Hydrography is the science of measuring and describing the topographical features and the entire aquatic environment as a whole, beneath the surface of water bodies. These subsurface features affect bridge scour, flood mitigation, erosion control and siltation transport, maritime navigation, marine construction, dredging, offshore oil exploration/offshore oil drilling, and many other activities. Bathymetry is the study of the beds or floors of water bodies, including the oceans, seas, rivers, streams, and lakes. Hydrographic surveying does not strictly apply to coastal and oceanic regions of the US. Hydrographic surveying has many applications inland. Many environmental and civil engineering projects in and around bodies and channels of water (streams and rivers, lakes and ponds, wetlands) can all benefit from hydrographic surveys and analysis.

Topics: Intro and overview of hydrographic surveying History and early methods of measurement Sounding poles, lead lines, wire drags Echo sounders and fathometers Agencies which perform hydrographic surveys: office of coast survey, NOAA, USGS, COE, IHO, NOO Marine magnetometry DC resistivity imaging Radar altimetry Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) for marine applications Use of GPR for locating (UXO) unexploded ordnances in freshwater Acoustical or sound (SONAR) devices: side scan, single beam, multibeam sonar Light Pulse (LIDAR) devices US maritime limits and boundaries Sources of existing bathymetric datasets Types of tidal datums (sounding and chart) and tidal cycles AUV, ROV, and UAS technologies Crowdsourced bathymetric surveying Fisheries acoustics.

Intended Audience: This course is intended for Petroleum, Coastal, Marine, Geotechnical, Civil, Environmental, Water Resources, and other engineers whose job description requires a general knowledge of Hydrographic and Bathymetric surveying principles, applications, and procedures. 

Publication Source: Original Courseware by Donald W. Parnell, PE