USCG Exam PracticeApplying tide corrections to charted depth
The heights of bridges and overhead obstructions on US nautical charts are referenced to which datum?
- A. Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW)
- B. Mean Sea Level (MSL)
- ✓ Mean High Water (MHW)Correct
- D. Mean Low Water (MLW)
Why C is correct
Bridge and light heights are referenced to Mean High Water (MHW), not MLLW. As the tide rises toward MHW, the vertical clearance beneath a bridge decreases.
Cited:Bowditch Ch. 9 §904