U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Datums Page Page 1 of 6
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/24/1991
Station ID: 8632200 SUPERCEDED DATE: 04/21/2003
Name: KIPTOPEKE, CHESAPEAKE BAY
VIRGINIA
NOAA Chart: 12224 Latitude: 37° 10.0' N
USGS Quad: TOWNSEND Longitude: 75° 59.3' W
To reach the tidal bench marks from the north toll booth of the Chesapeake Bay
Bridge Tunnel, proceed 3.2 miles (5.1 km) north on U.S. Route 13 to the
intersection of County Road 704, turn left and go 1.2 miles (1.9 km) west on
County Road 704 to its end at the old ferry terminal. The property is fenced and
the gate locked with a guard at the gate. The bench marks are on the ferry
terminal property and along County Road 704. The tide gage and staff are on the
SE end of the wharf.
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
PRIMARY BENCH MARK STAMPING: L 418 1963
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 476
AGENCY: PID#: FW0303
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Copper-clad Steel Rod
The primary bench mark is on the north side of County Road 704, east of the
entrance to the old ferry terminal near the electric transformer, 60.0 feet
(18.3 m) NNW of the centerline of the most northerly drive, 11.8 feet (3.6 m)
west of the west corner of the fence around the transformer, and 2.0 feet (0.6
m) NE of a metal witness post. The bench mark is level with the ground, crimped
to a copper-clad steel rod driven an unspecified depth to refusal, and encased
in a 6-inch clay pipe.
BENCH MARK STAMPING: NO 4 1958
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 479
AGENCY: PID#: FW0304
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Concrete Traffic Island
The bench mark is set in the top of a concrete traffic island at the center toll
booth at the entrance to the ferry terminal, 32.8 feet (10.0 m) NNW of the NW
corner of the tin building of the ticket office-guard house, 26.4 feet (8.0 m)
south of the SW corner of the most northerly ticket booth, 6.2 feet (1.9 m) WSW
of the west face of the center toll booth, and 0.7 foot (0.2 m) above ground
level.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 2 of 6
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/24/1991
Station ID: 8632200 SUPERCEDED DATE: 04/21/2003
Name: KIPTOPEKE, CHESAPEAKE BAY
VIRGINIA
NOAA Chart: 12224 Latitude: 37° 10.0' N
USGS Quad: TOWNSEND Longitude: 75° 59.3' W
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 2201 A 1978
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 481
AGENCY: PID:
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Copper-clad Steel Rod
The bench mark is on the south end of the wharf near the tide station, 34.5 feet
(10.5 m) west of the east edge of the bulkhead, 26.0 feet (7.9 m) east of the
west edge of the bulkhead, and 5.0 feet (1.5 m) north of the south edge of the
bulkhead. The bench mark is 0.4 foot (0.1 m) above ground level, crimped to a
copper-clad steel rod driven 32 feet (10 m) to refusal, and encased in a 4-inch
PVC pipe and concrete kickblock.
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 2200 B 1980
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 482
AGENCY: PID#: AJ4588
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Stainless Steel Rod
The bench mark is on the north side of the ferry terminal road in the terminal
parking lot, 421.0 feet (128.3 m) west of the west face of the ferry terminal
gate building, 95.0 feet (29.0 m) north of the centerline of the access road to
the ferry terminal building, 14.5 feet (4.4 m) SW of the NE corner of the old
steel bulkhead, and 1.5 feet (0.5 m) east of a steel guard rail post. The bench
mark is 0.1 foot (0.03 m) below ground level, crimped to a stainless steel rod
driven 36 feet (11 m) to refusal, and encased in a 5-inch PVC pipe and concrete
kickblock.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 3 of 6
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/24/1991
Station ID: 8632200 SUPERCEDED DATE: 04/21/2003
Name: KIPTOPEKE, CHESAPEAKE BAY
VIRGINIA
NOAA Chart: 12224 Latitude: 37° 10.0' N
USGS Quad: TOWNSEND Longitude: 75° 59.3' W
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 2200 D 1980
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 484
AGENCY: PID:
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Deep Rod
The bench mark is on the south side of County Road 704, 0.27 mile (0.43 km) east
of the ferry terminal entrance, 76.0 feet (23.2 m) south of the center line of
County Road 704, and 58.5 feet (17.8 m) east of a 0.5 foot (0.2 m) x 0.5
foot (0.2 m) concrete highway department marker. The bench mark is level with
the ground, crimped to a stainless steel rod driven 36.0 feet (11.0 m)
to refusal, and encased in a 5-inch PVC pipe and concrete kickblock.
