NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS CS 21

VDATUM FOR GREAT SOUTH BAY, NEW YORK BIGHT 

AND NEW YORK HARBOR: TIDAL DATUMS, MARINE 

GRIDS, AND SEA SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY 

Silver Spring, Maryland 

October 2010 

noaa National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Ocean Service 

Coast Survey Development Laboratory 
Office of Coast Survey 

National Ocean Service 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

U.S. Department of Commerce

The Office of Coast Survey (OCS) is the Nation’s only official chartmaker. As the 

oldest United States scientific organization, dating from 1807, this office has a 

long history. Today it promotes safe navigation by managing the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) nautical chart and 

oceanographic data collection and information programs. 

There are four components of OCS: 

The Coast Survey Development Laboratory develops new and efficient 

techniques to accomplish Coast Survey missions and to produce new and 

improved products and services for the maritime community and other 

coastal users. 

The Marine Chart Division acquires marine navigational data to construct 

and maintain nautical charts, Coast Pilots, and related marine products for 

the United States. 

The Hydrographic Surveys Division directs programs for ship and shorebased hydrographic survey units and conducts general hydrographic 

survey operations. 

The Navigational Services Division is the focal point for Coast Survey 

customer service activities, concentrating predominately on charting 

issues, fast-response hydrographic surveys, and Coast Pilot updates. 

 
NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS CS 21 

VDATUM FOR GREAT SOUTH BAY, NEW YORK BIGHT 

AND NEW YORK HARBOR: TIDAL DATUMS, MARINE 

GRIDS, AND SEA SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY 

Zizang Yang, Edward P. Myers, and Adeline M. Wong 

Office of Coast Survey, Coast Survey Development Laboratory, 

Silver Spring, MD 

Stephen A. White 

National Geodetic Survey, Silver Spring, MD 

October 2010

noaa National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

U. S. DEPARTMENT National Oceanic and National Ocean Service 

OF COMMERCE Atmospheric Administration David Kennedy 

Gary Locke, Dr. Jane Lubchenco Acting Assistant 

Secretary Under Secretary Administrator 

 

Office of Coast Survey Coast Survey Development Laboratory 

Captain John Lowell, NOAA Mary Erickson 
ii 

NOTICE 

Mention of a commercial company or product does not constitute an 

endorsement by NOAA. Use for publicity or advertising purposes of 

information from this publication concerning proprietary products or 

the tests of such products is not authorized.
iii 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................. iv 

LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................... vi 

ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................ vii 

1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................1 

2. COASTLINE, BATHYMETRY, AND TIDAL DATUM OBSERVATIONS .....................3 

2.1. Digital Coastline .....................................................................................................3 

 2.2. Bathymetric Data ....................................................................................................3 

2.3. Tidal Datum Data ....................................................................................................5 

3. TIDAL DATUM SIMILATION ............................................................................................7 

3.1. Hydrodynamic Model .............................................................................................7 

 3.2. Model Grid ..............................................................................................................7 

3.3. Bathymetry of Model Grid ....................................................................................10 

3.4. Model Parameter Setup .........................................................................................11 

3.5. Tidal Datum Computation and Results .................................................................12 

3.6. Verifications and Error Corrections ......................................................................16 

4. CREATION AND POPULATION OF THE MARINE GRID ...........................................23 

4.1. Creation of VDatum Marine Grid .........................................................................23 

4.2. Population of VDatum Grid with Tidal Datums ...................................................25 

5. TOPOGRAPHY OF THE SEA SURFACE ........................................................................27 

5.1. Derivation of TSS .................................................................................................28 

5.2. Quality Control .....................................................................................................30 

6. SUMMARY .........................................................................................................................30 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .......................................................................................................31 

REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................31 

APPENDIX A. SPECIFICATIONS OF BATHYMETRIC DATA ........................................35 

APPENDIX B. WATER LEVEL STATION DATA ..............................................................37 

APPENDIX C. TIDAL DATUM FIELDS DEFINED ON VDATUM MARINE GRID .......43 

APPENDIX D. TIDAL GAUGE AND BENCH MARKS DATA USED TO CREATE 

THE TSS ........................................................................................................47 

APPENDIX E. COMPARISON OF DERIVED TSS WITH OBSERVATIONS AND 

ERROR ANALYSIS. .....................................................................................51 
iv 

LIST OF FIGURES 

Figure 1. Map of the Long Island Sound, New York Bight, and Narragansett Bay area. 

Red lines illustrate MHW coastal lines. Green line denotes a distance 25-

nautical miles offshore ................................................................................................2 

 

Figure 2. Dates and locations of NOS sounding surveys ...........................................................4 

Figure 3. Spatial distribution of the ENC bathymetric data .......................................................4 

Figure 4. Finite element grid for the entire model domain. Red dots denote the model 

open ocean boundary nodes .....................................................................................8 

 Figure 5. Close-up views of the model grid across Great South Bay (Figure 4). Plots (a), 

(b) and (c) displays three subareas from west to east. .............................................9 

Figure 6 Model grid bathymetry relative to MZ.Color bar is meters ......................................11 

Figure 7. Spatially variable bottom friction coefficients used for model ................................12 

Figure 8. Model-derived tidal datum fields, (a) MHHW, (b) MHW, (c) MLW, and (d) 

MLLW relative to MSL over the whole model domain. Color bars are in meters ...14 

Figure 9. Model-derived tidal datum fields, (a) MHHW, (b) MHW, (c) MLW, and (d) 

MLLW relative to MSL over the Great South Bay area. Color bars are in 

meters.. ......................................................................................................................15 

Figure 10. Comparisons of the modeled (a) MHHW, (b) MHW, (c) MLW, and (d) 

MLLW datums against observations. Yellow circles represent the GSB stations 

and red ones correspond to the rest stations in the area. .........................................16 

Figure 11. Color-coded averaged model-data errors (|Avg|). Color bar is in unit of meter.....17 

Figure 12. Model domains of the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays (red line) and the 

present GSB-LIS-NYB (blue lines). Black circles along transect AA’ illustrate 

the locations on which the agreement between tidal datums from the two 

models are examined..............................................................................................18 

 

Figure 13. Error-corrected tidal datum fields relative to MSL over the whole model 

domain, (a) MHHW, (b) MHW, (c) MLW, and (d) MLLW. Color bars are in 

meter ......................................................................................................................20

Figure 14. Close-up view of error-corrected tidal datum fields relative to MSL over the 

Great South Bay area, (a) MHHW, (b) MHW, (c) MLW, and (d) MLLW. 

Color bars are in meters .........................................................................................21 
v 

Figure 15. Definitions of three marine grid bounding polygons: New York Harbor (NYH) 

(red), Long Island Sound (LIS) and New York Bight (NYB) (blue), and Great 

South Bay (GSB) (cyan). .........................................................................................24 

Figure 16. Location of tidal bench marks and tide stations used to compute the New 

Jersey to Rhode Island Vicinity VDatum TSS grid. ...............................................27

Figure 17. The New Jersey to Rhode Island TSS Grid. ...........................................................29

 
vi 

LIST OF TABLES 

Table 1. Statistics of tidal datum differences () across the CB-DB and GSB-LIS-NY 

domain boundaries ............................................................................................... 18 

Table 2. lists parameters defining the five marine grids. .................................................... 23 

 
vii 

ABSTRACT 

An application of VDatum, NOAA’s vertical datum transformation software tool, is 

developed for the Great South Bay area located along the southern Long Island, NY. 

VDatum allows users to transform vertical elevation/depth data between various tidal, 

orthometric, and ellipsoid-based 3D reference systems. 

 

The tidal datums fields for this VDatum application were derived from tidal simulations 

using the Advanced Circulation (ADCIRC) Model, a finite element model which uses 

unstructured triangular grids. A grid consisting of 218,203 nodes and 395,562 cells was 

created for this region. The model was forced with nine tidal constituents (M2, S2, N2, K2, 

K1, P1, O1, Q1, and M4). Tidal harmonic analysis of the model results was conducted for a 

suite of 37 tidal constituents at each node in the grid. Time series over a National Tidal 

Datum Epoch (1983-2001) were reconstructed using these harmonic constants. Various 

tidal datum fields, including mean lower low water (MLLW), mean low water (MLW), 

mean high water (MHW), and mean higher high water (MHHW), were derived from the 

time series. Model results were validated by comparing with observations at 145 water 

level stations maintained by the NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products 

and Services (CO-OPS). Discrepancies between model results and observational datums 

were attributed to model errors and interpolated over the whole model domain using 

TCARI (Tidal Constituent And Residual Interpolation), a spatial interpolation tool based 

on solution of Laplace’s equation. These error fields were added to the original model 

results to derive corrected tidal datum fields on the model grid. These final tidal datum 

fields were interpolated onto a regularly structured marine grid used as input by the 

VDatum software. 

The Topography of Sea Surface (TSS), defined as the elevation of NAVD88 relative to 

local mean sea level (LMSL), was developed based on spatial interpolation of bench 

mark data maintained by CO-OPS and the National Geodetic Survey (NGS). The 

NAVD88-to-LMSL values were derived either by fitting tidal model results to tidal 

bench marks leveled in NAVD88 or by calculating orthometric-to-tidal datum 

relationships at NOAA tidal gauges. Results by both methodologies were coupled to 

create the final TSS grids by spatial interpolation. 

Key Words: tides, tidal datums, Long Island Sound, New York Bight, Narragansett Bay, 

ADCIRC, mean sea level, bathymetry, coastline, spatial interpolation, marine grid, North 

American Vertical Datum of 1998. 
viii 

 
1

1. INTRODUCTION 

NOAA’s NOS is developing a software tool called VDatum to transform elevation data 

among approximately 30 vertical datums (Gill and Schultz, 2001; Hess et al., 2003; 

Milbert, 2002; Parker, 2002; Myers et al., 2005; Spargo, et al., 2006(2); Yang et al., 

2006). Once VDatum has been established for a region, data sets referenced to different 

vertical datums can be integrated through transformations to a common vertical datum 

(Parker et al., 2003). VDatum allows bathymetric and topographic data to be integrated in 

this manner through its inherent geoidal, ellipsoidal, and tidal relationships. 

To be applicable over coastal waters, VDatum requires spatially varying fields of the tidal 

datums elevations and the Topography of Sea Surface (TSS). The former includes datums 

such as MHHW, MHW, MLW, MLLW, Mean Tide Level (MTL), and Diurnal Tide 

Level (DTL) defined relative to local mean sea level (LMSL). The latter refers to the 

elevation of the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88) relative to LMSL. 

This report describes the development of VDatum for the Great South Bay (GSB) area of 

Long Island, NY. Figure 1 displays a map encompassing Long Island Sound (LIS), New 

York Bight (NYB), Narragansett Bay (NB), and adjacent embayments and coastal waters 

(referred to as LIS-NY). In the figure, the black line represents the MHW coastline and 

the green line denotes 25-nm offshore demarcation. Tidal datums for VDatum are 

generally developed for water areas between the coastline and the 25-nm offshore limit, 

which encompasses the whole GSB area. 

Development of VDatum begins with tidal simulations using a hydrodynamic model. 

Harmonic constants of 37 tidal constituents (Yang, et al., 2008(1)) were computed from a 

40-day water level time series derived from the model simulation. These harmonic 

constants were then used to reconstruct a long water level time series over the National 

Tidal Datum Epoch (1983-2001) from which tidal datums were derived. The tidal datums 

are verified through comparisons with observational data, and error corrections were 

made based on these comparisons. Regularly structured VDatum marine grids were 

created and populated with corrected tidal datums. Finally, for the same marine grid, the 

NAVD88-to-LMSL field was derived by either fitting tidal model results to tidal bench 

marks leveled in NAVD88 or calculating orthometric-to-tidal datum relationships at 

NOAA tidal gauges. 

This technical report is organized as follows: After an introduction in Section 1, Section 2 

discusses data input needed for driving the hydrodynamic model run and the verification 

of the model results. Such data inputs include the digital coastline, bathymetry, and tidal 

datums derived from observational data. Section 3 details tidal datum simulation 

procedures, including an introduction of the tidal hydrodynamic model, its setup, 

validation of results, and error corrections. Section 4 discusses creation of the regularly 

structured marine grid required for the VDatum software tool and its population with 

error-corrected model datums. In Section 5, creation of TSS for the area is described. 

Finally, a summary is given in Section 6. 
2

Figure 1. Map of the Long Island Sound, New York Bight, and Narragansett 

 Bay area. Red lines illustrate the MHW shoreline. The green line denotes 

 a distance 25-nautical miles offshore. 

 

Hudson 

River 

Narragansett 

Bay

New York

Harbor

Block 

Island 

Housatonic 

River

Connecticut 

River

New York 

Bight New 

Jersey

Montauk 

Point 

Lower

 Bay Great 

South Bay
3

2. COASTLINE, BATHYMETRIC, AND WATER LEVEL DATA 

VDatum requires an accurate representation of spatially varying tidal datum fields 

(Milbert and Hess, 2001). To achieve this, VDatum applications are developed using a 

combination of observational data, hydrodynamic models, and spatial interpolation 

techniques (Myers, 2005; Spargo and Woolard, 2005) For this VDatum application for 

Great South Bay, a tide model was first set up to compute spatially varying tidal datums. 

The modeled tidal datums were next compared with those derived from CO-OPS 

observational data. Finally, spatial interpolation techniques were used to create a 

correction field to be applied to the model results to derive a corrected field of tidal 

datums that are consistent with the observations. 

For the tidal simulations, coastline data are required for delineating land-water 

boundaries so as to define hydrodynamic model domains. In addition, bathymetric data 

are needed to provide the model grid bathymetry. Numerical model results may not 

exactly match CO-OPS observations, and therefore observational data are needed to 

verify and correct the model results. 

2.1. Digital Coastline 

For VDatum, the mean high water shoreline is used as the coastline to delineate the landwater boundaries (Parker, 2002). The shoreline data used in the present study were 

mainly based on the Extracted Vector Shoreline (EVS) dataset available from the NOS 

Office of Coast Survey (OCS). However, compared to NOAA nautical chart MHW 

shorelines, this dataset had errors in certain nearshore marshland areas. The erroneous 

MHW depictions were corrected using computer-aided techniques, so they match the 

MHW coastlines illustrated on raster nautical charts. This was implemented via a 

commercial software package called Surface-Water Modeling System (SMS). Using 

SMS, geo-referenced raster nautical charts and the EVS data were overlaid and 

contrasted visually. Wherever the two did not match, the EVS was judged to be incorrect 

and replaced by the corresponding chart coastline. In Figure 1, the red line illustrates the 

final corrected coastline. 

