The Office of Coast Survey (OCS) provided emergency hydrographic services for the port areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. These services were performed by OCS's Navigation Response Teams (NRTs). Determination of areas is based on requests from the United States Coast Guard (USCG), United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and local Port Authorities. Emergency services included performing side scan sonar surveying for updating U.S. Government Navigational Charts, conducting hazardous obstructions surveys (utilizing diving operations), electronic navigation capture, data collection and mapping support capabilities. On a 'normal' workday, the NRTs work in pre-planned areas throughout the national waters. In time of emergency, selected NRTs deploy to the emergency area. Beginning prior to Hurricane Katrina's landfall, NOAA, USACE, and USCG Mobile conducted daily, and sometimes twice daily, conference calls to coordinate hydrographic survey efforts in the USCG District 8 region from Gulfport, MS to east of Panama City, FL.

NOAA's National Marine and Aviation Operations (NMAO) also deployed the NOAA hydrographic survey vessels THOMAS JEFFERSON and NANCY FOSTER to help in the effort. OCS contracted for hydrographic services to survey the entrance of the Mississippi River. Various staff members from Office of Coast Survey deployed to these vessels to assist with performing the necessary services.

An image of completed surveys. Click image for larger graphic.

The Navigation Response Teams surveyed several miles of the Mississippi River. The side scan surveys of the Lower Mississippi were a key factor in the decision of the USCG Captain of the Port of New Orleans to reopen the river to project depth on September 11.

Emergency Response Team in Cocodrie, LA

The NRTs also completed surveys of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway surrounding New Orleans, Port Fourchon, Biloxi and Pensacola. Surveys completed in Gulfport, Mississippi enabled the USCG cutter to enter on a law enforcement mission. These surveys were among the first completed.

NRT members working on survey data

To support the Navigation Response Teams and our efforts in the region, OCS's two Gulf Region Navigation Managers, Tim Osborn and Alan Bunn, were on site to provide coordination with river pilots, USCG, USACE, and industry as shipping comes back on line.

Western Gulf Nav Manager works with NRT6 to prepare for day of surveying

NOAA SHIP NANCY FOSTER completed surveys of approximately 3 square nautical miles in the approaches to Mobile, Ala. The THOMAS JEFFERSON and NANCY FOSTER also spent time in Pascagoula resetting tide gauges destroyed by Katrina.

The hydrographic data services provider completed surveys of the Mississippi River as well, including the river's Gulf Outlet channel.

Contact Information

LCDR Rick Fletcher, NOAA
Chief, Navigation Response Branch
Silver Spring, MD 20910
E-mail: Rick.Fletcher@noaa.gov
Phone: (301) 713-2729 x161
Fax: (301) 713-9312
Cell: (360) 808-2463