Affiliated Researchers conducts hydrographic surveying and sub-bottom profiling of the Ottawa River as part of US Environmental Protection Agency Program
Summer 2008
As part of an environmental restoration program through the US Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO), AFFILIATED RESEARCHERS was sub-contracted to provide hydrographic surveying and sub-bottom profiling of the Ottawa River, Ohio, from its mouth at Maumee Bay (Lake Erie) to river mile 8.8 upstream. The hydrographic survey was needed as part of a GLNPO multi-agency restoration project.
This restoration project involved toxic substances, nearshore health, and non-point source pollution occurring in the river, its main tributary, and the associated nearshore environments.
The overall shallowness of the river and the amount of accumulated sediments demanded AFFILIATED RESEARCHERS use innovative equipment and methods. Water depth and sediment thickness data were collected simultaneously using a survey-grade dual frequency echo sounder having hydrographic capabilities for both water depth measurement and sub-bottom profiling.
Data from the echo sounder were combined with data from a real-time, survey-grade RTK GPS to provide centimeter accurate, vertical and horizontal positioning. The RTK GPS centimeter accurate capabilities were a necessary aspect of the project in order to account for fluctuations in water levels in the river.
Integration of the echo sounder with the RTK GPS was accomplished using HYPACK software, and the hydrographic computer onboard the survey vessel. HYPACK and AutoCAD softwares were used to compile the data into bathymetric survey drawings of water depth, as well as depth of the accumulated river sediments.
A summary of the findings, to include estimated volumes of accumulated river sediments, was provided to the GLNPO to support the successful completion of the environmental restoration project on the Ottawa River.
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