2.2. Bathymetric Data 

Bathymetric data used in this study were from two sources: NOS soundings and the 

NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) bathymetry. The former were from the 

NOS/OCS hydrographic database maintained at the National Geophysical Data Center 

(NGDC) and the latter were based on the NOAA ENCs. The NOS sounding data include 

surveys conducted between 1930 and 2000. The datums were referenced to either MLW 

or MLLW, depending on the years of data collection. Figure 2 shows the survey years 

and locations. Figure 3 illustrates the spatial distribution of the ENC data. The ENC data 

were treated as referenced to MLLW. The horizontal and vertical accuracy standards for 

NOAA surveys are listed in Table A.1 of Appendix A . 
4

Figure 2. Dates and locations of NOS sounding surveys. 

 Figure 3. Spatial distribution of the ENC bathymetric data. 

1990 - 2000 

1930 - 1939 

1940 - 1949 

1950 - 1959 

1960 - 1969 

1970 - 1979 

1980 - 1989 

Dates of Surveys 
5

The NOS soundings possess a higher spatial distribution density than the ENC data. In 

some areas, the two are commonly available. However, neither of them provides 

complete coverage for the whole study area. Hence, they were blended for a better 

regional coverage. It is noted that even the merged data set left certain nearshore areas 

uncovered. NOAA nautical chart bathymetry was then manually digitized to compensate 

for the missing coverage. Since both the ENC and manually digitized bathymetries were 

grounded in nautical chart data, they were merged to form one data set and hereafter 

referred to as the ENC bathymetry without differentiation. 

2.3. Tidal Datum Data 

Tidal datum elevations from CO-OPS water level stations were used for verifying model 

results. These observational data are available online (Hess et al., 2005) from the official 

CO-OPS webpages (tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov). Many stations are located within 

embayments or near obstructions not mapped by the present model grid (Section 3.2), or 

at upper-reaches of riverine areas where datums exhibit strong seasonal variability. These 

observations were determined to be unsuitable for validating model results and were 

therefore discarded. 

In addition, observational data may correspond to the National Tidal Datum Epochs 

(NTDE) of either (1983-2001) or (1960-1978). Datasets without explicit NTDE 

information were discarded. In cases where datums for both the 1983-2001 and 1960-

1978 NTDE’s are available, those with the recent epoch (1983-2001) are used. This 

resulted in 145 stations actually used for model validations. Tables B.1 and B.2 in 

Appendix B list the station and tidal datum information. 

It is noted that the present study focuses on developing VDatum solely for Great South 

Bay, which represents a small portion of the whole LIS-NYB domain. There are only 7 

stations located within GSB. However, model-data comparisons were conducted for the 

entire 145 stations so as to provide a general assessment of the model skill. 
6

 
7

3. TIDAL DATUM SIMULATION 

3.1. Hydrodynamic Model 

The ADvanced CIRCulation (ADCIRC) model (Westerink and Luettich, 1993) was used 

to simulate water level time histories and derive tidal harmonic constant fields. The 

ADCIRC model is an unstructured grid hydrodynamic circulation model. It solves the 

shallow water equations and has been used for modeling tides in various ocean, coastal 

and estuarine environments (Luettich et al., 1999; Mukai et al., 2002; Myers and Hess, 

2006). The ADCIRC model provides a variety of options for users to specify input 

parameters and execution modes. For instance, the model may be run in either 2- or 3-

dimensonal modes, serial or parallel execution, linear or quadratic bottom friction 

formulations with constant or variable friction coefficients, etc. More details on the 

model setup such as model grid generation, bathymetry definitions, and parameter 

specifications are addressed in following sections. 

3.2. Model Grid 

The present model domain covers coastal waters from east of Narragansett Bay, down 

south to the New Jersey coast and cuts off at open ocean areas roughly along the 90-m 

isobath, encompassing LIS, NB, and NYB (Figure 1). A high-resolution, unstructured 

grid of 218,203 nodes and 395,562 triangular elements was created to map the domain up 

to the MHW shoreline (Figure 4). The spacing between grid nodes ranges from around 25 

m to 5.5 km. In general, finer elements were created for nearshore areas compared to 

those in deep waters, so as to accurately resolve fine coastline features and the 

bathymetric-dependent variability of tidal wavelengths. 

Developing VDatum for Great South Bay is the focus of the present study. Figures 5a-c 

show close-up views of three sections (from west to east) of the Great South Bay grid. 

Note that the entire model domain extends to offshore areas far beyond Great South Bay. 

This is for the purpose of ensuring model computational stability and pursuing accurate 

tidal simulations. In areas far away from shoreline, tidal currents are relatively weak and 

tidal fields exhibit rather gradual variability. The former helps maintain model 

computational stability, while the latter helps choose accurate tidal harmonic constants 

used as model open boundary forcings terms. 
8

Figure 4. Finite element grid for the entire model domain. Red dots denote the model 

open ocean boundary nodes. 
9

Figure 5. Close-up views of the model grid across Great South Bay (Figure 4). Plots 

(a), (b) and (c) displays three subareas from west to east. 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 
10

3.3. Bathymetry of Model Grid 

The bathymetry datasets described in Section 2.2 were used to specify the model grid 

bathymetry. Note that NOS soundings and ENC data were of different spatial resolution 

and coverage. As for the soundings alone, bathymetry may be referenced to either MLW 

or MLLW. Hence, they were categorized into two groups and applied to the grid 

separately. In short, the bathymetry data were classified into three groups: (1) MLLW 

NOS soundings (2) MLW NOS soundings, and (3) MLLW ENC data. The three groups 

were interpolated onto the model grid separately, resulting in three meshes corresponding 

to the three bathymetric datasets. 

The algorithm used for interpolating bathymetry onto the three meshes was the same. 

Bathymetry at each model node represents an average of data points within the node’s 

surrounding elements. Since element size changes throughout the model domain, the 

searching range for bathymetric data points varies from node to node. As the element size 

is smaller in coastal waters, bathymetry for nodes near the coastline were from more 

locally distributed data points compared to those in deep waters. 

As none of the three data sets provided complete coverage of the model domain, each of 

the three meshes left numerous unpopulated nodes. Hence, the three meshes were 

combined to obtain a more complete coverage. At nodes where bathymetric data were 

available in more than one mesh, an arithmetic average was taken; otherwise, the value 

from the solely available mesh was taken. After merging the three meshes, there still 

remained some nodes without valid bathymetry. These nodes were populated by 

averaging bathymetry from adjacent nodes. 

It is worthwhile to note that the bathymetry of the three meshes had two different 

reference datums: MLW and MLLW. Setup of the tidal model requires the grid 

bathymetry to be referenced to the model zero (MZ) reference, a geopotential surface. It 

is therefore necessary to adjust the reference datum from MLLW/MLW to MZ prior to 

any data blending. However, the (MZ – MLLW/MLW) values are unknown prior to the 

model runs. The adjustment was accomplished by iteratively updating the MLLW = (MZMLLW) and MLW= (MZ-MLW) fields based on model results from a series of 

simulations: initial constant values of MLLW = 0.5 m and MLW = 0.4 m were assumed for 

the whole grid. Following each model run, new sets of tidal datum fields were derived 

and used to update the MLLW and MLW fields. Multiple runs were conducted until 

invariant MLLW and MLW values were achieved. Multiple iterations were made to meet a 

convergence criteria of both |MLLW| and |MLW| less than 5x10-3 m. Figure 6 shows the 

bathymetry used in the final model run. 
11

 Figure 6. Model grid bathymetry relative to MZ. Color bar is meters. 

. 

3.4. Model Parameters Setup 

In the present study, model parameters were set up to solve the shallow water equations 

in Two-Dimensional Depth-Integrated (2DDI) mode with finite amplitude and 

convection terms. Lateral viscosity was set as a constant, 6.0 m s-2, throughout the model 

domain. A quadratic friction scheme with a spatially-varying coefficient (Cf) was 

specified to calculate bottom friction. Multiple runs were conducted to test various Cf

values in an attempt to mitigate model-data discrepancies in reproducing tidal datums. 

Figure 7 shows the Cf applied for the final tidal simulations. 
12

Figure 7. Spatially variable bottom friction coefficients used for model simulations. 

The nine most significant astronomical tidal constituents (M2, S2, N2, K2, K1, P1, O1, Q1, 

and M4) in the area were chosen to drive the model on its open boundary. Corresponding 

harmonic constants were interpolated based on a tidal database derived from the Western 

North Atlantic Ocean tidal model (WNATM) (Myers, unpublished manuscript). A time 

step of 1.0s was used to ensure computational stability. The simulation covered a period 

of over 60 days. First, the model was ramped up for 10 days with a hyperbolic tangent 

function. It was then run for another 10 days to allow for the tidal field to reach an 

equilibrium state. Afterwards, water level time series were recorded at a 30-minute 

interval for 40 days to allow for harmonic analysis of the 37 constituents. 

The parallel version of ADCIRC model was adopted and the model run was conducted on 

128-processors of the JET computer at NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory. It 

took approximately thirteen hours to complete the 60-day simulation. 

3.5. Tidal Datum Computation and Results

Model derived harmonic constants were used to reconstruct long period water level time 

series and further derive tidal datums. Water level time series were compiled at a sixminute interval for the whole 1980-2001 National Tidal Datum Epoch at each grid node, 

using the following equation, 

Cf (x103) 
13



    

37

1

( ) cos( [ ] )

i

i i i o i i ς t f A t V u κ , 

where  represent the instantaneous water level relative to MSL, t is the time, i denotes 

one of the 37 constituents, fi is the nodal factor, Ai is the constituent amplitude, i is the 

constituent speed, [Vo+u]i represents the equilibrium argument at time zero, and i is the 

Greenwich epoch. In the computation, fi and i were updated every six minutes. 

The 19-year long time series were analyzed to derive tidal datum fields for MSL, 

MHHW, MHW, MLW, and MLLW. The latter four were then adjusted to be referenced 

to the MSL field. It is noted that since the reconstructed time series covers a complete 19-

year epoch, the derived MSL field actually equals a constant zero. 

Note that the MTL and DTL were defined as the algebraic averages between MHW and 

MLW and between MHHW and MLLW, respectively. The two fields were not computed 

until error-corrected MHHW, MHW, MLW, and MLLW fields were obtained (Section 

4.2). 

Figures 8a-d display the model derived tidal datum fields for MHHW, MHW, MLW, and 

MLLW, respectively relative to MSL. As expected, the four fields exhibit a similar 

spatial pattern. They demonstrate good agreement with previously published results in 

both spatial variability patterns and magnitudes (Swanson, 1976). In LIS, tidal range is 

enhanced by approximately fourfold from about 0.7 m near Block Island to 2.2 m at the 

western end of LIS. In NB, tidal range shows much smaller magnitude and demonstrates 

less severe spatial variability compared to that in LIS. Across the Bay, tidal range lies 

between 1.2-1.4 m, except near its upper reaches where the range could be as high as 1.6 

m. In New York Harbor, tidal range remains quite homogeneous, around 1.2 m. The 

NYB is located in relatively open and deep waters. The average tidal range in the central 

Bight is about 1.1 m. 

Figures 9a-d show close-up views of the GSB tidal datum fields (MHHW, MHW, MLW, 

and MLLW). All four fields demonstrate a three-mode spatial variability: their 

magnitudes are largest in the western bay; minimums appear in the central bay; and 

medium values show up in the eastern bay. In the western bay, tidal range reaches a 

maximum of about 1.5 m; it drops to around 0.5 m in the central bay; farther to the east, 

tidal range is enhanced to an approximate 0.9 m. 
14

Figure 8. Model-derived tidal datum fields, (a) MHHW, (b) MHW, (c) MLW, and 

(d) MLLW relative to MSL over the whole model domain. Color bars are in 

meters. 

(c) 

MLW 

(d) 

MLLW (d) 

(b) 

(c) 

(a) 
15

Figure 9. Model-derived tidal datum fields, (a) MHHW, (b) MHW, (c) MLW, and 

(d) MLLW relative to MSL over the Great South Bay area. Color bars are 

in meters. 

(c) 

M 

(a) 

MHHW 

(b) 

MHW 

(d) 

MLLW 

(c) 

MLWW 
16

3.6. Verifications and Error Corrections 

3.6.1. Comparisons with Observations 

To verify model results, modeled tidal datums were compared with those from the 133 

CO-OPS water level gauges in the region (Appendix B). Figures 10a-d display modeldata contrasts for MHHW, MHW, MLW, and MLLW, respectively. Yellow circles in the 

figure represent the GSB stations and red ones correspond to the rest. In general, there 

exhibits good model-data agreement. Over the 145 stations, magnitudes of the modeldata differences are averaged to be 4.0 cm, 3.8 cm, 4.0 cm, and 5.4 cm for MHHW, 

MHW, MLW, and MLLW, respectively. The model-data correlation coefficients are 

between 0.98-0.99 for all four tidal datums. 

Figure 10. Comparisons of the modeled (a) MHHW, (b) MHW, (c) MLW, and 

(d) MLLW datums against observations. Yellow circles represent the 

GSB stations and red ones correspond to the rest of the stations in the area. 

(a) (b)

(c) (d)
17

For each individual station, averaged magnitudes (|Avg|) of model-data differences over 

the four datums are examined. Figures 11a and 11b illustrate |Avg|’s scaled in colorcoded symbols. Of the seven stations within GSB, |Avg| ranges from 1.5 to 4.7 cm. 

Figure 11. Color-coded averaged model-data errors (|Avg|). Color bar is in cm. 

3.6.2. Match with Tidal Datums in Adjacent Areas 

The present model domain (hereafter referred to as the GSB domain) overlaps with the 

previously developed Chesapeake and Delaware Bays (CB-DB) VDatum areas (Yang et. 

al, 2008(1)). The two domains intersect at areas surrounding entrances to the five inlets 

connecting Great South Bay and New York Bight (Figure 12). 

In reality, tidal datums fields should be matched seamlessly across domain boundaries. 

