BL1160 - "R 1203" vertical control mark - Conroe, TX
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member Raven
N 30° 18.430 W 095° 27.361
15R E 263819 N 3355378
This benchmark is located just north of Avenue G several feet west of its intersection with the railroad tracks in Conroe, Texas.
Waymark Code: WM11FYY
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 10/17/2019
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Ernmark
Views: 3

As monumented by the NGS in 1973:

"[...] 56 1/2 FEET WEST OF THE WEST RAIL OF THE MAIN TRACK, 34.4 FEET NORTH OF THE CENTER LINE OF AVENUE G, 3.2 FEET NORTH OF THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE CHAIN LINK FENCE AROUND THE [GULF STATE UTILITIES - CONROE POWER] PLANT, 58.4 FEET SOUTH OF THE MOST SOUTHERN ONE OF EIGHT POWER POLES IN A ROW, SUPPORTING THE LINES OF THE PLANT, 1.1 FEET EAST OF THE FENCE AROUND THE PLANT, 0.7 FOOT NORTH OF A METAL WITNESS POST, ABOUT LEVEL WITH THE RAIL, AND SET ON TOP OF A 5/8-INCH COPPER COATED STEEL ROD AND PROTECTED BY A 6-INCH METAL PIPE PROJECTING 0.1 FOOT. THE ROD WAS DRIVEN TO A DEPTH OF 40 FEET."

Save for the distance estimates from the rail tracks and Avenue G, several revisions to this description are probably in order: the power plant is gone (along with its chain link fence and the power pole to its North), and the witness post is now just a wooden survey stake. Likewise, the 6" metal pipe is no longer visible (or probably covered with soil by now).

The NGS' currently posted coordinates ("N 30 18 26 W 095 27 22") seemed rather incomplete/inaccurate as well, and were definitely off by 60' or more: my measurements were "N 30° 18.430 W 095° 27.361" based on 10+ readings within 10' accuracy.

The station was recovered in decent (but not 'perfect') condition: the last digit of the stamped year was scratched and is no longer easily legible. Lastly, the NGS datasheet reported it as a 'benchmark' although the disk is a Vertical Control Mark.

---

Below are some basic additional facts, per the NGS database (with some editing for length): (visit link)

BL1160 ***********************************************************************
BL1160 DESIGNATION - R 1203
BL1160 PID - BL1160
BL1160 STATE/COUNTY- TX/MONTGOMERY
BL1160 COUNTRY - US
BL1160 USGS QUAD - CONROE (1976)
BL1160
BL1160 *CURRENT SURVEY CONTROL
BL1160 ______________________________________________________________________
BL1160* NAD 83(1986) POSITION- 30 18 26. (N) 095 27 22. (W) SCALED
BL1160* NAVD 88 ORTHO HEIGHT - 63.712 (meters) 209.03 (feet) ADJUSTED
BL1160 ______________________________________________________________________
BL1160 GEOID HEIGHT - -27.527 (meters) GEOID18
BL1160 DYNAMIC HEIGHT - 63.627 (meters) 208.75 (feet) COMP
BL1160 MODELED GRAVITY - 979,310.3 (mgal) NAVD 88
BL1160
BL1160 VERT ORDER - FIRST CLASS I
BL1160
BL1160_MARKER: DB = BENCH MARK DISK
BL1160_SETTING: 46 = COPPER-CLAD STEEL ROD W/O SLEEVE (10 FT.+)
BL1160_STAMPING: R 1203 1973
BL1160_MARK LOGO: NGS
BL1160_PROJECTION: PROJECTING 2 CENTIMETERS
BL1160_STABILITY: B = PROBABLY HOLD POSITION/ELEVATION WELL
BL1160_SATELLITE: THE SITE LOCATION WAS REPORTED AS SUITABLE FOR
BL1160+SATELLITE: SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS - September 29, 2005
BL1160_ROD/PIPE-DEPTH: 12.2 meters
BL1160
BL1160 HISTORY - Date Condition Report By
BL1160 HISTORY - 1973 MONUMENTED NGS
BL1160 HISTORY - 1978 GOOD NGS
BL1160 HISTORY - 1987 GOOD NGS
BL1160 HISTORY - 20040918 GOOD USPSQD
BL1160 HISTORY - 20050929 GOOD USPSQD
Condition: Mark found in good condition

Designation: R 1203 (or "R1203 1973", if one goes by the actual stamping)

Benchmark Agency: National Geodetic Survey

Monumentation type: Vertical Control Mark

County: Montgomery county (Texas)

USGS 7.5' Topographic Quadrangle Name (optional): Conroe

Find type: Found by luck/skill/knowledge

Web address of this benchmark's datasheet (optional): [Web Link]

NGS PID: BL1160

Benchmark Agency (if other): Not listed

Monumentation type (if other): Not listed

Special category (optional): Not listed

Special Category (if other): Not listed

Local database's URL (optional): Not listed

Visit Instructions:
  1. A closeup photo of the mark taken by you is required.
  2. A 'distant' photo including the mark in the view is highly recommended. Include the compass direction you faced when you took the picture.
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Raven visited BL1160 - "R 1203" vertical control mark - Conroe, TX 08/30/2019 Raven visited it