Lake Okeechobee is located in south Florida and is bounded by the Kissimmee River Basin to the north and Everglades National Park to the south. Lake Okeechobee is the largest lake (1890 km2) in Florida and encompasses a drainage area of over 14,200 km2. The lake provides agricultural water supply, back-up water supply for urban areas, flood protection to adjacent communities, critical bird and fisheries habitats, is part of the Okeechobee Waterway navigation canal, and boating recreation. Over the past 100 years, land use change and population increases have adversely impacted the health of the lake mostly by extreme water level fluctuations and excessive nutrient loading mostly from agricultural activities. High-resolution bathymetric mapping was conducted in 2001 in Lake Okeechobee by the USGS, in cooperation with SFWMD. High-resolution, acoustic bathymetric surveying is a proven method to map sea and lake floor elevations. Survey tracklines were spaced 1000 meters apart and orientated in a north-south direction. Tracklines collected in an east-west orientation (intersecting tracklines) functioned to serve as a cross-check and to assess the relative vertical accuracy of the survey. Ideally, vertical data values at the crossing should be exactly the same. In reality, this is not always the case due to random errors of survey system. Several perimeter survey lines were also collected. Soundings were collected along each trackline at 3-meter spacing. Approximately 1,550 kilometers of survey lines were collected. In shallow areas, data was collected in a minimum of 0.6 meters water depth except where there is potential damage to the bottom environment or the boat/motors was a significant possibility. This report serves as an archive of processed single-beam bathymetry data that were collected in Lake Okeechobee, Florida in 2001. Geographic information system data products include XYZ data, bathymetric contours, USGS quadrangle maps, and associated formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata.

The objective of this research was to collect new bathymetry for all of Florida Bay, digitize the historical shoreline and bathymetric data, compare previous data to modern data, and produce maps and digital grids of historical and modern bathymetry.

Lake Okeechobee is located in south Florida and is bounded by the Kissimmee River Basin to the north and Everglades National Park to the south. Lake Okeechobee is the largest lake (1,890 square kilometers [km2]) in Florida and encompasses a drainage area of over 14,200 km2. The lake provides agricultural water supply, back-up water supply for urban areas, flood protection to adjacent communities, critical bird and fisheries habitats, is part of the Okeechobee Waterway navigation canal, and offers boating-related recreation. Over the past 100 years, land use change and population increases have adversely impacted the health of the lake, mostly by extreme water level fluctuations and excessive nutrient loading mainly from agricultural activities. High-resolution bathymetric mapping was conducted in 2001 in Lake Okeechobee by the USGS, in cooperation with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). High-resolution, acoustic bathymetric surveying is a proven method to map sea and lake floor elevations. Survey tracklines were spaced 1000 meters apart and orientated in a north-south direction. Tracklines collected in an east-west orientation (intersecting tracklines) functioned to serve as a cross-check and to assess the relative vertical accuracy of the survey. Ideally, vertical data values at the crossing should be exactly the same. In reality, this is not always the case due to random errors associated with the survey system. Several perimeter survey lines were also collected. Soundings were collected along each trackline at 3-meter spacing. Approximately 1,550 kilometers of survey lines were collected. In shallow areas, data were collected in a minimum of 0.6 meters water depth, unless potential damage to the bottom environment or the boat/motors was a significant possibility. This report serves as an archive of processed single-beam bathymetry data that were collected in Lake Okeechobee, Florida, in 2001. Geographic information System (GIS) data products include XYZ data, bathymetric contours, and USGS quadrangle maps and associated formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata.

The map shows the tracklines for historical bathymetric data for Florida Bay. The areas on the map are linked to the corresponding data sets which contain values for X (easting), Y (northing), Z (elevation), and the RMS set to 0.0.

The plan to acquire bathymetric data for the Caloosahatchee Estuary and Estero Bay areas is to employ two methods which have been developed by the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) and National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA). The USGS method is an acoustic based system named System for Accurate Nearshore Depth Surveys (SANDS), and the NASA method is an airborne LIDAR system named Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL). The plan is to use the EAARL system to map shallow (less than 1.5 secchi depth) and non-turbid areas in Estero Bay and nearshore areas. The SANDS system will be used in deeper areas and those which are turbid which includes the Caloosahatchee River.

