NOTE: KMZ file was corrupted, I re-loaded the file so it should work now.

In Rhode Island (the Ocean State), an effort is underway to map, classify, inventory, and collect data in shallow (< 5 m) water environments and coastal areas. The Mapping Partnership for Coastal Soils and Sediment (www.mapcoast.org) was formed in 2004 with the goal of developing a readily accessible database of coastal and subaqueous soils and sediment for Rhode Island that meets a range of user needs for the coastal community. Over the past four years MapCoast has developed a mapping protocol that utilizes a variety of remote sensing equipment, mapping techniques, and a multi-disciplinary approach that encompasses pedology (soil science), geology, biology, and geographic information systems to produce high resolution maps of the coastal zone.

MapCoast data includes; soil survey data, acoustic data such as detailed bathymetry and side-scan sonar, geologic data, benthic geologic habitat mapping, imagery, and laboratory (chemical and physical properties) analysis of the soils. This data can be found on the MapCoast.org website.

This KML file contains a small example of MapCoast data for two micro-tidal coastal lagoons along the south shore of Rhode Island (Ninigret and Quonochontaug Ponds). There are 4 folders included; one with a bathymetric grid created from the detailed acoustic survey (contour lines not included), an example of the soil landscape map units (not SSURGO soils data), and the location of soil coring locations with links to the soil descriptions and data. Another folder contains links to videos of the bottom from Point Judith Pond. The purpose of this is to provide a small snippet of the type of data MapCoast is producing. For more information contact jim.turenne@ri.usda.gov