The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP), has produced detailed geologic maps of the coastal sea floor. Bathymetry, originally collected by NOAA for charting purposes, provides a fundamental framework for research and management activities in Long Island Sound, shows the terrain of the seabed, and provides information on sediment transport and benthic habitat. During April 2009 NOAA completed hydrographic survey H12012 offshore in the northeastern Sound, and during April 2010 and May 2010 bottom photographs and surficial sediment data were acquired as part of two ground-truth reconnaissance surveys of this area. Two interpretive data layers were derived from the multibeam echo-sounder and the ground-truth data used to verify them. For more information on the ground-truth surveys see: https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2010-010-FA and https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2010-015-FA.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP), is producing detailed geologic maps of the coastal sea floor. Bathymetry and sidescan-sonar imagery, originally collected by NOAA for charting purposes, provide a fundamental framework for research and management activities in Long Island Sound, shows the composition and terrain of the seabed, and provides information on sediment transport and benthic habitat. During April-May 2009 NOAA completed hydrographic survey H12013 offshore of the entrance to the Connecticut River, and during November 2009 and April 2010 bottom photographs and surficial sediment data were acquired as part of two ground-truth reconnaissance surveys of this area. Two interpretive data layers were derived from the multibeam echo-sounder and the ground-truth data used to verify them. For more information on the ground-truth surveys see: http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/ia/public_ds_info.php?fa=2009-059-FA and http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/ia/public_ds_info.php?fa=2010-010-FA

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is working cooperatively with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to interpret the surficial geology in estuaries along the coast of the northeastern United States. The purpose of our present study is to define the sea floor morphology and sedimentary environments in an area of Rhode Island Sound using sidescan-sonar imagery, bathymetric data, and seismic records. The mosaic, bathymetry, and their interpretations serve many purposes, including: (1) defining the geological variability of the sea floor, which is one of the primary controls of benthic habitat diversity; (2) improving our understanding of the processes that control the distribution and transport of bottom sediments and the distribution of benthic habitats and associated infaunal community structures; and (3) providing a detailed framework for future research, monitoring, and management activities. The sidescan-sonar mosaics and bathymetry images also serve as base maps for subsequent sedimentological, geochemical, and biological observations, because precise information on environmental setting is important for selection of sampling sites and for accurate interpretations of point measurements.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is working cooperatively with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to interpret the surficial geology in estuaries along the coast of the northeastern United States. The purpose of our present study is to define the sea floor morphology and sedimentary environments in an area of Rhode Island Sound using sidescan-sonar and bathymetric data collected onboard the NOAA Ship RUDE, as well as historic seismic records. The mosaic, bathymetry, and their interpretations serve many purposes, including: (1) defining the geological variability of the sea floor, which is one of the primary controls of benthic habitat diversity; (2) improving our understanding of the processes that control the distribution and transport of bottom sediments and the distribution of benthic habitats and associated infaunal community structures; and (3) providing a detailed framework for future research, monitoring, and management activities. The sidescan-sonar mosaics and bathymetry images also serve as base maps for subsequent sedimentological, geochemical, and biological observations, because precise information on environmental setting is important for selection of sampling sites and for accurate interpretations of point measurements.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is producing detailed geologic maps of the coastal sea floor. Bathymetry and sidescan-sonar imagery, originally collected by NOAA for charting purposes, provides a fundamental framework for research and management activities in Long Island Sound, shows the composition and terrain of the seabed, and provides information on sediment transport and benthic habitat. During October 2008 NOAA completed hydrographic survey H11997 offshore in eastern Long Island Sound, and during May 2010 bottom photographs and surficial sediment data were acquired as part of a ground-truth reconnaissance survey of this area. Two interpretive data layers were derived from the multibeam echo-sounder and the ground-truth data used to verify them. For more information on the ground-truth survey see http://quashnet.er.usgs.gov/data/2010/10015/

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is producing detailed geologic maps of the coastal sea floor. Bathymetric data, originally collected by NOAA for charting purposes, provide a fundamental framework for research and management activities along this part of Block Island Sound, show the composition and terrain of the seabed, and provide information on sediment transport and benthic habitat. During June 2013, bottom photographs and surficial sediment data were acquired as part of a ground-truth reconnaissance survey of this area. Interpretations were derived from the multibeam-echosounder, sedimentary, and photographic data collected in Block Island Sound. For more information on the ground-truth survey see https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2013-005-FA.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is producing detailed geologic maps of the coastal sea floor. Bathymetry, originally collected by NOAA for charting purposes, provides a fundamental framework for research and management activities off southern New England, shows the composition and terrain of the seabed, and provides information on sediment transport and benthic habitat. During July-August 2008 NOAA completed hydrographic survey H11922 west of Gay Head, Massachusetts, in Rhode Island Sound and during July and September 2010 bottom photographs and surficial sediment data were acquired as part of ground-truth reconnaissance surveys of this area. Interpretations were derived from the multibeam echo-sounder data and the ground-truth data used to verify them. For more information on the ground-truth surveys see http://quashnet.er.usgs.gov/data/2010/10033/ and http://quashnet.er.usgs.gov/data/2010/10005/

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is producing detailed geologic maps of the coastal sea floor. Bathymetry, originally collected by NOAA for charting purposes, provides a fundamental framework for research and management activities off southern New England, shows the character and terrain of the seabed, and provides information on sediment transport and benthic habitat. During April-May 2009 NOAA completed hydrographic survey H12007 in the vicinity of Cross Rip Channel in Nantucket Sound off southern Cape Cod, Massachusetts and during June 2011 bottom photographs and surficial sediment data were acquired as part of ground-truth reconnaissance surveys of this area. Interpretations were derived from the multibeam echo-sounder data and the ground-truth data used to verify them.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is producing detailed geologic maps of the coastal sea floor. Bathymetric data, originally collected by NOAA for charting purposes, provide a framework for research and management activities along southern Narragansett Bay, show the composition and terrain of the seabed, and provide information on sediment transport and benthic habitat. During September 2014, bottom photographs and surficial sediment data were acquired as part of a ground-truth reconnaissance survey of this area. Interpretations were derived from the multibeam-echosounder, sedimentary, and photographic data collected in Narragansett Bay. For more information on the ground-truth survey see https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/fan_info.php?fan=2014-046-FA.