NWDTW 2024

The California Water Science Center’s Estuarine Hydrodynamics team has been utilizing autonomous, un-crewed surface vessels (USVs) to conduct ADCP and bathymetric surveys throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (the Delta). These vessels have become an invaluable tool. They reduce human-error by performing consistent, repeatable transects that have constant boat speeds, straight paths, and consistent starting and ending locations.
Using USVs certainly comes with some considerations. Users should consider transect locations (large, small, open, covered), navigational hazards (pilings, buoys, docks, debris, shipping lanes), sea and weather conditions (wind chop), potential for compass interference, and power.
After these considerations, the use of USVs has improved data collection and increased efficiency allowing for multiple cross-sections simultaneously without extra personnel.