U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Datums Page Page 1 of 6
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/24/1991
Station ID: 9410840 SUPERCEDED DATE: 04/21/2003
Name: SANTA MONICA, PACIFIC OCEAN
CALIFORNIA
NOAA Chart: 18744 Latitude: 34° 0.5' N
USGS Quad: TOPANGA Longitude: 118° 30.0' W
To reach the tidal bench marks from the Interstate Highway 10 (Santa Monica
Freeway) exit on Interstate 40S (San Diego Freeway), proceed west on Santa
Monica Freeway to the Lincoln Avenue (U.S. Highway 1) exit, turn right and go NW
on Lincoln Avenue two blocks to Colorado Avenue, turn left on Colorado Avenue
and go SW until Colorado Avenue dead ends at Santa Monica Municipal Pier. The
bench marks are near Colorado Avenue and in Palisades Park along Ocean
Boulevard. The tide gauge and staff are on the offshore end of the pier.
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
PRIMARY BENCH MARK STAMPING: TIDAL BM 12 1974
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 929
AGENCY: PID#: EW6840
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Curb
The bench mark is set in the south curb of the westbound access road to U.S.
Highway 1, 79 feet (24 m) NW of the centerline of the Colorado Avenue overpass,
13 feet (4 m) SW of the centerline of the access road, 0.7 foot (0.2 m) north of
the south end of a concrete guardrail, and 0.6 foot (0.2 m) above street level.
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 3 1940
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 924
AGENCY: PID#: EW1586
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Curb
The primary bench mark is set in the NW curb on the west end of the Colorado
Avenue bridge, SW of Ocean Avenue where the bridge connects with Santa Monica
Municipal Pier, 632 feet (193 m) SW of the centerline of Ocean Avenue, and 9.5
feet (2.9 m) east of the west end of the bridge.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 2 of 6
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/24/1991
Station ID: 9410840 SUPERCEDED DATE: 04/21/2003
Name: SANTA MONICA, PACIFIC OCEAN
CALIFORNIA
NOAA Chart: 18744 Latitude: 34° 0.5' N
USGS Quad: TOPANGA Longitude: 118° 30.0' W
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 2 1936
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 925
AGENCY: PID#: EW1597
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Buttress
The bench mark is set vertically in the west face of the east buttress at the
north side of the east entrance to the highway tunnel leading under the
intersection of Colorado and Ocean Avenues, at the SE corner of the intersection
of Colorado and Ocean Avenues, directly across the street from the extended
Colorado Avenue bridge leading to the municipal pier, and 1.0 foot (0.3 m) above
the sidewalk level of Colorado Avenue.
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 4 1940
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 927
AGENCY: PID#: EW1591
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Curb
The bench mark is set in the SW curb of Appian Way at the beginning of the curve
on Appian Way, near the point where Appian Way passes under the Colorado Avenue
bridge, 68.5 feet (20.9 m) NW of the centerline of the Colorado Avenue bridge,
and 12.7 feet (3.9 m) SW of the centerline of Appian Way.
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 5 1941
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 928
AGENCY: PID#: EW1593
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Concrete Wall
The bench mark is set in the SW concrete wall around a flower bed on the NW side
of the SW entrance of Santa Monica City Hall, 23.0 feet (7.0 m) west of the
center of the entrance driveway at Santa Monica City Hall, 8.3 feet (2.5 m) NW
of the SE end of the wall around the flower bed, and 2.5 feet (0.8 m) above the
sidewalk.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 3 of 6
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/24/1991
Station ID: 9410840 SUPERCEDED DATE: 04/21/2003
Name: SANTA MONICA, PACIFIC OCEAN
CALIFORNIA
NOAA Chart: 18744 Latitude: 34° 0.5' N
USGS Quad: TOPANGA Longitude: 118° 30.0' W
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 0840 L 1977
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 932
AGENCY: PID#: EW6838
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Copper-clad Steel Rod
The bench mark is set in Palisades Park, 135 feet (41 m) west of the centerline
of Ocean Avenue, 99.5 feet (30.3 m) SW of light standard #1530, 17.3 feet (5.3
m) east of a fence at the edge of a bluff, and 2.5 feet (0.8 m) ENE of a metal
witness post. The bench mark is crimped to a copper-clad steel rod driven 23
feet (7 m), and encased in a 4-inch PVC pipe.
