County Engineer: GIS Maps

Contents

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• Mapping technology and purposes
• GPS Monumentation

Map Links on Other Pages

• GPS Monument Map
• County Sexual Offender Map

Mapping Technology and Purposes

Brazos County keeps all known features in the county as digital files stored in a Geographical Information System (GIS). The GIS includes an array of computer servers, workstations, mapping software, and staff. Among other things, all roads and bridges that are displayed on our maps are linked to databases that instantaneously calculate length, surface types, value, and location.

Data is acquired by any of the following methods: Field location using Global Positioning System (GPS) hardware and software, digital USGS orthographic photography, Texas Department of Transportation files, or a file sharing relationship between ourselves and the multitude of other local agencies.

The purpose of a GIS is to allow for computers to handle the mapping and analysis work that would normally take a massive staff an incomprehensible amount of hours to do alone. Computers take guesswork and bias out of decision making and also allow for computations and maps to be completed incredibly fast.

Remember- these maps are for general guidelines only. Do not assume that they are 100% correct. Even though the final product is computer-derived, the data has been handled by many people and can be prone to error. Maps are not the law, they are for guidance. You will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader to view some of the maps. Download locations for the software is listed if required.

GPS Monumentation

A "GPS monument" is simply a specific place that's exact coordinates have been studied and documented. In the case of the Brazos Valley area, a GPS monument is almost always a half-foot wide hole bored several feet into the ground, filled with concrete, then capped with a small brass disk with a cross hair and its ID number inscribed on the top. It is flush with the ground and can sometimes be difficult to find.

Historically called "Survey Monuments", for many decades these positions of known latitude and longitude have been used by various groups for many purposes. Most often, surveyors use them as a point of reference from which to begin their charts. Quite often, they are used to assist in determining exactly where a new house is being built and how close the construction comes to being within a potentially dangerous floodplain.

In the past few years, Brazos County has been using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to more accurately place monuments. The old method required a surveyor to daisy-chain from one known point out to where the new point needs to be placed. This could be very time consuming and especially difficult in remote areas with poor access. In contrast, GPS technology has very good coverage in all areas and can be used anywhere.

If you are interested in finding a specific monument to help with surveying or would simply like to find out more information about any in particular, click here to be taken to our Survey Monument Database page.