Alabama 2019 Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Polygons

This 2019 dataset consists of digital vector data describing the location, extent and species composition of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in coastal Alabama, including Mississippi Sound, Mobile Bay, Mobile-Tensaw Delta, Mississippi Sound, Little Lagoon, Perdido Bay, and their communicating tributaries. The dataset includes a MrSID ortho mosaic produced from true-color digital aerial imagery acquired on July 26, 29, and 31 and August 1 and 2. ESRI polygon coverage of SAV was created in ArcGIS 10.7, using the MrSID as a base map. SAV distribution was concentrated in upper Mobile Bay and the lower Mobile-Tensaw Delta, Mississippi Sound, and the lower Perdido Bay area of southeast Baldwin County. Overall, there were 866 more acres mapped in 2019 compared to 2015, due mostly to a 469-ac increase in the Hurricane quadrangle, particularly areas around Gravine Island and Chuckfee Bay. There were 149 more acres mapped in the Chickasaw quad compared to 2015, due to expansion of SAV in the Duck Lake region. The Orange Beach Quadrangle had an increase of 74 acres, mostly due to expanded coverage in the area of St. John Bayou. Habitat categories were developed based on observation of the most prevalent species at field survey locations. Of the 37 habitat categories identified, most were mixtures of species occurring in oligohaline and freshwater systems.