Bathymetric Studies: The Tools You Need to Help Budget for Lake and Pond Dredging

(Source: Solitude Lake Management Newsletter.  http://www.solitudelakemanagement.com/)

Did you know that a lake or pond, left to nature, has a distinct lifespan? Sediment in stormwater runoff, grass clippings, leaves, and other yard debris that find their way into the lake or pond add nutrients and accumulate on the bottom. This accumulation of nutrient rich sediment will gradually reduce the depth and volume of the pond while also feeding harmful algae growth. As owners and managers of ponds, we play an active role in maintaining the “healthy lifestyle” of a pond through the management program we choose and implement.

A properly maintained lake or pond often has aeration, healthy riparian buffers and well established populations of beneficial aerobic bacteria. This integrated approach to lake and pond management helps prolong the life of your waterbody, making it healthy and enjoyable for you and the aquatic life which inhabit it. But, even well maintained lakes and ponds, over time, will have to face some amount of dredging, which will likely be one of the most costly projects that a community or pond owner will undergo during the life of their lake or pond.

Proper planning for a dredging project could mean cost savings. SOLitude Lake Management recommends that you have a bathymetric and sedimentation study performed every three to five years (in conjunction with the community reserve study) to make certain that the bottom of your pond isn’t changing more rapidly than you are anticipating. Having the study performed on a regular basis will help to establish patterns and will assist in determining the size, magnitude, necessary budget, and timing for future dredging projects.

Sediment map of the entire lake.

Above and beyond dredging, bathymetry and sedimentation mapping can be used for many other purposes. Bathymetry will provide much needed pond information such as precise surface acreage and depths. This knowledge can provide a new world for pond owners and managers. It can help you properly place aeration or structural fish cover within the pond, provide accurate information for fish stocking and can even give fishermen an idea of where the fish are hiding, should the lake or pond be used for fishing.

Lake contours, 3D shaded depth and sediment thickness.

SOLitude offers high-quality, state-of-the-art lake maps. Our highly skilled professionals use precise instruments to gather the data necessary to create a variety of images in various formats. We highly recommend that you consider all aspects necessary to plan for the long term management and health of your lake or pond, and take a very close look at what is going on below the surface…it might surprise you!

Contact SOLitude Lake Management to speak with an expert biologist, ecologist or scientist for all of your lake, pond and fisheries management needs. 888-480-LAKE (5253) or info@solitudelake.com. Services available in VA, NC, SC, MD, PA, DE, WV, NJ & NJ. Aquatic products and consultation are available nationwide.

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The Mapping Network is an industry leader in Geographic Information Systems Consulting, Data Conversion, and GPS Data Collection.  We specialize in terrain and sub-surface (bathymetry) GPS mapping.   If you are serious about maintaining  a high-quality golf course, lake or pond, be sure you have the ability to make the best decisions,  get your resource 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

Check out The Mapping Network on Facebook for more examples and success stories!

For the best results in mapping, it’s best to consult with a lake management company equipped with the very latest in GPS mapping technology.  Along with standard contour maps, The Mapping Network creates virtual media solutions on YouTube including a fly-over video and virtual underwater virtual swim-through.  With this knowledge, you can add layers of depth to the information you seek to maintain a beautiful lake.

Hydrographic Survey of Lake in St. Louis, Missouri

The Mapping Network and Leisure Ponds teamed up to create a hydrographic and sediment survey for a property owners association in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri.  The client was experiencing an increase in sediment on the main inflow and also 2 other coves.  Residents were having difficulties accessing the main body of the lake from their docks due to shallow water.  The POA needed to know how much sediment had accumulated in each cove to budget for removal in the near future.  As a result of the lake survey the POA not only has an understanding of the amount of sediment in the coves, but they also have an accurate map of the entire lake.  This map will be used by the property owners as a fishing map and as a baseline for future monitoring of sedimentation.  Jim Darlington, owner of Leisure Ponds also generated a report on the health of the lake to ensure proper management and continued enjoyment for residents.

