thumbnail

Shallow Geologic Framework of the Mississippi Sound and the Potential for Sediment Resources

Scientific Investigations Report 2025-5100
Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District
By:  and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20255100

Links

  • Document: Report (12.9 MB pdf) , HTML , XML
  • Related Works:
    • USGS Data Series 1047 - Digitized analog boomer seismic-reflection data collected during U.S. Geological Survey cruises Erda 90-1_HC, Erda 90-1_PBP, and Erda 91-3 in Mississippi Sound, June 1990 and September 1991
    • USGS Data Series 724 - Archive of Digital Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected During USGS Cruise 10BIM04 Offshore Cat Island, Mississippi, September 2010
    • USGS Data Series 611 - Archive of Digital Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected During USGS Cruises 10CCT01, 10CCT02, and 10CCT03, Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Islands, March and April 2010
    • USGS Data Series 620 - Archive of Digital Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected During USGS Cruise 08CCT01, Mississippi Gulf Islands, July 2008
    • USGS Open-File Report 2014-1070 - The shallow stratigraphy and sand resources offshore from Cat Island, Mississippi
    • USGS Data Series 429 - Archive of digitized analog boomer seismic reflection data collected from the Mississippi-Alabama-Florida Shelf During cruises onboard the R/V Kit Jones, June 1990 and July 1991
    • USGS Open-File Report 2011-1173 - The Shallow Stratigraphy and Sand Resources Offshore of the Mississippi Barrier Islands
  • Data Release: USGS Data Release - Archive of Digitized Analog Boomer Seismic Reflection Data Collected during USGS Cruise USFHC in Mississippi Sound and Bay St. Louis, September 1989
  • NGMDB Index Page: National Geologic Map Database Index Page
  • Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core

Abstract

The Mississippi Sound, an estuarine environment located between the mainland and barrier islands bordering the northern Gulf of America (formerly the Gulf of Mexico), serves as a vital ecosystem for the States of Mississippi and Alabama. Spanning approximately 100 kilometers from east to west and covering 1,400 square kilometers, the sound is home to marine industry and ports, and its shallow and brackish waters sustain a diverse array of marine life. Barrier islands along the southern edge of the sound separate the microtidal estuary from the Gulf of America. This protection from gulf wave action mediates current flow within the sound, resulting in predominantly fine-grained sediment deposition along the seafloor. This study, conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, provides insight on fluvial and tidal processes spanning the past 5,000 years. The report synthesizes existing research to provide a comprehensive overview of the sound geology, from Pleistocene origins to present-day morphology, and utilizes high-resolution single channel seismic profiles and sediment data to identify and map sedimentary deposits and morphologic features at and below the seafloor. Despite its ecological significance, the Mississippi Sound faces environmental challenges, including water-quality issues, habitat degradation, storm-induced erosion, and the ongoing threats of sea-level rise and environmental changes. This study uses the present-day understanding of the sound's geology to inform coastal management decisions, hazard assessment, and potential mineral resources.

Suggested Citation

Flocks, J., and Forde, A., 2025, Shallow geologic framework of the Mississippi Sound and the potential for sediment resources: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2025–5100, 37 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20255100.

ISSN: 2328-0328 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Acknowledgments
  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Purpose and Scope
  • Methodology
  • Geology of the Mississippi Sound
  • Potential Sediment Resources of Hancock County, Mississippi
  • Proposed Reconnaissance Coring Strategy to Ground Truth the HRSP
  • Conclusion
  • References Cited
  • Appendix 1. Literature Associated With the Geology of Mississippi Sound, With Title, Citation, and Keyword Summary
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Shallow geologic framework of the Mississippi Sound and the potential for sediment resources
Series title Scientific Investigations Report
Series number 2025-5100
DOI 10.3133/sir20255100
Publication Date December 18, 2025
Year Published 2025
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Description Report: viii, 37 p.; Data Release
Country United States
State Louisiana, Mississippi
Other Geospatial Mississippi Sound
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Additional publication details