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 0840 M 1977
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 933
AGENCY: PID#: EW6836
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Copper-clad Steel Rod
The bench mark is set in the park, 85 feet (26 m) west of the centerline of
Ocean Avenue, 43.3 feet (13.2 m) south of light standard #1402, 26.7 feet (8.1
m) east of the Will Rogers Highway monument, and 1.0 foot (0.3 m) west of a
metal witness post. The bench mark is crimped to a copper-clad steel rod driven
48 feet (15 m), and encased in a 4-inch PVC pipe extending 0.3 foot (0.1 m)
above the mark.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 4 of 6
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/24/1991
Station ID: 9410840 SUPERCEDED DATE: 04/21/2003
Name: SANTA MONICA, PACIFIC OCEAN
CALIFORNIA
NOAA Chart: 18744 Latitude: 34° 0.5' N
USGS Quad: TOPANGA Longitude: 118° 30.0' W
T I D A L B E N C H M A R K S
BENCH MARK STAMPING: SAWTELLE A11A 1936 RE 2177
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 934
AGENCY: PID#: EW1580
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Concrete Monument
The bench mark is set in the top of a concrete monument set flush in the
pavement of a small walkway in the park near the intersection of Ocean and
Arizona Avenues, 127.4 feet (38.8 m) SE of the extended centerline of Arizona
Avenue, 46.4 feet (14.1 m) SW of the SW curb of Ocean Avenue, and 44.5 feet
(13.6 m) SW of light pole #1814, and 3.7 feet (1.1 m) SW of the NE edge of the
walkway.
BENCH MARK STAMPING: 0840 N 1990
MONUMENTATION: Survey Disk VM#: 935
AGENCY: PID#: AH7469
SETTING CLASSIFICATION: Concrete Slab
The bench mark is set in the NE corner of a 7 x 6-foot (2 x 2 m) concrete slab
that supports a cannon in the park, about 200 feet (61 m) NW of the centerline
of the Colorado Avenue bridge, 42 feet (13 m) SE of a drinking fountain, 39 feet
(12 m) NE of a concrete fence that lines the edge of the park, 0.5 foot (0.2 m)
NE of the NE edge of the cannon, and 2 feet (1 m) above ground level.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 5 of 6
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/24/1991
Station ID: 9410840 SUPERCEDED DATE: 04/21/2003
Name: SANTA MONICA, PACIFIC OCEAN
CALIFORNIA
NOAA Chart: 18744 Latitude: 34° 0.5' N
USGS Quad: TOPANGA Longitude: 118° 30.0' W
T I D A L D A T U M S
Tidal datums at SANTA MONICA, PACIFIC OCEAN based on:
LENGTH OF SERIES: 14 YEARS
TIME PERIOD: 1976-1989
TIDAL EPOCH: 1960-1978
CONTROL TIDE STATION: 9410660 LOS ANGELES
Elevations of tidal datums referred to Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW), in FEET:
HIGHEST OBSERVED WATER LEVEL (11/30/1982) = 8.63
MEAN HIGHER HIGH WATER MHHW = 5.49
MEAN HIGH WATER MHW = 4.73
MEAN TIDE LEVEL MTL = 2.84
* NATIONAL GEODETIC VERTICAL DATUM NGVD29 = 2.77
MEAN LOW WATER MLW = 0.95
MEAN LOWER LOW WATER MLLW = 0.00
LOWEST OBSERVED WATER LEVEL (12/17/1933) = -2.70
* NGVD reference based on elevations published in Quad L24301, 1980, and NOS
leveling of 1990.
North American Vertical Datum (NAVD88)
Bench Mark Elevation Information In FEET above:
Stamping or Designation MLLW MHW
TIDAL BM 12 1974 47.11 42.38
3 1940 25.69 20.96
2 1936 61.50 56.77
4 1940 28.35 23.62
5 1941 66.84 62.11
0840 L 1977 62.67 57.94
0840 M 1977 72.99 68.26
SAWTELLE A11A 1936 RE 2177 80.40 75.67
0840 N 1990 62.81 58.08
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service
Page 6 of 6
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/24/1991
Station ID: 9410840 SUPERCEDED DATE: 04/21/2003
Name: SANTA MONICA, PACIFIC OCEAN
CALIFORNIA
NOAA Chart: 18744 Latitude: 34° 0.5' N
USGS Quad: TOPANGA Longitude: 118° 30.0' 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.