U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
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National Ocean Service
Datums Page Page 1 of 11
Station ID: 8723214 PUBLICATION DATE: 12/29/2020
Name: VIRGINIA KEY, BISCAYNE BAY
FL
NOAA Chart: 11465 Latitude: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73140)
USGS Quad: KEY BISCAYNE Longitude: 80° 9.7' W ( -80.16180)
To reach the tidal bench marks from the intersection of U.S. Route 1 and
Rickenbacker Causeway, proceed 5 km (3 mi) east on Rickenbacker Causeway to the
entrance of the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (Univ. of
Miami). The bench marks are located in the vicinity of the concrete pier and on
the School grounds. The tide station is located at the outer end of the
concrete pier.
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
PRIMARY BENCH MARK STAMPING: 3214 G 1998
DESIGNATION: 872 3214 G
MONUMENTATION: Tidal Station disk VM#: 13894
AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS) IDB PID#: AH5247
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Concrete wing wall OPUS PID#: AH5247
LATITUDE: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73233) LONGITUDE: 80° 9.7' W ( -80.16128)
The bench mark is a disk set flush in the concrete wing wall on the NW side the
Rickenbacker Causeway bridge over Bear Cut, next to the property of the
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, 17.12 m (56.2 ft) SE of
the corner of the chainlink fence at the NE corner of the school property, 8.85
m (29.0 ft) SW of the SW metal rail of the bridge, 2.85 m (9.4 ft) NNW of a
chainlink fence that runs into the bridge, and 0.35 m (1.2 ft) SE of the NE end
of the wing wall.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 2 of 11
Station ID: 8723214 PUBLICATION DATE: 12/29/2020
Name: VIRGINIA KEY, BISCAYNE BAY
FL
NOAA Chart: 11465 Latitude: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73140)
USGS Quad: KEY BISCAYNE Longitude: 80° 9.7' W ( -80.16180)
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 3214 D 1994
DESIGNATION: 872 3214 D
MONUMENTATION: Tidal Station disk VM#: 12602
AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS) IDB PID#: AH5248
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Concrete step OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73233) LONGITUDE: 80° 9.8' W ( -80.16331)
The bench mark is a disk set flush in a concrete step of the NW entrance to the
Operations Building, 24.60 m (80.7 ft) NW of the east corner of the Grosvenor
Building, 20.18 m (66.2 ft) west of the NW corner of the Grosvenor Building,
7.92 m (26.0 ft) West of steps leading to main entrance of operation (1120)
building, and 3.32 m (10.9 ft) SE from the back NW corner of operation (1120)
building.
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 3214 H 2003
DESIGNATION: 872 3214 H
MONUMENTATION: Tidal Station disk VM#: 17158
AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS) IDB PID:
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Concrete retaining wall OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 25° 44.0' N ( 25.73281) LONGITUDE: 80° 9.7' W ( -80.16178)
The bench mark is a disk set flush in a concrete retaining wall for a handrail
by the sidewalk, on the SE end of the retaining wall, 16.07 m (52.7 ft) ENE of a
chainlink fence on the east side of the school property, 9.02 m (29.6 ft) west
of the west corner of a public bathroom, 8.67 m (28.4 ft) SW of a retaining wall
on the west side of Rickenbacker Causeway, and 0.56 m (1.8 ft) above the
sidewalk.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 3 of 11
Station ID: 8723214 PUBLICATION DATE: 12/29/2020
Name: VIRGINIA KEY, BISCAYNE BAY
FL
NOAA Chart: 11465 Latitude: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73140)
USGS Quad: KEY BISCAYNE Longitude: 80° 9.7' W ( -80.16180)
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 3214 J 2004
DESIGNATION: 872 3214 J
MONUMENTATION: Tidal Station disk VM#: 17686
AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS) IDB PID:
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Concrete steps OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 25° 44.0' N ( 25.73311) LONGITUDE: 80° 9.8' W ( -80.16278)
The bench mark is a disk set flush in the northern most entrance steps to the
Science and Administratation building on the university property, 34.0m (111.5
ft) South of a yellow fire hydrant, 15.33 m (50.3 ft) west of the NE corner of
the lab building (NO 1164), 14.15 m (46.4 ft) SW of the center of two flag
poles, and 3.50 m (11.5 ft) west of a storm drain.
