A method of detecting seismic data acquisition unit depth and acoustic signal water column transit velocity for a seismic survey, comprising: obtaining, by a data processing system, seismic data acquired by a plurality of seismic data acquisition units disposed on a seabed responsive to an acoustic signal propagated from an acoustic source through a water column, wherein one or more of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units has a timing error; determining, by the data processing system, from the seismic data, a direct arrival time for the acoustic signal at each of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units; obtaining an estimated depth value of each of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units and an estimated water column transit velocity of the acoustic signal; identifying an average travel time error value based on the direct arrival time for the acoustic signal at each of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units, the estimated depth value, and the estimated water column transit velocity; determining an initial mean absolute deviation of travel time error based on a difference between a travel time error for each of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units and the average travel time error value; applying a depth model and a water column transit velocity model to the estimated depth value and to the estimated water column transit velocity to determine, using the initial mean absolute deviation of travel time error, an updated depth value and an updated water column transit velocity for each of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units; and creating, by the data processing system, a data structure indicating the updated depth value for each of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units, the updated depth value correcting for the one or more of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units having the timing error. obtaining, by a data processing system, seismic data acquired by a plurality of seismic data acquisition units disposed on a seabed responsive to an acoustic signal propagated from an acoustic source through a water column, wherein one or more of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units has a timing error; determining, by the data processing system, from the seismic data, a direct arrival time for the acoustic signal at each of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units; obtaining an estimated depth value of each of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units and an estimated water column transit velocity of the acoustic signal; identifying an average travel time error value based on the direct arrival time for the acoustic signal at each of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units, the estimated depth value, and the estimated water column transit velocity; determining an initial mean absolute deviation of travel time error based on a difference between a travel time error for each of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units and the average travel time error value; applying a depth model and a water column transit velocity model to the estimated depth value and to the estimated water column transit velocity to determine, using the initial mean absolute deviation of travel time error, an updated depth value and an updated water column transit velocity for each of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units; and creating, by the data processing system, a data structure indicating the updated depth value for each of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units, the updated depth value correcting for the one or more of the plurality of seismic data acquisition units having the timing error.