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The Cooperative
Charting Program

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WHAT IS COOPERATIVE CHARTING?
Have you ever used a
nautical chart to find your way from one “marker” to another?
If you have, chances are you benefited from the Cooperative
Charting program, a major public service of the United States
Power Squadrons (USPS) public service in which Squadron
members help validate the accuracy of critical elements on the
chart.
Cooperative
Charting is recognized as the most effective user
participation program in all of the Federal services.
Under this
program, USPS members supply information to the Marine Chart
division of NOS leading to the production "of accurate and up
to date nautical and aeronautical charts" and related
publications.
The Cooperative Charting
Program began in 1963 with a Memorandum Of Agreement between
USPS and what is now the National Ocean Service (NOS),
National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), US
Department of Commerce. This agreement has been updated
several times and will continue to serve well into the future
with further updates.
Cooperative
Charting is performed by USPS members in cooperation with the
National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Program
is conducted and administered cooperatively by the Marine
Chart Division of the National Ocean Service (NOS) and the
national USPS Cooperative Charting Committee. |
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WHAT
TYPES OF SERVICE ARE PERFORMED?
The Program provides a
variety of services in support of our nation's charting
authority. We supply information and corrections to nautical
charts, small craft charts, Coast Pilot publications, depth
surveys and related documents. As a service to mariners, NOS
acts as a clearing house on USPS boating related reports such
as nonfunctioning aids to navigation (maintained by the USCG),
cable crossings (monitored by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers), and corrections to other agencies' charts and maps
(such as the Defense Mapping Agency, Corps of Engineers, and
others).
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HOW BIG
IS OUR CIVIC EFFORT?
It has been
estimated that the value of the service that USPS contributes
each year to the U.S. Government amounts to $15 to $20 million
of effort. In a time of continually decreasing NOAA budgets,
this figure could increase as requests for our services grow
and NOAA resources shrink. |
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HOW DO
OUR EFFORTS BENEFIT THE PUBLIC?
USPS
members act as field observers for NOAA. They are uniquely
suited to this role because of the outstanding education and
training they receive through the USPS educational program. As
the number of official NOAA observers decreases through budget
stringencies, USPS members report on many items that would
otherwise go undetected and unreported. Many of these reports
are of a critical nature requiring immediate distribution
through the Coast Guard's broadcasted and published 'Local
Notice To Mariners'.
Without
these USPS observations, many hazards would go undetected
until tragedy strikes through a nautical mishap. Thus, USPS
members save lives and property, as well as furthering boating
safety through these efforts to improve the quality of our
nations charts. The Cooperative Charting Program is a highly
successful, public service effort dedicated to the advancement
of safety on the water for both the boating public and USPS
members. |
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HOW CAN
YOU BECOME INVOLVED?
Your
initial involvement in Cooperative Charting requires a minimum
of effort. After that, you can decide how much you want to be
involved. However, it can be insidiously
habit‑forming.
There are
many people who can help you get involved, but the easiest way
is to contact the Squadron Cooperative Charting Chairman. Or,
try assisting someone in the squadron who is currently
involved in one of our many Cooperative Charting projects. |
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TYPICAL
FIELD ACTIVITIES
1.
Nautical
Chart Items ‑ Observing and reporting differences between
charted information and that which is currently observable.
2.
Small
Craft Facilities ‑ Observing and reporting the
characteristics of marinas, boat yards, and other marine
facilities that service small nautical craft.
3.
Ranges – Determine the accuracy of charted navigational
ranges.
4.
Depth
Surveys ‑ Measuring and reporting depths.
5.
Coast
Pilot Publications ‑ Reviewing the Coast Pilot
publications and reporting updates to the text and
illustrations.
6.
Boating Guide to America - Updating and expanding guide
information related to the Tampa area.
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