The California Seafloor Mapping Program — Providing science and geospatial data for California's State Waters
Abstract
The California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP) is a collaborative effort to develop comprehensive bathymetric, geologic, and habitat maps and data for California's State Waters, which extend for 1,350 km from the shoreline to 5.6 km offshore. CSMP began in 2007 when the California Ocean Protection Council and NOAA allocated funding for high-resolution bathymetric mapping to support the California Marine Life Protection Act and update nautical charts. Collaboration and support from the USGS and other partners has led to development and dissemination of one of the world's largest seafloor-mapping datasets. CSMP data collection includes: (1) High-resolution bathymetric and backscatter mapping using swath sonar sensors; (2) "Ground-truth" imaging from a sled mounted with video and still cameras; (3) High-resolution seismic-reflection profiling at 1 km line spacing. Processed data are all publicly available. Additionally, 25 USGS map and datasets covering one third of California's coast have been published. Each publication contains 9 to 12 pdf map sheets (1:24,000 scale), an explanatory pamphlet, and a catalog of digital geospatial data layers (about 15 to 25 per map area) with web services. Map sheets display bathymetry, backscatter, perspective views, habitats, groundtruth imagery, seismic profiles, sediment distribution and thickness, and onshore-offshore geology. The CSMP goal is to serve a large constituency, ranging from senior GIS analysts in large agencies, to local governments with limited resources, to non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and concerned citizens. CSMP data and publications provide essential science and data for ocean and coastal management, stimulate and enable research, and raise public education and awareness of coastal and ocean issues. Specific applications include:
Delineation and designation of marine protected areas Characterization and modeling of benthic habitats and ecosystems Updating nautical charts Earthquake hazard assessments Tsunami hazard assessments Planning and developing offshore infrastructure Providing baselines for monitoring change Input to models of sediment transport, coastal erosion, and coastal flooding Regional sediment management Understanding coastal aquifers Emergency (e.g., oil spill) response- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017AGUFMOS14B..05J
- Keywords:
-
- 1219 Gravity anomalies and Earth structure;
- GEODESY AND GRAVITY;
- 3002 Continental shelf and slope processes;
- MARINE GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS;
- 3022 Marine sediments: processes and transport;
- MARINE GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS;
- 3045 Seafloor morphology;
- geology;
- and geophysics;
- MARINE GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS