GSOC 30th Anniversary
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- Created: Saturday, 30 December 2017 15:58
- Written by Lareina Taing
Gopher State One Call (GSOC), Minnesota’s state-wide notification center for excavation, is celebrating 30 years of operation in 2018! GSOC accepted its first locate request on October 1, 1988. Follow along as we take a stroll down memory lane to understand GSOC’s history.
Mounds View Explosion- 1988 Newspaper Article
Photo Credit
On the morning of July 8, 1986, a hazardous liquid pipeline in a residential area of Mounds View, Minnesota leaked gasoline, and the vapor was ignited when an automobile entered the area.1 The neighborhood was engulfed by a wall of fire that roared down the street. A mother and her six-year old daughter, concerned and frightened, opened their door, stepped outside, and were fatally engulfed in flames. A third woman was severely injured. The fire resulted in over a quarter of a million dollars in property damage.
At some point in time, you’ve probably noticed small colored flags placed in your yard or around town by locators to identify underground utility lines. Recently, some snow plowing and property management companies have begun using these types of flags instead of traditional wood or fiberglass stakes to mark curbs, driveways, and other features to guide equipment operators when plowing. These flags may be blank or even labeled with a company logo or markings.
Vacuum excavation or “soft dig” is a non-mechanical and less invasive method of excavation. A blast of air or water is first directed into the dig site to loosen soil and break up any large materials. It is categorized as air or hydro vacuum excavation depending on how the soil is broken down. An air vacuum hose is then used to remove the debris from the hole and transfer it to a specially designed tank. Stored spoil can be transported elsewhere or, if dry, re-used as fill. Hydro excavation prevents the re-use of wet material for refilling the hole.1