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SPCMSC Team surveys Madeira Beach

By St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center March 6, 2025

A team from the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted an elevation survey at Madeira Beach, Florida. 

A team of USGS scientists collected beach elevation data both above and below water at Madeira Beach, FL. An individual equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and antenna mounted on a surveying backpack collected above-water (beach profile) data. Scientists navigated two personal watercrafts, each outfitted with GPS and sonar technology, along designated transects to measure below-water elevations. Data have been collected at the study site since 2017. The site also includes a coastal video monitoring station, which records water levels and waves at the shoreline while offshore instruments make observations of waves, water levels, and currents in deeper water depths. The full set of data supports research and skill assessment for the Total Water Level and Coastal Change Forecast.

Media
Person walks along shoreline carrying a backpack used for surveying elevation.
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USGS scientist collects elevation data during a walking survey at Madeira Beach, FL.
Media
Person drives a personal water craft near the shoreline.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
USGS scientist collects elevation data from a personal water craft at Madeira Beach, FL.

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