However, this is not necessarily engendered when the two tidal datum fields datasets 

were developed separately with slightly differing model setups. For instance, different 

sets of boundary conditions for tidal harmonic constants were used by the present GSB 

model and those used for the CB-DB model: the former was from a direct interpolation of 

the WNATM tidal database (Section 3.4), while the latter corresponds to an adjusted 

WNATM results. Therefore, it is worthwhile to examine discrepancies and work out 

ways to reach seamless matches if needed. 
18

Figure 12. Model domains of the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays (red line) and the 

present GSB-LIS-NYB (blue lines). Black circles along transect AA’ 

illustrate the locations on which the agreement between tidal datums from the 

two models were examined. 

Red dots in Figure 12 represent selected boundary control stations for comparing tidal 

datums from the two domains. They correspond to nodes on the GSB model grid. Four 

datums (MHHW, MHW, MLW, and MLLW) of CB-DB domain are separately 

interpolated onto the control stations. Table 1 tabulates statistics of tidal datum 

differences across transect AA’. 

Table 1. Statistics of tidal datum differences () across the CB-DB and GSBLIS-NY domain boundaries. 

MHHW 

(cm) 

MHW 

(cm) 

MLW 

(cm) 

MLLW 

(cm) 

mean(||) 0.6 1.9 1.5 1.7 

Standard 

deviation () 0.5 0.4 0.2 0.2 

A 

A’
19

Three of the four datums demonstrate maximum differences of about 2 cm. The standard 

deviation of the differences ranges from 0.2 to 0.5 cm. It was therefore necessary to make 

adjustments to the present model results so as to reach a seamless match with the 

previously developed CB-DB results. This was accomplished by using TCARI, the 

details of which are described in the next section. 

3.6.3. Corrections 

Tidal datum corrections were developed to eliminate model-data differences at 

observational stations (Section 3.6.1) as well as to minimize datum discrepancies across 

boundaries of different VDatum domains (Section 3.6.2). This was achieved using the 

TCARI (Tidal Constituent And Residual Interpolation) spatial interpolation tool (Hess, 

2002, 2003). TCARI was used to spatially interpolate the error fields at a number of 

individual control stations onto the whole domain by solving Laplace’s equation. TCARI 

has been developed for use by both structured and unstructured model grids, and a 

version of the latter was employed in this study. 

To run TCARI, both the observational stations and the domain boundary stations were 

treated equally as control stations. For each tidal datum, both model-data differences (at 

145 tidal stations) and across-boundary discrepancies were computed and merged into 

one dataset for input to TCARI. 

After applying TCARI, error fields for MHHW, MHW, MLW, and MLLW were derived, 

which matched the tidal datum differences at the 145 control stations. The initial model 

results (Section 3.5) were then corrected by subtracting the error fields over the entire 

model grid. Figures 14a-d display the four corrected datum fields. 

Note that the other two tidal datum fields, MTL and DTL, were produced in a different 

way. They were derived from the four corrected datum fields by taking the averages 

between MHW and MLW and between MHHW and MLLW, respectively. Figures 13a-e 

display the final corrected tidal datum fields relative to MSL. 
20

Figure 13. Error-corrected tidal datum fields relative to MSL over the whole model 

domain, (a) MHHW, (b) MHW, (c) MLW, and (d) MLLW. Color bars are in 

meters. 

 

(a) 

MHHW 

(c) 

MLW 

(b) 

MHW 

(d) 

MLLW
21

Figure 14. Close-up view of error-corrected tidal datum fields relative to MSL over the 

Great South Bay area, (a) MHHW, (b) MHW, (c) MLW, and (d) MLLW. 

Color bars are in meters. 

(a) 

MHHW 

(c) 

MLW 

(b) 

MHW 

(d) 

MLLW 
22

 
23

4. CREATION AND POPULATION OF THE MARINE GRID 

4.1. Creation of VDatum Marine Grid 

Tidal datums in the VDatum software are defined on a regularly structured grid, referred 

to as the marine grid (Hess and White, 2004). Hence, it is necessary to convert the tidal 

datum fields from the unstructured grid onto the equally-spaced, raster VDatum marine 

grid. 

Nodes in the marine grid were specified as either water points or land points. The water 

nodes are to be populated with valid tidal datum values, and the land nodes are assigned 

with null values. To create and populate the marine grid, a high-resolution coastline and a 

bounding polygon (Figure 15) were used. The bounding polygon was setup to guide the 

delineation of water/land nodes. Only nodes within the bounding polygons or within one 

half of a cell size outside the coastline were delineated as water nodes; those outside of 

the bounding polygons or those more than one half of a cell size away from the coastline 

were marked as land nodes. 

Marine grid points are equally spaced. For a point at the i-th row and j-th column relative 

to the point (longitude0, latitude0) at the region’s southwest corner, its location 

(longitude_i, latitude_j) is defined as, 

Longitude_i = longitude0 + (i-1)×del_lon, i=1, ..., N_lon, 

Latitude_j = latitude0 + (j-1) ×del_lat, j=1, ..., N_lat, 

where del_lon, and del_lat denote separation between neighboring points along the 

meridional and zonal directions, respectively; N_lon and N_lat represent, respectively, 

the longitude and latitude dimensions of the raster data set. It is noted that the del_lon and 

del_lat are prescribed parameters representing the expected grid resolutions, while N_lon

and N_lat are derived parameters according to 

N_lon = 1 + (longitude1 - longitude0)/del_lon 

N_lat = 1 + (latitude1 - latitude0)/del_lat 

where (longitude1, latitude1) are the coordinate at the raster region’s northeast corner. 

Table 2 lists parameters defining the five marine grids. 

 

Table 2. Marine grid parameters 

Region Longitude0 

(degree) 

Latitude0 

(degree) 

del_lon 

(degree) 

del_lat 

(degree) N_lon N_lat 

RA NYH -74.4 39.3 0.0017 0.0017 1589 530 

RB LIS & NYB -74.0 39.3 0.0017 0.0017 1589 1825 

RC GSB -73.89 40.49 0.0005 0.0002 3001 2101 

 
24

Figure 15. Definitions of three marine grid bounding polygons: New York Harbor (NYH) 

(red), Long Island Sound (LIS) and New York Bight (NYB) (blue), and Great 

South Bay (GSB) (cyan). 

 

RA 

NYH 

RC 

GSB 

RB 

LIS & NYB
25

4.2. Population of VDatum Grid with Tidal Datums 

Tidal datums on the VDatum marine grid were populated by interpolating the TCARIcorrected tidal datums (Section 3.6) following the algorithm of Hess and White (2004). 

Datums at each grid point were computed by averaging or linearly interpolating those 

within a user-specified searching radius or the closest user-specified number of points. 

Marine points were populated differently depending on whether a point was 

inside/outside of ADCIRC model grid elements. If it was inside an element, datums were 

calculated using an interpolation of the three nodes of the element; otherwise, datums 

were computed using the inverse distance weighting of the closest two node values.

Figures 15a-e display the populated tidal datums (MHHW, MHW, MLW, MLLW, MTL, 

DTL). 

Tidal datum fields were further verified by comparing with either observational data 

(Sector 3.6.1) or with values along the LIS-NY boundary (Sector 3.6.2). The former gives 

an average model-data error over four datums (MHHW, MHW, MLW, and MLLW) of 

around 0.1 cm and a rms error of about 0.3 cm. 

Datum fields across the GSB and LIS-NYB boundary also demonstrate good consistency. 

For each of MHHW, MHW, MLW, and MLLW, the averaged difference and the 

standard deviations of the differences are both less than 0.1 cm. 

 
26

 
27

5. TOPOGRAPHY OF THE SEA SURFACE 

The TSS is defined as the elevation of NAVD 88 relative to local MSL. It is created by 

combining observed datums at NGS bench marks and CO-OPS water level stations with 

the tidal model results. Figure 16 illustrates the station locations used in this application 

(see details of the station information in Table D.1 of Appendix D). To create the TSS 

over the VDatum domain, the TSS values at the observation stations were first derived. 

These values were then interpolated over the whole domain. Afterwards, a quality control 

procedure was followed and appropriate changes were made to meet certain criteria. 

Figure 16. Location of tidal bench marks and tide stations used to compute the New 

Jersey to Rhode Island VDatum TSS grid. 
28

5.1. Derivation of TSS 

Two methodologies were used to compute the TSS at the observational stations: an 

indirect method using data from the NGS database (see Appendix D) and a direct method 

using data from the CO-OPS database (see Appendix E). To derive the TSS at the NGS 

stations, residuals (Rdatum) at every NGS bench mark location were computed as: 

Rdatum = TBMnavd88 – TBMdatum + VDdatum

where TBMnavd88 and TBMdatum are the observed (NAVD88–MLLW) and (DatumMLLW) differences, respectively, and VDdatum denotes modeled (Datum–MSL) 

differences. The residual, Rdatum, represents an estimation of the (MSL-NAVD88) 

difference. 

There are four sets of Rdatum, corresponding to MHHW, MHW, MLW, and MLLW. Each 

represents an independent estimation of the quantity MSL–NAVD88 associated with a 

tidal datum. Tables E.1 list Rdatum’

s at stations located within the VDatum bounding 

polygons (Figure 15). At each station, the four Rdatum’

s were then averaged to produce a 

mean residual ( Rdatum ). Rdatum represents an overall estimation of MSL–NAVD88 and is 

used for further development of the TSS grid. 

The TSS values at CO-OPS stations were simply derived by calculating orthometric-totidal datum relationships. Table D.1 shows the station location inventories and 

observations of elevation information. 

Next, the Rdatum values were merged with TSS values from CO-OPS stations to form a 

data set for creating a TSS mesh using the gridding software, Surfer©. A grid covering 

the entire area of bench marks and water level stations with a spatial resolution similar to 

that of the VDatum marine grid was created. Breaklines were inserted to represent the 

influence of land. The Surfer© software’s minimum curvature algorithm was employed 

to create a primary TSS field (TSSgrid) that honors the data as closely as possible. It is 

noted that the TSSgrid represents an estimation of the quantity MSL- NAVD88 and still 

requires further quality control and correction procedures (Section 5.2). Figure 17 shows 

the final TSS field covering the three VDatum regions (Table 2). In the figures, a positive 

value specifies that the NAVD 88 reference value is further from the center of the Earth 

than the local mean sea level surface. 

It is noted that data derived from both the indirect and direct methodology are initially 

relative to NAVD88 realized through GEOID03. This data derived for both methods is 

transformed back through GEOID03 to an ellipsoidal reference 

 
29

Figure 17. The New Jersey to Rhode Island TSS Grid. 
30

5.2. Quality Control 

Quality control is necessary for obtaining a final TSS field. This is facilitated through 

examining the differences (R-TSS) between Rdatum and TSSgrid observational stations: 

R-TSS = -(Rdatum - TSSgrid) 

The R-TSS approximately represents the difference between the observed tidal datum and 

the datum as computed by the gridded fields. The mean R-TSS at each bench mark should 

be less than 0.01 m. If it is not, the input data and grids are checked, appropriate changes 

are made, and the values are recomputed until the criterion is met. This results in a final 

TSS field. Finally, a land mask is applied to denote the presence of land. 

A final quality control was conducted by evaluating mean R-TSS over four tidal datums 

(MHHW, MHW, MLW, and MLLW) at each bench mark station. Note that R-TSS

represents the difference between the observed and modeled tidal datums. Tables E.1 in 

Appendix E tabulates the TSS differences. Table E.2 shows the average mean R-TSS

values and the corresponding standard deviations over the stations. Both values are less 

than 0.012 m, thus indicating good model-data agreement. 

 
31

6. SUMMARY 

VDatum tidal datum and TSS fields for Great South Bay of Long Island, NY were 

developed in this study. Creation of VDatum begins with creating tidal datums with 

numerical tidal simulations using ADCIRC model. A triangular finite-element grid 

consisting of 218,203 nodes and 395,562 cells was created. The model was forced with 

nine tidal constituents (M2, S2, N2, K2, K1, P1, O1, Q1, and M4). Tidal harmonic constants 

for 37 major tidal constituents were derived from the simulations. They were then used to 

construct 6-minute time series for the Nation Tidal Datum Epoch of1983-2001. Various 

tidal datum fields, including mean lower low water (MLLW), mean low water (MLW), 

mean high water (MHW), and mean higher high water (MHHW), were computed based 

on the modeled water level time series. 

A regular VDatum marine grid was created to be used as input to the VDatum software 

tool. Tidal datums defined on the unstructured grid were interpolated onto the regular 

grid to form the final datums as input to the VDatum tool. To compromise with the 

limitation of the TSS software in handling large-size arrays, the whole VDatum marine 

grid was divided into four sections. Tidal datum fields for each section were accordingly 

produced by extracting from those defined on the whole grid. 

The TSS fields were created separately for each of the four sections of the marine grid. 

They were derived using two methodologies: by fitting tidal model results to tidal bench 

marks leveled in NAVD88 or by calculating orthometric-to-tidal datum relationships at 

NOAA water level gauges. Results from two methods were coupled to create the final 

TSS grids and incorporated into the VDatum tool. 

ACKNOWLEDEGEMENTS 

The present project is developed with an immense amount of help from many personnel 

in NOAA’s CSDL and CO-OPS. Dr. Kurt Hess developed the software for the VDatum 

grid generation, tidal datum population, and final product quality control tests. Drs. 

Eugene Wei in CSDL and Stephen Gill in CO-OPS reviewed the entire manuscript. The 

authors would like to express genuine gratitude for their hard work.

REFERENCES 

Gill, S. K., and J. R. Schultz, 2001: Tidal Datums and Their Applications. Silver Spring, 

Maryland: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, Silver Spring, MD. NOAA Special Publication NOS CO-OPS 1, 

111 pp + appendix. 

Hess, K. W, 2001: Generation of Tidal Datum Fields for Tampa Bay and the New York 

Bight. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
32

Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, NOAA Technical Report NOS CS 11, 

43 pp. 

___, 2002: Spatial interpolation of tidal data in irregularly-shaped coastal regions by 

numerical solution of Laplace’s equation. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science,

54(2), 175-192. 

___, 2003: Water level simulation in bays by spatial interpolation of tidal constituents, 

residual water levels, and datums. Continental Shelf Research, 23(5), 395-414. 

