U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Datums Page Page 1 of 7
Station ID: 9449679 PUBLICATION DATE: 01/06/2004
Name: BLAINE
WA
NOAA Chart: 18423 Latitude: 48° 59.5' N ( 48.99170)
USGS Quad: BIRCH POINT Longitude: 122° 45.9' W (-122.76500)
To reach the tidal bench marks from Blaine City Hall on H Street, proceed west
on H Street for 1-1/2 blocks to Peace Portal Drive, then north on Peace Portal
Drive for 0.3 km (0.2 mi) to Marine Drive, continue west on Marine Drive for 1.1
km (0.7 mi) to its terminus at Drayton Harbor marina. The bench marks are
located along Burlington Northern Railway and Interstate Highway 5. The tide
gauge and staff were on the southern end of Blaine Public Wharf.
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 2 of 7
Station ID: 9449679 PUBLICATION DATE: 01/06/2004
Name: BLAINE
WA
NOAA Chart: 18423 Latitude: 48° 59.5' N ( 48.99170)
USGS Quad: BIRCH POINT Longitude: 122° 45.9' W (-122.76500)
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
PRIMARY BENCH MARK STAMPING: NO 13 1966
DESIGNATION: TIDAL 13
MONUMENTATION: Bench Mark disk VM#: 9306
AGENCY: US Coast and Geodetic Survey
(USC&GS) IDB PID#: TR0628
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Concrete foundation OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 48° 59.6' N ( 48.99283) LONGITUDE: 122° 45.8' W (-122.76383)
The primary bench mark is a disk set in the NW corner of a 0.46 m x 0.76 m (1.5
ft x 2.5 ft) concrete foundation with a drainage grating, 17.83 m (58.5 ft) SW
of the centerline of McMillian Avenue, 8 m (25 ft) SW of the NE corner of a
wire fence enclosing the station, and 0.15 m (0.5 ft) WNW of the fence.
BENCH MARK STAMPING: TIDE 5 1934
MONUMENTATION: Bench Mark disk VM#: 9301
AGENCY: US Coast and Geodetic Survey
(USC&GS) IDB PID#: TR0632
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Concrete foundation OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 48° 59.8' N ( 48.99670) LONGITUDE: 122° 45.2' W (-122.75300)
The bench mark is a disk set flush in the SE corner of the concrete foundation
for the SE leg of the National Weather Service warning tower located at the NW
corner of Peace Portal Drive and Marine Drive, 64 m (210 ft) east of the east
rail, 12.34 m (40.5 ft) north of the centerline of Marine Drive, 8.99 m (29.5
ft) west of the centerline of the Interstate Highway 5 exit road, 0.15 m (0.5
ft) above Peace Portal Drive, and 0.46 m (1.5 ft) above Marine Drive.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 3 of 7
Station ID: 9449679 PUBLICATION DATE: 01/06/2004
Name: BLAINE
WA
NOAA Chart: 18423 Latitude: 48° 59.5' N ( 48.99170)
USGS Quad: BIRCH POINT Longitude: 122° 45.9' W (-122.76500)
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING: NO 10 1959
DESIGNATION: TIDAL 10
MONUMENTATION: Bench Mark disk VM#: 9305
AGENCY: US Coast and Geodetic Survey
(USC&GS) IDB PID#: TR0630
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Sandstone boulder OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 48° 59.6' N ( 48.99330) LONGITUDE: 122° 45.9' W (-122.76500)
The bench mark is a disk set in a 2 m (6 ft) x 2 m (6 ft) x 3 m (10 ft)
sandstone boulder located along the NW side of the causeway leading from Blaine,
WA, to the public wharf, 125 m (411 ft) NE of the extreme end of the wharf along
the centerline of the road, 19 m (62 ft) NW of the NW corner of a large white
cannery building, 6 m (20 ft) NW of the centerline of the road at the top of the
causeway, and 1 m (4 ft) below grade.
BENCH MARK STAMPING: BM 14 1973
DESIGNATION: 944 9679 TIDAL 14
MONUMENTATION: Tidal Station disk VM#: 9307
AGENCY: National Ocean Survey (NOS) IDB PID#:
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Boulder OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 48° 59.5' N ( 48.99170) LONGITUDE: 122° 45.9' W (-122.76500)
The bench mark is a disk set in the top of a large boulder of the rock rip-rap
on the north side of the causeway leading from Blaine to the public wharf, 43 m
(140 ft) ENE along the causeway from the foot of the wharf, and 8 m (25 ft)
north of the centerline of the causeway.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 4 of 7
Station ID: 9449679 PUBLICATION DATE: 01/06/2004
Name: BLAINE
WA
NOAA Chart: 18423 Latitude: 48° 59.5' N ( 48.99170)
USGS Quad: BIRCH POINT Longitude: 122° 45.9' W (-122.76500)
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING: B 454 1973
MONUMENTATION: Bench Mark disk VM#: 9308
AGENCY: National Geodetic Survey (NGS) IDB PID#: TR0633
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Concrete pillars OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 48° 59.8' N ( 48.99670) LONGITUDE: 122° 45.2' W (-122.75300)
The bench mark is a disk set vertically in the west face of the west one of the
first row of concrete pillars located on Interstate Highway 5 southbound
overpass on the north side of Peace Portal Drive, 0.2 km (0.1 mi) north of the
Burlington Northern Railway station, 52 m (169 ft) NE of the centerline of the
junction of Marine Drive and Peace Portal Drive, 46.48 m (152.5 ft) ENE of bench
mark Tidal 5 1934, 3 m (10 ft) north of the north curb of the drive, 1.55 m (5.1
ft) north of the north edge of the north sidewalk, 1 m (3 ft) above the drive,
and 0.76 m (2.5 ft) above grade.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 5 of 7
Station ID: 9449679 PUBLICATION DATE: 01/06/2004
Name: BLAINE
WA
NOAA Chart: 18423 Latitude: 48° 59.5' N ( 48.99170)
USGS Quad: BIRCH POINT Longitude: 122° 45.9' W (-122.76500)
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING: TIDE 6 RESET 1971
DESIGNATION: TIDAL 6 RESET
MONUMENTATION: Vertical Control disk VM#: 17127
AGENCY: National Geodetic Survey (NGS) IDB PID#: TR0635
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Concrete flag pole base OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 48° 59.8' N ( 48.99670) LONGITUDE: 122° 45.1' W (-122.75200)
The bench mark is a disk set in the concrete base of the flag pole directly in
front of Blaine City Hall located on the north side of "H" Street.
BENCH MARK STAMPING: TIDE 4 1934
MONUMENTATION: Bench Mark disk VM#: 17300
AGENCY: US Coast and Geodetic Survey
(USC&GS) IDB PID#: TR0623
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Concrete platform OPUS PID:
LATITUDE: 48° 59.8' N ( 48.99670) LONGITUDE: 122° 45.2' W (-122.75300)
The bench mark is a disk set in top of the north end of a concrete platform in
front of the west entrance to the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service Building
on Peace Portal Drive (I-5) near International Boundary, 5.64 m (18.5 ft) north
of the center of the west entrance to the building, 2.29 m (7.5 ft) east of the
centerline of the east one of five concrete vehicle inspection lanes, and 15 cm
(0.5 ft) west of the west face of the building.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 6 of 7
Station ID: 9449679 PUBLICATION DATE: 01/06/2004
Name: BLAINE
WA
NOAA Chart: 18423 Latitude: 48° 59.5' N ( 48.99170)
USGS Quad: BIRCH POINT Longitude: 122° 45.9' W (-122.76500)
T I D A L D A T U M S
Tidal datums at BLAINE based on:
LENGTH OF SERIES: 1 YEAR
TIME PERIOD: May 1974 - April 1975
TIDAL EPOCH: 1983-2001
CONTROL TIDE STATION: 9449424 CHERRY POINT, STRAIT OF GEORGIA
Elevations of tidal datums referred to Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW), in METERS:
HIGHEST OBSERVED WATER LEVEL (01/15/1974) = 3.757
MEAN HIGHER HIGH WATER MHHW = 2.905
MEAN HIGH WATER MHW = 2.643
MEAN TIDE LEVEL MTL = 1.727
MEAN SEA LEVEL MSL = 1.670
MEAN LOW WATER MLW = 0.810
North American Vertical Datum NAVD88 = 0.310
MEAN LOWER LOW WATER MLLW = 0.000
LOWEST OBSERVED WATER LEVEL (12/31/1974) = -1.092
North American Vertical Datum (NAVD88)
Bench Mark Elevation Information In METERS above:
Stamping or Designation MLLW MHW
NO 13 1966 4.833 2.190
TIDE 5 1934 11.186 8.543
NO 10 1959 3.770 1.127
BM 14 1973 4.687 2.044
B 454 1973 13.080 10.437
TIDE 6 RESET 1971 15.565 12.922
TIDE 4 1934 12.267 9.624
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 7 of 7
Station ID: 9449679 PUBLICATION DATE: 01/06/2004
Name: BLAINE
WA
NOAA Chart: 18423 Latitude: 48° 59.5' N ( 48.99170)
USGS Quad: BIRCH POINT Longitude: 122° 45.9' W (-122.76500)
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.