Coastal Services Center

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Northeast Region: Rehoboth Bay, Delaware Algae Mapping with Single Beam Acoustics

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This project was initiated by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) - Delaware Coastal Programs (DCP) to map the extent of algal beds, primarily algae of the genus Ulva, in the Rehoboth Bay.

Ulva grows in the water naturally, but has become an increasing problem due to changing water chemistry and increasing recreational use of the bay. To address this issue, DCP has initiated a harvesting operation to reduce the amount of algae in the Bay. Ulva harvesting as well as monitoring activities are optimized through the creation and use of maps. The RoxAnn™ acoustic sensor was ideal for mapping Rehoboth Bay because the bay is too shallow for side-scan or multi-beam sensors and too turbid for traditional photogrammetry.

The Center's role in this project included data collection and analysis. Through this project, the Center was successful in transferring the technology to DCP who purchased a RoxAnn™ sensor to continue this and other benthic mapping.

Download data: de_rb00.zip

 

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