The winter months represent an end to NOAA’s active survey season. During this period, hydrographic survey ships, navigation response team survey vessels, and contractor teams and vessels undergo maintenance and repair in anticipation of the upcoming survey season. NOAA’s 2025 survey season will begin soon as planned survey projects go through the planning and development process and begin to filter to the forefront of each field party’s focus. The ships and survey vessels collect bathymetric data (i.e. map the seafloor) to support nautical charting, modeling, and research, but also collect other environmental data to support a variety of ecosystem sciences. NOAA considers hydrographic survey requests from stakeholders such as marine pilots, local port authorities, the Coast Guard, and the boating community, and also considers other hydrographic and NOAA science priorities in determining where to survey and when. Visit our “living” ArcGIS StoryMap to find out more about our mapping projects and if a hydrographic vessel will be in your area this year!
Atlantic Coast
Mount Desert Island, Maine – This survey project covers an area of 170 square nautical miles that is located around Mount Desert Island in the Gulf of Maine and includes the towns of Ellsworth, Bar Harbor, and Belfast known for their cruise and recreational boating activities. The survey area serves as a major route for cruise ship, tanker, recreational and commercial fishing, and pleasure vessels transiting through the area. The prior survey data is well over 30 years old, including several areas with data from the 1940s. This project will collect modern high-resolution bathymetry for updating NOAA nautical charting products, improving the safety of maritime traffic and commerce. The bathymetric and feature data acquired as part of this project will be used to update nautical charting products and services as well as support the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 global initiative.
Cape Cod Bay – This project will focus on acquisition of high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter data in areas of Cape Cod Bay last surveyed in the 1950s, 1930s, and late 1800s. The Bay is heavily trafficked by recreation and fishing vessels, essential transport for tourism and commercial fishing, mainstays of Cape Cod’s Blue Economy and culture. The modern bathymetric data will improve areas inadequately charted in the hydrographic health model as well as meet the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 mapping needs and provide modern bathymetry data for updating NOAA nautical charting products and services. The data from this project will supersede all prior data.
Cape May, New Jersey – The United States Coast Guard has requested a hydrographic survey in an area off of Cape May. The Coast Guard is reporting shoaling and vessels have grounded in the area.
Chesapeake Bay Approaches – The approaches to the Chesapeake Bay are highly trafficked with vessels transiting to and from the bay and its ports. The project area was last surveyed in 1925 and 1935, and consists of lesser bottom coverage. The data from this project will update nautical charting projects, increase maritime safety of the region, and support the National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring, and Characterizing the United States Exclusive Economic Zone and the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 mapping initiatives.
Pocomoke Sound – This project will cover a total of 300 square nautical miles in Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds. Most of the prior data in the project area spans from the 1880s to 1970s. The data from this project will provide modern hydrography for updating NOAA nautical charting products improving the safety of maritime traffic and commerce as well as support the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 global mapping initiative. Survey data from this project is intended to supersede all prior survey data in the common area.
Patapsco River – The Patapsco River, including Baltimore Harbor, is in need of a modern bathymetric survey. The data from this survey will be used to update NOAA’s nautical products.
Mobjack Bay – This hydrographic survey will help with NOAA’s support for habitat mapping. There are several large scale oyster restoration projects being planned and the survey will help support this.
Approaches to Wilmington – The region around Wilmington, North Carolina experiences high vessel traffic transiting the eastern seaboard of the U.S. as well as traffic to and from the Port of Wilmington. The port has been updating its facilities, expanding capacity in recent years, including the ability to handle two post-Panamax vessels concurrently. Numerous historic storms and hurricanes have impacted this region, potentially changing the seafloor from the last surveys in the 1940s and 1960s. Additionally, a portion of this project is in the top 10% of NOAA’s hydrographic health need, emphasizing a high need for modern hydrography for this area. This project will identify hazards and changes to the seafloor, provide critical data for updating NOAA nautical charting products, and improve maritime safety. It will also address data gaps to support the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 global mapping initiative.
Blake Plateau – This project is being conducted in collaboration with the NOAA-UNH Joint Hydrographic Center and UNH’s Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping to map several large priority areas offshore of South Carolina on the Blake Plateau. This partnership will provide an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students from different academic institutions to gain operational skills and proficiency to support the development and long-range mission of hydrography. The primary objective of this seafloor mapping project is to collect multibeam bathymetry, acoustic backscatter, and water column data which will be used to update NOAA’s nautical charting products and assist in meeting the needs of continued multibeam coverage within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.
St. Catherine’s and St. Andrew Sounds – These areas are highly changeable and in need of a contemporary hydrographic survey to update NOAA’s nautical charting products. Both areas have significant traffic from small boats, tugs, and barges, and there have been several reports of vessels grounding in the area.