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 3214 K 2009
DESIGNATION: 872 3214 K
MONUMENTATION: Bench Mark disk VM#: 19220
AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS) IDB PID#:
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Pier OPUS PID#: BBFR39
LATITUDE: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73158) LONGITUDE: 80° 9.7' W ( -80.16194)
The benchmark is a disk on the pier of the RSMAAS located 120.55 m (395.5 ft) SW
of the SE corner of the Rickenbacher causeway, 70.40 m (231.0 ft) ESE of the SE
corner of the Glassel lab building, 65.70 m (215.6 ft) SE of the main satellite
dish on the school property, 56.13 m (184.2 ft) SSE of the base of the pier,
31.00 m (102 ft) ENE of the end of the SW finger of the pier, 20.59 m (67.6 ft)
of the station house, and 12.31 m (40.4 ft) of the NE finger of the pier.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 4 of 11
Station ID: 8723214 PUBLICATION DATE: 12/29/2020
Name: VIRGINIA KEY, BISCAYNE BAY
FL
NOAA Chart: 11465 Latitude: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73140)
USGS Quad: KEY BISCAYNE Longitude: 80° 9.7' W ( -80.16180)
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 3214 M 2009
DESIGNATION: 872 3214 M
MONUMENTATION: Flange-encased Rod VM#: 19222
AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS) IDB PID:
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Stainless steel rod OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 25° 44.0' N ( 25.73306) LONGITUDE: 80° 9.8' W ( -80.16394)
The benchmark is a flange-encased rod located in the north parking lot of the
school property in a grassy median, 30.72 m (100.8 ft) north of the north corner
of the cimas building, 15.75 m (51.7 ft) west of the NE corner of the shipping
and receiving building, 10.19 m (33.4 ft) of the NW corner of the shipping and
receiving building, 9.88 m (32.4 ft) west of the east corner of the shipping and
receiving dock, 7.96 west of the west corner of the shipping and receiving dock,
and 0.57 m (1.9 ft) SE of the fence line, and a carsonite witness post. The
datum point is set 5 cm (0.2 ft) below the ground, being the top of a stainless
steel rod driven to 24.3 m (80 ft) to refusal, and encased in a 5-inch NGS logo
cap.
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 3214 P 2015
DESIGNATION: 872 3214 P
MONUMENTATION: Tidal Station disk VM#: 21473
AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS) IDB PID:
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Concrete loading dock OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 25° 44.0' N ( 25.73300) LONGITUDE: 80° 9.8' W ( -80.16378)
The bench mark is a surface disk in the rear of a parking garage on the west
side of the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science property located
on the NW end of the backside of the garage on the loading dock of building
(G48A), NW side at top of steps leading up to loading dock, 14.55 m (47.7 ft)
north of south wall of chemical pump (G51) room, 2.8 m (9.2 ft) west of G48A
receiving door, and 0.58 m (1.9 ft) east of the edge of the top step.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 5 of 11
Station ID: 8723214 PUBLICATION DATE: 12/29/2020
Name: VIRGINIA KEY, BISCAYNE BAY
FL
NOAA Chart: 11465 Latitude: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73140)
USGS Quad: KEY BISCAYNE Longitude: 80° 9.7' W ( -80.16180)
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 3214 R 2015
DESIGNATION: 872 3214 R
MONUMENTATION: Tidal Station disk VM#: 21474
AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS) IDB PID:
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Apron OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 25° 44.0' N ( 25.73375) LONGITUDE: 80° 9.8' W ( -80.16317)
The bench mark is a surface disk located in the front of a parking garage on the
west side of the Rosenstiel School of Marine And Atmospheric Science property,
7.53 m (24.7 ft) north from third column from left of the front of the parking
garage, 1 m (3.3 ft) west from the front edge of where concrete meets asphalt,
and 0.27 m (0.9 ft) of inside of the NW wall.
