hydrographique

Hydrographique is the French adjective relating to hydrography, the science and practice of measuring and describing bodies of water and the land areas adjoining them. It encompasses the collection and production of data that support navigation, coastal engineering, flood management, and water-resource planning.

Core elements include bathymetric measurement (depths), shoreline mapping, tidal and current observations, water level monitoring, and seabed characterization. Data are compiled into products such as nautical charts, hydrographic basemaps, and digital datasets used by mariners, port authorities, and planners. Hydrographic surveys employ a range of methods, from traditional lead-line soundings to modern echo sounding, multibeam and sidescan sonar, sub-bottom profiling, and airborne lidar for shallow waters. Satellite altimetry and remote sensing contribute broader-scale context, particularly for large coastal zones and estuaries. Data quality and standardization are guided by international bodies such as the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), which publishes standards and methodologies, including electronic navigational chart formats (S-57, S-100) and best practices for data accuracy, margin of error, and attribution.

Applications of hydrography include planning safe navigation, determining dredging needs, designing harbor facilities, assessing flood risk and hydrological connectivity, and supporting environmental monitoring. The field integrates hydrographic data with meteorology, oceanography, and GIS to model water movement, shoreline change, and sediment dynamics.

Etymology: hydrographique derives from Greek hydro, water, and graphie, writing or description. In English, related terms include hydrography and hydrographic surveying.