This is part one of a two part series introducing the Public Cave Survey Database.

Introduction

Cave survey is the first step to mapping caves and with tools such as the Mnemo survey device it has become significantly more approachable to divers. Many of them are now resurveying popular cave systems and have expressed an interest in building a public database.

The database will be shared to contributing divers and anyone doing research relevant to the cave systems that are within the Public Cave Database.

The Concept

Cave divers who participate in collecting survey are encouraged to submit their data in exchange for the current database file. All entries which fall under the category of commercial caves, will be added to the database.

The Public Cave Database will be maintained and viewable using Google Earth Pro to avoid any issues with divers using different survey programs. A KML file will be updated on a monthly basis and sent out to all contributors for that month. The database will be organized by country and cave system.

Screenshots of the monthly updates will be available to the general public on the Updates page.

The Rules

Please do not survey without the proper training or skills to do it safely. Cave survey is task loading and can easily lead to accidents. Resurveying a cave line is not worth losing your life, and it is not worth damaging the cave.

We request that all survey submitted to the database be limited to survey of caves that are publicly accessible to divers with the permission of the landowner. Do not share GPS locations and data for caves that are not already operating as commercial caves. Survey Down does not condone trespassing.

Survey Down and its owner are not responsible for any repercussions that might occur as a result of the public database.