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 3214 S 2016
DESIGNATION: 872 3214 S
MONUMENTATION: Flange-encased Rod VM#: 21857
AGENCY: NOS IDB PID:
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Stainless steel rod OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73172) LONGITUDE: 80° 9.8' W ( -80.16300)
The bench mark is a deep rod mark located near the shore line of Biscayne bay,
16.40 m (53.8 ft) south of the SW corner of campus pump house, 5.6 m (18.4 ft)
east of the SE corner of Henry L Doherty Marine Science Center, 1.83 m (6.0 ft)
north of a concrete retaining wall, 1.73 m (5.7 ft) north of a witness post.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 6 of 11
Station ID: 8723214 PUBLICATION DATE: 12/29/2020
Name: VIRGINIA KEY, BISCAYNE BAY
FL
NOAA Chart: 11465 Latitude: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73140)
USGS Quad: KEY BISCAYNE Longitude: 80° 9.7' W ( -80.16180)
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING:
DESIGNATION: 872 3214 VIRGINIA KEY ARP
MONUMENTATION: See descriptive text VM#: 22939
AGENCY: IDB PID:
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73139) LONGITUDE: 80° 9.7' W ( -80.16186)
The ARP is located on top of the 1 1/2 inch aluminum pipe alongside the Virginia
Key tide station which is on the university grounds at the outer end of the
concrete pier.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 7 of 11
Station ID: 8723214 PUBLICATION DATE: 12/29/2020
Name: VIRGINIA KEY, BISCAYNE BAY
FL
NOAA Chart: 11465 Latitude: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73140)
USGS Quad: KEY BISCAYNE Longitude: 80° 9.7' W ( -80.16180)
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING: T 313 1970
DESIGNATION: T 313
MONUMENTATION: Bench Mark disk VM#: 23299
AGENCY: US Coast & Geodetic Survey
(USC&GS) IDB PID#: AC2147
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Catch basin OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 25° 43.5' N ( 25.72553) LONGITUDE: 80° 9.2' W ( -80.15328)
The bench mark is located 17.07 m (56 ft) east of the center line of the drive,
11.58 m (38 ft) north of the center line of the eastbound lane of the causeway,
level with the ground and 0.30 m (1 ft) below the level of the road. The mark is
set in the top of the SW corner of a concrete catch basin which is 5 x 6 square
ft.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 8 of 11
Station ID: 8723214 PUBLICATION DATE: 12/29/2020
Name: VIRGINIA KEY, BISCAYNE BAY
FL
NOAA Chart: 11465 Latitude: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73140)
USGS Quad: KEY BISCAYNE Longitude: 80° 9.7' W ( -80.16180)
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING: BRUCE 2 1995
DESIGNATION: BRUCE 2
MONUMENTATION: Flange-encased Rod VM#: 23302
AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS) IDB PID#: AA5493
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: OPUS PID#: AA5493
LATITUDE: 25° 43.6' N ( 25.72639) LONGITUDE: 80° 9.3' W ( -80.15444)
The bench mark is located 19.4 m (63.7 ft) west of the westbound lanes of the
Rickenbacker Causeway from a light pole number 8 7551 4145 06, 10.7 m (35.0 ft)
ENE of the NE edge of the pavemeent of the southbound lanes of the Rickenbacker
Causeway, 1.8 m (6.0 ft) WNW of the NW edge of the pavement of the nourthbound
lanes of the Rickenbacker Causeway, and 0.3 m (1.0 ft) NE of a carsonite witness
post. The mark is a stainless steel rod driven to refusal at 17.9 m (58.8 ft).
