Aqua Survey in Action: Racing the Clock After Superstorm Sandy
When Superstorm Sandy struck the New Jersey coast in late 2012, it left more than just damage above water. Underneath the waves, massive sediment deposits choked channels and harbors—threatening navigation and complicating recovery efforts. Aqua Survey answered the call to help the state of New Jersey secure crucial FEMA funding for a massive cleanup.
A Three-Week Sprint for Nearly 3,000 Cores
With a deadline looming, the State of New Jersey needed definitive data on Sandy-deposited sediments to qualify for 75% matching funds from FEMA. In just three weeks, Aqua Survey mobilized ten vessel-based vibracoring teams to collect 2,825 sediment cores from Raritan Bay to Cape May.
Precision Sampling Meets Rapid Turnaround
Our crews coordinated daily with state geologists to dissect each core, isolating the fresh plant strata churned in by Sandy from pre-existing buildup. This meticulous approach ensured every sample pinpointed exactly how much material was attributable to the storm.
Outcome: Funds Secured, Channels Reopened
By submitting our sediment and sonar data ahead of the FEMA deadline, New Jersey unlocked vital cleanup funds and moved one step closer to restoring safe, navigable waterways.
Watch Aqua Survey CEO Garrett Hayes and President Tom Dolce recount the teamwork and tenacity that defined Aqua Survey’s Superstorm Sandy response, and informed their approach for Aqua Survey’s future.
