Version 2025.0.00

15.0 Survey Progress

15.1 Weekly Progress Reports

For NOAA ISD surveys, Field Units must submit regular progress reports to keep the Office of Coast Survey apprised of ongoing fieldwork and data processing. The Field Unit must submit a weekly progress report and updated depth raster beginning on the first day of project mobilization through project data submission.

 

Report submission guidelines:

  • A JSON file must be submitted for any sheets where data were acquired during the previous week as defined as Sunday to Saturday.
  • There must be one survey per JSON file, but there can be multiple vessels and days per JSON file.
  • Must be submitted no later than the Field Unit's local close-of-business time on Monday to hsd.apps@noaa.gov with a CC to the OCS Project Manager and/or COR.
  • There can be multiple JSON files attached to one email. Do not zip or forward any submitted files.
  • The report may be sent monthly, due the first Monday of the month for one survey, once vessel demobilization has occurred and no further data acquisition will occur on the project.
  • If there is a planned extended break in operations, the Field Unit may pause submissions as long as they communicate the start and projected end of the break to the OCS Project Manager and/or COR via email, and receive approval to pause submissions from the OCS Project Manager and/or COR.


The progress report must contain the information shown in Appendix 1.

 

With the weekly progress report, an up-to-date depth raster depicting cumulative data acquisition coverage must be submitted to the project Google Drive folder identified by the OCS Project Manager and/or COR with the following specifications:

  • Acceptable raster file formats include BAG, CSAR, and GeoTIFF. Side scan sonar coverage maps may be submitted in GeoTIFF format.
  • For GeoTIFFs, a single band, gray scale 32-bit depth floating point raster is required.
  • Gridding is required at 8 meter or 16 meter grid resolution to the project CRS.
  • Z-values must be positive down, in meters, and areas of no data must have a value of -9999.

 

The publicly available Pydro tool “Scribble” facilitates semi-automated production of the deliverables listed above.

 

15.2 Final Progress Report

The purpose of the final progress report is to provide a graphic and a one-page summary of the project accomplishments. At the Office of Coast Survey’s discretion, the report or portions of the report may be shared internally or externally. 

 

For NOAA ISD surveys, the Field Unit must submit the final progress report within 30 days of completion of fieldwork to the assigned OCS Project Manager and/or COR with a CC to progress.sketches@noaa.gov. The final progress report must be submitted to the Google Drive location specified by the OCS Project Manager and/or COR.


Final Progress Report Contents:

 

  • Project graphic - Graphic showing final data coverage, the project sheet limits, and appropriate chart.
  • Project Metadata and Statistics - For each survey of the project list the Survey Start Date, Survey End Date, Total SNM, Total LNM, Total Number of physical seabed samples collected, XBTs used, and if applicable, aggregated transit data LNM.
  • Recommendations and Notes - This may include recommendations for future surveys in the area, interesting findings or acquisition strategies, and/or unique challenges.


The final progress report must be submitted as a PDF following the naming convention presented in the Delivery Structure section. A template may be provided by the OCS Project Manager or COR.

 

15.3 Survey Outline

For NOAA ISD surveys, after completion of all fieldwork for a given survey sheet, the hydrographer must provide a survey outline that shows the extent of hydrography completed for the registered survey (e.g., H number).  The survey outline may contain single or multiple polygons, and it is not required to have interior limits for unsurveyed regions (e.g. an island).


The final survey outline must be submitted in GeoJSON format, in unprojected WGS84, and attributed with:

  • Survey Unique ID.
  • Area in square nautical miles.

 

Final survey outlines must be submitted via email hsd.apps@noaa.gov with a CC to the OCS Project Manager and/or COR. List the submission and date of submission in the Supplementals section of the Report of Survey. The survey outline must also be included in the final data submission to the Office of Coast Survey in the Metadata folder as described in Delivery Structure.

 

The final survey outline should be submitted as soon as practical after completion of fieldwork. If the outline has not been submitted within 30 days of completion of fieldwork, the hydrographer must contact the OCS Project Manager and/or COR to explain the delay and provide an estimate for delivery.