Detailed contour map as a result of the hydrographic survey

About The Mapping Network: 

The Mapping Network is an industry leader in Geographic Information Systems Consulting, Data Conversion, and GPS Data Collection.  We specialize in terrain and sub-surface (bathymetry) GPS mapping, and recreational Real Estate listings.   The Mapping Network is proud to announce their firm has been chosen by Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter, as a Landowner Services provider for Cabela’s Trophy Properties throughout the United States.  Visit us on the Cabela’s Trophy Properties website >> click here   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

Check out The Mapping Network on Facebook for more examples and success stories!

Start a Sediment Plan with an Accurate Lake Map

Here at The Mapping Network, we understand the challenges and costs associated with locating and removing sediment. 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.

Common questions from our clients:

• 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?

Each of these questions can be answered by mapping the lake using The Mapping Network’s system. We are able to locate the problems areas and calculate the volume (in cubic yards) of material to be removed. The lake mapping data allows us to show the new shoreline if a lake is drawn down 1 ft, 5 ft, 10 ft, etc. Also, calculating water volume at various lake levels can be done. One of the best aspects of the mapping process is it allows the owner and contractor to be on the same page. Successful planning and execution of the dredging project can ensue. We have seen clients save tremendous amounts of money by using The Mapping Network to survey their lake before undertaking the dredging process.

The time to act is now. Don’t waste another year trying to manage your resource without this information.

Map showing sediment depth. Individual depth points and color-shaded depth is shown. A great tool for understanding areas needing sediment removal.

About The Mapping Network: 

The Mapping Network is an industry leader in Geographic Information Systems Consulting, Data Conversion, and GPS Data Collection.  We specialize in terrain and sub-surface (bathymetry) GPS mapping, and recreational Real Estate listings.   The Mapping Network is proud to announce their firm has been chosen by Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter, as a Landowner Services provider for Cabela’s Trophy Properties throughout the United States.  Visit us on the Cabela’s Trophy Properties website >> click here   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

Check out The Mapping Network on Facebook for more examples and success stories!

Certified Hydrographic Survey and Sediment Map – Solitude Lake Management

Solitude Lake Management completed a certified hydrographic survey and sediment survey as part of a dredging analysis report.  This 29 acre lake, originally built in the early 1900’s has an average water depth of 2.6 feet.  Through sediment sampling, the average soft sediment thickness is 2.1 feet.  Over time the lake has lost almost half of its original capacity to sediment.  The estimated sediment volume was calculated and shown on a map.  This will allow engineers to create an efficient removal plan.  Dredging contractors can bid with confidence on how much sediment is actually in the lake.  The homeowners will ultimately benefit most from having an initial hydrographic survey because they will be able to control the project from start to finish – taking out the guess work and making sure their lake is restored for the lowest cost possible.

Solitude Lake Management Website on Lake Mapping:  Lake Mapping Information

phone: (866) 697-2584

website:  http://www.solitudelakemanagement.com

Hydrographic survey and sediment survey results

To learn more about our Sediment Mapping here >> Sediment Mapping Detailed

The Mapping Network is an industry leader in Geographic Information Systems Consulting, Data Conversion, and GPS Data Collection.  We specialize in terrain and sub-surface (bathymetry) GPS mapping.   If you are serious about maintaining  a high-quality golf course, lake or pond, be sure you have the ability to make the best decisions,  get your resource 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

Check out The Mapping Network on Facebook for more examples and success stories!

For the best results in mapping, it’s best to consult with a lake management company equipped with the very latest in GPS mapping technology.  Along with standard contour maps, The Mapping Network creates virtual media solutions on YouTube including a fly-over video and virtual underwater virtual swim-through.  With this knowledge, you can add layers of depth to the information you seek to maintain a beautiful lake.

Property Owner Association Uses Hydrographic & Sediment Surveys to Create Strategic Sediment Removal Plan

The Mapping Network Hydrographic Survey Team exceeds expectations for Property Owner Association.

