USING LIDAR TO SURVEY THE DISTRIBUTION OF CAROLINA BAYS IN ROBESON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

Carolina Bays are a dominant geomorphic feature on the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Robeson County is situated along the boarder between North and South Carolina, where the abundance of Carolina Bays is especially great. Early counts of Carolina Bays in Robeson County near 9,000 and are based on visual inspection of aerial photographs included in the 1978 Soil Survey. A preliminary comparison of counts based on visual assessment of LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data indicates actual occurrences may be 50% greater. Furthermore, larger and better delineated Carolina Bays are concentrated on the higher ground, while less defined (ghost) depressions dominate the lower landscapes, and very few have been identified on the terraces adjacent to the Lumber River.