{"id":13410,"date":"2017-02-13T09:41:26","date_gmt":"2017-02-13T15:41:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gisgeography.com\/?p=13410"},"modified":"2025-03-31T15:20:29","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T20:20:29","slug":"state-plane-coordinate-system-spcs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/state-plane-coordinate-system-spcs\/","title":{"rendered":"The State Plane Coordinate System (SPCS)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"State<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A Brief History of the State Plane Coordinate System in America<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the early 1930s, the United States started building the State Plane Coordinate System (SPCS)<\/strong> to pinpoint any location with a high level of accuracy (less than 1:10,000).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was primarily designed to be a system to permanently record original land survey monuments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because SPCS needs such a high level of accuracy, it divides the United States into 124 zones<\/strong>, each with a projection of its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, the State Plane Coordinate System minimizes distortion (compared to the UTM system<\/a>) because of the smaller zone sizes.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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State Plane Coordinate System Zone Map Projections<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Depending on the size of the area, a state can have one or many zones each using its own map projection<\/a>. For example, Hawaii has 5 zones and Maryland has only one SPCS zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each State Plane Coordinate System zone uses a map projection based on its geographic orientation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below, we’ll go through each projection and the developable surface it uses.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Transverse Mercator Projection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If the zone has a north-south orientation, it generally uses the Transverse Mercator projection<\/a>. State Plane Coordinate System zones use the secant case of the Transverse Mercator projection.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"UTM<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As shown above, it cuts through the spheroid\/ellipsoid<\/a> along two small circles at a specific distance from a central Meridian.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Lambert Conformal Conic Projection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While cartographers use the Lambert Conformal Conic projection for large continents, it’s the most common map projection among the SPCS zones.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Secant<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

When the zone has an east-west shape, it most likely uses the Lambert Conformal Conic projection<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Hotine Oblique Mercator Projection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the Hotine Oblique Mercator projection is similar to the Transverse Mercator. However, the key difference is how this projection lies at an angle diagonally. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Hotine<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

This diagonal orientation allows the Hotine Oblique Mercator projection to effectively capture the unique characteristics of specific regions.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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State Plane Coordinate System FIPS Code<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Anyone can identify their State Plane Coordinate System zone with a unique FIPS code. For example, Alaska has 10 State Plane Coordinate System zones with a unique FIPS code and map projection. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Alaska<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n