 High resolution, GPS based bathymetric surveying is a proven method to map river, lake, and ocean floor elevations. Of primary interest to the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is the quantification of the present day bathymetry of Caloosahatchee Estuary and Estero Bay regions. This information can be used by water management decision-makers to develop of Minimum Flows and Levels (MFL) and better preserve fragile habitats. The areas in and around the Caloosahatchee Estuary and Estero Bay Watershed have undergone dramatic increases in the rate of residential and commercial development as well as population growth during the past 15 years. As a result, a series of initiatives have been proposed to balance development and environmental interests in the region. Several recent initiatives including the development MFL and the Southwest Florida Feasibility Study (SWFFS) necessitate the development of hydrodynamic models of coastal waters in the Caloosahatchee Estuary and Estero Bay areas. One of the important data requirements for these models is the bathymetry. The information available at this time is dated (the last complete bathymetric survey is over 100 years old) and needs to be upgraded with a new survey. In addition, recommendations of the Estero Bay and Watershed Assessment completed in November of 1999 recommended the development of a Bay hydrodynamic and water quality model. Updated river, bay, and coastal bathymetry is required for these efforts. The area for bathymetry collection and interpretation includes Estero Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Pine Island Sound, offshore regions of Sanibel and Captive Islands, and the Caloosahatchee, Loxahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers. In addition, a need for an Estero Bay and Charlotte Harbor estuarine mixing model has been identified by the Southwest Florida Regional Restoration Coordination Team and the Southwest Florida Feasibility Study. In order to create an accurate numerical model, current bathymetric data must be obtained. Bathymetry data is also needed for the creation of a seagrass vision maps (an NEP effort) and to populate the species response models being created as assessment tools for several restoration programs.

The Loxahatchee River and estuary is a small (544 square miles), shallow, water body located in Southeastern Florida that empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Jupiter Inlet. The watershed drains an area of over 200 square miles within northern Palm Beach and southern Martin counties. Historically this system was primarily fresh-water; however, tidal flows opened the inlet for some of the time. In 1947, the inlet was dredged for navigation and has remained permanently open since that time. Drainage patterns within the basin have been significantly altered due to drainage and development, road construction (e.g., Florida Turnpike, BeeLine Highway), and construction of the C-18 canal to provide flood protection for residential areas. The St. Lucie Estuary (SLE) and its watershed are located on the Southeast coast of Florida in Martin and St. Lucie counties. The SLE watershed encompasses about 781 square miles and is divided into five major basins, which discharge into the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean through the St. Lucie Inlet. The St. Lucie Canal (C-44), along with the Caloosahatchee River (C-43) are important components of the Central and Southern Florida Project and are primarily used for water releases from Lake Okeechobee when lake levels exceed established regulatory requirements of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The C-44 Basin is particularly dependent on the lake for supplemental water supply and aquifer recharge. This report serves as an archive of processed single-beam bathymetry data that were collected in Loxahatcheee and St. Lucie Rivers, Florida in 2003. Geographic information system data products include a XYZ data, bathymetric contours, and USGS quadrangle map. Additional files include formal Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata.

High resolution bathymetry mapping of the coastal rivers and inland lakes along the Southwest coast of Everglades National Park (ENP) is greatly needed from the perspective of resource mapping and future research and hydrologic modeling efforts. To this end, bathymetric surveys of 8 coastal rivers were completed in 2004 as part of a cooperative project between the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). Recent analyses of geo_databases from the project in 2004 shows that Lostmans River and several segments of Shark River remained to be mapped. Completed surveys for these areas will provide and invaluable and complete set of bathymetric surveys of coastal rivers along the Southwest coast of ENP. This report serves as an archive of processed interferometric swath bathymetry data that were collected during one cruise (USGS Field Activity Numbers 2015_304_FA) in Lower Shark River, Florida. Geographic information system data products include: a 5 m_cell_size interpolated bathymetry grid surface and point data files. Also included in this archive are Geographic Information System (GIS) data products: gridded map data (in Esri binary and ASCII grid format), and a color_coded bathymetry map (in PDF format). Additional files include Field Activity Collection System logs, and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata.

The map shows the tracklines for bathymetric data collected between 1995 and 1999 for Florida Bay. The areas on the map are linked to the corresponding data sets which contain values for X (easting), Y (northing), Z (elevation), and the RMS computed from Ashtech PNAV software.

The data set is labeled 1990 for easy comparison. The project duration was a decade.

The data from the bathymetric mapping of Lake Okeechobee are provided in two forms: as raw data files and as elevation contour maps.

High resolution acoustic bathymetric surveying is a proven method to map sea and lake floor elevations. Of primary interest to the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is the quantification of the present day lakebed in Lake Okeechobee. This information can be used by water-management decision-makers to better assess the water capacity of the lake at various levels.

Land development and alterations of the ecosystem in South Florida have decreased freshwater and increased nutrient flows into Florida Bay. As a result, there has been a decrease in the water quality of the bay; the decline in water quality has prompted sea grass die-offs and has led to reduced fish populations. Restoration of water quality in Florida Bay will depend partly upon using numerical-circulation and sediment-transport models to establish water-quality targets and to assess progress toward reaching restoration targets. Application of these models is complicated, however, because of complex sea-floor topography (basin-mudbank morphology). The only complete topography data set of the Bay is 100 years old. Consequently, an accurate and modern sea-floor or bathymetry map of the Bay was critical for numerical modeling research. A modern bathymetry data set will also permit a comparison to historical data in order to help access sedimentation rates within the Bay.

