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CICEET Progress Report
for the period 8/01/00 through 1/31/01
NCNERR Section
Project Title:
Assessment and monitoring of estuarine habitat diversity: developing
the tools to protect and restore estuarine habitats
Principal Investigator(s):
Steve W. Ross,
Dan R. Hanes, and
Susan Lovelace
(Roger D. Flood, Kenneth W. Able — see next section)
I. Accomplishments
- Scheduled Tasks:
The major task was to be building the hardware to accept multiple
sensor inputs (water quality, depth) and begin laboratory testing
of the hardware. Along with this the software to run the system
was to be developed and tested.
- Progress on Tasks:
In August 2000 the project suffered a major set back when the
main project personnel resigned. Consequently it was discovered
that this person actively sabotaged parts of the project. We
reorganized the project and after consultation with CICEET,
we incorporated an additional partner (MARISYS, Inc.). MARISYS
visited NCNERR to discuss the project in November 2000. As of
December 2000 MARISYS has a subcontract with NCNERR (via UNCW)
and has started working on the project. Basically the project
is starting from the beginning; however, because of MARISYS’s
experience and capabilities in marine electronics, we feel the
project is close to original schedules. Because of budget problems
resulting from the above personnel issues, we submitted a request
for supplemental funds to CICEET, and this was approved.
System architecture design, procurement of prototype hardware,
and prototype software development have commenced. The hardware
platform will consist of a small, custom designed, waterproof
computer with connections for up to six instruments. The user
interface will consist of a 1/4 VGA screen and five pushbuttons.
The computer will run a customized version of the Linux operating
system and will thus allow for very flexible future enhancements.
A custom Linux build has been designed and will be tested pending
delivery of prototype hardware. The electrical interface circuitry
for the instruments has been designed and allows for "soft"
configuration of each channel for RS232, RS422, NMEA or SDI-12
connections. The QVGA screen has been specified and samples
have been ordered
- Difficulties Encountered:
(see above)
- Anticipated Success in Meeting Project Objectives in Scheduled
Project Period:
We expect deliverables for field testing by late spring 2001.
- Preliminary data:
None yet as all efforts are lab oriented.
II. Tasks and activities for next reporting period
- Tasks for the next reporting period:
System design, procurement of hardware, and software development
will continue. The prototype system (unpackaged) is expected
to be operating in the lab by the end of March. A prototype
field system should be available for in situ testing by late
spring/early summer. Testing will begin at the NCNERR and after
debugging (unknown time required) will proceed to other Reserve
cooperators.
- Work plan to accomplish tasks:
Appropriate hardware and software are on order or on schedule
to be ordered. Personnel are assigned to design and write software
as well as construct hardware. Consultation and visits between
NCNERR and MARISYS are planned.
- Concerns or difficulties:
None anticipated
III. Expenditures
(Note: Each institution’s grants office responsible for
submitting financial reports, so all you need to do in this section
is to state whether or not expenditures were in the range anticipated
for the work accomplished to date)
Most budget expenditures during the period were for the
subcontract to MARISYS. All expenses are as anticipated.
CICEET Progress Report
for the Period of 8/01/00 - 1/31/01
Rutgers/SUNY Section
Project Title:
Assessment and monitoring of estuarine habitat diversity: developing
the tools to protect and restore estuarine habitats
Principal Investigators (Subcontract via NCNERR):
Roger D. Flood
Marine Sciences Research Center
State University of New York
Stony Brook, NY 11994-5000
Phone: (631) 632-6971 FAX: -8820 Email: roger.flood@sunysb.edu
Kenneth W. Able
Rutgers University, Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences
Marine Field Station
800 c/o 132 Great Bay Blvd.
Tuckerton, NJ 08087-2004
I. Accomplishments:
- Scheduled Tasks:
The primary goal for this work period was to conduct five days
of multibeam mapping (flood) in the Jacques Cousteau National
Estuarine Research Reserve in New Jersey. We worked in areas
were information was available on habitat. Selected portions
of these areas were the focus of in sin observations in order
to ground truth the multibeam images (Able).
- Progress on Tasks:
The MSRC/SUNY Simrad EM 3000 multibeam system was installed
on the newly acquired R/V Pritchard for this study. The transducer
of the multibeam system was tilted by 40° (emulating half
of a dual-head EM 3000 system) to increase the swath width and
to allow us to image near-vertical channel walls and the edges
of the banks. Multibeam surveying was conducted from 17-21 July
2000. Mapping focused in two areas: 1) the channel and marsh
bank near the Rutgers University Marine Field Station, and 2)
several miles of the Mullica River near Hog Islands. Additional
multibeam data was collected in other reaches of the Mullica
River and in Great Bay.
Ground-truthing is being based on historical SCUBA, ROV and
benthic trawl data and in situ video. We are developing and
using a video quadrat sampling procedure. The camera/quadrat
is lowered to the bottom and allowed to record for 30 seconds
at each location. These video images will provide habitat type
and percent cover and eventually compared directly with the
multibeam data from the same locations. To date, we have been
able to correlate some of the images of the near-vertical channel
walls in Shooting Thorofare near the Rutgers University Marine
Field Station with SCUBA observations of large slump blocks
(peat reefs) at the base of the wall. From other observations
we know that these blocks of marsh peat are ideal habitat for
larger juveniles and adult tautog (Tautoga onitis)
- Concerns or Difficulties:
The multibeam system worked well, allowing nearly continuous
coverage in the channels and along the edge of the marsh banks.
We mounted the transducer about 0.6 m below the water surface.
This was probably too shallow because air bubbles affected the
quality of the backscatter data at some times. A major concern
of multibeam mapping in shallow water is the amount of sea floor
that can be covered in a given amount of time. The amount of
time is also often limited by the need to survey near high tide.
A second concern is the shallowest depth in which the equipment
can be used. This is mostly limited by the draft of the survey
vessel. The R/V Pritchard has a draft of about 40 inches, restricting
operations to water more than 4 ft. deep at the time of survey.
However, these concerns were anticipated and we will continue
to address them in our Year 2 field work.
In situ video ground-truthing was hampered somewhat during the
summer by phytoplankton blooms in the study area, which drastically
reduced the visibility. We are compensating for this by continuing
these observations in the winter, weather permitting, because
the blooms are not present.
- Anticipated success in meeting project objectives in scheduled
project period:
We met the project objectives of mapping in the Jacques Cousteau
National Estuarine Research Reserve during summer 2000.
- Preliminary data:
Initial bathymetry and backscatter data are available from
the July 2000 cruise. Initial products were given to Able
to help ground-truthing.
II. Tasks and Activities for the Next Report Period
- Tasks and the next report period:
We are processing the multibeam bathymetry data to produce
final maps and images on paper and in digital format appropriate
for ArcInfo. We will interpret these data in terms of sediment
distribution patterns and sedimentation processes. The bathymetric
data will be integrated with available air photos to understand
the exposed and submerged morphology. As other ground-truth
data on benthic habitat becomes available, this data will be
integrated into our analysis.
- Work plan to accomplish tasks:
Final processing steps of the multibeam data include careful
editing of bathymetric and backscatter data and integration
with appropriate tidal data. We are seeking to acquire available
air photos and existing sediment sample data.
- Concerns or difficulties:
No difficulties are anticipated in accomplishing these tasks.
III. Expenditures
Budget expenditures for this period are primarily for the field
mapping program. Expenditures are as anticipated.
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