyor’s Expertise and its Role in Laying One JFK Assassination Theory to Rest
With the fifty-year anniversary of the assassination of our 35th president having just passed, many questions are still left unanswered and many theories are still being put forth. John F. Kennedy still remains a monumental, frequently-discussed topic in our culture and although much time has elapsed and advancements in technology have been made, there… Read more »
Great Land Surveying Stories: Solving the Mystery of the Mason-Dixon Line
For several years, the search was on to discover the exact location of the starting point of the Mason-Dixon Line, the original site of the Plumstead Huddle House. The house has since been non-existent for one reason or another and finally, after thorough investigation of maps and other artifacts, the starting point for the… Read more »
Determining Property Lines After a Storm
In our last post, we briefly made mention of the damage that was caused throughout the state of Vermont by Hurricane Irene in 2011. What we didn’t really go into detail about was how to deal with that damage once the storm has passed. As you sift through your water-logged possessions and all of… Read more »
BLAZE Design Inc.: There for All of Your Land Surveying Needs
Land surveys are an important part of any building or construction project, but it’s important to keep in mind that there are many different types. Depending on the size and type of the project, one can determine exactly what type of survey needs to be done to move the construction project forward. At… Read more »
The Misplacement of a National Monument Proves the Importance of Today’s Land Surveying Technology
In the past, we’ve discussed the importance of land surveying and how the proper equipment is crucial to getting accurate results. However, there are times where we find it difficult to really understand certain things until we can see the evidence for ourselves. Well when it comes to this particular profession, we can think… Read more »