A Year of Flooding – How it Effects Your Lake

With the current Missouri River flooding disaster and earlier Mississippi River flooding occurring through much of the middle of the country we are hearing a lot about terms like cubic feet per second, carrying capacity, inflow, outflows, surcharge, and US Army Corps of Engineers flood inundation maps.   There is obviously considerable loss of  property and the length and scale of this disaster are yet to be known.

As rivers (both large and small) increase levels and change course there are extremely high amounts of sediment being moved by the flooding.  If you live on a lake that is fed by a creek or river, there is a high need to monitor and map out sediment accumulation.

Here at The Mapping Network, we specialize in accurately mapping bodies of water, calculating the water volume, collecting sediment depth samples at critical areas and monitoring the distribution of sediment over time.  We have a nationwide group of professionals specializing in all facets of lake management.   If you are serious about maintaining  a high-quality lake or pond, be sure you have the ability to make the best decisions,  get your lake mapped by the professionals at The Mapping Network.   Give us a call or send an e-mail to find out more details.

phone:  (402) 241-8177

e-mail: info@themappingnetwork.com

website: www.themappingnetwork.com

A Nationwide Network of GPS Mapping Professionals

Map displaying sediment depths with color-shading to visualize the areas of high sedimentation.

Locations of sediment depth points collected. Each cover where a creek entered the lake was surveyed for sedimentation. The results of this project will assist lake managers in creating dredging plans.

Stress on Levees from Record Missouri River Flood

FLOOD: Rising water forces about 600 to evacuate in western Fremont County

About 600 people in western Fremont County in Iowa are being ordered to evacuate their homes, due to rising waters on the Missouri River.

Officials fear a federal levee on the Missouri River could be overtopped. The troublesome spot is located north of Hamburg, by the Nebraska City bridge, said Mike Crecelius, the county’s emergency management director.

Hamburg is not effected by the recent order. The levees constructed around that town are still holding, said Crecelius.

Much of Fremont County has been under a flood watch since April. The recent order covers much of the western third of the county and includes the communities of McPaul, Bartlett and Percival. In all, about 600 people are affected.

Crecelius says most of the people already have evacuated. But, he says, some are returning to their homes at night to sleep.

“The majority of those people voluntarily evacuated two and a half weeks ago. But now it’s a mandatory evacuation. No one is going to be out there period,” said Crecelius.

The flood waters near the federal levees reached 27.8 feet Wednesday. The levees were built to withstand about 28 feet.

Workers are sandbagging and doing everything they can to protect the levee, but at some point it will become too dangerous for workers to be on top of the water-saturated levee, said Crecelius.

Lake Volume and Capacity Curves

GPS Lake Mapping Accurately Accounts for Current Water Capacity

It is critical to know the exact acreage and depth range of your lake to make sound management decisions.  Precision GPS lake mapping conducted by The Mapping Network utilizes highly accurate procedures and equipment for data collection.  Utilizing sub-foot accurate GPS units and hydro-acoustic depth-sounding equipment, our team logs data points for extremely accurate location mapping.  Hydro-acoustic depth sounding equipment measures depth with unparalleled accuracy.  Our clients are able to accurately understand how much water is available in their lake at any number of water levels.  Best of all, this information is up-to-date and can be customized to any requirement.  Need to know how many gallons of water are available when the lake is at full pool?  How about if the water level is down 5, 10, or 15 feet?  We can even calculate the amount of water in certain depth ranges (example: volume for 5 to 6 feet).  Current, accurate results are our specialty.

A GPS Bathymetric Lake Map and Volume Analysis by The Mapping Network will help optimize your efforts to manage your lake or pond.

The Mapping Network offers a highly accurate "Volume Analysis" option for lakes.

Capacity Curve shows the relationship between water volume and elevation. Better understand the volume of your lake with The Mapping Network.

Please contact us for more information on how this service can assist you in managing your aquatic resource.

The Mapping Network:  www.TheMappingNetwork.com

A Nationwide Network of GPS Mapping Professionals

The Mapping Network provides the highest quality and is the most affordable bathymetric mapping system on the market today. If you are serious about maintaining a high-quality lake or pond, be sure you have the ability to make the best decisions, get your lake mapped by the professionals at The Mapping Network. Give us a call or send an e-mail to find out more details.

phone: (402) 241-8177
e-mail: info@themappingnetwork.com
website: www.themappingnetwork.com

Need a Large Wall Map of your favorite lake, property or hunting area, or golf course? The Mapping Network provides a low cost mapping product for the outdoor enthusiast!  Just let us know what area you want and we will print and ship a beautiful full-color wall map using the best aerial imagery available.

Create your own Aerial Maps here: Make My Own Map

Lake Dredging Due to Sediment Problems?

Save Significant Money on Dredging Projects with The Mapping Network!

The Mapping Network recently completed a mapping project for a large-scale home owners association in Arkansas.  The large lake had 21 coves and several homeowners were having difficulties accessing their dock due to sedimentation.  Here were some of the questions the HOA management team had:

– where is the highest sedimentation occurring?

– how much fluffy sediment (in cubic yards) is in each cove?