___, D. G. Milbert, S.K. Gill, and D.R. Roman, 2003: Vertical Datum Transformations 

for Kinematic GPS Hydrographic Surveys. Proceedings, U.S. Hydrographic 

Conference, March 24 – 27, 2003. Biloxi, MS. 8 pp. 

Hess, K.W., E. A. Spargo, A. Wong, S. A. White, and S. K. Gill, 2005 : VDatum for 

Central Coastal North Carolina: Tidal Datums, Marine Grids, and Sea Surface 

Topography. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, NOAA Technical Report NOS CS 21, 

46 pp. 

Leuttich, Jr., R. A., J. L. Hench, C. W. Fulcher, F. E. Werner, B. O. Blanton, and J. H. 

Churchill, 1999: Barotropic tidal and wind driven larval transport in the vicinity of 

a barrier island inlet. Fisheries Oceanography, 33 (April), 913 – 932. 

Milbert, D. G. and K. W. Hess, 2001: Combination of Topography and Bathymetry 

Through Application of Calibrated Vertical Datum Transformations in the Tampa 

Bay Region. Preceedings of the 2nd Biennial Coastal GeoTools Conferences, 

Charleston, SC. 

Milbert, D.G., 2002: Documentation for VDatum (and VDatum Tutorial); Vertical datum 

transformation software. Ver. 1.06 

(nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/bathytopo/vdatum.htm). 

Mukai, A. Y., J. J. Westerink, R. A. Luettich Jr., and D. Mark, 2002, Eastcoast 2001: A 

tidal constituent database for the western North Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and 

Caribbean Sea, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Coastal 

and Hydraulics Laboratory, Technical Report, ERDC/CHL TR-02-24, 

September 2002, 201p. 

Myers, E. P., Wong, A., Hess, K., White. S., Spargo, E., Feyen, J., Yang, Z., Richardson, 

P., Auer, C., Sellars, J., Woolard, J., Roman, D., Gill, S., Zervas, C. and K. Tronvig, 

2005: “Development of a National VDatum, and its Application to Sea Level Rise 

in North Carolina.” Proceedings of the 2005 Hydro Conference, San Diego, CA. 

Myers, E. P. and Hess, K., 2006: Modeling of Tidal Datum Fields in Support of VDatum 

for the North and Central Coasts of California. U.S. Department of Commerce, 
33

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, 

NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS CS 6, 15 pp. 

Myers, E. P., unpublished manuscript: Tidal Datum Inversion Model of the Eastcoast of 

the United States. 

Parker, B. P., 2002: The integration of bathymetry, topography, and shoreline, and the 

vertical datum transformations behind it. International Hydrographic Review (3) 

3 (November 2002). 

Parker, B., K. W. Hess, D. Milbert, and S. K. Gill, 2003: A national vertical datum 

transformation tool. Sea Technology, v. 44. no. 9 (Sept. 2003), 10 - 15. 

Spargo, E. A., and J. W. Woolard, 2005. VDatum for the Calcasieu River from Lake 

Charles to the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana: Tidal Datum Modeling and Population of 

the Grid. NOS Technical Report NOS CS 19, 26 pp. 

Spargo, E.A., K.H. Hess, and S.A. White, 2006: VDatum for the San Juan Islands and 

Juan de Fuca Strait with Updates for Southern Puget Sound: Tidal Datum Modeling 

and Population of the VDatum Marine Grids. U.S. Department of Commerce, 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, 

NOAA Technical Report NOS CS 25, 50 pp. 

Spargo, E.A., Hess, K.H., Myers, E.P., Yang, Z., and A.Wong, 2006: Tidal Datum 

Modeling in support of NOAA’s Vertical Datum Transformation Tool. 

Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Estuarine and Coastal 

Modeling, October 31-November 2, 2005, Charleston, SC. p. 523-536. 

Swanson, R. L., 1976: Tides. MESA new York Bight Atlas Monography Series 4. 

Albany, New York. New York Sea Grant Institute. 

Westerink, J.J., R. A. Luettich, and J. C. Muccino, 1993: An Advanced ThreeDimensional Circulation Model for Shelves, Coasts, and Estuaries, Report 3: 

Development of a Tidal Constituent Database for the Western North Atlantic and 

Gulf of Mexico, Technical Report DRP-92-6, U.S. ACE Waterways Experiment 

Station, Vicksburg, MS. 

Yang, Z., Hess, K.H., Myers, E.P., Spargo, E.A., Wong, A., and J. Feyen, 2006: 

Numerical Simulation of Tidal Datum Fields for the Long Island Sound, New York 

Bight, and Narragansett Bay Area. Proceedings of the 9th International 

Conference on Estuarine and Coastal Modeling, October 31-November 2, 2005, 

Charleston, SC. p. 548-567. 

Yang, Z., E. Myers, A. Wong, and S. White, 2008: Vdatum for Chesapeake Bay, 

Delaware Bay, and Adjacent Coastal Water Areas: Tidal Datums and Sea surface 

Topography. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
34

Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS 

CS 15, 110 pp. 

Yang, Z., K. Hess, E. Spargo, A. Wong, S. White, and E. Myers, 2008: VDatum for the 

Long Island Sound, Narragansett Bay, and New York Bight and New York Harbor: 

Tidal Datums, Marine Grids, and Sea Surface Topography. U.S. Department of 

Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, 

Maryland, NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS CS 16, 62 pp. 
35

APPENDIX A. HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL ACCURACY STANDARDS 

FOR NOAA BATHYMETRY SURVEY 

Table A.1. The required horizontal and vertical accuracy standards for NOAA surveys. 

Accuracy requirements before 1957 were prescribed for survey projects. 

Survey Year* Horizontal 

Accuracy 

Vertical 

Accuracy Standard 

1998 – 

present 

Order 1 

1 – 100 m depth: 

5.0 m + 5% of depth 

 

Order 2 

100 – 200 m depth: 

20 m + 5% of depth 

Order 3 

100 – 200 m depth: 

150 m + 5% of depth 

Order 1 

 1 – 100 m depth: 

0.5 – 1.4 m 

Order 2 

100 – 200 m depth: 

2.5 – 4.7 m 

 

Order 3 

> 100 m depth: 

same as Order 2 

IHO S-44 1

and NOAA 2

 

1988 – 1998 

95% probability that the 

true position lies within a 

circle of radius 1.5 mm, at 

the scale of the survey 

0 – 30 m depth: 0.3 m 

> 30 m depth: 1% of 

depth 

IHO S-44 1

and NOAA 2

 

1982 – 1988 

probable error shall 

seldom exceed twice the 

plottable error (1.0 mm) at 

the scale of the survey 

0 – 20 m depth: 0.3 m 

20 – 100 m depth: 1.0 m 

> 100 m depth: 1% of 

depth 

IHO S-44 1

and NOAA 2 

1957 – 1982 

maximum error of 

plotted positions shall 

seldom exceed 1.5 mm at 

the scale of the survey 

0 – 20 m depth: 0.3 m 

20 – 100 m depth: 1.0 m 

> 100 m depth: 1% of 

depth 

IHC 3 

NOAA 2

and 

IHO S-44 1

before 1957 undetermined undetermined undocume

nted 

* end of field collection 1

 International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) Standards for Hydrographic Surveys, Special Publication 44, 

 (First Edition, 1968; Second Edition, 1982; Third Edition, 1987; Fourth Edition, 1998). 2

 U.S. Department of Commerce Coast and Geodetic Survey Hydrographic Manual (1931, 1942, 1960, 1976) 

 NOAA NOS Office of Coast Survey Specifications and Deliverables, 1999 – 2006. 

 NOAA was established in 1970. 

3

 International Hydrographic Conference, 1957. 
36
37

APPENDIX B. WATER LEVEL STATION DATA 

Table B.1. NOS Water Level Station Names 

 1 8447281 STEEPBROOK 

 2 8447386 FALL RIVER HOPE BAY 

 3 8447387 Borden Flats Light Mt Hop

 4 8450768 SAKONNET 

 5 8450898 BAY OIL CORPORATION 

 6 8450948 ANTHONY POINT 

 7 8451301 THE GLEN SAKONNET RIVER 

 8 8451351 SACHUEST 

 9 8451552 BRISTOL FERRY 

 10 8451929 BRISTOL BRISTOL HARBOR RI

 11 8452154 BRISTOL HIGHLANDS RI 

 12 8452555 NAVY PIER PRUDENCE ISLAN

 13 8452660 NEWPORT NARRAGANSETT BAY

 14 8452944 CONIMICUT LIGHT NARRAGAN 

 15 8453033 BAY SPRING BULLOCK COVE R

 16 8453201 CASTLE HILL 

 17 8453465 CONANICUT POINT RI 

 18 8453572 WARWICK POINT 

 19 8453733 RHODE IS YACHT CLUB RI 

 20 8453742 WEST JAMESTOWN 

 21 8453999 BEAVERTAIL POINT 

 22 8454000 PROVIDENCE PROVIDENCE RI

 23 8454049 QUONSET POINT 

 24 8454341 BOSTON NECK 

 25 8454538 WICKFORD NARRAGANSETT BAY

 26 8454658 NARRAGANSETT PIER RI 

 27 8455083 POINT JUDITH HARBOR OF R

 28 8458022 WEEKAPAUG POINT BLOCK IS

 29 8458694 WATCH HILL POINT 

 30 8459338 BLOCK ISLAND HARBOR OLD 

 31 8459681 BLOCK ISLAND SW END BLO

 32 8461392 NORWICH THAMES RIVER 

 33 8461467 YALE BOATHOUSE THAMES RI

 34 8461490 NEW LONDON THAMES RIVER 

 35 8461925 NIANTIC NIANTIC RIVER 

 36 8462764 LYME HWY. BR. CT. RIVER 

 37 8463348 TYLERVILLE CONNECTICUT R

 38 8463701 CLINTON CLINTON HARBOR 

 39 8463827 MAROMAS CONNECTICUT RIVE

 40 8463836 HIGGANUM CREEK CONNECTIC

 41 8464041 MADISON BEACH CLUB LONG I

 42 8464336 MIDDLETOWN CONNECTICUT R

 43 8464445 GUILFORD GUILFORD HARBOR

 44 8465233 BRANFORD BRANFORD RIVER 

 45 8465692 LIGHTHOUSE POINT NEW HAV

 46 8465705 NEW HAVEN NEW HAVEN HARB

 47 8465748 NEW HAVEN 

 48 8466375 GULF BEACH 

 49 8466442 MILFORD HARBOR 

 50 8466664 MURPHY S BOAT YARD HOUSA

 51 8466791 SNIFFENS POINT HOUSATONI

 52 8466797 I-95 BRIDGE HOUSATONIC R

 53 8467150 BRIDGEPORT BRIDGEPORT HA

 54 8467373 BLACK ROCK HARBOR CEDAR 
38

 55 8467726 SOUTHPORT SOUTHPORT HARB

 56 8468448 SOUTH NORWALK NORWALK RI

 57 8468609 ROWAYTON FIVEMILE RIVER 

 58 8468799 LONG NECK POINT LONG ISL

 59 8469549 COSCOB HARBOR CT 

 60 8510321 MONTAUK POINT LIGHT NY 

 61 8510448 U.S. COAST GUARD STATION 

 62 8510560 MONTAUK FORT POND BAY 

 63 8510719 SILVER EEL POND FISHERS 

 64 8511171 THREEMILE HARBOR ENTRANCE

 65 8511236 PLUM ISLAND PLUM GUT HARB

 66 8512354 SHINNECOCK INLET 

 67 8512451 PONQUOGUE POINT SHINNECOC

 68 8512668 MATTITUCK INLET LONG ISL

 69 8512671 SHINNECOCK BAY INSIDE OU

 70 8512735 SOUTH JAMESPORT GREAT PE

 71 8512769 SHINNECOCK YACHT CLUB PE 

 72 8512987 NORTHVILLE FUEL DOCK LON

 73 8513388 MORICHES COAST GUARD STAT

 74 8513825 SMITH POINT BRIDGE NARRO

 75 8514322 PATCHOGUE PATCHOGUE RIVE

 76 8514422 CEDAR BEACH 

 77 8514560 PORT JEFFERSON 

 78 8515102 BAYSHORE LONG ISLAND 

 79 8515186 FIRE ISLAND COAST GUARD S

 80 8515586 NORTHPORT NORTHPORT BAY 

 81 8515786 EATONS NECK

 82 8515921 LLOYD HARBOR LIGHTHOUSE 

 83 8516061 COLD SPRINGS HARBOR 

 84 8516299 BAYVILLE BRIDGE OYSTER B

 85 8516614 GLEN COVE YACHT CLUB LON

 86 8516761 PORT WASHINGTON MANHASSS

 87 8516945 KINGS POINT LONG ISLAND 

 88 8516990 WILLETS POINT LITTLE BAY

 89 8516992 WILLETS POINT WLTS NY 

 90 8516993 WILLETS POINT (RTWLTS) NY

 91 8517125 WHITESTONE NY 

 92 8517276 COLLEGE PT FT OF 110TH ST

 93 8517401 WARDS IS NY 

 94 8517732 WALLABOUT BAY BKLN NAVY Y

 95 8517811 GRAVESEND BAY NORTON PT B

 96 8517847 BROOKLYN BRIDGE EAST RIV

 97 8517921 GOWANUS BAY NY 

 98 8518091 RYE BEACH AMUSEMENT PARK

 99 8518490 NEW ROCHELLE 

100 8518621 HUNTS PT NY 

101 8518639 PORT MORRIS EAST 138TH S

102 8518643 RANDALLS IS NY 

103 8518687 QUEENSBORO BRIDGE EAST R

104 8518668 HORNS HOOK E. 90TH STREE

105 8518695 EAST 41ST STREET PIER NY 

106 8518699 WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE 

107 8518750 THE BATTERY NEW YORK HAR

108 8518903 SPUYTEN DUYVIL CK ENT HUD

109 8518905 RIVERDALE HUDSON RIVER NY

110 8518924 HAVERSTRAW BAY 

111 8519024 FORT WADSWORTH STATEN ISL

112 8519200 PORT IVORY ARTHUR KILL NY

113 8519483 BERGEN POINT WEST REACH 
39

114 8519789 ROSSVILLE STATEN ISLAND N

115 8530095 ALPINE HUDSON RIVER 

116 8530505 EDGEWATER HUDSON RIVER NJ

117 8530528 CARLSTADT HACKENSACK RIV

118 8530531 NORTH SECAUCUS HACK RIVER

119 8530645 UNION CITY HUDSON RIVER N

120 8530696 BELLEVILLE TPKE HACKENSA

121 8530743 POINT NO POINT PASSAIC R

122 8530772 KEARNY POINT HACKENSACK 

123 8530882 PORT ELIZABETH NEWARK BA

124 8530986 CONSTABLE HOOK UPPER BAY 

125 8531142 PORT READING ARTHUR KILL

126 8531232 SOUTH AMBOY RARITAN RIVER

127 8531262 KEASBEY RARITAN RIVER 

128 8531390 SAYREVILLE RARITAN RIVER

129 8531545 KEYPORT RARITAN BAY 

130 8531592 WAACKAACK CK RARITAN BAY 

131 8531662 ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS SANDY 

132 8531680 SANDY HOOK 

133 8531684 SANDY HOOK RTWLTS NJ 

134 8531712 HIGHLANDS BRIDGE SHREWSBU

135 8531753 OCEANIC NAVESINK RIVER 

136 8531833 RED BANK NAVESINK RIVER 

137 8531925 GOOSENECK BRIDGE SHREWSBU

138 8531942 LONG BRANCH INSIDE 

139 8531991 LONG BRANCH FISHING PIER 

140 8532322 SHARK RIVER HILLS NJ 

141 8532337 BELMAR OUTSIDE NJ 

142 8532339 AVON SHARK RIVER NJ 

143 8532371 WALL TOWNSHIP SHARK RIVER

144 8532585 POINT PLEASANT BEACH MAN

145 8532591 MANASQUAN INLET 

 
40

Table B.2. Tidal datums (meters) relative to mean sea level. The ‘N/A’s in the table 

denote missing values. 

