The SAV Mapping project is a collaboration between members of the Eelgrass Mapping Taskforce to map and monitor the extent of SAV in Rhode Island coastal waters. In 2013, active members of the taskforce included: Save the Bay, CRMC, NBNERR, and USFWS. Mapping and monitoring is done using a tiered system developed by USGS.
- Tier 1 consists of polygons digitized using a digital aerial photograph as a base map.
- Tier 2 consists of percent cover assessments at evenly-spaced plot locations (grid).
- The most detailed method is Tier 3 whereby biomass, plant height, and other ecological metrics are measured.
GIS datasets of Tier 1 mapping can be accessed via RIGIS. The 2012 report on Tier 1 can be found here. We also have a web map showing the 2012 mapping here:
This project is currently seeking funding partners in order to continue.