– if the lake is drawn down 5 ft, what would the shoreline look like?

– how much water (gallons and acre-ft) is in the lake?

– if we make each cove a minimum of 4 feet deep for boat access how much material do we need to remove?

– by undertaking this mapping process will it save us money in the end?

The overall goal of the lake mapping project was to survey each cove for future dredging along with the creation of an accurate map of the entire lake.  The lake had 21 coves and The Mapping Network collected water depths over the entire lake and fluffy sediment levels for all areas under 10 feet of water.

3D models were generated to show how much sediment had accumulated in each cove.  Contour maps were also made for each cove and given to the lake manager and engineer to review for dredging planning.  The Mapping Network then created cut-fill calculations and maps based on the specifications of the lake manager.  The HOA then used this information as part of the bid package given to dredging companies.  Presenting the precise plans took out the guess work and kept all the dredging contractors on task and it is projected to save the HOA an estimated $5,000-$12,000 per cove!  An incredible cost savings when compiled over 21 coves.

In the example maps below, The Mapping Network located the areas where the current depth was less than four feet, which was the dredging zone.  The mapping techniques utilized in this project helped the HOA accurately calculate and isolate areas of high sedimentation for removal and helped the property manager budget accordingly.

The bottom line – This powerful information allows for smart management and planning decisions and will serve as a baseline for future projects.  A great value!

A series of maps showing the selected area for dredging. The current lake bathymetry (top) and the post-dredge contours (middle) are shown in blue shading. A cut-fill model (bottom) shows areas of cut needed to reach the goal.

The Mapping Network provides the highest quality and is the most affordable bathymetric mapping system on the market today.  If you are serious about maintaining  a high-quality lake or pond, be sure you have the ability to make the best decisions,  get your lake mapped by the professionals at The Mapping Network.   Give us a call or send an e-mail to find out more details.

phone:  (402) 241-8177

e-mail: info@themappingnetwork.com

website: www.themappingnetwork.com

Certified Lake Mapping Partner: The Pond Connection

The Mapping Network would like to welcome our newest lake mapping partner, The Pond Connection.  Located in Newtown, Connecticut, The Pond Connection is a full service pond and lake management company. They have been servicing clients in the New York Tri-State area for nineteen years. The Pond Connection offers many long term and natural solutions for problem lakes and ponds.

How The Pond Connection Utilizes Lake Mapping…

Cost effective management of a lake or pond requires a thorough understanding of the aquatic resource. It is critical to know the exact acreage, depths and water volume of a lake to make the right management decisions, including fish species selection, stocking densities, habitat placement, algae and aquatic weed control, and lake dredging requirements. Our 3D map of your pond or lake will provide the information needed for optimal enhancement, maintenance and enjoyment.

In addition to our primary pond and lake mapping services (i.e., the contour and 3D formats), we also offer comprehensive and detailed mapping of bottom sediment. The sediment map, which illustrates site-specific sediment depths and volumes, can be used to construct accurate lake dredging plans. For specialized needs, we can also map various features of the resource. These may include, but not limited to, aquatic vegetation beds, wetlands, streams, irrigation canals, inlet and outlet features, dam facilities, habitat structures, boat ramps and fishing piers. These features can be added to each type of map, depending upon the client’s needs. Our specialized lake mapping service provides the detailed, accurate information landowners and property managers need to maximize their lakes’ potential.

Clients can choose to receive various formats of maps, including high quality printed maps and large wall maps. Using highly specialized equipment, our certified technicians collect data in the field, which are then analyzed and processed by professional GIS specialists; using the best available printing equipment and media.

Services and Products Provided By The Pond Connection:

• Lake and Pond Consultation
• Seasonal Maintenance Contracts
• Full Service Sales and Installation Distributor for:
• Aqua-Master Fountains Aerators
• Kasco Marine Aeration Equipment
• Keeton Solar  Aeration Systems
• Otterbine Fountains and Aerators
• Biological Controls for Ponds and Lakes
• Herbicide and Algaecide Treatments
• Federal and State Aquatic Permitting
• PHOSLOCK
• Lake Mapping
• Dredging Permits and Dredging
• Invasive Plants Control
• Buffer Zone Planting and Maintenance
• Irrigation Water Testing
• Swimming Pond and Lake Water Testing
• Fish Stocking and Population Management
• Pond and Lake Electro Shocking
• Marina Slip De-Icers
• Pond and Lake Draw Downs
• Life Line Safety Equipment
• EZ-docks
• Pro-Skim Skimmers
• FWM docks
• Water testing
• Triploid Grass Carp
• LED Pond and Water Feature Lighting
• Seasonal Aerator / Fountain Removal, Storage and Spring Start-Up

Give The Pond Connection a call or visit their website to find out more information.

phone: 1-800-305-3277

e-mail:  pondconnection@gmail.com

website:  http://thepondconnection.com

The Pond and Lake Connection

Note:  A full list of certified members of The Mapping Network is found on the right-hand side of the blog under “Partners”

The Mapping Network:  www.TheMappingNetwork.com

A Nationwide Network of GPS Mapping Professionals

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