Home > Explore Data & Reports > Comprehensive Seafloor Substrate Mapping and Model Validation in the New York Bight

Citation:

Battista, T. W. Sautter, M. Poti, E. Ebert, L. Kracker, J. Kraus, A. Mabrouk, B. Williams, D.S. Dorfman, R. Husted, and C.J. Jenkins. 2019. Comprehensive Seafloor Substrate Mapping and Model Validation in the New York Bight. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 255 and BOEM OCS Study 2019-069. Silver Spring, MD. 187 pp. doi:10.25923/yys0-aa98

Data/Report Type:

NOAA Technical Memorandum

Description

Prior to this study, NOAA NCCOS has conducted previous efforts to characterize the ocean floor offshore NY. For example, as part of the NY Department of State’s renewable energy planning efforts and its Offshore Atlantic Ocean Study, released in July 2013, NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) developed a biogeographic assessment with maps and spatial information on bathymetry, surficial sediments, deep sea corals, oceanographic habitat variables, and seabirds offshore of New York (Menza et al. 2012). However, NOAA’s previously released predictive models of seafloor substrate and sediment composition for the New York region were identified as needing additional ground-truthing and model validation to assess the model predictions and ensure reliability. The New York biogeographic assessment explicitly identified the need for further site-specific baseline habitat and geologic information within NYWEA and the mid-Atlantic region so that managers are better able to evaluate the potential impacts of offshore wind development at this location. As such, this led to the establishment of the subsequent BOEM and NOAA Interagency agreement and study to conduct further study, data collection and analysis contained in this report for NYWEA and the mid-Atlantic region. This report describes information collected and analyzed by NOAA to meet BOEM’s three primary objectives for the study: Objective 1: Collect data of the seafloor by the use of acoustic sonar survey to characterize the substrate composition of the seafloor in the NYWEA and vicinity. Objective 2: Incorporate results of the seafloor data collection into regional predictive models characterizing the composition of the seafloor. Objective 3: Describe the seafloor habitat and other important biological and geological observations. The data collection and analysis contained within this report focus on two locations: 1) NYWEA and the mid-Atlantic region study area (See Figure 1.1). The NYWEA site is located approximately 11.5 nm south from Jones Beach, NY and extends approximately 24 nm southeast along its longest portion. It is located in water depths ranging from 25 to 45 meters deep. Extensive acoustic and sediment sampling, and ground-truthing studies were conducted within NYWEA. The regional study area encompasses 50,082 km2 of coastal and ocean waters off the coast of New York. This area includes a portion of the mid-Atlantic Bight and much of the area characterized as the New York Bight. Analysis for the regional study area included state and federal waters from the southern shores of Long Island to the edge of the continental shelf and from Nantucket Shoals to the shores of New Jersey.

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