Sediment problems are inevitable in all lakes and at some point removal is required.  Lake dredging and/or excavation can be an expensive process and requires accurate planning to be as cost-efficient as possible.   A lake Property Owners Association (POA) had been dealing directly with the challenges associated with sedimentation in their lake.  The POA decided they needed to quantify the sediment problem to create a sustainable sediment management plan.  The president of the board spearheaded an effort to get a hydrographic and sediment survey completed.  The president contacted several hydrographic survey companies and chose The Mapping Network to provide this service based on experience in the industry and listening to the needs of the POA.

Lake Survey Purpose:  The primary objective of the hydrographic and sediment survey was to better understand the condition of the lake by charting the existing lake contours along with mapping the sediment thickness throughout the lake.  Once the mapping process was completed the POA was able to identify areas that needed dredging and how much material was there.  This allows for much better budgeting and accountability.

Results:  The POA was excited to have information based on real numbers (lake and sediment survey).  The hydrographic survey results are an essential part of the decision making process with regards to the sediment removal planning.  Now they have real information, which gives them a clear picture of what to do in the future.

Action Plan:   The POA has hired a professional dredging contractor to clean out specified problem areas identified during the hydrographic survey process.  The POA will be using the hydrographic survey information as a baseline for all future work and will adjust the map as dredging wraps up.  In the end the primary problem facing the POA was not simply the sediment in the lake but rather not knowing the facts about the lake to make the best decisions.  The POA now has the facts needed to create a comprehensive plan that will accurately represent the work being completed.  Plus members have a wonderful contour map to assist with fishing!

The Mapping Network surveyed the bottom of the lake including the sediment depths. This map shows the lake water depth as blue contours lines as well as a color shaded sediment thickness. This specialized technology allows the POA to easily locate problem areas.

The Mapping Network is an industry leader in Hydrographic Surveys, Bathymetry, Geographic Information Systems Consulting, Data Conversion, and GPS Data Collection.  We specialize in terrain and sub-surface (bathymetry) GPS mapping.   If you are serious about maintaining  a high-quality golf course, lake or pond, be sure you have the ability to make the best decisions,  get your resource 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

Check out The Mapping Network on Facebook for more examples and success stories!

The Mapping Network is proud to announce their firm has been chosen by Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter, as a Landowner Services provider for Cabela’s Trophy Properties throughout the United States.  Visit us on the Cabela’s Trophy Properties website >> click here

The Mapping Network:  www.TheMappingNetwork.com

A Nationwide Network of GPS Mapping Professionals

New Lake Planning

Greg Grimes (Aquatic Environmental Services, Inc) was contracted to assist with preliminary planning of a lake for a client in Georgia.   Greg said “by utilizing the lake design tools available through our partnership with The Mapping Network, we were able to see how large the lake would be, the max depth, average depth, size of the dam and also the watershed.” With the map the client was able to see potential challenges with a limited watershed.  Information like this is critical when in the planning phase and now the landowner will scale back his lake plans based on the size of the watershed.   Then next step will include engineering specs and the permitting process which will ultimately lead to the construction of the lake.

Proposed lake created by The Mapping Network using specifications provided by the landowner.

The Mapping Network is an industry leader in Hydrographic Surveys, Bathymetry, Geographic Information Systems Consulting, Data Conversion, and GPS Data Collection.  We specialize in terrain and sub-surface (bathymetry) GPS mapping.   If you are serious about maintaining  a high-quality golf course, lake or pond, be sure you have the ability to make the best decisions,  get your resource 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

Check out The Mapping Network on Facebook for more examples and success stories!

The Mapping Network is proud to announce their firm has been chosen by Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter, as a Landowner Services provider for Cabela’s Trophy Properties throughout the United States.  Visit us on the Cabela’s Trophy Properties website >> click here

The Mapping Network:  www.TheMappingNetwork.com

A Nationwide Network of GPS Mapping Professionals