Jupiter Reef – The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and the National Marine Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center requested support to assist with hydrographic surveys to collect bathymetry and backscatter data to fill critical gaps in bathymetry coverage supporting expansion of habitat maps and dive surveys of fishery resources. Additional stakeholders for this request include the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Pacific Coast
EXPRESS – This project is being conducted in support of the Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems (EXPRESS) campaign, a large and diverse team of federal and non-federal partners targeting deepwater areas off of the U.S. Pacific Coast. The primary objective of this project is to collect data for surficial geology, benthic habitats, sub bottom faults, geologic hazards and sedimentary processes. Data from this project will support a variety of disciplines including offshore energy projects and infrastructure, marine spatial planning, ecosystem assessments, and marine geohazards. Data from this project will also be collected to support the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management’s (BOEM) Offshore Wind Energy Program. NOAA and BOEM will conduct a coordinated multibeam echo sounder survey of the project area to collect bathymetry, acoustic backscatter data, and water column data. Bathymetric data from this project will be further used to update NOAA nautical charting products and improve maritime safety.
Columbia River – Critical charting updates are needed for the Columbia River, especially for areas outside of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers federally maintained channel areas. These areas account for the majority of the navigable river and include ports and terminals essential for commerce and trade. This project will provide much needed data in the less surveyed areas of the river and includes the Ports of Astoria and Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington.
The Columbia River survey was also requested by the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and the Yakama Nation to investigate areas of sediment build-up in the Columbia River and tributary waters in zone 6 of the Columbia River Basin. Zone 6 is a 147-mile stretch of the Columbia River from the Bonneville to McNary Dams and an exclusive treaty Indian commercial fishing area. The information will be used to identify fish habitats, monitor shoaling and sedimentation, and model water flow from tributary rivers. This area is also in need of new hydrographic surveys to update the nautical chart.
Gulf Coast
Mississippi Sound – The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in Mississippi Sound, between Cat Island and St. Joe Pass needs a modern hydrographic survey to update the nautical charts in the area. The area was recently affected by storms that potentially changed the seafloor. Hurricanes and tropical storms significantly impact these coastal areas. As a transportation corridor, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway sees thousands of tow boats and barges in transit through the area annually. Most of these vessels carry hazardous materials and motor fuels bound for Mississippi, Alabama, and north Florida.
Bolivar Roads Anchorage Area – Houston Pilots requested a contemporary hydrographic survey for updated bathymetry in Bolivar Roads anchorage areas. There are features in the anchorage areas that are still plotted and the pilots would like verification or disapproval of the features. The U.S. Coast Guard would also like baseline data for future planning in the area.
Mobile Bay – This project will provide modern bathymetric data for Mobile Bay. Prior surveys in the area are from 2007, and there have been significant changes to the bay and its water circulation with the last several years of storm events. Conducting a modern bathymetric survey in this area will identify hazards and changes to the seafloor, update NOAA charts and products, and provide forecasters at NOAA’s National Water Center with bathymetric data for critical hydrodynamic modeling.
Great Lakes
Eastern Lake Ontario – The data from this project will help support the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative’s habitat mapping program. It will also provide modern bathymetry for updating NOAA’s nautical charting products, improving the safety of maritime traffic and commerce as well as supporting the Lakebed 2030 global mapping initiative.
Western Lake Erie – The project area is spread throughout Lake Erie, with most of the surveys located in western Lake Erie, with additional surveys in the approaches to Buffalo and in Lake Ontario. Most of the project area has not been surveyed since the 1940s. The western portion of the lake is one of the most shallow in all of the Great Lakes, making danger to navigation identification critical. A significant portion of the survey is located within the proposed Lake Erie National Marine Sanctuary. Surveying this area will help inform the designation of this sanctuary. This project will focus on acquisition of high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter data, and will improve areas noted as inadequate in the hydrographic health model. NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson will have two uncrewed iXBlue DriX systems aboard during the project to assist with survey operations. A modern bathymetric survey in this area will identify hazards and changes to the seafloor, provide critical data for updating NOAA nautical charting products and improve maritime safety. Survey data from this project is intended to supersede all prior survey data in the common area.
Detroit River – The Detroit River serves as a critical transportation route connecting various ports along the Great Lakes and is of critical importance to regional and international trade and travel between Canada and the United States. The river has not been adequately surveyed with modern technology and presents a critical surveying need.
Thunder Bay – This project is in collaboration with NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab, to complete modern hydrographic surveys of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Data collected will replace the 1970s vintage data and allow exploration of this historic area at a higher resolution, support habitat analysis, and environmental modeling. The project includes the waters offshore of multiple carbonite quarries, including Calcite Quarry, the largest limestone quarry in the world. Most of the United States mined limestone and dolomite are shipped through these waters. This project will provide critical data for updating NOAA nautical charting services, providing updated and higher resolution data that will in turn increase maritime safety in the region.