The U.S. Geological Survey USGS conducted a mapping project from 1995 to 1999 in the Florida Bay to collect new bathymetric data for the entire bay. This study produced a detailed bathymetric data set of Florida Bay in order to help assess sedimentation rates and provide numerical modelers with an accurate bathymetry map.

This report serves as an archive of processed single-beam bathymetry data that were collected in Florida Bay, Florida over multiple cruises between 1995 and 1999. Geographic information system data products include a XYZ data, bathymetric contours, and USGS quadrangle maps. Additional files include formal Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata.

The Caloosahatchee River is located in Southwest Florida and drains northern parts of the Florida Everglades. It stretches 110 km (68 miles) inland and empties into the Gulf of Mexico at Ft. Myers and Cape Coral, FL. The lower section of the river is part of the Estero Bay Estuary system providing critical habitat for a large variety of plants and animals. The river has been greatly altered for navigation, agricultural and human development needs and its flow is managed by a series of upland locks and dams.

The USGS, in cooperation with the SFWMD, performed a bathymetric survey of the lower Caloosahatchee River using a single beam hydrographic system. High resolution, acoustic bathymetric surveying is a proven method to map sea and river floor elevations. Survey track-lines were spaced 500-meter apart orientated along long axis of the river. Track-lines collected in across the river (intersecting track-lines) functioned to serve as a cross-check and to assess the relative vertical accuracy of the survey. Several perimeter survey lines were also collected. Soundings were collected along each track line at 3-meter spacing. In shallow areas, data was collected in a minimum of 0.6 meters water depth except where there is potential damage to the bottom environment or the boat/motors.

This report serves as an archive of processed single-beam bathymetry data that were collected in the Caloosahatchee River, Florida in 2002. Geographic information system data products include a XYZ data, bathymetric contours, and USGS quadrangle map. Additional files include formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata.

Land development and alterations of the ecosystem in South Florida have decreased freshwater and increased nutrient flows into Florida Bay. As a result, there has been a decrease in the water quality of the bay; the decline in water quality has prompted sea grass die-offs and has led to reduced fish populations. Restoration of water quality in Florida Bay will depend partly upon using numerical-circulation and sediment-transport models to establish water-quality targets and to assess progress toward reaching restoration targets. Application of these models is complicated, however, because of complex sea-floor topography (basin-mudbank morphology). The only complete topography data set of the Bay is 100 years old. Consequently, an accurate and modern sea-floor or bathymetry map of the Bay was critical for numerical modeling research. A modern bathymetry data set will also permit a comparison to historical data in order to help access sedimentation rates within the Bay.

The U.S. Geological Survey USGS conducted a mapping project from 1995 to 1999 in the Florida Bay to collect new bathymetric data for the entire bay. This study produced a detailed bathymetric data set of Florida Bay in order to help assess sedimentation rates and provide numerical modelers with an accurate bathymetry map.

This report serves as an archive of processed single-beam bathymetry data that were collected in Florida Bay, Florida over multiple cruises between 1995 and 1999. Geographic information system data products include a XYZ data, bathymetric contours, and USGS quadrangle maps. Additional files include formal Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata.

The Estero Bay watershed is under significant development pressure with potential impacts on storm water runoff characteristics, and changes in salinity patterns, nutrient and turbidity levels. Environmental quality in the bay is particularly vulnerable to future degradation due to increasing urbanization and the Bay's limited volume. In recent years, the Caloosahatchee Estuary system has also been impacted due to development and water management activities. These impacts have prompted the development of Minimum Flows and Levels (MFLs) for the Caloosahatchee River by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). A District revision of the MFLs for the Caloosahatchee River and Estero Bay regions required the development of hydrodynamic and water quality models.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with SFWMD, performed a bathymetric survey of lower Estero Bay using single-beam and aircraft-based lidar systems. High resolution, acoustic and lidar bathymetric surveying are proven methods to map sea and river floor elevations. Survey track-lines were spaced 250-meters apart orientated along long axis of the river, bays, and estuaries. Several perimeter survey lines were also collected.

This report serves as an archive of processed lidar bathymetry data that were collected in Estero Bay, Florida in 2003. Geographic Information System (GIS) data products include XYZ data, bathymetric contours, and a USGS quadrangle map. Additional files include formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata.

In 2010 and 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC), collected bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter data from the outer shelf and slope offshore the Oceanside region in southern California. These data were acquired as part of the USGS Marine Geohazards Program. Assessment of the hazards posed by offshore faults, submarine landslides, and tsunamis are facilitated by accurate and detailed bathymetric data. The surveys were conducted using the USGS R/V Parke Snavely outfitted with a 100 kHz Reson 7111 multibeam echosounder. These metadata describe the bathymetry data provided in the report.

