Registration Open
CLICK HERE FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE BROCHURE PDF
CLICK HERE FOR EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION PDF
SLSI 89th Annual Land Surveyors Conference
March 4-6, 2026
Gateway Hotel & Conference Center ~ Ames, IA
REGISTRATION FEES: BY 3/1/2026 AFTER 3/1/2026 - Onsite Registration Only
*SLSI MEMBER RATE: $295 $310
**NON-MEMBER RATE: $360 $390
*SLSI LIFE, HONARY& Student: $110 $135
HOTEL RESERVATIONS INFORMATION – GATEWAY HOTEL
A limited block of hotel rooms have been reserved for SLSI attendees at the Gateway Hotel. Please make your reservations early. While the hotel will guarantee the SLSI room rate until February 11, 2026 this does not mean they can guarantee that rooms will be available. There are a limited number of these rooms set aside at the hotel for SLSI and are on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations can be made at :
https://reservations.travelclick.com/2958?groupID=5080747
Or by calling 515-292-8600 and refer to the group as SLSI Land Surveyors Conference
If the block is sold out, additional Lodging in and around Ames can found at:
https://www.thinkames.com/poi/stay/
PROGRAM & AGENDA March 2026
Wednesday, March 4, 2026: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall. Welcome Reception: Bar and Hors D’Oeuvres. Attendees are encouraged to attend the welcome reception to help kick of the annual conference; meet with colleagues and visit with vendors.
7:30AM REGISTRATION/BREAKFAST/EXHIBITS OPEN FOR VIEWING
9:00AM WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS OF EXHIBITORS
9:20AM IELSEB UPDATE (0.5 PDH)
An update of proceedings of the Board in the past year as well as any expected changes in the near future. Topics to discuss may include: PLS exam application changes, experience requirements, etc.
9:50AM NATRF2022 (1 PDH)
SEILER GEOSPATIAL REPRESENTATIVE
What is the new national datum, how it will affect the geospatial community, and how users can prepare for it once officially released in late 2026 by the NGS. (This will be non-Trimble specific to all of the survey community and share Trimble software examples to understand how users can check their own field and office software to ensure compatibility.)
11:00AM IOWA TREE LAW-A UNIQUE BRANCH OF LAW (1 PDH)
KATHLEEN (KATHY) LAW, ATTONREY, NYEMASTER GOODE, PC
This presentation will explain Iowa law for many types of issues involving trees, such as “who owns a tree on a boundary line”, “can you take the fruit that falls onto your property if the fruit tree is located on someone else’s property”, and “who is responsible if my tree damages someone else’s property”?
12:00PM LUNCH & BOARD MEETING
• Board Reports - SLSI’s role in leading the changes facing surveyors
• Gavel Exchange
• Scholarships & Awards
1:00PM WHAT TO EXPECT BETWEEN NAD 83 (2011) AND NATRF2022 IN IOWA? WHAT TO EXPECT BETWEEN NAVD 88 AND NAPGD2022 IN IOWA? (3.5 PDHS)
Dave Zilkoski, CEO, Geospatial Solutions by DBZ
~How are reference frames and datums defined?
~Why is NGS modernizing the NSRS and what are the expected coordinate changes in Iowa?
~How are reference frames and datums defined?
~What are the differences in CORS coordinates between the Multi-year CORS
~Solution 2 (MYCS2) and Multi-year CORS Solution 3 (MYCS 3) in Iowa?
~What does NGS mean by time-dependent coordinates and why is it necessary for the new, modernized NSRS?
~How will plate tectonics be handled in the new, modernized NSRS?
~What’s the difference between NAD 83 (2011) epoch 2010.0 and NATRF2022 epoch 2020.0 in Iowa?
~ What’s the difference between ITRF2020 and NATRF2022 in Iowa?
~How do you use NCAT to convert between reference frames and compute State Plane Coordinates?
~What is the difference between SPCS83 and SPCS2022 in Iowa?
~Why is it important to have the appropriate metadata of your old projects for the implementation of the new, modernized NSRS?
~What do you need to know and understand from NGS’s three Blueprint documents?
~What do you need to do to get prepared for the modernized NSRS?
~What information is important on the NGS Datasheet, what do you need to know?
~What are the differences between Reference Epoch Coordinates (REC) and Survey Epoch Coordinates (SEC)?
~What models, tools, and products are being developed by NGS to help users transition to the new 2022 datums?
~What are the best practices for using RTNs to position marks?
~How will orthometric heights be determined in the new, modernized NSRS; that is, how will NAPGD2022 orthometric heights be determined in the new NSRS?
~Review of Computing GNSS-Derived Heights
~How will the Vertical Positioning Concepts Change in the Modernized NSRS?
~What new procedures will have to be followed in the new NSRS to process leveling data using NGS software?
~What are the differences between experimental and hybrid Geoids, and how was Geoid18 generated?
~How will NAPGD2022 Orthometric heights be determined using GEOID2022?
~What are the differences between GEOID2022 models and Hybrid Geoid Model GEOID18 in Iowa?
~Will There be New and Different Ways that Geoid Model(s) will be Generated and Integrated into the Work Performed by Surveyors?
