The Civil Hydrography Programme

You may know of an area that is in need of a hydrographic survey in order to update the nautical charts or nautical publications which cover it. The MCA assess areas on a risk basis, but are always happy to receive any proposals for areas to be considered. E-mail the MCA with any suggestions for hydrographic surveys to: navigationsafety@mcga.gov.uk The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) administers a multi-million pound budget to systematically survey the waters around the U.K. This programme is known as the "Civil Hydrography Programme". Under the programme a number of long-term commercial contracts have been let to ensure accurate hydrographic information is gathered for updating the nation's nautical charts and publications. Routine resurvey work is undertaken in areas of high seabed mobility. Survey areas are prioritised using a risk analysis methodology.

Routine resurveys covering mobile seabed areas are analysed at the UKHO. This analysis identifies changes that have occurred and assesses whether the limits and survey frequency remain appropriate or should be revised. The analysis reports can be accessed through the following links:
Analysis Reports - 2007 Routine Resurveys
Analysis Reports - 2006 Routine Resurveys
Analysis Reports - 2005 Routine Resurveys

How To Propose a Hydrographic Survey

You may know of an area that is in need of a hydrographic survey in order to update the nautical charts or nautical publications which cover it. The MCA assess areas on a risk basis, but are always happy to receive any proposals for areas to be considered. E-mail the MCA with any suggestions for hydrographic surveys to: navigationsafety@mcga.gov.uk

http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/shipsandcargoes/mcga-shipsregsandguidance/mcga-dqs-hmp-hydrography/survey_data_availability.htm

Typical indications of an area requiring a new survey are:

• Old underlying survey data (check using the "Source Data Diagram" on the latest chart)
• A change in traffic patterns (e.g. increases in cruise ship visits)
• An accident occurring due to inaccurate or incomplete survey data
• Changes to the seabed due to sandwave movement / channel migration

Admiralty Surveys of the UK & Ireland (Q6090)
The ‘limited use’ chart Q6090 ( Click here for the 3MB pdf ) shows the limits and standards of Admiralty Surveys, including contract surveys to Admiralty specifications around the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Not all of these surveys are available in digital format. For more detail on the availability of surveys try Survey Data Availability or www.seazone.com