Land Acquisition Surveys and Maps for Reservoirs

A variety of surveys, maps, and investigations are essential for the construction of Tennessee Valley Authority's multipurpose Tims Ford Reservoir project on the Elk River. Existing topographic maps, preliminary survey data, and the delineation of a tentative boundary were used in the preparation of feasibility and planning reports. A basic control network was established and expanded with supplemental control as required for subsequent surveying and mapping. Topographic maps, scale 1 in = 200 ft, were photogrammetrically complied of the entire reservoir area. Preliminary landownership data was obtained to facilitate subsequent mapping (on 43 land acquisition maps) of all properties that would be affected by the reservoir. Surveys were made for the relocation or adjustments of highways, railroads, or utilities that will be inundated by the reservoir. Detailed studies, occasionally involving cost estimates of land purchases in lieu of road replacement, were made for determining the location of the final purchase boundary.