A geospatial interface will be developed using ArcIMS software. The interface will provide a means of accessing information stored in the SOFIA database and the SOFIA data exchange web site through a geospatial query. The spatial data will be served using the ArcSDE software, which provides a mechanism for storing spatial data in a relational database. A spatial database will be developed from existing data sets, including national USGS data sets, the Florida Geographic Digital Library, and other available data sets. Additional data sets will be developed from the published data sets available from PBS and other projects.

The South Florida restoration effort requires multidisciplinary information relating to present and historical conditions for use in responsible decision-making. The South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) database is the cornerstone of information management for the South Florida place-based science program. Currently, the SOFIA web site and database have a minimal geospatial interface which relies on the Geo-Data Explorer (GeoDE) system developed by the USGS Energy Resources Program in Reston. A geospatial interface using currently available commercial software (ArcIMS) is needed to develop a more easily maintained and user-friendly interface. Developing an interface that is directly connected to the SOFIA website and database will provide a more stable long term solution to providing a geospatial interface.

The USGS Western Region Coastal and Marine Geology division contains extensive bathymetry data through InfoBank ("http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/infobank/gazette/html/bathymetry/gl.html") Data includes bathymetry, magnetics, gravity, multibeam, subbottom profiler data, and sample data.

 Older bathymetric and elevation data is still available from the
 walrus anonymous ftp server (available on the web only), at:
 "http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/ftp/"

The digital orthophoto quadrangles (DOQ's) produced by the USGS for the South Florida Ecosystem Initiative iare color-infrared, 1-meter ground resolution quadrangle images covering 3.75 minutes of latitude by 3.75 minutes of longitude at a map scale of 12,000. Orthophotos combine the image characteristics of a photograph with the geometric qualities of a map. The primary digital orthophotoquadrangle (DOQ) is a 1-meter ground resolution, quarter-quadrangle (3.75 minutes of latitude by 3.75 minutes of longitude) image cast on the Universal Transverse Mercator projection (UTM) on the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). The geographic extent of the DOQ is equivalent to a quarter-quadrangle plus the overedge ranges from a minimum of 50 meters to a maximum of 300 meters beyond the extremes of the primary and secondary corner points. The overedge is included to facilitate tonal matching for mosaicking and for the placement of the NAD83 and secondary datum corner ticks. The normal orientation of data is by lines (rows) and samples (columns). Each line contains a series of pixels ordered from west to east with the order of the lines from north to south. The radiometric image brightness values are stored as 256 gray levels, ranging from 0 to 255. The standard, uncompressed gray scale DOQ format contains an ASCII header followed by a series of 8-bit image data lines. The keyword-based, ASCII header may vary in the number of data entries. The header is affixed to the beginning of the image and is composed of strings of 80 characters with an asterisk (*) as character 79 and an invisible newline character as character 80. Each keyword string contains information for either identification, display, or registration of the image. Additional strings of blanks are added to the header so that the length of a header line equals the number of bytes in a line of image data. The header line will be equal in length to the length of an image line. If the sum of the byte count of the header is less than the sample count of one DOQ image line, then the remainder of the header is padded with the requisite number of 80 character blank entries, each terminated with an asterisk and newline character.

The objective of this project was to provide color infrared (CIR) digital orthophoto coverage for the entire south Florida ecosystem area. The main advantage of a digital orthophoto is that it gives a measurable image free of distortion. Therefore, the digital orthophotos for the ecosystem provide multi-use base images for identifying natural and manmade features and for determining their extent and boundaries; the images can also be used for the interpretation and classification of these areas.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is coordinating the aquisition of high accuracy elevation data. Three formats of the data are available for each data set: .cor files which contain complete lists of Global Positioning System point files, .asc files which are the same as the .cor files but have been reformatted to process into ARC/INFO coverages, and .e00 files which are the ARC/INFO coverages. The files are available in the same 7.5- by 7.5-minute coverages as USGS quadrangles. The elevation data is collected on a 400 by 400 meter grid. The elevations are referenced to the horizontal North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83) and vertical North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88).

 This project is performing regional topographic surveys to collect and provide elevation data to parameterize hydrologic and ecological numerical simulation models that are being developed for ecosystem restoration activities. Surveying services are also being rendered to provide vertical reference points for numerous water level gauges.

 Modeling of sheet flow and water surface levels in the wetlands of South Florida is very sensitive to changes in elevation due to the expansive and extremely low relief terrain. Hydrologists have determined minimum vertical accuracy requirements for the elevation data for use as input to hydrologic models. As a result, elevation data with a vertical accuracy specification of +/-15 centimeters (cm) relative to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88) are being collected in critical areas using state-of-the-art differential global positioning system (GPS) technology and data processing techniques.