Blog : Hurricanes and Tropical Storms Impact on Land Surveying

Hurricanes and Tropical Storms Impact on Land Surveying

Florida is known for both its beautiful weather as well as its frequency of heavy storms. These strong tropical storms and hurricanes often leave their mark on Florida’s landscape, especially in the coastal areas.  Even though land surveyors are not disaster relief personnel, they still play a vital part in the reconstruction of areas that have been totally washed out by a hurricane or powerful storm. In fact, the expertise that land surveyors have can help communities rise above from the destruction and become stronger and more structurally sound than they were before.

Tropical storms and hurricanes significantly impact land surveying in several ways:

Physical Changes to the Landscape:

Erosion and Deposition: Storms can cause substantial erosion, removing soil, sand, and vegetation from one area and depositing them in another. This changes the topography and can render previous survey data inaccurate.

Flooding: Heavy rainfall and storm surges lead to flooding, which can alter the landscape, especially in coastal and low-lying areas. This can wash away landmarks and boundary markers used in surveys.

Destruction of Survey Markers and Infrastructure:

Markers and Monuments: Hurricanes can destroy physical markers and monuments used in land surveys. This necessitates re-establishing these markers, which can be a time-consuming and costly process.

Infrastructure Damage: Roads, bridges, and buildings can be damaged or destroyed, complicating access to survey sites and requiring new surveys for reconstruction efforts.

Vegetation and Debris:

Vegetative Overgrowth: Storms often lead to rapid growth of vegetation, which can obscure survey lines and make it difficult to access certain areas.

Debris: Fallen trees, power lines, and other debris can block access to survey points and create hazardous conditions for surveyors.

Hydrological Changes:

Bodies of Water: The shape and size of rivers, lakes, and coastal lines can be altered by storm surges and heavy rainfall. These changes can impact floodplain mapping and require updated surveys.

Wetlands: Hurricanes can expand or shrink wetlands, which are critical areas for environmental surveys and land use planning.

Accuracy and Precision Issues:

GPS Signal Interference: Hurricanes can disrupt GPS signals, affecting the accuracy of location data used in modern surveying techniques.

Equipment Damage: Surveying equipment can be damaged by high winds, water, and debris, leading to inaccuracies and the need for recalibration or replacement.

Regulatory and Planning Implications:

Floodplain Reassessment: Post-storm surveys often reveal changes in floodplains, necessitating updates to flood maps and zoning regulations.

Infrastructure Resilience: Surveys are critical for assessing damage and planning resilient infrastructure that can withstand future storms.

Emergency Response and Recovery:

Rapid Assessment: After a hurricane, quick land surveys are essential for assessing damage and planning recovery efforts. This includes determining safe areas for emergency services and identifying priorities for rebuilding.

Long-term Monitoring: Continuous surveys help monitor recovery and the effectiveness of mitigation measures over time.

Overall, tropical storms and hurricanes necessitate frequent updates to land surveys to ensure accurate and current data for planning, development, and disaster management.  At Stoner,  we are experts in the area of specific purpose surveys, boundary surveys, topographic surveys and many other related property surveys.  Most importantly, we know that you need your survey to be completed on time for your project.  We work hard to be part of your team and to answer any and all questions pertaining to various easements, the survey, certifications, and title commitments. For more information regarding the specific purpose surveying services offered by Stoner call us at 954-585-0997.