Duluth and Two Harbors – The Port of Duluth is located at the westernmost tip of Lake Superior. Duluth provides significant economic and social value to this region. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers surveys and maintains the navigable waterways inside the breakwater, but the area just outside the breakwater also has significant vessel traffic and accurate updated charts are required. Two Harbors, Minnesota supports the shipment of taconite by vessel and is also an area in need of updated bathymetric data. The data from this project will help support the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative’s habitat mapping program. It will also be used to update NOAA’s products, the nautical chart and hydro health model in this area.
Alaska
Approaches to Revillagigedo – This project is a continuation of previous years’ work to provide modern bathymetric data in the region of the Revillagigedo Channel, Clarence Strait, and Dixon Entrance in Southeast Alaska. These waterways are critical to the economic success of local coastal communities as they are actively used for fishing and are the primary means for transporting goods and the tourism economy throughout the region. Southeast Alaska is navigationally complex and home to communities that are inaccessible by land, relying instead on the sea as their primary means of travel. The region is heavily trafficked by large cruise ships and other tourism vessels, commercial and recreational fishing vessels, is a part of the Alaska Marine Highway System, and is home to the Metlakatla Indian Community on Annette Island. A quarter of the project area was last surveyed in the 1970s, while the remainder of the area was previously surveyed in the 1880s and 1920s. Conducting a modern hydrographic survey in this area will identify the hazards and changes to the seafloor and provide critical data for updating NOAA’s nautical charting products to improve maritime safety.
Southeast of Kodiak Island – This project, in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey, is being conducted in support of the Seascape Alaska regional mapping campaign. NOAA Ship Fairweather will collect high-resolution multibeam echo sounder, backscatter, and water column data to map the seafloor in support of marine geohazards studies and to update NOAA’s nautical charting products. These data will also be used by NOAA Fisheries to support the delineation of trawlable and untrawlable areas.
Northeast Coast of Kodiak Island – The coastal waters around the northeastern end of the Kodiak Archipelago are identified as an area with a high need for modern hydrography. The area is utilized by commercial and recreational fishing and is transited by the Alaska Marine Highway System, bringing commerce that is critical to the City of Kodiak and U.S. Coast Guard Base Kodiak. In spite of being an area with numerous bays, islands, islets, reefs and pinnacles, this coastal area from Shuyak Island to Izhut Bay has not been surveyed since the 1930s. This modern hydrographic survey will provide critical data to update NOAA’s nautical charting products, identify hazards, and improve maritime safety.
St. Matthew Island – This project will focus on acquisition of high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter data. Stakeholders in the region requested updated nautical charting products, noting that the area is frequently used as a lee from storms in the Bering Sea and by cruise ships nearing the island to enable passengers to view the extensive bird populations. The nautical chart of the region contains some 1950s data, but large portions of the nautical chart lack data from the region never being adequately mapped. The poor quality of hydrography presents a high risk of grounding or loss. This project will provide modern hydrographic data for updating NOAA’s nautical charting products improving maritime safety as well as fulfill a Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 mapping need.
Pribilof Islands – The Pribilof Islands, a group of four volcanic islands in the Bering Sea, are located 400 kilometers north of the Aleutian Chain. They provide habitat to large colonies of seabirds and marine mammals. The principal islands are Saint Paul and Saint George which host resident Aleut communities and receive the bulk of shipped supplies and freight. Accurate navigational charts are integral to safe transit and continual delivery of goods and services for the Pribilof Islands. Additionally, the islands are one of the few areas to provide a potential lee for vessels transiting the Bering Sea in inclement weather. The majority of the area was last surveyed in the 1950s and this project will provide modern bathymetric data for updating NOAA charting products, improving maritime safety, as well as support the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 global mapping initiative.
Arctic Port Access Route Study – According to the 2024 Arctic Report Card, all 18 of the lowest September minimum ice extents have occurred in the last 18 years. The U.S. Coast Guard has been tasked with a Port Access Route Study along the Alaskan Arctic coast due to the declining sea ice, and the likelihood of a dramatic increase in vessel traffic due to the region’s changes. A NOAA hydrographic survey of this route is essential to ensure the underlying bathymetry is safe for recommended vessel passage. Once surveyed, this route will be presented for approval to the International Maritime Organization and charted as applicable.
NOAA’s four hydrographic survey ships – Thomas Jefferson, Ferdinand R. Hassler, Rainier, and Fairweather – are operated and maintained by the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, with hydrographic survey projects managed by the Office of Coast Survey. The navigation response teams are operated and managed by the Office of Coast Survey.