The Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced on Mar. 25 that it has finished all airborne LiDAR data collection and received most vessel-based sonar data for the Florida Seafloor Mapping Initiative (FSMI), a project to map the state’s coastal waters.
This initiative is significant because it will provide the most detailed map ever created of Florida’s seafloor, which supports decision-making for environmental protection, coastal resilience, and infrastructure planning.
According to DEP Secretary Alexis A. Lambert, “Florida’s coastline is one of our state’s greatest natural and economic assets, supporting millions of residents, tourism, commercial fisheries and critical infrastructure. Understanding the seafloor and the features that shape our coast helps us make smart decisions about protecting communities, strengthening resilience and investing taxpayer dollars where they will have the greatest impact.”
FSMI uses advanced technologies such as airborne LiDAR systems to measure water depths with laser pulses in shallow areas and vessel-based multibeam sonar for high-resolution mapping in deeper waters. The data collected will help identify offshore sand sources for beach nourishment projects, improve storm surge modeling, guide coral reef protection efforts, and support restoration work on seagrass beds.
Kimberly Jackson, Florida Geographic Information Officer, said: “Through FSMI, we have mapped more than 75,500 square kilometers using LiDAR and more than 64,000 square kilometers using sonar technologies. Before this initiative began, only about 25,600 square kilometers of Florida’s seafloor had been mapped. Today we have mapped more than 14 times that amount.” Early analysis has revealed new information about ancient shorelines near Miami as well as previously unknown mesophotic coral reefs off Pensacola.
DEP is working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to study these newly discovered deepwater reefs further through remotely operated vehicle dives and scientific sampling. The FSMI data is also being integrated with inland elevation datasets from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Coastal National Elevation Database Applications Project to create a seamless statewide digital elevation model from uplands to offshore bathymetry.
According to the official website of DEP (https://floridadep.gov/), the department supports efforts to build resilient coasts through restoration initiatives; maintains state parks providing recreational opportunities; oversees more than 175 parks including trails and historic sites; aims to safeguard air, water and land resources; serves all regions with environmental programs; and offers services such as permitting projects or regulating waste management.
The full dataset from FSMI is expected to be made publicly available in fall 2026.
