Lake and Reservoir Mapping Services

Throughout the country and right here in Colorado, lake mapping services are an important part of a number of watershed management. Aqua Sierra offers Bathymetric and GIS mapping services to help our clients better plan their future and current water management. Determining the true depths, volumes, and bottom contours of your resource provides crucial data for an array of management decisions. Our Colorado based lake mapping services can be utilized for:

  • Calculating reliable volumetric data and depth capacity tables
  • Dredging planning and budgeting
  • Fish habitat inventory and structure installation planning
  • Watershed Management
  • Sedimentation analysis and tracking
  • Properly sizing and placing aeration system equipment
  • Creating imagery for public relations or education
  • Gathering data for GIS studies and research projects
 

Colorado lake mapping, Denver reservoir mapping, Colorado Bathymetry

Dredging Planning and Budgeting

While dredging can be one of the most effective ways to preserve and improve an aquatic resource, it can also be the most expensive and logistically challenging. Calculating sediment amounts through lake mapping is an important first step in any potential dredging project. Total sediment or “muck” volume allows clients to obtain accurate bids from dredging contractors and provides information to be used when planning for relocation of the removed material. Our bottom hardness bathymetric maps provide a clear understanding of where the sediment is most abundant and defines areas on which to focus dredging efforts. 

 

Dredging Planning and Budgeting

While dredging can be one of the most effective ways to preserve and improve an aquatic resource, it can also be the most expensive and logistically challenging. Calculating sediment amounts through lake mapping is an important first step in any potential dredging project. Calculating total sediment or “muck” volume allows clients to obtain accurate bids from dredging contractors and provides information to be used when planning for relocation of the removed material. Aqua Sierra’s bottom hardness maps provide a clear understanding of where the sediment is most abundant and defines areas on which to focus dredging efforts. Additionally, with bathymetric mapping the new contours of a renovated pond can be accurately designed while staying within allotted water storage rights.

Alternatively, our Colorado based lake mapping services can also be used to assess and plan far more cost-effective, longer-term alternatives to dredging such as bacterial treatments. We offer and plan bacterial treatments designed to remove muck buildup through bacterial digestion – reducing it layer after layer and avoiding the manpower, property damage, and extra costs and risks of wet or dry dredging process.

Additionally, with bathymetry and GIS mapping the new contours of a dredged pond, lake, or reservoir can be accurately designed to stay within allotted water storage rights.

Aeration System Design and Placement

Placing and designing an aeration system is a complicated process that depends on each unique lake, pond or reservoir’s characteristics. One of the most important characteristics is the volumetric and hydrodynamic profile of a water body. Custom designing aeration systems based on our volumetric data and bottom contours allows Aqua Sierra to guarantee a successful water column turnover rate and optimal water treatment. Strategically placing aeration diffusers in the deepest parts of a water body will maximize the systems energy efficiency and biological efficacy. Bathymetric surveying is highly recommended prior to investing in an aeration system to ensure the system will be properly sized for the water body and installed correctly.

Water Use Planning

Using our bathymetric and GIS mapping data, Aqua Sierra is able to develop depth capacity tables which provides total volume of the resource as well as volume for varying water levels or depth stages. This information is essential for decision making for a variety of water uses such as irrigation, recreation, water treatment, and boating safety. This information is also crucial for solving issues with water storage rights or plans for augmentation. Knowing how much water your lake holds is only becoming more important as the population of Colorado continues to increase and in-demand water resources are scrutinized for their rights, efficiency, and use.

Fish Habitat Inventory and Structure Placement

Bathymetric data is extremely valuable when assessing fish habitats and their effectiveness. With reliable depth and contour data, fishery managers are able to enhance the fishery by making informed recommendations on which specific fish species would be appropriate to stock, the risk of seasonal fish kills, and which areas are likely utilized as habitat. Additionally, a bathymetric map allows fisheries managers to make recommendations on the potential for artificial structure installation, including its design and optimal placement within the basin.


Whether abroad or Colorado, our lake mapping services offer excellence in planning use, ecosystems, dredging and settling legal disputes. Contact us to learn more.