The Geospatial team within Design & Construction is tasked with locating and mapping Ohio University's utility systems. With over 200 buildings on campus, the university operates and maintains many different utility networks, including: electrical, natural gas, communications, domestic water, chilled water, non-potable irrigation water, steam heat, compressed air, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, and over 5 miles of utility tunnels. To keep the University within OUPS "Call Before You Dig" legal compliance, the Geospatial team will fulfill over 100 utility locate requests in any give year for architects, engineers, surveyors, contractors, utility companies, landscapers, and even tailgaters. The University employs a certified Utility Locator who is trained in using electromagnetic detection for utility locating & marking. This preventative utility locating ensures the safety of University employees and contractors and the mitigation of unintended damage to the utilities.
In addition to field locating the University's utility networks, the Geospatial team also maintains an active Geographic Information System (GIS). Under the employment of the University, the GIS Manager uses Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers to accurately collect, manage, and display the University's utilities. The data collected is stored on network servers and available for University employees to view through ArcGIS Online and the ESRI Field Maps mobile app. The Geospatial team has field collected and currently maintains over 4,000 utility assets (e.g., fire hydrants, manhole lids, light poles, gas meters, etc.).
Lastly, the Geospatial team is also involved in the production and upkeep of the small-scale designs used with the University. These designs highlight the interior spaces of the University's buildings, which contribute to the planning and space management of the campus.
For any University utility locating that is needed, the Geospatial team asks that you submit a ticket with OUPS 48 hours (not including weekends or holidays) prior to any digging that would occur.
For any questions or mapping requests on GIS data, please email mapping @ohio.edu .