My experience as a surveyor includes preliminary surveying work for the Houma Navigation Canal Lock Complex in Houma, Louisiana

I lead and managed the preliminary survey team for the Houma Navigation Canal Lock Complex at T. Baker Smith, which was subcontracted through Chicago Bridge and Iron Company.

I gathered the topographic data needed for the design engineer team to model existing canal conditions at the proposed location. This entailed a conventional survey crew gathering land and marsh topographic features; a bathymetric survey crew utilizing both single beam and multi-beam (with side scan sonar) to map out the channel and existing structure bottoms; and a survey crew performing a Magnetometer survey (on both land and water) to search for any potential underground utility hazards within the project limits.

Permanent survey benchmarks were set for use throughout construction, and all data were constrained to a Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority network adjustment.

Preliminary survey deliverables were prepared in both digital and paper format.

A licensed and insured professional land surveyor, Patrick works with homeowners, developers, construction companies, civil engineers, real estate agents, mortgage departments at local banks and insurance agents.

Contact him at 504-858-1720 or [email protected] to start a surveying project, or find Patrick M. Haley Land Surveyor online atwww.pmhlandsurveyor.com or on Facebook at Facebook.com/pmhlandsurveyor.

Nicholls graduate and professional land surveyor Patrick Haley sets out to ‘surv’ the local community and beyond

By Renee Simpson

Many young people head to college without the benefit of “knowing what they want to do.” Patrick Haley, of Thibodaux, was one of those freshmen students in fall 2005 at Nicholls State University. 

That same semester, Patrick attended a presentation about the school’s emerging Geomatics program. He was intrigued, to say the least. Combining technology, tradition and a sense of challenge, the field of land surveying was something he didn’t consider before. But he could easily see himself enjoying the career.

Simply put, a land survey is a map. Land surveyors use various measuring tools, including GPS technology, to create diagrams based on accurate measurements. These diagrams benefit home builders, construction companies and real estate agents, just to name a few. 

As our communities expand and thrive, land surveyors provide the spatial information necessary to fuel smart growth and lessen environmental impacts. Their documents have become part of the historical record and help us understand our heritage. But they’ve also been thrust into the information age through the use of satellites, lasers and electronic, software-driven delivery.

Now, after about 12 years of working in the profession, Patrick has decided to branch out on his own, officially opening Patrick M. Haley Land Surveyor in August 2017.

“Becoming an entrepreneur has been a dream of mine ever since I started working,” he said. “I wanted to be in control of my own schedule and reap the benefits of my own hard work.”

That’s not an uncommon sentiment for small business owners. But through his own education and experience, Patrick prides himself on the ability to do it all – from initial customer consultations to field work to final delivery. And he completes each step with the integrity and work ethic instilled in him by his dad, Michael, and mentor, John Mattingly.

"My primary responsibility is to safeguard life, health and property through my work,” Patrick said. "Sometimes, the customer may not agree with the results of a survey, but I offer an unbiased service based on evidence so I can explain my findings. I always make sure to thoroughly answer any questions and explain my process so customers understand the value of getting a survey."

And he enjoys a challenge.

“One of the most rewarding projects I've worked on was a large boundary survey in North Louisiana,” he said. “We were having some difficulties and had to go far into a wooded area to look for a point on a 100-year-old map. We exhausted a lot of effort, but we found the point and resolved the issue for the customer.”

Patrick begins his journey eager to serve the local Southeast Louisiana community, including Thibodaux, Raceland, Houma and the entire parishes of St. Charles, Lafourche and Terrebonne.

He boasts experience on a host of local projects, from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Morganza to the Gulf levee project, multiple DOTD highway projects, surveying at Bollinger Shipyard, and more.

A licensed and insured professional land surveyor, Patrick works with homeowners, developers, construction companies, civil engineers, real estate agents, mortgage departments at local banks and insurance agents.

Contact him at 504-858-1720 or [email protected] to start a surveying project, or find Patrick M. Haley Land Surveyor online at www.pmhlandsurveyor.com or on Facebook at Facebook.com/pmhlandsurveyor.