A Review of Sensors Appropriate for Assessment of Submerged Coastal Habitats and Biological Resources

This review has been prepared for the Coastal Ecology Branch, Environmental Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station. During the planning, coordination, and construction process for dredging, dredged material disposal, shoreline protection structures, and other projects, the Corps of Engineers (COE) is mandated to assess environmental impacts and to seek acceptable alternatives. These activities have historically been limited by logistical difficulties in conducting surveys of coastal habitats and biological resources. Conventional techniques are often expensive, non-quantitative, or logistically impractical for broad area surveys. This review identifies state-of-the-art technologies that are candidates for efficient mapping and monitoring of subtidal soft-bottom substrates, hard grounds, and fisheries resources.