Florida surveying

Hydrographic surveying in Florida

Map the bottom of navigable water for dredging and marine work.

verifiedLicensed Florida surveyors
verifiedSarasota, Manatee & Charlotte counties
verifiedSigned and sealed deliverables

You cannot manage what you cannot measure, and the bottom of a waterway is hidden. Dredging, dock design, and shoreline work need the depths and the bottom contours before any plan is set.

What is hydrographic surveying?

Hydrographic surveying measures water depth and the shape of the bottom using sonar tied to precise positioning. With Florida’s coastline, inlets, and waterways, this work supports dredging, marina and dock design, channel maintenance, and shoreline monitoring.

When you need hydrographic surveying

arrow_forwardDredging and permitting
arrow_forwardMarina and dock design
arrow_forwardChannel maintenance
arrow_forwardCoastal erosion monitoring
arrow_forwardSubmerged infrastructure inspection

What your hydrographic survey includes

check_circleBathymetric surveys
check_circleChannel and shoaling analysis
check_circleDredging volume calculations
check_circleShoreline and seawall mapping
check_circleHydrographic charts

Our hydrographic survey process

1

Survey planning

We plan coverage and account for tides and water levels.

2

Acquisition

We collect depth data with single or multibeam sonar tied to GNSS.

3

Tidal correction

We correct soundings to a vertical datum and process the surface.

4

Charts and volumes

You receive bathymetric charts and any dredging volumes.

check_circle1 Survey planning We plan coverage and account for tides and water levels.
check_circle2 Acquisition We collect depth data with single or multibeam sonar tied to GNSS.
check_circle3 Tidal correction We correct soundings to a vertical datum and process the surface.
check_circle4 Charts and volumes You receive bathymetric charts and any dredging volumes.

Hydrographic surveying across Southwest Florida

ATHCA’s hydrographic survey work is signed and sealed by a licensed Florida Professional Surveyor and Mapper, serving Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte counties as our home region and available statewide across Florida.

With the bays, canals, rivers, and harbor frontage across Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte counties, hydrographic work supports dredging, dock and seawall design, and waterway projects. ATHCA measures depths and bottom contours and ties them to the same datum as the land survey.

Why ATHCA for your hydrographic survey

check_circleDepth soundings and bottom contours
check_circleTied to a known vertical datum
check_circleSupports dredging, dock, and seawall design
check_circleCoordinated with the upland survey where needed

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Prefer to call? 941-415-4816

Frequently asked questions

What is hydrographic surveying?
Hydrographic surveying measures and maps the depth and features of navigable water, such as channels, harbors, and shorelines, using sonar and precise positioning.
What is bathymetry?
Bathymetry is the measurement of water depth and the shape of the bottom. A bathymetric survey produces a depth map similar to a topographic map for land.
When do I need a hydrographic survey?
Hydrographic surveys support dredging, marina and dock construction, channel maintenance, seawall and shoreline projects, and submerged infrastructure inspection.
What is a hydrographic survey used for?
It maps water depths and bottom contours for dredging, dock and seawall design, navigation, and waterway permitting, tied to the same datum as the land survey.
Can you combine it with a land survey?
Yes. ATHCA can tie the hydrographic data to the upland boundary and topographic survey so the water and the land share one datum.