World Measurements: The Tiny Office Ensuring Accuracy
National Geodetic Survey Staff Cuts Threaten Spatial Data Modernization
Staff reductions at the National Geodetic Survey (NGS), a key agency within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Management (NOAA), are jeopardizing the modernization of the national Spatial Reference System (NSRS). The NSRS provides the framework for latitudes, longitudes, elevation and gravitational field measurements across the United States.
Former employees and experts warn that these staff losses could further delay the long-awaited project to update the accuracy of these crucial measurements. As industries increasingly rely on precise coordinate systems, the science behind NGS’s work becomes even more critical.
The NGS, established in 1807, maintains the National Spatial Reference System, a consistent system of physical coordinates used by federal, state and local governments, and also the private sector. This system includes latitude, longitude, depth, height and gravitational field calculations, which are essential for infrastructure projects and mapping.
The current NSRS datums, established in the 1980s, are becoming outdated due to advancements in satellite technology and shifts in the Earth’s surface. These shifts mandate updates every few decades. The existing measurements are now, on average, about two meters off from their actual locations.
The NGS had planned to roll out a modernized NSRS to align with current satellite data and land shifts. A notice in the Federal Register detailed an updated timeline for releasing new datums and products in 2025 and 2026.
However,three former NGS staffers said that recent staff losses,including retirements and layoffs,could push the rollout further behind schedule. The agency has reportedly lost nearly a quarter of its staff since January and has had to freeze planned hiring.
Brett Howe, former geodetic services division chief at NGS, said the loss of experienced leadership could hinder the agency’s ability to meet the 2025-2026 timeline, even with a dedicated remaining staff.
A NOAA budget proposal from the White House Office of Management and Budget suggests moving NOAA’s surveying capabilities to other agencies.
Experts have also noted a decline in geodesy expertise in the U.S. compared to other countries. China, for example, graduates thousands of geodesy students each year, while the U.S. has seen a notable drop in graduates with advanced degrees in the field.
A 2012 analysis found that every taxpayer dollar spent on NGS’s coastal mapping program returned $35 in benefits. A 2019 report estimated that the NGS program modeling gravitational fields would provide between $4.2 and $13.3 billion in benefits over 10 years.
“You have to have some system of heights that is standardized across a large geographic body. I want consistent heights from New York to Maryland so we can build highways, so we can build utility infrastructure. You want to make sure water is always flowing in the appropriate direction,” Dave Doyle, former chief geodetic surveyor at NGS said.
What’s next
NGS will release foundational data and supporting products for testing and feedback in 2025. The agency’s future and its ability to maintain the NSRS remain uncertain amid potential budget cuts and restructuring.