Riegl, B., Walker, B. K., Moyer, R., Hernandez-Cruz, L., Foster, J. G., Foster, C.

Development of GIS maps for southeast Florida coral reefs: Broward County

2004

Dania Beach, FL

Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center

Land-Based Sources of Pollution LAS Project 6

71

Final Report

"The present report outlines the results of an integrated mapping project undertaken to provide a habitat map of the shallow Broward County seafloor between the 0m and 35m contour. The study area stretched from Golden Beach in northern Dade County to just north of the Palm Beach County line. To produce this map and assure its compatibility with other, in particular NOAA, mapping products, a series of data were integrated. Data types included Laser Airborne Depth Sounder (LADS) bathymetry, multi- and single-beam bathymetry, acoustic seafloor discrimination, ecological assessments, and groundtruthing. The method used for acoustic seafloor discrimination was based on the first echo and its associated tail, and on the second echo returns of a 200 kHz signal. Two survey systems were employed: QTC View and Echoplus. A series of controlled experiments and field verifications indicated that it was possible to distinguish acoustically between different scattering classes that correlated to different seafloor types. For the production of the final map, information obtained from LADS bathymetry, NOAA classification and scattering classes obtained by QTC View and Echoplus was fused. Excluded habitats such as submerged vegetation and large rubble zones were not detected sufficiently enough to be mapped during this effort. Groundtruthing by way of underwater video drop cameras and in situ biological assessments aided in the refinement of the mapping categories. Accuracy assessment of an independent grid of target points showed the map to have a users accuracy between 83% and 97% and a producers accuracy between 81% and 95%. These are acceptable accuracies and compare similarly to NOAA published map accuracies. In conclusion, the amalgamation of several mapping approaches and data products provided a representative map of Broward County submarine habitats that was accurate to a very satisfactory level. The results of this survey are a good example of how similar mapping products can be attained through different means. The method employed to map Broward County appears to have equally and accurately illustrated the benthic community as more traditional methods like photo interpretation. Similar methodology should be used in other areas where photo interpretation is not feasible due to either absence of data or the turbidity of the water. Contact Melissa Sathe at Melissa.Sathe@dep.state.fl.us to obtain GIS information."

Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative

Funded by a Coral Reef Conservation Program grant NA16OZ2440 from the NOS Office for Coastal Management and from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and by the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

NOS Office for Coastal Management

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

NA16OZ2440