NOAA Improves Geospatial Accuracy With NSRS Modernization

As agencies increasingly rely on data to drive precise decision-making, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Geodetic Survey is modernizing the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS) to account for shifts in the Earth caused by tectonic plate movement. It hadn’t been updated in 40 years.

Speaking at the Esri FedGIS Conference in Washington, D.C., NOAA National Geodetic Survey Constituent Manager Galen Scott said the updated system integrates GPS technology, enabling more efficient methods to locate survey markers and collect field data.

Scott said the modernized NSRS will also incorporate new gravity data through a geoid model, improving the accuracy of surface elevation measurements compared with legacy models. He added that NSRS data serves as foundational infrastructure for agencies supporting urban planning, infrastructure development and emergency response efforts.