BTW - And thanks to our ISD department for making this topo layer (and more) available.

For information on what you will need in order to view it, see below.  I know some of you have already figured it out, that's ok, we know who you are.

Map.aspxhttp://www.sccgov.org/sites/gis/Santa%20Clara%20County%20Interactive%20Map/Pages/Santa-Clara-County-Interactive-Map.aspx

County GIS now has topo layer

OMG another blog....ok I'm making up for not blogging awhile back....

Yes, now you can go to our County GIS and see the topo layer.  Happy?  I bet a lot of people will spend time zooming around this layer and checking it out.

A little refresher on how to get to this site:

Go to:
 
http://www.sccgov.org/arcgis/SCCPubInteractiveMap/

(yes you will get to read the "Welcome" etc.  Close it to continue. )

so good so far?
Now go to the "Maps" tab and click the "Map Layers".  Look for the "Topography" layer and check the box.

Hopefully you will be contour lines.  So enjoy this little tidbit!

National Surveyors Week

Yes, we have a week of recognition!  It's National Surveyors Week!  Yes it does exist and actually has been for several years now.  San Jose City Surveyor Patty Cannon, PE, PLS and I were presented with a proclamation from the City of San Jose to proclaim National Surveyors Week in 2010.  In 1986, the County   Board of Supervisors had a proclamation for Surveyors Week also.  This year, National Surveyors Week is set for March 17-23, 2013.

The National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) has requested "The President" to design this week as "
National Surveyors Week".  Ok, I think you get the theme of this now.

So a few excerpts from the Executive Director of NSPS...just in case the print is a tad small to read...and some big points to make...


"...Former surveyors include George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln..."

Thomas Jefferson is credited with creation of the Public Land Survey System ("PLSS"), the rectangular system that continues today in 30 states which includes California.  Well that hits home a bit.

And, as NPSP points out, there are over 45,000 professional surveyors in the US.  In California, I recall someone saying there are about 4,000 licensed land surveyors.  What is scary is that compared to the population of California, it's a very small percentage.  So we land surveyors are becoming a rare profession. Hopefully not an extinct profession yet but not very common let's just say.  Awhile back we had a display of land surveying items, courtesy of the Mt Diablo Surveyors Historical Society.  (thanks Don!)

So, we are recognized in history.  So I encourage you  to go out and celebrate!

G