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Redundancy: A one-point primary control network likely isn’t
enough. It’s easy to see what happens if that sole point is de- NALS Remembers –
stroyed? Consider a minimum of at least two to three control on
small jobs, and more, if possible. The protection offered is well John “Steve” Parrish,
worth the extra static receiver and/or session(s). PLS 9475

Stability: While we can’t always select the location of our pri-
mary control in our quest to keep things local for daily time sav- It is with deep sadness and heavy
ings and cost reduction; seek to find a way to ground your control hearts that we inform you of the loss
to an object of higher stability; preferably NGS Stability A, Points of our dear friend, John “Steve” Parrish.
that are expected to hold. Examples are rock outcropping, major Steve passed away on Tuesday, Octo-
improvement, specially or even temporarily constructed/poured/ ber 2, 2023, after battling pancreatic
erected concrete, etc. cancer. Steve had a significant impact
on the survey community and was a
Geodetic Tools & Publications: There are many newer geodetic mentor to many.
tools out there that are managed and maintained at taxpayer
expense for the benefit of those contemplating static processing. Steve began surveying with the U.S.
It should also be common knowledge that data can be published, Forest Service (USFS) in 1963, acquired
or possibly shared if there is a reason to do so. While the latter his Utah PLS in 1973 and worked with
may seem to defeat the initial argument, this is merely men- the USFS through 1984. He transferred to the Bureau of Land
tioned for the right set of conditions as an option. Management (BLM) In 1985 and was selected as BLM Nevada
Cadastral Chief in 1989. Steve left the government in 1995 to
Published Local Maps & Ghost Control: If one control is used survey in the private sector. Steve was licensed in 10 states,
for the basis of geodetic bearing, this statement needn’t a Nevada water rights surveyor, acquired his CFedS certificate
include all control unless it’s necessary. Consider purposely in 2007 and was a Great Basin College graduate (2009) with a
designing primary control into a project where certain high-
risk points are specifically reserved and intended for secrecy BAS in Technology degree. Steve had presented workshops in
in high stability locations. 27 States and Canada, and use to teach SUR360 (2009) BLM
Manual) for Great Basin College (Elko, NV). You can read more
Non-Control Projection: Our mindset formally concluded that about Steve’s career and highlights in Edition 47.4 of
local control should be projected about a monumented point of The Nevada Traverse.
projection to better aid those that attempt to reconstruct same. There will be a celebration of life in Geneva, Idaho in the Spring
Although potentially ideal; doing so exposes control imbedded of 2024. The time frame will depend on the amount of snow
within basis of bearing statements and its likely unnecessary.
Nationally and statutorily endorsed State plane, UTM, LHD, this winter and when the cemetery will be back open. Watch for
and other projection basis of bearing statements don’t revolve updates in the Traverse and on NALS Social Media pages.
around a particular monument, and a professional’s local projec-
tion needn’t either. If a monumented point is preferred, one
may also consider using a point of less importance – possibly a
secondary control.

Static Control Techniques: offers the most robust means of
producing control. The accuracy of static control in most cases
exceeds the requirement for most subsequent survey work.
In theory most statically-derived control points observed in a SCHOLARSHIP
project can be initially or subsequently used as a primary control
point or a local coordinate system projection point unless sta- DEADLINE - JAN. 10
tistics suggest otherwise. In other words, with static solutions;
losing one or more control isn’t generally a problem, use another,
repeat if necessary.

Guard Stakes or Metal T-Posts: The jury’s still out on this one as
an undecided means of protecting control. While in some cases
having a bollard of some type offers protection from what would
otherwise be incidental contact; it also advertises that some- Apply Now for
thing important is located nearby. There are times in forested/ NALS Education Foundation
foliated environments where having a little help in finding control
is important. In cadastral work it’s important to be able to be Scholarships!
followed. However, while useful in some cases; the use of guard
stakes or t-posts serve specific purposes that don’t reach across
the entire spectrum of instances within the surveying profession. NvLandSurveyors.org

The Nevada Traverse Vol.50, No.4, 2023 19