Archive of Bathymetry Data Collected in South Florida From 1995 to 2015

Project Description - Ten Thousand Islands (2009)

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Figure 40. Project study area - Ten Thousand Islands, Florida. [Click on icon for link to data page]

Restoration of the Everglades requires the implementation of many components staged temporally and spatially with results realized on different time and spatial scales. Due to extensive feeding and migratory patterns of manatees, restoration effects on Florida manatees must be modeled and monitored over large time and space scales. USGS efforts have focused on collecting manatee movement data throughout the Ten Thousand Islands (TTI) region (fig. 40) and developing an individual-based model to illustrate manatee responses to changes in hydrology related to the Picayune Strand Restoration Project (PSRP) (Langtimm and others, 2009). The research on manatees is part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Southeast Ecological Science Center’s (SESC) Sirenia research project.

Updated bathymetric data for the TTI area were necessary to create an accurate numerical model for manatee research. This project addresses the collection and interpretation of data necessary to develop the present day bathymetry of the TTI region. The USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) in cooperation with USGS SESC performed a bathymetric survey of the TTI area using a single-beam hydrographic system referenced to a local differential GPS station (fig. 41). GPS-based bathymetric surveying is a proven method to accurately map coastal and bay sea floor elevations.

Figure 41. GPS reference station used for Ten Thousand Islands survey. [Click to enlarge]

SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS

Area of Coverage The nearshore region of the Ten Thousand Islands from Hog Key to Indian Key. Water depths ranged from 0.5 meter (m) to 5.0 m.
Survey Date Survey data were collected in September 2009. Field Activity Number: 09BHM01.
Data and Formats X,Y,Z soundings. Number of soundings: 90,796. Comma-delimited text and ESRI point shapefile formats.
Survey Control All data were processed relative to the WGS84(G1150) ellipsoid. In order to maintain the 15 kilometer (km) guideline, one new monument was established and occupied within the Ten Thousand Island region with multiple long-duration (8 hours or greater) sessions. Coordinates of the control location is listed here. The methodology for establishing new control is described in Establishing New Control using GIPSY, SCOUT and OPUS.
Accuracy Precise differential GPS was used to determine horizontal and vertical positions. The estimated horizontal and vertical accuracy of the soundings is approximately 6 centimeters (cm) and 8 cm, respectively.