No. Station 

ID 

Longitude 

(degree) 

Latitude 

(degree) 

MHHW 

(m) 

MHW 

(m) 

MLW 

(m) 

MLLW 

(m) 

NAVD88 

(m) Epoch 

 1 8447281 -71.1317 41.74 0.814 0.738 -0.634 -0.69 N/A 1983-2001 

 2 8447386 -71.1633 41.705 0.785 0.711 -0.618 -0.671 N/A 1983-2001 

 3 8447387 -71.1733 41.705 0.807 0.71 -0.625 -0.677 N/A 1960-1978 

 4 8450768 -71.1933 41.465 0.593 0.514 -0.453 -0.489 0.106 1983-2001 

 5 8450898 -71.21 41.6517 0.755 0.677 -0.593 -0.639 N/A 1983-2001 

 6 8450948 -71.2117 41.6383 0.699 0.617 -0.527 -0.581 N/A 1983-2001 

 7 8451301 -71.2367 41.5583 0.645 0.557 -0.479 -0.523 N/A 1983-2001 

 8 8451351 -71.2383 41.4867 0.589 0.518 -0.434 -0.474 N/A 1983-2001 

 9 8451552 -71.255 41.6367 0.752 0.676 -0.566 -0.616 N/A 1983-2001 

 10 8451929 -71.28 41.6683 0.719 0.634 -0.634 -0.683 N/A 1960-1978 

 11 8452154 -71.2933 41.6967 0.722 0.646 -0.646 -0.698 N/A 1960-1978 

 12 8452555 -71.3217 41.58 0.69 0.617 -0.522 -0.569 N/A 1960-1978 

 13 8452660 -71.3267 41.505 0.645 0.57 -0.487 -0.529 0.093 1983-2001 

 14 8452944 -71.3433 41.7167 0.756 0.68 -0.59 -0.639 N/A 1983-2001 

 15 8453033 -71.3683 41.7517 0.759 0.684 -0.61 -0.663 N/A 1983-2001 

 16 8453201 -71.3617 41.4633 0.611 0.537 -0.453 -0.497 N/A 1983-2001 

 17 8453465 -71.3717 41.5733 0.661 0.576 -0.573 -0.619 N/A 1960-1978 

 18 8453572 -71.3783 41.6667 0.72 0.64 -0.556 -0.602 N/A 1960-1978 

 19 8453733 -71.3867 41.7667 0.755 0.676 -0.677 -0.735 N/A 1960-1978 

 20 8453742 -71.3867 41.4967 0.639 0.567 -0.485 -0.529 N/A 1983-2001 

 21 8453999 -71.4017 41.4517 0.589 0.509 -0.509 -0.566 N/A 1983-2001 

 22 8454000 -71.4017 41.8067 0.79 0.715 -0.631 -0.686 0.069 1983-2001 

 23 8454049 -71.4083 41.585 0.683 0.609 -0.52 -0.567 N/A 1983-2001 

 24 8454341 -71.4283 41.46 0.625 0.548 -0.464 -0.502 N/A 1983-2001 

 25 8454538 -71.445 41.5717 0.692 0.613 -0.518 -0.563 N/A 1983-2001 

 26 8454658 -71.455 41.4217 0.576 0.497 -0.493 -0.533 N/A 1960-1978 

 27 8455083 -71.49 41.3633 0.562 0.485 -0.43 -0.468 N/A 1983-2001 

 28 8458022 -71.7617 41.3283 0.458 0.392 -0.378 -0.418 0.114 1983-2001 

 29 8458694 -71.86 41.305 0.457 0.374 -0.412 -0.457 0.096 1983-2001 

 30 8459338 -71.5567 41.1733 0.535 0.459 -0.411 -0.446 N/A 1983-2001 

 31 8459681 -71.61 41.1633 0.482 0.408 -0.383 -0.418 N/A 1983-2001 

 32 8461392 -72.0783 41.5233 0.524 0.426 -0.497 -0.568 0.035 1983-2001 

 33 8461467 -72.0933 41.43 0.488 0.395 -0.438 -0.502 N/A 1983-2001 

 34 8461490 -72.0867 41.355 0.462 0.372 -0.409 -0.468 0.092 1983-2001 

 35 8461925 -72.1867 41.325 0.472 0.386 -0.398 -0.446 N/A 1983-2001 

 36 8462764 -72.35 41.3217 0.59 0.506 -0.503 -0.557 N/A 1983-2001 

 37 8463348 -72.465 41.4517 0.488 0.413 -0.412 -0.443 N/A 1983-2001 

 38 8463701 -72.5317 41.2683 0.801 0.709 -0.679 -0.751 0.103 1983-2001 

 39 8463827 -72.5517 41.5417 0.436 0.362 -0.373 -0.404 N/A 1983-2001 

 40 8463836 -72.5533 41.5033 0.432 0.362 -0.37 -0.4 N/A 1983-2001 

 41 8464041 -72.59 41.27 0.847 0.753 -0.756 -0.826 N/A 1960-1978 

 42 8464336 -72.645 41.56 0.396 0.321 -0.341 -0.374 -0.188 1983-2001 

 43 8464445 -72.6667 41.2717 0.887 0.792 -0.79 -0.86 N/A 1983-2001 

 44 8465233 -72.8183 41.2617 0.992 0.896 -0.886 -0.956 0.086 1983-2001 

 45 8465692 -72.905 41.2517 1.035 0.934 -0.93 -1.001 N/A 1983-2001 

 46 8465705 -72.9083 41.2833 1.034 0.936 -0.939 -1.013 N/A 1983-2001 

 47 8465748 -72.9167 41.2933 1.045 0.946 -0.945 -1.021 0.076 1983-2001 

 48 8466375 -73.0417 41.205 1.058 0.96 -0.957 -1.034 0.074 1983-2001 

 49 8466442 -73.055 41.2183 1.062 0.962 -0.964 -1.039 0.071 1983-2001 

 50 8466664 -73.0883 41.275 1.202 1.1 -0.987 -1.062 0.02 1983-2001 
41

No. Station 

ID 

Longitude 

(degree) 

Latitude 

(degree) 

MHHW 

(m) 

MHW 

(m) 

MLW 

(m) 

MLLW 

(m) 

NAVD88 

(m) Epoch 

 51 8466791 -73.1133 41.1867 1.091 0.991 -0.97 -1.043 0.185 1983-2001 

 52 8466797 -73.1117 41.2033 1.115 1.013 -0.993 -1.067 0.054 1983-2001 

 53 8467150 -73.1817 41.1733 1.127 1.025 -1.03 -1.104 0.067 1983-2001 

 54 8467373 -73.2133 41.1567 1.13 1.027 -1.031 -1.107 N/A 1983-2001 

 55 8467726 -73.2833 41.1333 1.143 1.041 -1.043 -1.117 0.051 1983-2001 

 56 8468448 -73.415 41.0967 1.174 1.07 -1.084 -1.163 0.05 1983-2001 

 57 8468609 -73.445 41.065 1.181 1.076 -1.086 -1.164 N/A 1983-2001 

 58 8468799 -73.48 41.0383 1.2 1.092 -1.091 -1.162 N/A 1983-2001 

 59 8469549 -73.5967 41.0167 1.214 1.095 -1.094 -1.173 N/A 1960-1978 

 60 8510321 -71.8583 41.07 0.442 0.365 -0.397 -0.427 N/A 1960-1978 

 61 8510448 -71.935 41.0733 0.393 0.306 -0.305 -0.357 N/A 1983-2001 

 62 8510560 -71.96 41.0483 0.393 0.306 -0.325 -0.377 0.02 1983-2001 

 63 8510719 -72.03 41.2567 0.427 0.338 -0.373 -0.434 N/A 1983-2001 

 64 8511171 -72.19 41.035 0.469 0.378 -0.378 -0.439 N/A 1960-1978 

 65 8511236 -72.205 41.1717 0.491 0.396 -0.396 -0.457 N/A 1960-1978 

 66 8512354 -72.48 40.8367 0.559 0.475 -0.535 -0.58 N/A 1983-2001 

 67 8512451 -72.5033 40.85 0.509 0.43 -0.426 -0.466 N/A 1960-1978 

 68 8512668 -72.5617 41.015 0.876 0.784 -0.77 -0.836 N/A 1983-2001 

 69 8512671 -72.5617 40.82 0.458 0.381 -0.353 -0.373 N/A 1983-2001 

 70 8512735 -72.5817 40.935 0.501 0.411 -0.438 -0.492 N/A 1983-2001 

 71 8512769 -72.5533 40.8183 0.482 0.404 -0.37 -0.403 N/A 1983-2001 

 72 8512987 -72.645 40.9817 0.914 0.82 -0.812 -0.878 N/A 1983-2001 

 73 8513388 -72.75 40.7867 0.399 0.329 -0.329 -0.366 N/A 1960-1978 

 74 8513825 -72.8683 40.7383 0.222 0.173 -0.188 -0.224 N/A 1983-2001 

 75 8514322 -73 40.75 0.218 0.17 -0.169 -0.2 N/A 1983-2001 

 76 8514422 -73.0433 40.965 1.086 0.988 -0.976 -1.045 N/A 1983-2001 

 77 8514560 -73.0767 40.95 1.108 1.01 -1.005 -1.073 0.059 1983-2001 

 78 8515102 -73.24 40.7167 0.193 0.14 -0.161 -0.183 N/A 1983-2001 

 79 8515186 -73.26 40.6267 0.361 0.305 -0.304 -0.344 0.06 1983-2001 

 80 8515586 -73.3533 40.9 1.212 1.105 -1.111 -1.18 N/A 1983-2001 

 81 8515786 -73.4 40.9533 1.189 1.083 -1.086 -1.163 N/A 1983-2001 

 82 8515921 -73.4317 40.91 1.175 1.066 -1.078 -1.143 N/A 1983-2001 

 83 8516061 -73.47 40.8733 1.22 1.109 -1.114 -1.182 N/A 1983-2001 

 84 8516299 -73.55 40.9033 1.242 1.132 -1.122 -1.2 N/A 1983-2001 

 85 8516614 -73.655 40.8633 1.217 1.106 -1.11 -1.181 0.084 1983-2001 

 86 8516761 -73.7033 40.8317 1.212 1.103 -1.121 -1.203 N/A 1983-2001 

 87 8516945 -73.765 40.81 1.191 1.081 -1.1 -1.185 N/A 1983-2001 

 88 8516990 -73.7817 40.7933 1.191 1.08 -1.098 -1.182 0.058 1983-2001 

 89 8516992 -73.7817 40.7933 1.191 1.082 -1.095 -1.18 N/A 1960-1978 

 90 8516993 -73.7817 40.7933 1.191 1.082 -1.095 -1.18 N/A 1960-1978 

 91 8517125 -73.8133 40.7983 1.195 1.086 -1.082 -1.173 N/A 1960-1978 

 92 8517276 -73.8567 40.7833 1.14 1.03 -1.034 -1.119 N/A 1960-1978 

 93 8517401 -73.9217 40.7867 1.027 0.918 -0.917 -1.024 N/A 1960-1978 

 94 8517732 -73.9733 40.7067 0.756 0.653 -0.652 -0.722 N/A 1960-1978 

 95 8517811 -73.9983 40.59 0.826 0.723 -0.722 -0.792 N/A 1960-1978 

 96 8517847 -73.995 40.7033 0.769 0.655 -0.719 -0.78 0.11 1983-2001 

 97 8517921 -74.0133 40.665 0.823 0.72 -0.722 -0.786 N/A 1960-1978 

 98 8518091 -73.6717 40.9617 1.216 1.106 -1.116 -1.189 N/A 1983-2001 

 99 8518490 -73.7817 40.8933 1.216 1.107 -1.115 -1.194 0.084 1983-2001 

100 8518621 -73.8733 40.8 1.164 1.055 -1.055 -1.143 N/A 1960-1978 

101 8518639 -73.9067 40.8017 1.059 0.952 -0.949 -1.03 0.043 1983-2001 

102 8518643 -73.9283 40.8 0.805 0.704 -0.704 -0.777 N/A 1960-1978 
42

No. Station 

ID 

Longitude 

(degree) 

Latitude 

(degree) 

MHHW 

(m) 

MHW 

(m) 

MLW 

(m) 

MLLW 

(m) 

