General Information

Sediment profile imagery (SPI), sediment surface (plan-view) imagery, and grab samples were collected from Lower Bay, Newark Bay, Upper Bay, Flushing Bay, Bowery Bay, and Jamaica Bay. Data collection occurred in October 1994 (Lower Bay only), June 1995 (all bays), and October 1995 (excluding Lower Bay). Sample sites (stations) were distributed evenly throughout the bays, generally located at 100 to 500 meter intervals. Stations generally overlapped between surveys, though sampling effort varied in some areas (e.g., Jamaica Bay, Upper Bay). Additionally, plan-view images showing the sediment surface were taken at a subset of stations in June and October 1995.

Surveys were performed from the Research Vessel (RV) Onrust, State University of New York, Stony Brook, and the RV Hudson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Station coordinates, date, and time of day were recorded in a field log at each station. The SPI camera was typically deployed twice per station during each survey, and grab samples were collected at approximately one-third of all SPI stations. Two grabs were taken at each of the grab-sampled stations; one was analyzed for sediment texture and organic content, and the other was analyzed for benthic organisms.

The resulting data were then integrated and used to classify station habitats based on benthic communities and sediment characteristics. Habitats were then mapped in Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI®), ArcView® geographic information system (GIS) software for visualization. Spatial and seasonal comparisons of habitats are discussed in the accompanying reports.

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