14 May 2013
Benchmarking Time: San Pedro Breakwater, Los Angeles, CA
Posted by Jessica Ball
Time to get caught up on the benchmark queue! I’m a few submissions behind, but this summer should be a good opportunity to get caught up on them. This submission comes from Marty, who has taken some great photos of the Los Angeles Harbor Light (or the Angels Gate Light) and San Pedro Breakwater in the Los Angeles Harbor. Marty says,
“In total there are five benchmarks on the breakwater, two from 1950, one from 1959, and another dating back to 1937, along with a few random port of Los Angeles survey markers. In terms of benchmarks they are listed as follows in the NGS databases: DY1101, DY1103, DY1104 (located atop the triangle platform), DY1105, and DY2760 (the lighthouse structure). There was another benchmark DY1102, located in the bend section of the breakwater; unfortunately this marker was destroyed in a 1983 storm. The original capstone was was replaced with salvage rock, creating a fun, but somewhat dangerous obstacle course – since the rocks are randomly placed – or so it seems.”
The octagonal lighthouse, built in 1913, which also has its own National Geodetic Survey benchmark (DY2760). Photo courtesy Marty Kooistra.
Port of Los Angeles survey marker. Photo courtesy Marty Kooistra.
US Coast and Geodetic Survey marker (NGS DY1101). Photo courtesy Marty Kooistra.
Another US Coast and Geodetic Survey marker (NGS DY1103). Photo courtesy Marty Kooistra.
Los Angeles County Survey marker from 1959 (NGS DY1104). Photo courtesy Marty Kooistra.
Another Los Angeles County Survey marker from 1937 (NGS DY1105). Photo courtesy Marty Kooistra.
A beautiful shot of the breakwater! Photo courtesy Marty Kooistra.
Jessica Ball is a volcanologist at the U.S. Geological Survey, researching volcanic hydrothermal systems and stability, and doing science communication for the California Volcano Observatory. She previously worked at the Geological Society of America's Washington DC Policy Office, learning about the intersection of Earth science and legislative affairs. Her Mendenhall postdoc and PhD focused on how water affects the stability of volcanoes, and involved both field investigations and numerical modeling applications. Her blogging covers a range of topics, from her experiences in academic geosciences to science outreach and communication to her field and lab work in volcanology.