Coast Survey updates charts of tsunami-damaged ports

NOAA’s office of Coast Survey has responded to the tsunami that damaged ports in Crescent City and Santa Cruz, California. The agency’s personnel and equipment are being utilized to search for sunken debris and to provide hydrographic surveys in order to get the ports functioning as quickly as possible. According to the agency’s Web site, this bathymetric data will be used to quickly create updated charts of the harbors and channels. NOAA is coordinating the effort with the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In a statement, NOAA described the process: “Using a small boat equipped with powerful echo-sounding SONAR equipment, the teams will search the seafloor for sunken vessels, debris, and other hazards dangerous to commercial shippers and recreational boaters.”