NAVD88 

(m) Epoch 

103 8518687 -73.9583 40.7583 0.751 0.65 -0.669 -0.733 0.061 1983-2001 

104 8518668 -73.9417 40.7767 0.808 0.713 -0.714 -0.772 N/A 1960-1978 

105 8518695 -73.9683 40.7467 0.758 0.655 -0.659 -0.732 N/A 1960-1978 

106 8518699 -73.9683 40.7117 0.719 0.62 -0.667 -0.727 0.066 1983-2001 

107 8518750 -74.015 40.7 0.758 0.66 -0.72 -0.783 0.064 1983-2001 

108 8518903 -73.925 40.8783 0.68 0.588 -0.585 -0.643 N/A 1960-1978 

109 8518905 -73.9167 40.9033 0.68 0.588 -0.588 -0.649 N/A 1960-1978 

110 8518924 -73.9633 41.2183 0.57 0.485 -0.498 -0.55 N/A 1960-1978 

111 8519024 -74.055 40.6067 0.795 0.692 -0.695 -0.759 N/A 1960-1978 

112 8519200 -74.18 40.645 0.85 0.747 -0.808 -0.878 N/A 1960-1978 

113 8519483 -74.1467 40.64 0.834 0.736 -0.782 -0.846 0.054 1983-2001 

114 8519789 -74.2233 40.5567 0.899 0.795 -0.796 -0.881 N/A 1960-1978 

115 8530095 -73.9183 40.945 0.62 0.543 -0.6 -0.658 -0.022 1983-2001 

116 8530505 -73.9783 40.8133 0.732 0.646 -0.646 -0.71 N/A 1960-1978 

117 8530528 -74.06 40.8067 0.901 0.803 -0.936 -1.017 N/A 1983-2001 

118 8530531 -74.0533 40.805 0.951 0.856 -0.854 -0.933 N/A 1960-1978 

119 8530645 -74.0183 40.7667 0.759 0.667 -0.665 -0.735 N/A 1960-1978 

120 8530696 -74.0967 40.7517 0.841 0.752 -0.855 -0.926 N/A 1983-2001 

121 8530743 -74.1167 40.7317 0.866 0.771 -0.816 -0.884 N/A 1983-2001 

122 8530772 -74.1033 40.7283 0.862 0.762 -0.827 -0.901 0.039 1983-2001 

123 8530882 -74.14 40.6733 0.848 0.744 -0.794 -0.856 N/A 1983-2001 

124 8530986 -74.085 40.655 0.793 0.692 -0.719 -0.789 N/A 1960-1978 

125 8531142 -74.245 40.555 0.888 0.782 -0.831 -0.906 N/A 1983-2001 

126 8531232 -74.2817 40.4917 0.859 0.755 -0.796 -0.863 N/A 1960-1978 

127 8531262 -74.3117 40.5083 0.879 0.777 -0.812 -0.87 N/A 1983-2001 

128 8531390 -74.3567 40.4783 0.898 0.798 -0.858 -0.929 N/A 1960-1978 

129 8531545 -74.1983 40.44 0.842 0.741 -0.798 -0.863 0.031 1983-2001 

130 8531592 -74.1433 40.4483 0.805 0.704 -0.704 -0.753 N/A 1960-1978 

131 8531662 -74.035 40.4183 0.808 0.705 -0.731 -0.792 N/A 1960-1978 

132 8531680 -74.01 40.4667 0.807 0.707 -0.727 -0.785 0.073 1983-2001 

133 8531684 -74.01 40.4667 0.805 0.701 -0.719 -0.78 N/A 1960-1978 

134 8531712 -73.9817 40.3967 0.734 0.637 -0.64 -0.692 N/A 1960-1978 

135 8531753 -74.015 40.3767 0.636 0.545 -0.494 -0.53 N/A 1983-2001 

136 8531833 -74.065 40.355 0.637 0.547 -0.523 -0.558 N/A 1983-2001 

137 8531925 -74.0167 40.3267 0.469 0.39 -0.393 -0.439 N/A 1960-1978 

138 8531942 -73.9967 40.325 0.475 0.4 -0.392 -0.43 N/A 1983-2001 

139 8531991 -73.9767 40.3033 0.76 0.655 -0.686 -0.744 0.075 1983-2001 

140 8532322 -74.0383 40.1917 0.765 0.658 -0.683 -0.738 N/A 1960-1978 

141 8532337 -74.0083 40.185 0.765 0.658 -0.692 -0.744 N/A 1960-1978 

142 8532339 -74.0267 40.1867 0.762 0.656 -0.661 -0.71 N/A 1960-1978 

143 8532371 -74.0467 40.1783 0.765 0.658 -0.686 -0.747 N/A 1960-1978 

144 8532585 -74.055 40.105 0.683 0.585 -0.603 -0.652 N/A 1960-1978 

145 8532591 -74.035 40.1017 0.706 0.605 -0.621 -0.676 0.063 1983-2001 
43

APPENDIX C. TIDAL DATUM FIELDS RELATIVE TO MSL DEFINED 

 ON VDATUM MARINE GRID 

Figure C.1. Tidal Datums defined on VDatum marine grid, (a) MHHW, (b) MHW, (c) 

MLW, (d) MLLW, (e) MTL, and (f) DTL. 

(a) 

MHHW

(b) 

MHW 
44

Figure C.1. (Continued) 

(c) 

MLW 

(d) 

MLLW
45

Figure C.1. (Continued) 

 

(e) 

MTL 

(f) 

DTL 
46

 
47

APPENDIX D. Tidal gauge and bench marks data used to create the TSS

Table D.1. Derived NAVD 88-to-LMSL values for each tidal datum at NGS bench 

marks from the New Jersey to Rhode Island Vicinity Tidal Grid. 

Benchmark Latitude Longitude 

From 

MLLW 

(m) 

From 

MLW 

(m) 

From 

MHW 

(m) 

From 

MHHW 

(m) 

Average 

(m) 

Std. 

Dev. 

(m) 

AB3868 40.96500 -73.67861 0.073 0.074 0.075 0.075 0.074 0.001 

AB6710 40.46861 -74.01027 0.078 0.078 0.071 0.071 0.074 0.004 

AB6711 40.46750 -74.00972 0.074 0.074 0.072 0.072 0.073 0.001 

AB6736 40.70000 -74.01500 0.070 0.068 0.065 0.064 0.067 0.003 

AB6737 40.70000 -74.01500 0.070 0.068 0.065 0.064 0.067 0.003 

AH6725 41.04833 -71.96000 0.017 0.017 0.015 0.014 0.016 0.001 

AH6726 41.04833 -71.96000 0.017 0.017 0.015 0.014 0.016 0.001 

AH6727 41.04833 -71.96000 0.017 0.017 0.015 0.014 0.016 0.001 

AH6728 41.04833 -71.96000 0.017 0.017 0.015 0.014 0.016 0.001 

AH6731 40.79333 -73.78166 0.061 0.060 0.059 0.058 0.059 0.001 

AH6732 40.79333 -73.78166 0.061 0.060 0.059 0.058 0.059 0.001 

AH9447 41.50694 -71.32777 0.086 0.086 0.097 0.097 0.091 0.007 

AH9448 41.50750 -71.32972 0.079 0.081 0.102 0.101 0.091 0.012 

AH9453 41.80750 -71.40000 0.062 0.062 0.060 0.063 0.062 0.001 

AI1725 41.17333 -73.18166 0.069 0.070 0.070 0.069 0.069 0.001 

AI8467 40.44000 -74.19611 0.044 0.044 0.029 0.030 0.037 0.009 

KU0373 40.93416 -72.57694 0.138 0.137 0.145 0.143 0.140 0.004 

KU0432 40.87555 -73.46916 0.059 0.061 0.058 0.059 0.059 0.001 

KU0505 40.94777 -73.07500 0.043 0.045 0.043 0.041 0.043 0.001 

KU0506 40.95083 -73.07750 0.065 0.066 0.064 0.062 0.064 0.002 

KU0668 40.71361 -73.24222 -0.035 -0.032 -0.034 -0.033 -0.033 0.001 

KU0670 40.71305 -73.24111 -0.004 -0.002 -0.003 -0.002 -0.003 0.001 

KU0976 40.79333 -73.78111 0.060 0.059 0.059 0.058 0.059 0.001 

KU0977 40.79444 -73.78166 0.061 0.060 0.059 0.058 0.060 0.001 

KU0978 40.79416 -73.78111 0.061 0.060 0.059 0.058 0.059 0.001 

KU0979 40.79416 -73.78138 0.061 0.060 0.059 0.058 0.059 0.001 

KU1012 40.80166 -73.90638 0.054 0.053 0.048 0.047 0.050 0.003 

KU1013 40.80166 -73.90638 0.042 0.041 0.036 0.035 0.038 0.003 

KU1042 40.70583 -73.96833 0.059 0.067 0.073 0.081 0.070 0.010 

KU1043 40.71250 -73.96833 0.070 0.071 0.078 0.082 0.075 0.006 

KU1044 40.71611 -73.96666 0.079 0.082 0.106 0.112 0.095 0.016 

KU1418 40.75972 -73.95833 0.066 0.066 0.073 0.073 0.069 0.004 

KU1593 40.86305 -73.65444 0.083 0.085 0.085 0.083 0.084 0.001 

KU1594 40.86277 -73.65444 0.080 0.082 0.082 0.080 0.081 0.001 

KU1595 40.86277 -73.65388 0.089 0.091 0.091 0.089 0.090 0.001 

KU1630 40.94638 -73.91944 -0.019 -0.019 -0.019 -0.017 -0.018 0.001 

KU1631 40.94638 -73.91944 -0.022 -0.022 -0.022 -0.020 -0.021 0.001 

KU1632 40.94638 -73.91944 -0.019 -0.019 -0.019 -0.017 -0.018 0.001 

KU1724 40.89166 -73.78250 0.088 0.088 0.090 0.090 0.089 0.001 

KU1726 40.89055 -73.78222 0.084 0.084 0.087 0.087 0.086 0.002 

KU1750 40.96472 -73.67583 0.051 0.052 0.053 0.053 0.052 0.001 

KU1751 40.96444 -73.67472 0.080 0.081 0.081 0.081 0.081 0.001 

KU1752 40.96388 -73.67388 0.077 0.078 0.078 0.078 0.078 0.001 

KU1753 40.96388 -73.67361 0.074 0.075 0.075 0.075 0.075 0.001 

KV0266 40.73222 -74.11694 0.018 0.019 0.017 0.017 0.018 0.001 
48

Benchmark Latitude Longitude 

From 

MLLW 

(m) 

From 

MLW 

(m) 

From 

MHW 

(m) 

From 

MHHW 

(m) 

Average 

(m) 

Std. 

Dev. 

(m) 

KV0440 40.64027 -74.13277 0.072 0.073 0.025 0.031 0.050 0.026 

KV0441 40.63861 -74.14305 0.055 0.055 0.050 0.052 0.053 0.003 

KV0442 40.63833 -74.14444 0.059 0.060 0.055 0.057 0.058 0.002 

KV0579 40.70333 -74.01416 0.073 0.073 0.088 0.085 0.080 0.008 

KV0584 40.70416 -74.01583 0.074 0.074 0.085 0.081 0.078 0.005 

KV0587 40.70083 -74.01555 0.066 0.065 0.071 0.069 0.067 0.003 

KV0701 40.47111 -74.01194 0.085 0.084 0.075 0.074 0.079 0.006 

KV0707 40.46805 -74.00833 0.073 0.073 0.072 0.072 0.072 0.001 

KV0709 40.46805 -74.00861 0.073 0.073 0.072 0.072 0.072 0.001 

KV0714 40.46111 -74.00416 0.074 0.075 0.072 0.072 0.073 0.001 

KV0756 40.44000 -74.19250 0.048 0.049 0.028 0.029 0.039 0.011 

KV2864 40.63777 -74.14638 0.058 0.058 0.056 0.057 0.057 0.001 

KV3519 40.46833 -74.00694 0.073 0.073 0.072 0.072 0.073 0.001 

KV3521 40.46777 -74.00888 0.077 0.077 0.077 0.076 0.076 0.000 

LW0150 41.80666 -71.40138 0.066 0.066 0.064 0.066 0.066 0.001 

LW0152 41.80694 -71.40194 0.063 0.063 0.061 0.063 0.062 0.001 

LW0154 41.80722 -71.39916 0.062 0.062 0.060 0.062 0.062 0.001 

LW0489 41.50750 -71.32861 0.078 0.080 0.102 0.102 0.091 0.013 

LW0491 41.50611 -71.32777 0.085 0.086 0.102 0.102 0.094 0.010 

LW0493 41.50694 -71.32722 0.091 0.091 0.099 0.098 0.095 0.005 

LW0571 41.63750 -71.25361 0.090 0.091 0.092 0.092 0.091 0.001 

LW0620 41.46305 -71.19583 0.110 0.110 0.104 0.102 0.106 0.004 

LW0622 41.46305 -71.19583 0.104 0.104 0.098 0.096 0.100 0.004 

LW0624 41.46388 -71.19083 0.106 0.105 0.104 0.103 0.104 0.001 

LW0631 41.49666 -71.38500 0.084 0.086 0.085 0.087 0.086 0.001 

LW0808 41.30388 -71.85916 0.101 0.101 0.108 0.109 0.105 0.004 

LW0809 41.30555 -71.85805 0.093 0.092 0.105 0.106 0.099 0.007 

LW0810 41.30555 -71.85805 0.093 0.092 0.105 0.106 0.099 0.007 

LW0831 41.04805 -71.95722 0.061 0.061 0.057 0.056 0.059 0.003 

LW0832 41.04722 -71.95833 0.018 0.018 0.014 0.013 0.016 0.003 

LW0833 41.05138 -71.95777 0.105 0.105 0.099 0.098 0.102 0.004 

LW5205 41.80638 -71.40111 0.069 0.069 0.067 0.069 0.069 0.001 

LX0101 41.31777 -72.35027 0.079 0.078 0.063 0.066 0.071 0.009 

LX0102 41.32111 -72.35111 0.055 0.054 0.042 0.047 0.049 0.006 

LX0157 41.35944 -72.09111 0.092 0.093 0.093 0.095 0.093 0.001 

LX0393 41.29611 -72.90250 0.076 0.073 0.070 0.068 0.072 0.004 

LX0470 41.27000 -72.52833 0.103 0.101 0.102 0.103 0.102 0.001 

LX0837 41.16000 -73.21277 0.054 0.054 0.054 0.054 0.054 0.000 

LX0885 41.20472 -73.11166 0.060 0.061 0.061 0.060 0.061 0.001 

LX0899 41.21138 -73.04722 0.071 0.070 0.075 0.077 0.073 0.003 

LX0900 41.21055 -73.04722 0.071 0.070 0.075 0.077 0.073 0.003 

LX0901 41.21027 -73.04694 0.074 0.073 0.078 0.080 0.076 0.003 

LX0902 41.21027 -73.04888 0.065 0.064 0.069 0.071 0.067 0.003 

LX2344 41.17555 -73.18000 0.066 0.067 0.067 0.065 0.066 0.001 

LX3226 41.52388 -72.08000 0.033 0.034 0.032 0.033 0.033 0.001 

LX3397 41.52083 -72.08111 0.037 0.038 0.036 0.037 0.037 0.001 

AB3868 40.96500 -73.67861 0.073 0.074 0.075 0.075 0.074 0.001 
49

Table D.2. Location and elevation information for NOAA tide gauges used to create 

the New Jersey to Rhode Island TSS grid. Tidal datums are relative to MLLW. Data 

are from CO-OPS. Station numbers marked with an asterisk have NAVD 88 

elevations computed from NGS. 

