Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not 

imply endorsement by the U.S. Government

This map was printed on an electronic plotter directly from digital files. Dimensional calibration may vary 

between electronic plotters and between X and Y directions on the same plotter, and paper may change size 

due to atmospheric conditions; therefore, scale and proportions may not be true on plots of this map.

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services, Box 25286, Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225, 

1–888–ASK–USGS

Digital files available at http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sim3324 or http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3324/

Suggested Citation: Dartnell, P., Driscoll, N.W., Brothers, D., Conrad, J.E., Kluesner, J., Kent, G., and 

Andrews, B., 2015, Colored shaded-relief bathymetry, acoustic backscatter, and selected perspective views 

of the inner continental borderland, Southern California: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations 

Map 3324, 3 sheets, http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sim3324.

Onshore imagery modified from LANDSAT-8 satellite data (available from U.S. 

Geological Survey, Earth Explorer, at http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/).

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 11N

NOT INTENDED FOR NAVIGATIONAL USE 

Shaded-relief bathymetry by Peter Dartnell, 2014.

Bathymetric contours by Peter Dartnell, 2014

GIS database and cartography by Peter Dartnell

Edited by Kate Jacques and Taryn Lindquist

Manuscript approved for publication April 6, 2015.

ISSN 2329-132X (online) and

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sim3324

100 m 200 m

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600 m

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800 m

1800 m

1600 m

1400 m

1200 m

1000 m

1200 m

800 m

1000 m

600 m

800 m

800 m

800 m

600m

400 m

600 m

118°30' 118° 117°30'

34°

33°30'

118°30' 118° 117°30'

34°

33°30'

33°

33°

 San 

Diego

Oceanside

Santa Catalina 

 Island

San Clemente

 Island

Long Beach

Southern California MultibeamEchosounder Survey Footprints

SIO / USGS 

USGS

CSMP

CSUMB

NGDC

SANDAG / CDFW

NOAA

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

100 m

DISCUSSION

This colored shaded-relief bathymetry map was generated from multibeam-echosounder 

bathymetry data collected in 2013 by Scripps Institution of Oceanography and processed 

by U.S. Geological Survey, as well as from publicly available multibeam-bathymetry data 

acquired by various federal and local agencies, academic institutions, and private firms. 

Data sources (see fig. 1) and availability are as follows:

 • Scripps Institution of Oceanography, survey MV–1316 (processed by 

 U.S. Geological Survey; data available in this report). 

 • U.S. Geological Survey datasets: Los Angeles margin (available at 

 http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2002/0162/), San Diego margin (available at

 http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2004/1221/), and Gulf of Santa Catalina (available at

 http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2014/1094/).

 • California Seafloor Mapping Program and California State University, Monterey

 Bay, Seafloor Mapping Lab datasets: Santa Catalina Island, H11879, H11880,

 H11881, La Jolla Canyon, San Elijo Lagoon, and Santa Margarita River (available

 at http://seafloor.otterlabs.org/csmp/csmp.html).

 • Various datasets available from National Geophysical Data Center: CALF01RR, 

 DRFT01RR, GLOR00MV, MCD0212, AT03149, WEST15MV, and NPAL

 (available at http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/bathymetry/relief.html).

 • San Diego Association of Governments/California Department of Fish and 

 Wildlife datasets (available at 

 ftp://ftp.dfg.ca.gov/R7_MR/BATHYMETRY/BAT_SCSR_SANDAG.zip).

 • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coastal Relief Model 

 (available at http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/).

Note that rippled or (in places) smooth linear features visible on map are data-collection or 

processing artifacts.

EXPLANATION

 Depth (in meters) and illumination (bright areas are illuminated, facing

 false sun; dark areas are in shadow, facing away from false sun)

 Direction of illumination from false sun—Position of false sun is at 

 300° azimuth, 45° above horizon [arrow included in explanation for

 illustration purposes only; not shown on map]

 Bathymetric contour (in meters)—Contour intervals: 1–200 m water

 depth, 100 m; >200 m water depth, 200 m

Figure 1. Map showing multibeam-echosounder surveys that collected bathymetry data 

used to make shaded-relief bathymetry map. Data sources: SIO/USGS, Scripps Institution of 

Oceanography (processed by U.S. Geological Survey); USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; 

CSMP, California Seafloor Mapping Program; CSUMB, California State University, Monterey 

Bay, Seafloor Mapping Lab; NGDC, NOAA National Geophysical Data Center; 

SANDAG/CDFW, San Diego Association of Governments/California Department of Fish and 

Wildlife. In areas where multibeam-echosounder bathymetry data is lacking (gray shading), 

shaded-relief bathymetry from NOAA’s Coastal Relief Model is shown.

ONE MILE = 0.869 NAUTICAL MILES

BATHYMETRIC CONTOUR INTERVAL 100-m intervals, 0 to 200m; 200-m intervals, 200 to 2000m

10 5 0 10 KILOMETERS

10 5 0 10 MILES

CALIF.

MAP LOCATION APPROXIMATE MEAN

DECLINATION, 2015

MAGNETIC NORTH

12 °

TRUE NORTH

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations Map 3324

 Sheet 1 of 3

San Diego

Oceanside

Newport Beach

Los Angeles

Santa Catalina 

 Island

San Clemente Island

San Pedro Basin

Santa Monica Basin

Catalina Basin

San Diego Trough

Long Beach

Lasuen Knoll

Crespi Knoll

Emery Knoll

San Gabriel 

 Canyon Newport 

 Canyon

La Jolla Fan Valley

Redondo Knoll

Avalon Knoll

Santa Monica

 Canyon

Redondo

 Canyon

Oceanside

 Canyon

Carlsbad

 Canyon

La Jolla

Canyon

Prepared in cooperation with 

Scripps Institution of Oceangraphy

By

2015

Peter Dartnell1, Neal W. Driscoll2, Danny Brothers1, James E. Conrad1, Jared Kluesner3, Graham Kent2, and Brian Andrews1

Colored Shaded-Relief Bathymetry, Acoustic Backscatter, and Selected 

Perspective Views of the Inner Continental Borderland, Southern California

U.S. Geological Survey;

Scripps Institution of Oceanography;

University of California, Santa Cruz

1

2

3