Seafloor Elevation Change From 2002 to 2016 in the Upper Florida Keys

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted research to quantify bathymetric changes in the Upper Florida Keys (UFK) from Triumph Reef to Pickles Reef within a 242.4 square-kilometer area. USGS staff calculated changes in seafloor elevation from 2002 to 2016 using light detection and ranging (lidar)-derived data acquired by the USGS in 2001 and 2002 and lidar-derived data acquired by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 2016 and 2017. Most of the elevation data from these two time periods was collected during 2002 and 2016. As an abbreviated naming convention, we refer to this study time period and dataset as 2002-2016. An elevation change analysis between the 2002 and 2016 lidar data was performed to quantify and map impacts to seafloor elevation and to determine elevation and volume change statistics for 13 habitat types found in the UFK. This elevation change study was conducted under Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary permit FKNMS-2016-068.