Setting Up A Monument Preservation Project In QGIS (Part 4)

Описание: Summary
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This is the final video in a 4 part video series that shows you how to set up a GIS project in QGIS for land survey monument preservation.

In this video, Landon walks us through the wild world of interpreting "D-minus" quality engineering drawings [0:07-0:15]. He hilariously explains how these schematic designs, based on existing GIS data, are far from precise and require some serious detective work to determine the construction footprint [0:15-0:30]. Then, he shows how to identify potentially at-risk monuments [1:03-1:13], emphasizing the need to physically verify their locations due to the lack of precision in the plans [1:35-1:46]. Finally, he demonstrates how to add these points to a QGIS project [4:24-4:45] and save them for field crews to use when they go out to survey, so that they can avoid digging up stuff they shouldn't [5:12-5:38].

Table Of Contents
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[0:07] Introduction to interpreting engineering drawings
[0:15] Challenges of schematic design drawings
[1:03] Identifying at-risk monuments
[1:35] Importance of physical verification
[4:24] Adding points to a QGIS project
[5:12] Saving for field crews

FAQ
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#1: What kind of engineering drawings are discussed in this video, and what are their limitations?
The video focuses on schematic design drawings for dry utilities, which the presenter humorously rates as a "D-minus" in quality [0:07-0:15]. These drawings are not based on real surveys, but are created using existing GIS data [0:15-0:27]. Consequently, they lack precision and don't include details like contours or elevations, making them challenging to interpret for monument preservation purposes [0:27-0:35]. The property lines and right-of-way lines are also of the "highest grade," meaning they are not surveyed and their accuracy is questionable [0:35-0:40].

#2: What are the two main goals when interpreting these schematic drawings for monument preservation?
The two primary goals are to determine the construction footprint, which is the area where the ground will be disturbed, and to identify monuments that might be at risk during construction [0:49-0:58]. The construction footprint is approximated by tracing the areas where trenching or other excavation is planned [1:03-1:13]. Once the construction footprint is outlined, the next step is to check for any property corners or monuments that are close to or within that area, as these might be disturbed or destroyed during construction [1:13-1:24].

#3: Why is it important to physically verify the location of monuments based on these drawings?
Because the schematic design drawings are not very precise, the location of property lines and monuments shown on the plans could be off by several feet [1:24-1:33]. The presenter emphasizes that the lines on the drawings are not the result of a survey [1:35-1:46]. Therefore, if the construction footprint is close to a property corner, it is crucial to physically locate and verify the monument in the field [1:46-2:00]. This is especially important in cases where they are replacing or installing service boxes because that involves digging a larger hole [2:16-2:30].

#4: How does the presenter use QGIS to manage monument preservation on these projects?
The presenter uses QGIS to mark the locations of potentially at-risk monuments so that the field crews can verify their locations [4:24-4:36]. He creates a new temporary scratch layer, labels it "points monuments at risk," and adds fields for search point number, status, and record description [4:36-4:58]. Then, he plots the at-risk monument locations on the map, assigning them stakeout numbers, and labels, and saves the layer as a geo package for the field crews to use [5:12-5:38].