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Topobathymetric Model of the Northern Gulf of Mexico, 1885 to 2021

Published by U.S. Geological Survey | Department of the Interior | Metadata Last Checked: July 16, 2025 | Last Modified: 20220601
To support U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) storm surge modeling for the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), Lowermost Mississippi River Management Program (LMRMP), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal National Elevation Database (CoNED) Applications Project has created an integrated 1-meter topobathymetric digital elevation model (TBDEM) for the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM)-2. High-resolution coastal topobathymetric data are required to model flooding, storms, and sea-level rise inundation hazard zones and other earth science applications, such as the development of sediment transport and storm surge models. The new TBDEM consists of the best available multi-source topographic and bathymetric elevation data for the region including neighboring islands, bays, marsh, waterways, and inlets. The NGOM-2 TBDEM integrates 286 different data sources including topographic and bathymetric data, such as lidar point clouds and acoustic surveys obtained from USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USACE, U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Louisiana CPRA, Louisiana Department of Transportation, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, and the Texas Natural Resources Information System. The topographic and bathymetric surveys were sorted and prioritized based on survey date, accuracy, spatial distribution, and point density to develop a model based on the best available elevation and bathymetric data. Because bathymetric data are typically referenced to tidal datums, such as Mean High Water or Mean Low Water, all tidally referenced heights were transformed into orthometric heights based on the GEOID12B datum, which is normally used for mapping elevation on land using the North American Vertical Datum of 1988. The spatial horizontal resolution is 1-meter. The general location ranges from the old river control structure on the Mississippi River in the north to the Mississippi River delta in the south and extending from the Texas/Louisiana border on the west to the Alabama/Florida border on the east. The overall temporal range of the input topography and bathymetry is 1885 to 2021 with a maximum depth extending to 2,358 meters. The topography surveys are from 2002-2020. The bathymetry surveys were acquired between 1885 and 2021. The data release and all related items of information were prepared by USGS through a sub-contract with the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, who was funded under Award No. GNTCP18LA0035 from the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council). The data, statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author[s] and do not necessarily reflect any determinations, views, or policies of the RESTORE Council. This data release was also co-funded by the USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program (CMHRP) for the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM2).

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