Figuring How Far Above Sea Level

Traditional Farmer

Well-known Member
Location
Virginia
Is there any reasonably priced gadget that tells how far above sea level you are? I'm running some gravity flow water lines and can't use a transit because of distance and out of sight,if I had something to tell me how far above sea level I was no matter where I was standing I could figure the fall easier.
 
Borrow or buy a good handheld gps unit. Most of the smartphone apps a inaccurate.
 
Get a hold of a surveyor. They have a tool for calculating Sea level. When I bought my land 16 years ago the land was all marked up as to what the elevations are down to the foot. Maybe you can buy that tool(s).

Are the sea levels rising? I remember hearing about this 25 years ago and I do not know if this is true, are the beaches in Florida and California shrinking due to higher water levels?
 
Shoot an elevation from your starting point to a point you can see.

Move the transit to that spot and shoot again calculating as you go.

Should work shouldn't it? May be closer than gps elevation tool.

My gps will vary a foot or 2 at the same spot at different times of the day.

Yes there are better ones but they come with a price.

Gary
 
If you have a transit just use multiple set-ups, as others have stated. I got a new GPS last Christmas that has a correctable barometric altimeter. It's very close after you calibrate it, either with the barometric pressure or a known elevation.
 
Use a water level. Fill a 5 gallon bucket with a LONG hose attached to the bottom. Make a mark at the current water height, take the other end of the hose to the desired location and height and adjust it up or down to get the same water level. Been used to set trailer homes for years. Google water level.
 
You don't really want to know the elevation above Mean Sea Level. You want to know the relative elevation of two points. That's a different question, because the MSL elevation doesn't really matter, yet the accuracy of the elevation between the two points is critical.

Personally, I would use a transit or dumpy level for such a measurement. In most situations you can work around the line-of-sight issue by taking indirect measurements. Barring that, a handheld GPS would be my next choice. Although they'll all tell you the elevation, the better ones (over $300) have a barometric altimeter in addition to the GPS.

There are also relatively cheap digital altimeters available. Google "digital altimeter" and you'll find plenty to choose from.
 
Slight modification to IaGary's procedure when surveying around obstacles:
1. Set the level (or transit if you want more calculations) halfway between one point of interest (end or beginning of waterline) and a "turn" point.
2. Take the measurement of the start, this is the backsight.
3. Take the elevation of all the points visible noting which point you want to "turn on" (this is the frontsight). Note this point should be a hard point (concrete slab, firm post in the ground, etc)
4. Move the level halfway between the frontsight in number 3 and the next frontsight.
5. Re-read the old frontsight(#1) as the new backsight(#2) for this location. Read any new points of interest and the new frontsight(#2).
6. Keep repeating 3-5 until you get around the obstacles.
7. For data integrity, make a full loop and close with your starting point.
8. Assume an elevation of the starting point (1000') and do the math (1000+backsight1-frontsight1= new elevation of a point) for the first turn.
9. If you get two different elevations for the start point from beginning to end, distribute the error by the number of "turns" you did.

By doing it this way you don't have to set the level (or transit) at a specific height each time.
 

Download and install Google Earth. Find your place, and then just scroll around on it. Watch the stuff at the bottom of your screen. It will show you the elevation, almost foot by foot.
 
Just be wary of the accuracy of Google Earth results for pipelines.

One I ran has the same end point height on a rise and a hollow, with probably 10 feet or so difference in actual height.

If you're using an altimeter you should be able to get a sea level setting from aviation circles.
 
There are two time tested and proven tools that will never fail you. A plumb bob and string and a clear hose full of water. Just make sure hose is not laying across a train track or highway. God made water level and if you follow him you can keep things level using it.
Later Bob.
 
I don't know about California but here in Florida you can't tell if there shrinking or not. The state is two busy spending our tax money pumping sand back on them to keep the tourists and the beach residents happy. Personally I wish they would let the mangroves and the sea oats grow right back to the water on most of them just like they were 50 years ago. But that's just my opinion. lol
 
Sea leveldoesent have nothing to do with what you are doing you just need to have the source higher than where the flow goes at the end. As long as the end is higher than the start it will work. Any level will work to see where the low point is.
 
