CIVIL APPLICATION FOLLOWING ARGO STUDY:

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T01137A000300040008-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 19
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 25, 2010
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: January 1, 1973
• Content Type: MISC

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/03/25: CIA-R DP80T01137A000300040008-6 ! ~~ 73
Civil Applications following ARGO Study:
Following the ARGO study, the ARGO Steering Committee
served a valuable function as an interface between the
intelligence community and the civil agencies until the
abolition of the Office of Science $ Technology referred
to elsewhere in this paper. Arrangements are underway for
a follow-on committee.
The purpose of the ARGO Committee was to (1) collect
requirements from the civilian agencies for NRP photography,
(2) make these needs known to the intelligence community,
and (3) discuss procedures for handling classified photo-
graphy with the intelligence community. The Director
of Central Intelligence concurred in these arrangements.
During the period following the ARGO study the
following activities occurred in the civil application of
NRP photography. /0- }r-~e~-~es~.-.~ /~r~ otewrn~j ~-~,~^,~ .a.~f./,
d- c d~:vi ~j
 i
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U.S. Gcoiogical Survey Domestic iulapping Propx-am
1. Since 1968 the U . S . Geological Survey has been systematically
utilizing satellite photography to update the topographic maps of khe
United States.
2. To complete even the once-over medium scale (1:250,000)
coverage of the coterminous U.S. , by conventional map malting methods,
the USGS had to get the assistance of the Army Map Service on 168 sheets.
Despite the subsequent rapid changes in domestic urban and transportation
patterns, very little updating of this basic source for domestic construction,
planning, navigation, recreational, and other economic purposes vas
accomplished until the current program of utilizing KH-4, and later KH-9.
materials .
3. The original goal called for revising approximately
60 sheets a year, but this production level has not yet been achieved--to a
considerable extent because of the still limited amount of recent synoptic-
type satellite photography of the U.S. It was on the basis of this program
that the Department of the Interior established the USGS Special Projects
Office, a T-KH mapping centex? at Reston, Virginia.
4. The good results achieved on the l: 250,000 map program
was followed by an interim revision program for parts of the 1:24,000
large-scale series. This series is providing updated large-scale maps
of many rapidly changing urban areas.
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 OCE A'orth Carolina =:a:n Survey
1. In care}ping out its responsioi;ir_es for inspecting U.S.
dams, assigned by Congress (HF 15951) z_zer the G;est Virginia dam
failure, the Army Corps of Engineers (Civil i'iorks) is currently using
satellite photography.
2. A pilot study is under way to determine the location and
size of dammed water bodies of over 50 acre feet capacity in an area in
I~Torth Carolina. The results of the collected data,
be subsequently field checked for accuracy .
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 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/03/25 :CIA-RDP80T01137A000300040008-6
1. The Environmental Protection A=ercy is having
satellite photography exploited to do a lake s~-r: ey responsive
to the new Water Pollution Control Act.
2. In policing lakes, this agency must understand the
sources of pollution. It, therefore, needs agricultural, forest, and
urban land use surveys of the watersheds that feed the lakes. The
surveys must also identify the specific sources of pollution. Another
critical point is to identify those lakes that are marginal with respect
to pollution, so that remedial action can be taken before 'conditions
become too bad, perhaps irreversibly so. Satellite photography will be
used to obtain these types of data.
3. This pilot survey is also being done by
personnel, who note that much time and expense could be saved by
combining the work on this project with the Corps of Engineers dam
survey.
 Other Current Civil Programs
1. Forest Sex-vice Forest Management. The Forest Service of t}