Station ID Latitude 

(deg) 

Longitude 

(deg) 

MHHW 

(m) 

MHW 

(m) 

MSL (m) MLW 

(m) 

MLLW 

(m) 

NAVD88 

(m) 

8461392 41.52333 -72.07833 1.092 0.994 0.568 0.071 0.000 0.603 

8461490 41.35500 -72.08667 0.930 0.840 0.468 0.059 0.000 0.560 

8462764* 41.32167 -72.35000 1.147 1.063 0.557 0.054 0.000 0.619 

8463348* 41.45167 -72.46500 0.931 0.856 0.443 0.031 0.000 0.381 

8463701 41.26833 -72.53167 1.552 1.460 0.751 0.072 0.000 0.854 

8463827* 41.54167 -72.55167 0.840 0.766 0.404 0.031 0.000 0.295 

8465233 41.26167 -72.81833 1.948 1.852 0.956 0.070 0.000 1.042 

8465748 41.29333 -72.91667 2.066 1.967 1.021 0.076 0.000 1.097 

8466375 41.20500 -73.04167 2.092 1.994 1.034 0.077 0.000 1.108 

8466442 41.21833 -73.05500 2.101 2.001 1.039 0.075 0.000 1.110 

8466573 41.30167 -73.07167 2.317 2.209 1.087 0.071 0.000 1.109 

8466664 41.27500 -73.08833 2.264 2.162 1.062 0.075 0.000 1.082 

8466791 41.18667 -73.11333 2.134 2.034 1.043 0.073 0.000 1.228 

8466797 41.20333 -73.11167 2.182 2.080 1.067 0.074 0.000 1.121 

8467150 41.17333 -73.18167 2.231 2.129 1.104 0.074 0.000 1.171 

8467373* 41.15667 -73.21333 2.237 2.134 1.107 0.076 0.000 1.163 

8467726 41.13333 -73.28333 2.260 2.158 1.117 0.074 0.000 1.168 

8468448 41.09667 -73.41500 2.337 2.233 1.163 0.079 0.000 1.213 

8447930 41.52333 -70.67167 0.672 0.588 0.300 0.043 0.000 0.415 

8447712* 41.59333 -70.90000 1.206 1.130 0.510 0.044 0.000 0.600 

8534720 39.35500 -74.41833 1.403 1.276 0.675 0.051 0.000 0.797 

8532591 40.10167 -74.03500 1.382 1.281 0.676 0.055 0.000 0.739 

8531991 40.30333 -73.97667 1.504 1.399 0.744 0.058 0.000 0.819 

8531680 40.46667 -74.01000 1.592 1.492 0.785 0.058 0.000 0.858 

8531545 40.44000 -74.19833 1.705 1.604 0.863 0.065 0.000 0.894 

8531369* 40.41667 -74.36333 1.867 1.766 0.948 0.066 0.000 0.957 

8531156* 40.54500 -74.26500 1.736 1.644 0.886 0.057 0.000 0.911 

8530772 40.72833 -74.10333 1.763 1.663 0.901 0.074 0.000 0.940 

8530743* 40.73167 -74.11667 1.750 1.655 0.884 0.068 0.000 0.910 

8530591 40.78667 -74.14667 1.886 1.782 0.938 0.076 0.000 0.952 

8530095 40.94500 -73.91833 1.278 1.201 0.658 0.058 0.000 0.636 

8510560 41.04833 -71.96000 0.770 0.683 0.377 0.052 0.000 0.397 

8512735* 40.93500 -72.58167 0.993 0.903 0.492 0.054 0.000 0.630 

8512769* 40.81833 -72.55333 0.885 0.807 0.403 0.033 0.000 0.500 

8514560 40.95000 -73.07667 2.181 2.083 1.073 0.068 0.000 1.132 

8516061* 40.87333 -73.47000 2.402 2.291 1.182 0.068 0.000 1.240 

8516299* 40.90333 -73.55000 2.442 2.332 1.200 0.078 0.000 1.276 

8516614 40.86333 -73.65500 2.398 2.287 1.181 0.071 0.000 1.265 

8516761* 40.83167 -73.70333 2.415 2.306 1.203 0.082 0.000 1.344 

8516990 40.79333 -73.78167 2.373 2.262 1.182 0.084 0.000 1.240 

8517847 40.70333 -73.99500 1.550 1.436 0.780 0.061 0.000 0.890 

8518091 40.96167 -73.67167 2.405 2.295 1.189 0.073 0.000 1.245 

8518490 40.89333 -73.78167 2.410 2.301 1.194 0.079 0.000 1.278 

8518639 40.80167 -73.90667 2.089 1.982 1.030 0.081 0.000 1.073 

8518687 40.75833 -73.95833 1.484 1.383 0.733 0.064 0.000 0.794 

8518699 40.71167 -73.96833 1.446 1.347 0.727 0.060 0.000 0.793 

8518750 40.70000 -74.01500 1.541 1.443 0.783 0.063 0.000 0.847 
50

Station ID Latitude 

(deg) 

Longitude 

(deg) 

MHHW 

(m) 

MHW 

(m) 

MSL (m) MLW 

(m) 

MLLW 

(m) 

NAVD88 

(m) 

8519483 40.64000 -74.14667 1.680 1.582 0.846 0.064 0.000 0.900 

8512987 40.98167 -72.64500 1.792 1.698 0.878 0.066 0.000 0.936 

8450768 41.46500 -71.19333 1.082 1.003 0.489 0.036 0.000 0.595 

8450954* 41.61833 -71.20333 1.200 1.115 0.539 0.047 0.000 0.596 

8451552* 41.63667 -71.25500 1.368 1.292 0.616 0.050 0.000 0.707 

8452660 41.50500 -71.32667 1.174 1.099 0.529 0.042 0.000 0.622 

8453742* 41.49667 -71.38667 1.168 1.096 0.529 0.044 0.000 0.615 

8454000 41.80667 -71.40167 1.476 1.401 0.686 0.055 0.000 0.754 

8458022 41.32833 -71.76167 0.876 0.810 0.418 0.040 0.000 0.532 

8458694 41.30500 -71.86000 0.914 0.831 0.457 0.045 0.000 0.553 

8513825* 40.73833 -72.86833 0.446 0.397 0.224 0.036 0.000 0.246 

8515102 40.71667 -73.24000 0.376 0.323 0.183 0.022 0.000 0.164 

8515186 40.62667 -73.26000 0.705 0.649 0.344 0.040 0.000 0.404 
51

APPENDIX E. COMPARISON OF DERIVED LIS TSS WITH OBSERVATIONS 

AND ERROR ANALYSIS 

Table E.1. QA/QC Deltas from the New Jersey to Rhode Island TSS Grid. 

PID Latitude 

(deg) 

Longitude 

(deg) 

MHHW 

Deltas 

(m) 

MHW 

Deltas 

(m) 

MLW 

Deltas 

(m) 

MLLW 

Deltas 

(m) 

Avg. 

(m) 

Std. Dev. 

(m) 

AB3868 40.965000 -73.678610 -0.001 0.000 0.001 0.002 0.001 0.001 

AB6710 40.468610 -74.010270 0.004 0.004 -0.003 -0.003 0.000 0.004 

AB6711 40.467500 -74.009720 0.000 0.000 -0.001 -0.002 -0.001 0.001 

AB6736 40.700000 -74.015000 0.003 0.002 -0.002 -0.003 0.000 0.003 

AB6737 40.700000 -74.015000 0.003 0.002 -0.002 -0.003 0.000 0.003 

AH6725 41.048330 -71.960000 -0.005 -0.005 -0.006 -0.007 -0.006 0.001 

AH6726 41.048330 -71.960000 -0.005 -0.005 -0.006 -0.007 -0.006 0.001 

AH6727 41.048330 -71.960000 -0.005 -0.005 -0.006 -0.007 -0.006 0.001 

AH6728 41.048330 -71.960000 -0.005 -0.005 -0.006 -0.007 -0.006 0.001 

AH6731 40.793330 -73.781660 0.002 0.001 0.001 -0.001 0.001 0.001 

AH6732 40.793330 -73.781660 0.002 0.001 0.001 -0.001 0.001 0.001 

AH9447 41.506940 -71.327770 -0.007 -0.006 0.005 0.005 -0.001 0.007 

AH9448 41.507500 -71.329720 -0.012 -0.010 0.011 0.010 0.000 0.012 

AH9453 41.807500 -71.400000 0.000 0.000 -0.002 0.000 0.000 0.001 

AI1725 41.173330 -73.181660 0.001 0.002 0.002 0.001 0.002 0.001 

AI8467 40.440000 -74.196110 0.007 0.008 -0.008 -0.007 0.000 0.009 

KU0373 40.934160 -72.576940 -0.002 -0.003 0.005 0.003 0.001 0.004 

KU0432 40.875550 -73.469160 0.000 0.002 -0.001 0.000 0.000 0.001 

KU0505 40.947770 -73.075000 -0.002 -0.001 -0.002 -0.004 -0.002 0.001 

KU0506 40.950830 -73.077500 0.001 0.002 0.000 -0.002 0.000 0.002 

KU0668 40.713610 -73.242220 -0.002 0.001 -0.001 0.000 0.000 0.001 

KU0670 40.713050 -73.241110 0.002 0.004 0.003 0.003 0.003 0.001 

KU0976 40.793330 -73.781110 0.001 0.000 0.000 -0.001 0.000 0.001 

KU0977 40.794440 -73.781660 0.001 0.001 0.000 -0.002 0.000 0.001 

KU0978 40.794160 -73.781110 0.002 0.001 0.000 -0.001 0.000 0.001 

KU0979 40.794160 -73.781380 0.002 0.001 0.000 -0.001 0.000 0.001 

KU1012 40.801660 -73.906380 0.006 0.006 0.001 0.000 0.003 0.003 

KU1013 40.801660 -73.906380 -0.006 -0.007 -0.011 -0.012 -0.009 0.003 

KU1042 40.705830 -73.968330 -0.012 -0.004 0.002 0.011 -0.001 0.010 

KU1043 40.712500 -73.968330 -0.003 -0.002 0.006 0.009 0.003 0.006 

KU1044 40.716110 -73.966660 -0.015 -0.012 0.011 0.017 0.000 0.016 

KU1418 40.759720 -73.958330 -0.002 -0.002 0.005 0.005 0.001 0.004 

KU1593 40.863050 -73.654440 0.000 0.001 0.001 -0.001 0.000 0.001 

KU1594 40.862770 -73.654440 -0.002 -0.001 -0.001 -0.003 -0.002 0.001 

KU1595 40.862770 -73.653880 0.002 0.004 0.004 0.002 0.003 0.001 

KU1630 40.946380 -73.919440 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.002 0.000 0.001 

KU1631 40.946380 -73.919440 -0.003 -0.003 -0.003 -0.001 -0.003 0.001 

KU1632 40.946380 -73.919440 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.002 0.000 0.001 

KU1724 40.891660 -73.782500 0.000 0.000 0.002 0.003 0.001 0.001 

KU1726 40.890550 -73.782220 -0.002 -0.002 0.000 0.001 -0.001 0.002 

KU1750 40.964720 -73.675830 -0.005 -0.004 -0.003 -0.003 -0.004 0.001 

KU1751 40.964440 -73.674720 -0.001 0.000 0.000 0.001 0.000 0.001 

KU1752 40.963880 -73.673880 -0.002 -0.001 -0.001 0.000 -0.001 0.001 

KU1753 40.963880 -73.673610 -0.004 -0.003 -0.003 -0.002 -0.003 0.001 

KV0266 40.732220 -74.116940 -0.001 0.000 -0.002 -0.002 -0.001 0.001 

KV0440 40.640270 -74.132770 0.022 0.023 -0.025 -0.020 0.000 0.026 
52

PID Latitude 

(deg) 

Longitude 

(deg) 

MHHW 

Deltas 

(m) 

MHW 

Deltas 

(m) 

MLW 

Deltas 

(m) 

MLLW 

Deltas 

(m) 

Avg. 

(m) 

Std. Dev. 

