Digital elevation models (DEMs) of northern Monterey Bay, California, March 2015
Dates
Publication Date
2017
Start Date
2015-03-16
End Date
2015-03-20
Citation
Stevens, A.W., Logan, J.B., Snyder, A.G., Hoover, D.J., Barnard, P.L., Warrick, J.A., 2017, Beach topography and nearshore bathymetry of northern Monterey Bay, California: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F76H4GCW.
Summary
This portion of the USGS data release presents digital elevation models (DEMs) derived from bathymetric and topographic surveys conducted along northern Monterey Bay, California, in March 2015 (USGS Field Activity Number 2015-625-FA). Nearshore bathymetry data were collected using two personal watercraft (PWCs) equipped with single-beam echosounders and survey-grade global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers. Topography data were collected using an all-terrain vehicle equipped with a GNSS receiver and on foot with GNSS receivers mounted on backpacks. Additional topography data were collected with a terrestrial lidar scanner. Positions of the survey platforms were referenced to a GNSS base station placed on a benchmark with [...]
Summary
This portion of the USGS data release presents digital elevation models (DEMs) derived from bathymetric and topographic surveys conducted along northern Monterey Bay, California, in March 2015 (USGS Field Activity Number 2015-625-FA). Nearshore bathymetry data were collected using two personal watercraft (PWCs) equipped with single-beam echosounders and survey-grade global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers. Topography data were collected using an all-terrain vehicle equipped with a GNSS receiver and on foot with GNSS receivers mounted on backpacks. Additional topography data were collected with a terrestrial lidar scanner. Positions of the survey platforms were referenced to a GNSS base station placed on a benchmark with known horizontal and vertical coordinates relative to the North American Datum of 1983 (2011 realization). Orthometric elevations relative to the NAVD88 vertical datum were computed using National Geodetic Survey Geoid12a offsets. The final data were projected in Cartesian coordinates using the UTM Zone 10 North, meters coordinate system.
DEM surfaces were produced from all available elevation data using linear interpolation. Four separate DEMs were constructed, each with 2-m resolution, to facilitate efficient storage of the gridded datasets (fig. 1). The DEMs were created by interpolating between measurements as much as 500 meters apart. For this reason, we cannot evaluate the accuracy of each point in the DEM, only the measurements it is based on. The average estimated vertical uncertainties of the bathymetry, GNSS topography, and terrestrial lidar topography data are 9, 3, and 7 cm, respectively. Digital data files for each DEM are provided in Esri ARC/INFO ASCII GRID (*.asc) format.
Figure 1. Maps showing digital elevation models (DEMs) produced from bathymetry and topography data collected along northern Monterey Bay, California in March 2015. (A) Santa Cruz; (B) Soquel Cove; (C) Manresa; (D) Moss Landing.
Data were obtained to document changes in shoreline position and coastal morphology as they relate to episodic (storms), seasonal, interannual, and longer (for example, El Niño) processes. These data are intended for science researchers, students, policy makers, and the general public. These data can be used with geographic information systems or other software to identify topographic and shallow-water bathymetric features.