Innovative Multispectral Multibeam Surveying Techniques

This technical report discusses the innovative application of Multispectral Multibeam Surveying (MMBES) for characterizing benthic conditions at the River Raisin Area of Concern in Monroe County, Michigan. The report outlines the challenges posed by the area's industrial legacy, which necessitated advanced monitoring solutions due to historical contamination with PCBs and heavy metals. It details how MMBES employs multiple acoustic frequencies to acquire comprehensive seabed data in a single pass, revealing features that traditional single-frequency surveys cannot detect. The report documents seven years of systematic monitoring, highlighting both successes and challenges in maintaining the integrity of remediation efforts. It emphasizes the effectiveness of MMBES in mapping cap material distribution, enhancing sampling efficiency, and identifying potential hazards, ultimately demonstrating its value in optimizing monitoring processes while reducing costs. The findings illustrate MMBES as a powerful tool for post-remediation monitoring, providing extensive data with minimal physical intervention.