The survey aimed to provide a detailed depiction of the Indian River Inlet, its adjacent jetties, and the surrounding upland area. This work included a high-resolution multibeam echosounder (MBES) hydrographic survey of the inlet, terrestrial lidar surveys of the jetties and surrounding areas, and a single-beam survey of the Indian River Inlet ebb shoal complex. Data from all survey methods were combined into a single digital elevation model (DEM) of the survey area. Additionally, 17 beach profiles were collected, extending 5,000 feet offshore from the reference stations and further inland as described below.

To meet the demanding requirements and accuracies needed in such a dynamic near-shore environment, McKim & Creed utilized a tripod-based static lidar acquisition to detail the topographic features of the upland areas and a kinematic lidar acquisition solution to detail the existing slopes of the jetties. The kinematic workflow involved mounting the lidar sensor on the survey vessel, with the scanner’s location tied to the boat’s trajectory as it moved along the jetties and shoreline. To create overlapping data between the methods, the kinematic lidar was acquired during the low tide cycle, while multibeam data was collected during the high tide cycle.

Deliverables included control reports, XYZ point clouds in LAS format, metadata, CADD files and drawings in MicroStation and Civil 3D, 9-column formats, and a GIS database.

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