Estuary Management: Monitoring

Monitoring methods which may be applicable are outlined according to the section of the estuary to which they best apply:

Entrance Monitoring

• Structure assessment: site photographs, condition evaluations;

• Depth measurements: sounding line (thalweg), cross-sections, sounding areas (hydrographic survey);

• Bank measurement: feature survey, aerial photographs, LIDAR;

• Low-tide features: site photographs, oblique aerials;

• Metocean monitoring: current profiling, water levels.

Basin Monitoring

• Depth measurements: nearshore grades, cross-sections, sounding areas (hydrographic survey);

• Bank measurement: feature survey, aerial photographs, LIDAR, multi-spectral;

• Low-tide features: site photographs, oblique aerials;

• Metocean monitoring: water levels, winds, limit of flooding.

Channel Monitoring

• Depth measurements: sounding line (thalweg), cross-sections, sounding areas (hydrographic survey);

• Bank measurement: feature survey, aerial photographs, LIDAR;

• Flow monitoring;

• Inundation measurement: flood frequency logs.

Monitoring of Walled Sections

• Structure assessment: site photographs, condition evaluations;

• Depth measurements: sounding line (thalweg), toe depth, cross-sections, sounding areas (hydrographic survey);

• Inundation measurement: flood frequency logs, depth gauge.