Autonomous Surface Vehicle Sidescan-sonar mosaic from Cat Point Bar, Apalachicola Bay, Florida (ASV157.TIF)

These data were collected under a cooperative mapping program between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coastal Services Center (NOAA\CSC), and the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). The primary objectives of this program were to collect marine geophysical data to develop a suite of seafloor maps to better define the extent of oyster habitats, the overall seafloor geology of the bay and provide updated information for management of this resource. In addition to their value for management of the bay's oyster resources, the maps also provide a geologic framework for scientific research and the public. High resolution bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and seismic profile data were collected over a 230 square kilometers of the floor of the bay. The study focused on the Apalachicola Bay and Western St. George Sound portions of the estuary mostly in depths > 2.0 meters.