Its not as simple as looking to see, as the water is coming from several springs on a mountain on my farm and one of the water lines is going to be
2500ft+ and there are several hills and valleys in between.If you've ever dealt with gravity flow water its not as simple as 'it runs down hill' as it will get air in the pipe and the air pockets will block the flow even though the source is higher than the exit point.If I know the height differential I can figure the pressures and if it will self purge the air pockets.All wooded area BTW so there is no way to sight the whole line or even a 100ft of the line in some of the heavier growth.Like I said I need a tool to determine pretty close the height differential where ever I'm standing at the time compared to everywhere else.How far I am above sea level at the time seems to be the easiest way to be sure.
 
If you are going to bury the piping, you will need to excavate and thus clear the path. If you need to push the pipe through a ridge you will need a system to hydraulically push, or self pull a power head through the soil. if it does not freeze where you are lay it on the ground and try it there, if it works, bury it as deep as needed all along the route. Jim
 
What you need here is what here in OZ is called a two-level-float.

This lets your tank run down to about 2 feet and then makes sure your gravity line runs long enough to get any air out.
 
The water lines are on top of the ground and run continously,I'm not going to bury them because most run over solid rock for quite a distance,don't want to tear up the mountainside and the expense would be prhibitive.Not talking a tremendous amount of water one spring runs and average of 2 gal/minute the other around 5 gal/minute.The line I have now rarely freezes andif it does in Winter no big deal as I use the water for livestock watering,gardens and fresh clean pure water to drink when the power is off and I can pump water.Anyway I'm well versed in running gravity flow lines just wanted to know if there some reasonable cost device that can measure my altitude easily.BTW The air in the pipes gets in at the water intake as the pipe is larger than the water flow and has to be as I want to get all the water all the time.I can eliminate the whole issue with about 700ft more pipe that goes around the rises in the ground and lets the water basically run downhill the whole way but there are a couple farm roads I'll need to cross if I do it that way.
 
What you want is an ALTIMETER . Take it to a spot with a KNOWN altitude, set the altimeter to that KNOWN altitude (do NOT set the Zero to the known altitude), and you're all set. Then where ever you are with that altimeter, you will know the altitude above Sea Level. Simple.


:>)
 
(quoted from post at 14:49:18 08/25/14) There are two time tested and proven tools that will never fail you. A plumb bob and string and a clear hose full of water. Just make sure hose is not laying across a train track or highway. God made water level and if you follow him you can keep things level using it.
Later Bob.

He said too far for a transit. You may want to give a source for thousands of feet of vinyl tubing. Come to think of it filling it could be quite an undertaking too. You certainly wouldn't want to try to drag it full!
 
If an altimeter does not suit your needs, you might try an eye level. In some areas I have heard it called a hand level. It probably has an "official" name that I have not heard. Considering your experience, you may already know about this tool. We used it to mark rough grade on heavy/highway construction projects. It is not a precision surveying tool, but we used it to build ditches, slopes, and other areas for water runoff.

It resembles a handheld rifle scope with a level bubble on it. The bubble (and hash marks) are reflected through a prism into the line of sight of the scope, so you know when you are holding the instrument level.

You need two measuring sticks. We used a stake driven into the ground for our reference stake, but you could also use a tripod or 3 sticks tied together for rocky ground. I used an old shovel handle for my grade stick, on which I marked feet and tenths of feet.

Your reference stake is driven at your last "correct" grade. I usually tied a ribbon about 3 feet above grade, mostly so I wouldn"t have to bend over so far. You hold your grade stick at your next spot. Sight through your level, and slide up or down your grade stick until you are lined up through your sight line with the ribbon on your reference stake. Subtract 3 feet from the resulting height of your level on the grade stick to get back to original grade. A positive number remaining is your elevation difference below your reference point, a negative number is higher.

I have found these tools to sight out no further than 20 feet or so. Considering your description of your project, this might work. It would be a bit tedious over the length you described, but the setup time at each point is very quick, and you could work your way up or down your pipe, depending on your preference.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top