Illinois Height Modernization Program

Every engineering project, and many land-use planning efforts, require accurate measurements of heights. Correspondingly, a datum-consistent vertical and horizontal statewide network of survey benchmarks is needed, along with a statewide high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) of the earth's surface. Unfortunately, Illinois currently falls far short of these goals and is ranked in the bottom ten states, regarding the quality of its elevation data. The National Geodetic Survey (NGS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, provides funding to states through the federal Height Modernization program to improve the quality of elevation data using global positioning satellites (GPS) technology in conjunction with traditional leveling, gravity, and modern remote sensing. Illinois joined the NGS Height Modernization Program in 2008.

ILHMP Project Milestones

All Project Years: 2008 to 2013

• performance of outreach activities at state and national conferences,
• contracting surveyors to install new benchmarks and conduct geodetic leveling,
• establishing data sharing agreements to archive and distribute elevation data, and
• participation in the Great Lakes Region Height Modernization Consortium (GLRHMC).

Year 1: September 2008 to August 2009

• releasing an open contract for geodetic leveling for 1 level line of 47 miles in Winnebago and DuPage counties in northern Illinois,
• receiving LiDAR and derivative data for 7 Illinois Counties,
• coordinating with the US Army Corps of Engineers to tie the level line with water level gages that need NAVD88 heights,
• development of project web resources,
• development of a design for benchmarks installed by the program,
• development of outreach materials, including a ILHMP Flyer an accompanying Poster, and a LiDAR Status Map, and
• conducting an information survey about existing digital elevation data collections, benchmarks, and reference datums.

Year 2: September 2009 to August 2010

• releasing an open contract for geodetic leveling for 3 level lines over 142 miles in northern Illinois,
• releasing an open contract for LiDAR Acquisition for Kendall County in northeastern Illinois,
• receiving LiDAR and derivative data for 11 Illinois Counties,
• enabling on-line access for LiDAR and derivative data for 11 Illinois counties,
• development of draft Digital Elevation Models for 10 counties,
• hosting a Real Time Network (RTN) Workshop for the GLRHMC on 11/10/09 in Rockford, Illinois,
• development of outreach materials, including an updated ILHMP project poster and an on-line Showcase of LiDAR Data Applications, and
• coordinating a multi-state Height Modernization display at the ESRI International User Conference.

Year 3: September 2010 to August 2011

• releasing an open contract for geodetic leveling for 4 level lines in northern and eastern Illinois,
• receiving LiDAR and derivative data for 1 Illinois County and portions of 2 additional Counties.
• enabling on-line access for LiDAR and derivative data for 7 Illinois counties portions of 2 additional Counties,
• development of Digital Elevation Models for 8 counties, and
• pursuit of program funding not dependant on federal appropriations.

Year 4: July 2011 to June 2012

• releasing an open contract for geodetic leveling for 5 level lines in northwestern, eastern, and southern Illinois, and
• releasing an open contract for LiDAR Acquisition for Monroe, Randolph, and St. Clair Counties in Illinois.

  RFP 1LJC1205: contained 1LJC1205.pdf plus 1LJC1205A1_Amendment1.pdf, 1LJC1205A2_Amendment2.pdf, and 1LJC1205A3_Amendment3.pdf for Acquisition, Processing, and Delivery of Airborne LiDAR Elevation Data for St. Clair, Monroe and Randolph counties. Supplemental figures and project boundaries are found in: Metro_East.zip. Open Dec 23, 2011 to Jan 24, 2012.

• performance of LiDAR data QA/QC for new acquisitions in 17 counties.

Year 5: July 2012 to June 2013

• releasing an open contract for geodetic leveling for 5 level lines in western,Illinois.
• performance of LiDAR data QA/QC for new acquisitions in 27 counties.