Bathymetric Mapping & Water Quality Studies
Bathymetric Mapping & Water Quality Studies
Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois
Bathymetric Mapping
Many Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois lakes have publicly available maps. However, most of these lake maps were composed between 1930 and 1960. They include hand-drawn shorelines, estimated acreage and volume, and rough 5-foot contour lines. Even many “updated” colored and digital maps produced today still use contour lines from these historic maps. While these maps provide valuable historical perspectives, they often fail to accurately depict a lake’s current morphology.
Cason Land & Water Management, LLC creates high-resolution bathymetric maps of lakes and large ponds for any lake association, homeowner group, or private property owner. Once this data is collected and processed, the map can be printed to your specification. Multiple layers can be superimposed on the bathymetric layer to produce a digital map of plant beds, habitat structures, and any other requested lake feature.
Bathymetric Mapping is commonly used for:
- Water Quality Management Studies and Implementation
- Aeration System Design
- Fishery Habitat Improvement Planning
- Lake Hazard Identification
- Sedimentation and Lakebed Mapping
- Dredging Feasibility Studies
Water Quality Management
Many water bodies throughout the Midwest have experienced significant changes in clarity, plant communities, and overall water quality. These changes can have significant impacts on property values, drastically shift fish communities, and pose health hazards to recreational users. Toxic algal blooms, E. coli, and elevated bacteria concentration warnings are becoming increasingly common in the news, on beaches, and at boat launches. These decreases in water quality are often due to human influence.
Restoring and maintaining water quality is a service routinely provided for our clients. This process starts with identifying the factors influencing water quality. Each waterbody is different, requiring a customized study design. We offer our water quality management expertise throughout Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois.
Factors commonly influencing water quality are:
- Nutrient-polluted groundwater
- Fertilizer applications to adjacent land
- Failing septic systems
- Sediment erosion
- Nutrient-polluted streams
- Invasive carp
- Internal nutrient loading
After primary issues are identified, a mitigation plan can be developed. Cason Land & Water Management, LLC has designed hundreds of water quality improvement plans for clients across Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. We commonly utilize aeration, dredging, binding products, land use alternatives, diversions, retention basins, water quality bacteria applications, selective herbicide treatments, and many other tools. Contact Cason Land & Water Management, LLC to discuss how we can improve your pond and lake water quality!
