Hawaii Height Modernization
Benefits
The End of Chain of Craters Road, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Photo: National Park Service.
Accurate height information on these islands will support community resilience efforts such as flood plain mapping, storm surge modeling and evacuation route planning. More specifically, Hawaii can use an updated vertical reference system to prepare for tsunami inundation and storm surge. Height Modernization will also support coastal land use planning and management, ecosystem restoration efforts and monitoring sea level change.
Projects
State-wide Height Modernization
The vertical control network had not been updated in Hawaii since the 1970’s, and many bench marks were lost due to construction, vandalism, and highway widening. A major leveling project is being led by the Hawaii Department of Transportation, and it should greatly improve the state’s vertical control network.
Contact Information
For additional inquiries, contact the State Geodetic Advisor Program or the National Height Modernization Program directly. State geodetic advisors serve as liaisons between NOAA and regional or state organizations.