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 9 of 11
Station ID: 8723214 PUBLICATION DATE: 12/29/2020
Name: VIRGINIA KEY, BISCAYNE BAY
FL
NOAA Chart: 11465 Latitude: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73140)
USGS Quad: KEY BISCAYNE Longitude: 80° 9.7' W ( -80.16180)
T I D A L D A T U M S
Tidal datums at VIRGINIA KEY, BISCAYNE BAY based on:
LENGTH OF SERIES: 24 YEARS
TIME PERIOD: 1/94-12/13, 2/15-1/16, 4/16-3/19
TIDAL EPOCH: 1983-2001
CONTROL TIDE STATION: 8724580 KEY WEST
Elevations of tidal datums referred to Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW), in METERS:
HIGHEST OBSERVED WATER LEVEL (09/10/2017) = 1.771
MEAN HIGHER HIGH WATER MHHW = 0.683
MEAN HIGH WATER MHW = 0.661
North American Vertical Datum NAVD88 = 0.614
MEAN TIDE LEVEL MTL = 0.351
MEAN SEA LEVEL MSL = 0.342
MEAN LOW WATER MLW = 0.040
MEAN LOWER LOW WATER MLLW = 0.000
LOWEST OBSERVED WATER LEVEL (03/29/1994) = -0.392
North American Vertical Datum (NAVD88)
Bench Mark Elevation Information In METERS above:
Stamping or Designation MLLW MHW
3214 G 1998 1.649 0.988
3214 D 1994 2.091 1.430
3214 H 2003 2.814 2.153
3214 J 2004 2.269 1.608
3214 K 2009 2.042 1.381
3214 M 2009 2.103 1.442
3214 P 2015 3.174 2.513
3214 R 2015 2.182 1.521
3214 S 2016 1.630 0.969
872 3214 VIRGINIA KEY ARP 5.069 4.408
T 313 1970 0.991 0.330
BRUCE 2 1995 1.337 0.676
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 10 of 11
Station ID: 8723214 PUBLICATION DATE: 12/29/2020
Name: VIRGINIA KEY, BISCAYNE BAY
FL
NOAA Chart: 11465 Latitude: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73140)
USGS Quad: KEY BISCAYNE Longitude: 80° 9.7' W ( -80.16180)
Foot Notes:
Bench marks BRUCE 2 1995 and T 313 1970 are based on one differential leveling
connection and do not meet the quality control standards of the NOS. Therefore,
caution should be used when deriving elevations for these marks.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 11 of 11
Station ID: 8723214 PUBLICATION DATE: 12/29/2020
Name: VIRGINIA KEY, BISCAYNE BAY
FL
NOAA Chart: 11465 Latitude: 25° 43.9' N ( 25.73140)
USGS Quad: KEY BISCAYNE Longitude: 80° 9.7' W ( -80.16180)
D E F I N I T I O N S
Mean Sea Level (MSL) is a tidal datum determined over a 19-year National Tidal
Datum Epoch. It pertains to local mean sea level and should not be confused
with the fixed datums of North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88).
NAVD88 is a fixed datum derived from a simultaneous, least squares, minimum
constraint adjustment of Canadian/Mexican/United States leveling observations.
Local mean sea level observed at Father Point/Rimouski, Canada was held fixed as
the single initial constraint. NAVD88 replaces NGVD29 as the national
standard geodetic reference for heights. Bench mark elevations relative to
NAVD88 are available from NGS through the World Wide Web at
National Geodetic Survey.
NGVD29 is a fixed datum adopted as a national standard geodetic reference for
heights but is now considered superseded. NGVD29 is sometimes referred to as
Sea Level Datum of 1929 or as Mean Sea Level on some early issues of Geological
Survey Topographic Quads. NGVD29 was originally derived from a general
adjustment of the first-order leveling networks of the U.S. and Canada after
holding mean sea level observed at 26 long term tide stations as fixed.
Numerous local and wide-spread adjustments have been made since establishment in
1929. Bench mark elevations relative to NGVD29 are available from the National
Geodetic Survey (NGS) data base via the World Wide Web at
National Geodetic Survey.
NAVD88 and NGVD29 are fixed geodetic datums whose elevation relationships to
local MSL and other tidal datums may not be consistent from one location to
another.
The Vertical Mark Number (VM#) and PID# shown on the bench mark sheet are unique
identifiers for bench marks in the tidal and geodetic databases, respectively.
Each bench mark in either database has a single, unique VM# and/or PID# assigned.
Where both VM# and PID# are indicated, both tidal and geodetic elevations are
available for the bench mark listed. The NGS's Integrated Data Base (IDB PID)
provides geodetic datum based on traditionally leveled and bluebooked ties to
the National Spatial Reference System(NSRS) https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/datasheets/.
The NGS Online Positioning User Service (OPUS PID) provides geodetic datum based
on GPS position & tie it to the NSRS https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/OPUS/.
The NAVD88 elevation is shown on the Elevations of Tidal Datums Table Referred
to MLLW only when two or more of the bench marks listed have NAVD88 elevations.
The NAVD88 elevation relationship shown in the table is derived from an average
of several bench mark elevations relative to tide station datum. As a result of
this averaging, NAVD88 bench mark elevations computed indirectly from the tidal
datums elevation table may differ slightly from NAVD88 elevations listed for
each bench mark in the NGS database.