Rapid City, SD – On Monday, state leaders, federal officials and professional land surveyors gathered at Mount Rushmore National Memorial to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and to honor the surveying legacy of three presidents carved into the granite face. The ceremony, co‑hosted by the South Dakota Society of Professional Land Surveyors and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS), also served as the launch pad for a major upgrade to the nation’s mapping infrastructure.
Governor declares Professional Land Surveyors Day
Governor Larry Rhoden officially proclaimed October 19, 2026 as Professional Land Surveyors Day in South Dakota. South Dakota Commissioner of School and Public Lands Brock Greenfield presented the executive proclamation, emphasizing how precise land surveys protect property rights and underpin the public trust lands that fund education throughout the state.
Federal agencies unveil modernized NSRS
Representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) used the national spotlight to roll out the modernized National Spatial Reference System (NSRS). The once‑in‑a‑generation overhaul shifts the country away from historic, passive ground measurements toward a high‑precision, four‑dimensional satellite and GPS‑driven positioning framework.
Rachael Dempsey, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Navigation, Observations, and Positioning at NOAA’s National Ocean Service, explained the everyday impact of the new system. “They are really responsible for all the positioning, charting, mapping, and geodetic understanding of our land throughout the United States. That foundation, as we’ve said many times today about the three surveyors on Mount Rushmore, are really the core of how we know where we are in time,” Dempsey said.
Addressing a growing workforce challenge
Dempsey also warned of a looming “geodesy crisis,” noting that both government agencies and private firms are racing to recruit the next generation of mapping professionals needed to maintain critical infrastructure. The modernized NSRS is expected to create new career pathways in high‑tech surveying, benefiting South Dakota’s agricultural sector and other key industries.
Local tours and upcoming NSPS board meeting
After the dedication of a commemorative marker at the memorial, attendees toured the Black Hills, visiting Mount Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial and the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead. The trip concluded with preparations for the NSPS Fall Board Meeting scheduled to take place in Deadwood later this month.
The event highlighted how accurate surveying supports not only federal and state projects but also the everyday concerns of South Dakota families, farmers and business owners who rely on clear property lines and reliable geographic data.
With the modernized NSRS now in place, South Dakota’s land‑surveying community is poised to deliver the precision needed for future growth, while the state’s new Professional Land Surveyors Day offers a lasting tribute to a profession that has helped shape the nation from its earliest days.
Original reporting: KOTA (Gray) – local — read the source article.