(m) 

KV0441 40.638610 -74.143050 0.001 0.002 -0.004 -0.002 -0.001 0.003 

KV0442 40.638330 -74.144440 0.003 0.003 -0.002 0.000 0.001 0.002 

KV0579 40.703330 -74.014160 -0.006 -0.007 0.008 0.006 0.000 0.008 

KV0584 40.704160 -74.015830 -0.003 -0.004 0.007 0.003 0.001 0.005 

KV0587 40.700830 -74.015550 -0.002 -0.003 0.003 0.001 0.000 0.003 

KV0701 40.471110 -74.011940 0.006 0.006 -0.003 -0.004 0.001 0.006 

KV0707 40.468050 -74.008330 0.000 0.000 0.000 -0.001 0.000 0.001 

KV0709 40.468050 -74.008610 -0.001 -0.001 -0.001 -0.002 -0.001 0.001 

KV0714 40.461110 -74.004160 0.001 0.002 -0.001 -0.001 0.000 0.001 

KV0756 40.440000 -74.192500 0.009 0.010 -0.011 -0.010 -0.001 0.011 

KV2864 40.637770 -74.146380 0.001 0.001 -0.002 0.000 0.000 0.001 

KV3519 40.468330 -74.006940 0.000 0.000 -0.001 -0.002 -0.001 0.001 

KV3521 40.467770 -74.008880 0.003 0.003 0.003 0.002 0.003 0.000 

LW0150 41.806660 -71.401380 -0.001 -0.001 -0.003 0.000 -0.001 0.001 

LW0152 41.806940 -71.401940 -0.002 -0.002 -0.004 -0.002 -0.003 0.001 

LW0154 41.807220 -71.399160 -0.001 -0.001 -0.003 0.000 -0.001 0.001 

LW0489 41.507500 -71.328610 -0.013 -0.011 0.011 0.011 -0.001 0.013 

LW0491 41.506110 -71.327770 -0.009 -0.008 0.009 0.008 0.000 0.010 

LW0493 41.506940 -71.327220 -0.004 -0.004 0.005 0.004 0.001 0.005 

LW0571 41.637500 -71.253610 -0.001 0.000 0.001 0.001 0.000 0.001 

LW0620 41.463050 -71.195830 0.004 0.004 -0.003 -0.004 0.000 0.004 

LW0622 41.463050 -71.195830 -0.002 -0.002 -0.009 -0.010 -0.006 0.004 

LW0624 41.463880 -71.190830 0.002 0.001 0.000 -0.001 0.000 0.001 

LW0631 41.496660 -71.385000 -0.002 -0.001 -0.001 0.001 -0.001 0.001 

LW0808 41.303880 -71.859160 -0.002 -0.002 0.005 0.006 0.002 0.004 

LW0809 41.305550 -71.858050 -0.006 -0.007 0.006 0.007 0.000 0.007 

LW0810 41.305550 -71.858050 -0.006 -0.007 0.006 0.007 0.000 0.007 

LW0831 41.048050 -71.957220 0.002 0.001 -0.003 -0.004 -0.001 0.003 

LW0832 41.047220 -71.958330 -0.011 -0.011 -0.015 -0.016 -0.013 0.003 

LW0833 41.051380 -71.957770 0.003 0.002 -0.004 -0.005 -0.001 0.004 

LW5205 41.806380 -71.401110 0.001 0.001 0.000 0.002 0.001 0.001 

LX0101 41.317770 -72.350270 0.008 0.007 -0.009 -0.006 0.000 0.009 

LX0102 41.321110 -72.351110 0.002 0.001 -0.010 -0.006 -0.003 0.006 

LX0157 41.359440 -72.091110 -0.001 0.000 0.000 0.002 0.000 0.001 

LX0393 41.296110 -72.902500 0.004 0.001 -0.003 -0.004 0.000 0.004 

LX0470 41.270000 -72.528330 0.001 -0.001 0.000 0.001 0.000 0.001 

LX0837 41.160000 -73.212770 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 

LX0885 41.204720 -73.111660 0.000 0.001 0.001 0.000 0.001 0.001 

LX0899 41.211380 -73.047220 -0.003 -0.004 0.001 0.004 -0.001 0.003 

LX0900 41.210550 -73.047220 -0.003 -0.004 0.001 0.003 -0.001 0.003 

LX0901 41.210270 -73.046940 -0.001 -0.002 0.003 0.005 0.001 0.003 

LX0902 41.210270 -73.048880 -0.004 -0.005 0.000 0.003 -0.001 0.003 

LX2344 41.175550 -73.180000 0.000 0.001 0.001 -0.001 0.000 0.001 

LX3226 41.523880 -72.080000 -0.001 0.000 -0.002 -0.001 -0.001 0.001 

LX3397 41.520830 -72.081110 0.000 0.001 -0.001 0.000 0.000 0.001 
53

Table E.2. New Jersey to Rhode Island TSS Comparison to Tide Gauges and Tidal 

Bench marks. 

PID Latitude (deg) Longitude (deg) NAVD 88 to 

MSL (m) 

TSS Derived 

Value 

(m) 

Delta (m) 

AB3868 40.965000 -73.678610 0.074 0.074 0.001 

AB6710 40.468610 -74.010270 0.074 0.074 0.000 

AB6711 40.467500 -74.009720 0.073 0.073 0.000 

AB6736 40.700000 -74.015000 0.067 0.067 0.000 

AB6737 40.700000 -74.015000 0.067 0.067 0.000 

AH6725 41.048330 -71.960000 0.016 0.021 -0.005 

AH6726 41.048330 -71.960000 0.016 0.021 -0.005 

AH6727 41.048330 -71.960000 0.016 0.021 -0.005 

AH6728 41.048330 -71.960000 0.016 0.021 -0.005 

AH6731 40.793330 -73.781660 0.059 0.059 0.000 

AH6732 40.793330 -73.781660 0.059 0.059 0.000 

AH9447 41.506940 -71.327770 0.091 0.092 -0.001 

AH9448 41.507500 -71.329720 0.091 0.091 0.000 

AH9453 41.807500 -71.400000 0.062 0.062 0.000 

AI1725 41.173330 -73.181660 0.069 0.068 0.001 

AI8467 40.440000 -74.196110 0.037 0.037 0.001 

KU0373 40.934160 -72.576940 0.140 0.140 0.000 

KU0432 40.875550 -73.469160 0.059 0.059 0.000 

KU0505 40.947770 -73.075000 0.043 0.045 -0.002 

KU0506 40.950830 -73.077500 0.064 0.064 0.000 

KU0668 40.713610 -73.242220 -0.033 -0.033 0.000 

KU0670 40.713050 -73.241110 -0.003 -0.006 0.003 

KU0976 40.793330 -73.781110 0.059 0.059 0.000 

KU0977 40.794440 -73.781660 0.060 0.060 0.000 

KU0978 40.794160 -73.781110 0.059 0.059 0.000 

KU0979 40.794160 -73.781380 0.059 0.059 0.000 

KU1012 40.801660 -73.906380 0.050 0.047 0.003 

KU1013 40.801660 -73.906380 0.038 0.047 -0.009 

KU1042 40.705830 -73.968330 0.070 0.070 0.000 

KU1043 40.712500 -73.968330 0.075 0.073 0.003 

KU1044 40.716110 -73.966660 0.095 0.094 0.001 

KU1418 40.759720 -73.958330 0.069 0.068 0.001 

KU1593 40.863050 -73.654440 0.084 0.084 0.001 

KU1594 40.862770 -73.654440 0.081 0.083 -0.002 

KU1595 40.862770 -73.653880 0.090 0.087 0.003 

KU1630 40.946380 -73.919440 -0.018 -0.018 0.000 

KU1631 40.946380 -73.919440 -0.021 -0.018 -0.003 

KU1632 40.946380 -73.919440 -0.018 -0.018 0.000 

KU1724 40.891660 -73.782500 0.089 0.088 0.002 

KU1726 40.890550 -73.782220 0.086 0.087 -0.001 

KU1750 40.964720 -73.675830 0.052 0.056 -0.004 

KU1751 40.964440 -73.674720 0.081 0.081 0.000 

KU1752 40.963880 -73.673880 0.078 0.079 -0.001 

KU1753 40.963880 -73.673610 0.075 0.078 -0.003 

KV0266 40.732220 -74.116940 0.018 0.019 -0.001 

KV0440 40.640270 -74.132770 0.050 0.050 0.000 

KV0441 40.638610 -74.143050 0.053 0.053 0.000 
54

PID Latitude (deg) Longitude (deg) NAVD 88 to 

MSL (m) 

TSS Derived 

Value 

(m) 

Delta (m) 

KV0442 40.638330 -74.144440 0.058 0.057 0.001 

KV0579 40.703330 -74.014160 0.080 0.079 0.001 

KV0584 40.704160 -74.015830 0.078 0.078 0.001 

KV0587 40.700830 -74.015550 0.067 0.067 0.000 

KV0701 40.471110 -74.011940 0.079 0.078 0.001 

KV0707 40.468050 -74.008330 0.072 0.073 -0.001 

KV0709 40.468050 -74.008610 0.072 0.073 -0.001 

KV0714 40.461110 -74.004160 0.073 0.073 0.000 

KV0756 40.440000 -74.192500 0.039 0.039 0.000 

KV2864 40.637770 -74.146380 0.057 0.057 0.000 

KV3519 40.468330 -74.006940 0.073 0.073 0.000 

KV3521 40.467770 -74.008880 0.076 0.074 0.002 

LW0150 41.806660 -71.401380 0.066 0.067 -0.001 

LW0152 41.806940 -71.401940 0.062 0.065 -0.003 

LW0154 41.807220 -71.399160 0.062 0.063 -0.001 

LW0489 41.507500 -71.328610 0.091 0.091 0.000 

LW0491 41.506110 -71.327770 0.094 0.094 0.001 

LW0493 41.506940 -71.327220 0.095 0.094 0.001 

LW0571 41.637500 -71.253610 0.091 0.091 0.000 

LW0620 41.463050 -71.195830 0.106 0.106 0.000 

LW0622 41.463050 -71.195830 0.100 0.106 -0.006 

LW0624 41.463880 -71.190830 0.104 0.104 0.000 

LW0631 41.496660 -71.385000 0.086 0.086 0.000 

LW0808 41.303880 -71.859160 0.105 0.103 0.002 

LW0809 41.305550 -71.858050 0.099 0.099 0.000 

LW0810 41.305550 -71.858050 0.099 0.099 0.000 

LW0831 41.048050 -71.957220 0.059 0.060 -0.001 

LW0832 41.047220 -71.958330 0.016 0.029 -0.013 

LW0833 41.051380 -71.957770 0.102 0.103 -0.001 

LW5205 41.806380 -71.401110 0.069 0.067 0.002 

LX0101 41.317770 -72.350270 0.071 0.071 0.000 

LX0102 41.321110 -72.351110 0.049 0.053 -0.004 

LX0157 41.359440 -72.091110 0.093 0.093 0.000 

LX0393 41.296110 -72.902500 0.072 0.072 0.000 

LX0470 41.270000 -72.528330 0.102 0.102 0.000 

LX0837 41.160000 -73.212770 0.054 0.054 0.000 

LX0885 41.204720 -73.111660 0.061 0.060 0.001 

LX0899 41.211380 -73.047220 0.073 0.074 -0.001 

LX0900 41.210550 -73.047220 0.073 0.074 -0.001 

LX0901 41.210270 -73.046940 0.076 0.075 0.001 

LX0902 41.210270 -73.048880 0.067 0.069 -0.002 

LX2344 41.175550 -73.180000 0.066 0.066 0.000 

LX3226 41.523880 -72.080000 0.033 0.033 0.000 

LX3397 41.520830 -72.081110 0.037 0.037 0.000 

8461392 41.523333 -72.078333 0.035 0.035 0.000 

8461490 41.355000 -72.086667 0.092 0.092 0.000 

8462764 41.321667 -72.350000 0.062 0.059 0.003 

8463348 41.451667 -72.465000 -0.062 -0.062 0.000 

8463701 41.268333 -72.531667 0.103 0.103 0.000 

8463827 41.541667 -72.551667 -0.109 -0.109 0.000 

8465233 41.261667 -72.818333 0.086 0.086 0.000 
55

PID Latitude (deg) Longitude (deg) NAVD 88 to 

MSL (m) 

TSS Derived 

Value 

(m) 

Delta (m) 

8465748 41.293333 -72.916667 0.076 0.076 0.000 

8466375 41.205000 -73.041667 0.074 0.074 0.000 

8466442 41.218333 -73.055000 0.071 0.071 0.000 

8466664 41.275000 -73.088333 0.020 0.020 0.000 

8466791 41.186667 -73.113333 0.185 0.173 0.012 

8466797 41.203333 -73.111667 0.054 0.055 -0.001 

8467150 41.173333 -73.181667 0.067 0.068 -0.001 

8467373 41.156667 -73.213333 0.056 0.056 0.000 

8467726 41.133333 -73.283333 0.051 0.051 0.000 

8468448 41.096667 -73.415000 0.050 0.050 0.000 

8532591 40.101667 -74.035000 0.063 0.063 0.000 

8531991 40.303333 -73.976667 0.075 0.075 0.000 

8531680 40.466667 -74.010000 0.073 0.073 0.000 

8531545 40.440000 -74.198333 0.031 0.031 0.000 

8530772 40.728333 -74.103333 0.039 0.039 0.000 

8530743 40.731667 -74.116667 0.026 0.024 0.002 

8530095 40.945000 -73.918333 -0.022 -0.021 -0.001 

8510560 41.048333 -71.960000 0.020 0.021 -0.001 

8512735 40.935000 -72.581667 0.138 0.138 0.000 

8512769 40.818333 -72.553333 0.097 0.097 0.000 

8514560 40.950000 -73.076667 0.059 0.060 -0.001 

8516061 40.873333 -73.470000 0.058 0.058 0.000 

8516299 40.903333 -73.550000 0.076 0.076 0.000 

8516614 40.863333 -73.655000 0.084 0.084 0.000 

8516761 40.831667 -73.703333 0.141 0.141 0.000 

8516990 40.793333 -73.781667 0.058 0.059 -0.001 

8517847 40.703333 -73.995000 0.110 0.110 0.000 

8518091 40.961667 -73.671667 0.056 0.057 -0.001 

8518490 40.893333 -73.781667 0.084 0.084 0.000 

8518639 40.801667 -73.906667 0.043 0.045 -0.002 

8518687 40.758333 -73.958333 0.061 0.062 -0.001 

8518699 40.711667 -73.968333 0.066 0.067 -0.001 

8518750 40.700000 -74.015000 0.064 0.067 -0.003 

8519483 40.640000 -74.146667 0.054 0.054 0.000 

8512987 40.981667 -72.645000 0.058 0.058 0.000 

8450768 41.465000 -71.193333 0.106 0.106 0.000 

8450954 41.618333 -71.203333 0.057 0.057 0.000 

8451552 41.636667 -71.255000 0.091 0.091 0.000 

8452660 41.505000 -71.326667 0.093 0.093 0.000 

8453742 41.496667 -71.386667 0.086 0.086 0.000 

8454000 41.806667 -71.401667 0.068 0.066 0.002 

8458022 41.328333 -71.761667 0.114 0.114 0.000 

8458694 41.305000 -71.860000 0.096 0.097 -0.001 

8513825 40.738333 -72.868333 0.022 0.022 0.000 

8515102 40.716667 -73.240000 -0.020 -0.021 0.001 

8515186 40.626667 -73.260000 0.060 0.060 0.001