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Genesee River Gorge, Letchworth State Park, Middle Falls Raw Point Cloud
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Letchworth State Park, renowned as the "Grand Canyon of the East," is one of the most scenically magnificent areas in the eastern U.S. The Genesee River that roars through the gorge is 17 miles long, flows over three major waterfalls between cliffs (as high as 600 feet in some places) is surrounded by lush forests, and is the largest dam east of the Mississippi. The park comprises 14,350 acres of scenic beauty and awesome magnificence, along with 26 individually designated, marked, and maintained trails, totaling 67.2 miles. Letchworth State Park is a hiker's mecca.
Following a busy summer of campers and hikers visiting the Park, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Genesee Region Park staff conducted an inspection and determined that parts of the Trail may have presented a safety concern. To help evaluate the significance of the alternative design options for the Park Engineers, detailed topographic surveys of the Trail were needed.
This topographic survey included stone walls and walkway that was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp, immediately adjacent and above the 107 ft high Genesee River Falls. Conventional survey methods combined with 3-D laser imaging were used to capture the digital data required to generate the Digital Terrain Model (DTM) surface documenting the existing conditions of the eroding rock face located at the base of the falls. The use of the laser imaging showed that the overlook area was extended over the gorge by over 10 feet. This project won the Platinum Award for Engineering Excellence by the ACEC, New York (American Council of Engineering Companies of New York). |
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