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The geography along the 840 miles of California coast represents a wide variety of geologic formations and presents significant hazards and opportunities for those with the knowledge to take advantage of them. Coastal and submarine geography contribute to the bounty of life that can be found in the coastal regions, help dictate weather conditions, and create diverse recreational opportunities for people in the know. The importance of mapping both the exposed and submarine topography has not been lost on the people of California or the United States. Today, the data that has been collected helps us to in innumerable ways.

California coast, Big Sur.

History

Surveying efforts of the California coastline began in earnest in . Bathymetric surveys began in with crude depth sounding. Today several high tech methods from LIDAR to have been employed to map the coast.

California Mapping Projects

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) maintains a host of projects which map the BIOS, the Biogeographic Information and Observation System to

Agencies Involved with Mapping

• United States Geological Survey (USGS)
• National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
• California Coastal Records Project
• California Department of Fish and Game Biogeographic Data Branch

The 1897 contoured map of Monterey Bay 1897 contoured map of Monterey "Submerged Valley". From George Davidson published paper in Proc. of Calif. Acad. of Sciences. Monterey Canyon was first noted in 1857 by James Alden of C&GS Ship ACTIVE . Alden termed the canyon a "submarine gulch." Courtesy of the NOAA Image Libaray [1].

External Links

Bathymetric Data of the California Coast

USGS CMG Infobank Atlas: California Bathymetry

Images of California

• NOAA Photo Library