Seafloor Mapping in MassachusettsCZM – USGS Seafloor Mapping Cooperative

& Gulf of Maine Mapping Initiative

Anthony R. Wilbur

Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management

Boston, Massachusetts

OCM Strategic Action Plan WorkshopFebruary 26 – 28, 2008

Dania Beach, Florida

Outline

I. History of CZM’s Role in Seafloor Mapping

II. CZM-USGS Seafloor Mapping Cooperative

III. Gulf of Maine Mapping Initiative (GoMMI)

IV. Challenges

Seafloor Mapping of Stellwagen Bank & Massachusetts Bay

• completed by scientists at USGS, Woods Hole

1994-1998

1994 2007

2001 2002-2004

2003 2004

Mapping Begins & Continues

2006 2008+

‘Marine Habitat Characterization and Mapping Workshop’ in Sebasco, ME

Gulf of Maine Mapping Initiative (GOMMI)

1994-1998

1994 2007

2001 2002-2004

2003 2004

Mapping Begins & Continues

2006 2008+

NOAA’s CSC FellowshipDrafted ‘Strategic Plan for Mapping Massachusetts’ Benthic Marine Habitats’ and

Published guide on types and functions of marine habitats in Massachusetts

1994-1998

1994 2007

2001 2002-2004

2003 2004

Mapping Begins & Continues

2006 2008+

Delay in gas pipeline construction resulted in monetary mitigation –

$1.5 million. Fines used to create the

Massachusetts Seafloor Mapping

Trust

1994-1998

1994 2007

2001 2002-2004

2003 2004

Mapping Begins & Continues

2006 2008+

CZM-USGS Seafloor Mapping Cooperative

1994-1998

1994 2007

2001 2002-2004

2003 2004

Mapping Begins & Continues

2006 2008+

Mapping begins in northern Massachusetts Bay in 2004

Massachusetts Ocean Management Initiative

‘In support of comprehensive management and monitoring of

ocean resources, the Commonwealth should acquire

high-resolution seafloor habitat maps.’

1994-1998

1994 2007

2001 2002-2004

2003 2004Mapping Begins & Continues

2006 2008+

Massachusetts invests $1 million to mapping cooperative

1st two seafloor mapping reports published

1994-1998

1994 2007

2001 2002-2004

2003 2004

Mapping Begins & Continues

2006 2008+

North Shore – Gloucester to Nahant Boston Harbor

1994-1998

1994 20072001 2002-2004

2003 2004

Mapping Begins & Continues

2006 2008+

$$$

Massachusetts Seafloor Mapping Trust receives additional $3 million in

mitigation funding

Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management & US Geological Survey

Seafloor Mapping Cooperative

CZM-USGS Seafloor Mapping Cooperative

• Established Partnership • Identified Goal

Produce high-resolution maps and geospatial data of seafloor geology and topography

• Determined Effective Methods • Prioritized Mapping Needs• Implement Mapping• Publish Results and Advertise Availability

Seafloor Mapping Methods

USGS

Seafloor Mapping Priorities

1

2

3

4

5 6

existing mapping data of Stellwagen Bank and Massachusetts Bay

Buzzard

s Bay

Vineyard

Sound

Completed – Ongoing Mapping1. Nahant to Gloucester2. Boston Harbor3. Cape Ann to Salisbury4. Hull to Duxbury5. Northern Cape Cod Bay6. Eastern Cape Cod

Next Mapping Areas Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound

• Area mapped 134 km2

• Water depths 5-40 m• Data collected

– bathymetry– backscatter– subbottom profiles– grabs and photography

Area 1Nahant to

Gloucester

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1293/

Area 2Boston Harbor

• Area mapped 173 km2

• Water depths 0-32 m• NOAA data re-processed

-multibeam/single-beam bathymetry

-backscatter

• New data collection-bottom samples / photography

http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/pubs/of2006-1008/

Area 3 - Cape Ann to Salisbury Beach

• Area mapped 340 km2

• Water depths 5-90 m• Data collected

– bathymetry– backscatter– subbottom profiles– samples, photography

Cape Ann

Publication imminent

Area 4 - Hull to Duxbury

• Area mapped 190 km2

• Data collected– bathymetry (preliminary)– backscatter– subbottom profiles– samples, photography

Data collection complete (2006-2007)

Publication due in 2009

Area 5 - Northern Cape Cod Bay

• Area mapped 460 km2

• Data collected– bathymetry (preliminary)– backscatter– subbottom profiles– samples, photography

Data collection completed in Spring 2008

Publication by 2009

Area 6 Eastern Cape Cod Bay • Area mapped 153 km2

• Data collected– bathymetry– samples, photography

http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/pubs/of2005-1048/

CZM-USGS Seafloor Mapping CooperativeSummary

• Strategic plan was valuable education publication, along with organizational exercise

• Funding was key to start, maintain and expand the cooperative

• Partnership with USGS – including a 1:1 cost-share – critical for all aspects of cooperative

• Objectives identified and schedule maintained

Early decision to collect geospatial data of seafloor topography and geology in waters ≥10m using established acoustic technologies

• Strong agency leadership

• To date, ~560 square miles of the ocean bottom from the New Hampshire border to northern Cape Cod Bay are mapped

• Currently developing 5+ year plan to continue cooperative

• Communicating and sharing results key to maintaining support and initiating new partnerships

• Mapping results are stimulating new research and management strategies, while improving the understanding of the ocean environment in Massachusetts

CZM-USGS Seafloor Mapping CooperativeSummary

http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/coastal_mass/

Subcommittee of the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment - a US and Canadian partnership

Volunteer Steering Committee & CoordinatorU.S. Federal

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries ServiceNOAA's Office of Coast Survey U.S. Geological Survey

Canada Federal Geological Survey of Canada

State ME Department of Marine ResourcesNH Department of Environmental ServicesMA Office of Coastal Zone Management

Academia Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping &

NOAA/UNH Joint Hydrographic Center

Mission: To promote mapping of the entire Gulf of Maine basin

http://www.gulfofmaine.org/gommi/

Objectives:

• Facilitate communication and collaboration within the mapping community

• Build logistical and financial support

• Make maps and data widely available

•Published a number of outreach and planning documents: - Overview of mapping technologies - User needs assessment - Strategic plan for mapping - Website

•Hired a GOMMI coordinator

•Coordinated a 2005 geophysical survey

•Groundwork established for GOMMI coordinator at UNH-NOAA CCOM

2005

Also Surveyed

In 2005

Accomplishments

Challenges & Priorities

Funding• Long-term, secured funding required for full-time

staffing and to complete mapping

CoordinationWho is responsible for coordinating mapping? Recommendations 8 & 9

• Coordination among federal agencies, especially for mapping in state waters (e.g., NOAA, ACOE and USGS)

• Coordination, communication and data sharing between federal and state agencies

• Increasing partnership for furthering the applicability of mapping data

Challenges & Priorities

Data Understanding and Availability • Providing resource managers with knowledge and tools

for appropriate application of seafloor mapping dataRecommendations 6 & 7

Technology and Standards• Develop and test shallow water mapping techniques

Recommendation 11• Standards/tools for combining datasets (e.g., Geocoder)• Establish protocols for seafloor mapping,

groundtruthing and benthic habitat mapping (CMECS, Greene et al., etc.) Recommendations 4 & 6

Academic-government partnership (possible private)