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 2200 E 1980
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 485
AGENCY: PID:
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Stainless Steel Rod
The bench mark is on the south side of County Road 704 near the entrance of the
old ferry terminal, 178.0 feet (54.3 m) east of the east face of the ferry
terminal gate building, 78.0 feet (23.8 m) south of the centerline of the median
of County Road 704, and 3.0 feet (0.9 m) NNW of power pole #227 A. The bench
mark is 0.1 foot (0.03 m) below ground level, crimped to a stainless steel rod
driven 36 feet (11 m) to refusal, and encased in a 6-inch PVC pipe and concrete
kickblock.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 4 of 6
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/24/1991
Station ID: 8632200 SUPERCEDED DATE: 04/21/2003
Name: KIPTOPEKE, CHESAPEAKE BAY
VIRGINIA
NOAA Chart: 12224 Latitude: 37° 10.0' N
USGS Quad: TOWNSEND Longitude: 75° 59.3' W
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 2200 F 1989
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 486
AGENCY: PID:
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Stainless Steel Rod
The bench mark is about 240 feet (73 m) west of the old ferry road at the Y of
two dirt roads, 71.1 feet (21.7 m) south of utility pole #219/330, 26 feet (8 m)
SSE of a second gravel road in a new campground, 17.0 feet (5.2 m) SE of the
centerline of a gravel road, and 1.6 feet (0.5 m) SE of utility pole #220/331
ESPS Co of VA. The bench mark is level with the ground, crimped to a stainless
steel rod driven 48 feet (15 m) to refusal, and encased in a 5-inch PVC pipe and
concrete kickblock.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 5 of 6
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/24/1991
Station ID: 8632200 SUPERCEDED DATE: 04/21/2003
Name: KIPTOPEKE, CHESAPEAKE BAY
VIRGINIA
NOAA Chart: 12224 Latitude: 37° 10.0' N
USGS Quad: TOWNSEND Longitude: 75° 59.3' W
T I D A L D A T U M S
Tidal datums at KIPTOPEKE, CHESAPEAKE BAY based on:
LENGTH OF SERIES: 19 YEARS
TIME PERIOD: 1960-1978
TIDAL EPOCH: 1960-1978
CONTROL TIDE STATION:
Elevations of tidal datums referred to Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW), in FEET:
HIGHEST OBSERVED WATER LEVEL (03/07/1962) = 7.40
MEAN HIGHER HIGH WATER MHHW = 3.03
MEAN HIGH WATER MHW = 2.80
MEAN TIDE LEVEL MTL = 1.46
* NATIONAL GEODETIC VERTICAL DATUM NGVD29 = 1.42
MEAN LOW WATER MLW = 0.12
MEAN LOWER LOW WATER MLLW = 0.00
LOWEST OBSERVED WATER LEVEL (01/11/1978) = -2.20
* NGVD reference based on elevations published in Quad 370753, 1973, and NOS
leveling of 1990.
North American Vertical Datum (NAVD88)
Bench Mark Elevation Information In FEET above:
Stamping or Designation MLLW MHW
L 418 1963 10.14 7.34
NO 4 1958 11.18 8.38
2201 A 1978 9.35 6.55
2200 B 1980 10.25 7.45
2200 D 1980 31.30 28.50
2200 E 1980 10.85 8.05
2200 F 1989 35.10 32.30
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 6 of 6
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/24/1991
Station ID: 8632200 SUPERCEDED DATE: 04/21/2003
Name: KIPTOPEKE, CHESAPEAKE BAY
VIRGINIA
NOAA Chart: 12224 Latitude: 37° 10.0' N
USGS Quad: TOWNSEND Longitude: 75° 59.3' W
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 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.