**NOTE: This data set is an extract of depth points within Lee County, Florida. The following narrative describes the data for the entire study area.**

The data set contains information on 916381 depth points recorded for all channel center-lines and approaches to boating facilities for the projects: "Regional Waterway Management System for Sarasota Bay, Florida", "Regional Waterway Management System for Sarasota County, Florida", "Regional Waterway Management System for North Manatee County", "Regional Waterway Management System for Lee County, Phase 1", "Regional Waterway Management System for Lee County, Phase 2", "Regional Waterway Management System for Lee County, Phase 3", "Miguel Bay, Florida: Inventory of Boats, Depths, and Signs; and a Waterway Restriction Analysis.", and "Manatee County Regional Waterway Management System: Bishop Harbor, Tidal Braden River, and Lower Reaches of the Upper Manatee River". These depth points were collected by on-the-water surveys conducted at various times from 05/1992 to 04/2002. Specifically the Sarasota Bay study was conducted in 05/1992, South Sarasota from 07/1996 to 10/1996, North Manatee from 07/1998 to 10/1998, Lee County Phase 1 from 01/1999 to 07/1999, Lee County Phase 2 from 11/1999 to 07/2000, Lee County Phase 3 from 06/2001 to 04/2002, Miguel Bay on 08/28/2000, and Manatee County from 02/2002 to 04/2002. The geographic positions of each depth feature were obtained using a lead-line, Horizon DS50 Depth Sounder, or Ocean Data Equipment Corporation Bathy-500MF depth sounder in Lee County Phase 3 and Manatee County. Also a Trimble Pro XL GPS (DGPS) with a beacon receiver was used for Sarasota County and Northern Manatee County, a Trimble Pro XR GPS (DGPS) with a beacon receiver was used for Lee County Phase 1, Lee County Phase 2, and Miguel Bay, and a Trimble DSM212H 12-channel receiver with an integrated dual-channel Minimum Shift Keying (MSK) differential beacon receiver was used for Lee County Phase 3 and Manatee County. For all projects, depth positions and measurements were plotted on 1:2400 aerials except for the Sarasota Bay project where depths were recorded on 1:1200, enlarged section aerials. Depth points were logged and plotted using a Trimble TDC2 data logger for Sarasota County, Northern Manatee County, and Miguel Bay, and a Trimble TSC1 data logger for Lee County Phase 1 and Lee County Phase 2. All depths are referenced to the navigation datum, mean lower low water (MLLW) except depth points located in non-tidal areas (above locks) in Lee County Phase 3 which were referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD29). Depth points are recorded to the nearest 1/2 foot in all projects except the Sarasota Bay project where the depth points are recorded to the nearest foot. Tide gauges were installed at various locations during data collection and depths were corrected to MLLW or NGVD29 using computer programs prepared by the University of Florida Department of Coastal Engineering. For tidal corrections in Southern Sarasota County 5 tide gauges were used, for Northern Manatee County 6 tide gauges were used, for Lee County Phase 1 6 tide gauges were used, for Lee County Phase 2 11 tide gauges were used, for Lee County Phase 3 28 tide gauges were used, and for Manatee County 4 tide gauges were used. This project was bounded by Bishop Harbor in the North and by the Lee/Collier County boundary in the South.

This spatial data set provides one information base that is necessary to meet the waterway management needs of waterfront neighborhoods in coastal Lee County, Manatee County, and Sarasota County, Florida. The database was developed to meet the goals of the project: "Regional Waterway Management System for the West Coast Inland Navigation District". The primary objective of the project is to design and implement a management system for southwest Florida waterways that is consistent with municipal, county, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), and West Coast Inland Navigation District (WCIND) goals of facilitating safe boating and reducing boating impacts on natural resources. The design criteria are: (a) fit channel maintenance to boat draft needs; (b) minimize impacts on bay habitats; (c) prioritize and evaluate management alternatives on a regional scale; and (d) identify information products, for boaters and shore residents, that encourage environmental awareness by users of neighborhood waterways and boat access channels.