Surveying (ground control and utility surveys) has been an integral part of the Merrick service team since the company was formed in 1955. The survey services that Merrick provides encompass all aspects of the survey profession. These include high precision and RTK/GPS services including:

• Blue Booking
• Ground control surveys for photogrammetric projects, including Airborne GPS
• Differential GPS (DGPS)
• Boundary and cadastral surveys
• Total station topographic surveys
• Surveys under hazardous environmental conditions
• Route and alignment surveys combining conventional and photogrammetric methods
• Mineral surveys
• Monitoring projects for structural movement
• Construction and cross-section surveys (from road design to precision layout and quality control)

Being a client focused organization, Merrick's combination of survey equipment, personnel, and computer resources allow for the tailoring of the project approach to match the Orders of Accuracy and precision requirements for each project. Merrick?s equipment resources include 1-second theodolites, electronic digital and automatic levels, electronic total stations, and data collectors.

Merrick has developed new methods for collecting field survey data that expedite its post processing in the office. These new methods are known as our ?Field to Finish? survey methodologies. The primary objectives of this concept is to speed-up the field collection time-frame; streamline and standardize the feature codes being used in the field; process portions of the data in the field to inspect the position and attribute integrity of the data before the surveyors leave the site; plot the field survey in a hotel room; and to down-load the data to the home office to be incorporated into the final deliverable products. All of these enhancements make the survey collection very economical, cost effective, reliable, and fast.

Topographic Design Surveys

Existing ground surveys of parcels as small as an acre or as large as a county have different requirements. The data collection methods are driven by the purpose for which the survey will be used and the accuracy required. Aerial mapping is the standard for large areas and topographic ground surveys are used for detail and accuracy for volumetric calculations. Often a combination of aerial photography, total station data collectors, and GPS technology will be utilized to produce the required results. GPS operated in code (sub-meter accuracy) or in dual frequency carrier (centimeter accuracy) may be utilized for utility planimetric or topographic data collection. Real Time Kinematic (RTK) data collection can produce topographic maps in half the time necessary for conventional survey equipment.

Drainage Surveys

Merrick has performed numerous surveys in support of engineering design and drainage mapping projects. Surveying performed includes cross sectioning of drainages, centerline profiling, and establishing photo control. These types of projects have been completed for clients such as Denver Urban Drainage.

Utility Location Surveys

Merrick has developed procedures and techniques to incorporate the latest technologies and best available information into the process of mapping utilities. Merrick has collected above ground and below ground utilities for federal, municipal and utility clients. Research at the utility owners office for the best available records begins the process for the on the ground utility designation.

Hydrographic Surveys

Merrick can provide hydrographic data collection for shallow water mapping which includes contouring, cross-sections, profiles, and area calculations. Projects ranging from stream and river cross-sections with manually collected depth measurements to lakes in excess of 11,000 acres have been mapped. Merrick has incorporated differentially corrected GPS navigation coupled to boat mounted fathometers to precisely position cross-sections and spot elevations to produce bottom profiles, contour maps, and cross-section data for HEC II programs. Significant hydrographic projects have been successfully completed for the Omaha District, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and Denver Urban Drainage.

Route and Alignment - Plan and Profile Surveys

Route surveys and photo control for plan and profile sheets have been one of Merrick's major tasks since our inception. Ground control for aerial mapping projects from a few acres to hundreds of square miles has been a natural expansion of our capabilities. In the preparation of over 1,100 miles of plan and profile sheets for transmission line, pipeline, and canal design we have explored all options from the most simple single-line profile to orthometric photo based sheets with digital capabilities. The field procedures for this work have ranged from centerline ground traverses on a local control base to one (1) mile corridor control on state plane by GPS survey. In support of all other aspects of route design, we are experts at ownership research and determination and offer the ability to create the acquisition documents for right-of-way and access. Because of Merrick's numerous clients requiring plan and profile sheets, an integrated system has been developed to facilitate creating accurate drawings. This system incorporates the Coordinate Geometry data input from survey, total station data (such as crossing data) from the field; GPS control data, and photogrammetrically collected planimetric and topographic data. This creates a complete digital file, showing not only visible entities, but ownership and right-of-way information as well. Our subcontract photo lab uses this drawing file to generate ortho-based photo mylars. This product shows Merrick's capability of incorporating all phases of a survey and mapping project into one intelligent database delivery.

High Precision Deformation Surveys

Merrick's work in ground monitor and deformation surveys is based on documentation of work performed by the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Geodetic Survey (NGS). Merrick utilizes instrumentation and procedures as outlined in the Standards and Specifications for Geodetic Control Networks. First (1st) order equipment including TC2002 theodolites and NA3003 electronic bar-code reading digital levels have been incorporated on task orders for the Omaha District earthen dam movement monitoring projects. Typical of these projects and their implementation include monumentation and procedures for a ground and building monitor survey of the Department of Energy control installation, horizontal and vertical deformation surveys of earthen dams and berms, a deformation survey on a ten foot grid of a 640,000 square-foot storage pile of hazardous waste, as-built surveys of concrete spillways for remediation, and cross-sectioning for drainage studies ranging from a portion of a mountain valley to an entire river basin. The basis for surveys of this type is an understanding of the following: field procedures to attain specified accuracies; mathematical and statistical base for substantiation of the work; and suitable monumentation to hold positional tolerance and repeat the monitoring sequence.

Geodetic Surveying Using GPS

Merrick has been providing GPS survey services since 1990. These projects have been in support of both city and county GIS projects, cadastral surveys, high precision control surveys, route surveys, topographic mapping, utility feature collection, and precision monitoring projects. Merrick is experienced in all phases of GPS survey including project planning, field coordination, computations, survey adjustments, and final report preparation in both code and carrier mode. Merrick has the ability to incorporate GPS and conventional survey techniques to provide the best overall project approach technically and economically.

Merrick utilizes Trimble 4000SE, SSi, 4400 and 4700 GPS receivers and is experienced in both kinematic, fast static, and static procedures. Other technical resources range from 1-second theodolites through total stations, data collectors, automatic levels, precise micrometer levels, and digital levels.

Boundary / Cadastral Land Surveys and Courthouse Research

Merrick is experienced in all aspects of boundary and ownership surveys. We perform courthouse research, monument research, and boundary surveys. Doyle Abrahamson, PLS is recognized for his expertise in legal surveys and re-surveys of the rectangular land survey system. He has been an expert witness in State and Federal Court, and has assisted in preparing legislation regarding survey law. We have performed section breakdowns for over 300 miles of route surveys for the Public Service Company of Colorado, and performed the survey and monumentation of historical railroad deeds for Burlington Northern Railroad and Southern Pacific Railroad.

Merrick has performed courthouse research in most states west of the Mississippi River. This involves obtaining records from the Clerk & Recorder's Office, Assessor's Office, Engineer's Office, County Surveyor's Office, Clerk of the District Court, etc. Records research varies from state to state and county to county.

Airborne GPS

Since 1995, Merrick has delivered Airborne GPS (ABGPS) services to control photogrammetric mapping projects. The ABGPS team provides all flight planning, ground-to-aircraft support, equipment, and personnel required to develop the ideal analytical aerotriangulation solution that meets client accuracy requirements. Highly precise and cost-effective, this advanced technology is supported by Merrick's comprehensive and fully integrated land information capabilities. With experience in both field and ABGPS methodologies, Merrick bases its approach on the client's needed result.