5:15PM SOCIAL HOUR/CASH BAR/RAFFLE/50-50 RAFFLE – EXHIBIT HALL
~ Raffle items will be onsite and tickets for sale. In addition a 50/50 raffle will be held and tickets for sale throughout the day. All proceeds will go the Surveyor Foundation to help raise money for scholarships. Please consider bringing items (survey related or not) to help the event be a success!
6:15 PM LIVE SCHOLARSHIP AUCTION, RAFFLE PRIZES AWARDED /50-50 RAFFLE DRAWING– HEAVY HORS D’OEUVRES & CASH BAR
Items will be auctioned to help raise money for the SLSI Scholarship fund. 50/50 Raffle Awarded and Raffle Winners Announced. Be sure to buy your raffle tickets onsite!
Friday, March 6, 2026 - Agenda:
7:30AM BREAKFAST
8:00AM PROFESSIONAL ETHICS (1 PDH)
Todd Horton, PE, PLS, Meridian Geospatial
Professional ethics are founded on core values. Come explore the core values and personal virtues promoted in the NSPS Surveyors Creed. Join us for a unique and refreshing view of professional growth in service of the American citizen.
9:10AM ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF GOOD LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS ( 1PDH )
Todd Horton, PE, PLS, Meridian Geospatial
Poorly worded legal descriptions can create ambiguity that lingers for many decades. Strong legal descriptions uniquely locate and define boundaries that we can perpetuate. Join us to explore essential legal description elements that will consistently lead future surveyors to the right solution.
10:20AM RELATIVE POSITIONAL PRECISION EXPLAINED IN EVERYDAY LANGUAGE (5.5 PDHS)
Todd Horton, PE, PLS, Meridian Geospatial
The 2016 ALTA/NSPS standards limit the relative positional precision of the points in your survey. Do you understand how that really works? Without using least squares adjustment software, it’s impossible to generate a realistic relative positional precision value. This seminar builds a strong foundation of knowledge that will support your least squares adjustment efforts. Join us to review the error sources in our surveys, refresh your basic statistics knowledge, and explore the impact of equipment specifications. You’ll see just how important redundant measurement truly is. Using error estimates, we’ll apply weights appropriately to adjust our measurement data. Through an example project, you’ll see the impact of redundancy, errors, and the resulting weights. We’ll dispel the mystery in least squares adjustment, show you how to interpret the results, and equip you to certify your next ALTA survey with greater confidence.
4:30 Adjourn
About the presenters:
 Dave Zilkoski, CEO ~ Geospatial Solutions by BDZ
David B. Zilkoski has worked in the fields of geodesy and surveying for more than 40 years. He was employed by National Geodetic Survey (NGS) from 1974 to 2009. He served as NGS director from October 2005 to January 2009. During his career with NGS, he conducted applied GPS research to evaluate and develop guidelines for using new technology to generate geospatial products. Based on instrument testing, he developed and verified new specifications and procedures to estimate classically derived, as well as GPS-derived, orthometric heights.
Now retired from government service, as a consultant he provides technical guidance on GNSS surveys; computes crustal movement rates using GPS and leveling data; and leads training sessions on guidelines for estimating GPS-derived heights, procedures for performing leveling network adjustments, the use of ArcGIS for analyses of adjustment data and results, and the proper procedures to follow when estimating crustal movement rates using geodetic leveling data.
 TODD HORTON,PE, PLS ~ MERIDIAN GEOSPATIAL
Todd Horton, PE, PLS, is the owner of Meridian Geospatial Consulting, LLC. Todd has provided technician training and continuing education seminars for the land surveying industry since 2005.
Todd served in the US Air Force and with the Illinois Department of Transportation in planning, design, construction, surveying and maintenance of civil engineering projects including commercial structures, airfields, utility systems and highways. He joined the full-time faculty at Parkland College in Champaign, IL, where he taught land surveying and construction management courses for 25 years. Todd founded the land surveying associate degree program at Parkland College in 2001.
Having retired from full-time teaching, Todd has joined Farnsworth Group Inc. as a part-time senior project land surveyor. You can reach him at [email protected]
**Members must LOG-IN to the SLSI site with your existing Username (Lastname_Firstname, unless you have changed ) and Password to register online and receive the discounted member rate.
***Non-members are welcome to register online but will be asked to sign in as a New User with your email address and create a password before registering. This is for registration purposes only and does not enroll you as a member of SLSI.
Pay Online with Credit Card or Check Payable to:
SOCIETY OF LAND SURVEYORS OF IOWA
1080 Jordan Creek Parkway, Suite 106C
West Des Moines, IA 50266
515-284-7055 | Fax-515-284-7301
Email: [email protected] | www.slsi.org
Cancellation Policy:
Receive a refund minus a $30 administrative fee if cancelled on or prior to March 2, 2026. No refunds will be made after that date. Attendee substitutions will be accepted at any time. Refunds will not be given for no-shows.
*SLSI will try and hold the event regardless of weather. Attendees travel safety is paramount, should a need to cancel occur SLSI will notify attendees the day prior.
SLSI MARCH 4-6, 2026 ANNUAL CONFERENCE - Gateway Hotel & Conference Center
For questions, please contact the SLSI office at [email protected] or 515-284-7055.
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