Cape Ann - Salisbury Beach Survey

The Cape Ann - Salisbury Beach study area lies off the northeastern coast of Massachusetts, seaward of the Merrimack River mouth. Abundant sandy sediment derived from the river and offshore sources has accumulated as the largest barrier island in the Gulf of Maine, Plum Island. Offshore, the relatively smooth inner shelf is dominated by thick deposits of mud, sand and gravel that largely bury the high-relief bedrock found along many areas of the Massachusetts coast. These sediments record a long history of glaciation and sea-level change in the region. Approximately 325 km² (125 mi²) of the inner shelf were mapped focusing on nearshore areas from the coast out to depths of about 90 m (295 ft).

The ongoing research in this area is part of a cooperative mapping program jointly operated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management Program (CZM). The maps are in preparation and based on marine geophysical data, sediment sampling, and bottom photography obtained in 2003 and 2005. The main objective of this program is to support marine resource managers charged with making decisions on the use and protection of ocean resources. Accurate depictions of surficial geology and associated biota on the seafloor are important first steps toward protecting fish habitat, delineating marine reserves, and assessing environmental changes due to natural or human impacts. An accompanying report will also contain descriptions of the data collection, processing, and analysis procedures used to create the maps, and GIS databases with all the geophysical and ground-validation data collected as part of this study. Cooperators: Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) and the University of New Hampshire (UNH)- Center for Coastal & Ocean Mapping (CCOM), Boston University, and the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries.

Overview of the Cape Ann - Salisbury Beach survey area showing shaded relief bathymetry colored by water depth. Click on figure for larger image.

Project Status: In progress

Preliminary Results

• Map showing completed tracklines.
  
  

• Map showing preliminary backscatter mosaic.
  
  

News & Other related links:

• Soundwaves Dec05/Jan06-USGS, State of Massachusetts, and NOAA Cooperate to Map Seafloor Geology off Massachusetts Coast.
  
  
• CZ-mail August 2006- Seafloor Mapping Cruise
  
  

For more information:

Walter Barnhardt
U.S. Geological Survey
Woods Hole Science Center
384 Woods Hole Rd.
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
wbarnhardt@usgs.gov

Brian Andrews
U.S. Geological Survey
Woods Hole Science Center
384 Woods Hole Rd.
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
bandrews@usgs.gov