Mapping the great unknown
The Hayden Lake Watershed Improvement District is looking for volunteers to collect data of Hayden Lake using their own fish-finder sonar devices on April 18 through 22 for the purpose of creating a bathymetric map. LOREN BENOIT/Press File
This C-MAP social map shows the current data available for the bottom of Hayden Lake. On April 18th through 22nd, the Hayden Lake Watershed Improvement District is looking for area anglers and boaters with fish-finding sonar devices to help gather data to complete the map. Photo courtesy of the Hayden Lake Watershed Improvement District
Mary Ann Stoll, communication and public outreach manager for the Hayden Lake Watershed Improvement District, said a bathymetric map of Hayden Lake will help her educate the public about how the lake system works and how it integrates into the entire watershed system. Photo courtesy of Mary Ann Stoll
Ray Valley, development manager for BioBase, uses a Lowrance Elite Ti2 fish-finder to collect data. Volunteers in the Hayden Lake mapping project will use fish-finder sonar devices to collect the data needed for a bathymetric map of Hayden Lake. Photo courtesy of Ray Valley
Volunteer anglers and boaters are invited to spend time on the lake — for a cause.
April 18th through 22nd is boating week on Hayden Lake for the Hayden Lake Watershed Improvement District, with the goal to collect data about the bottom of the lake for the purposes of creating a bathymetric map.
“I really wanted that understanding of the bottom of the lake because I’m an educator,” said Mary Ann Stoll, communication and public outreach manager for the district. “Knowing what the bottom of the lake is like, then I can talk about how the lake system works and how it integrates into the entire watershed system.”
The volunteers will trace a total of 152 miles of spiraling navigation trails while covering nearly 3,800 acres of water surface, gathering lake-bottom contour data using their own fish-finding sonar devices.
Stoll said the last time the lake bottom was mapped was over 30 years ago, but the technology at the time didn’t allow for a high level of accuracy. With more recent technology, Stoll said they should be able to create a map with a high level of accuracy and data. The current high accuracy map lists mostly data along the shoreline.
Stoll said historically, the reason the lake hasn’t been charted accurately yet is because the technology was not accessible until now. She said the accessibility of the technology now, and citizen science availability is what will make the mapping happen today.
“I think what’s really interesting, what's unique about this project too, is the citizen science component,” said Ray Valley, the development manager for BioBase, which is the technology used to help with the mapping. “We are doing this kind of crowdsourcing effort of volunteer effort, so all the stakeholders around the lake and anglers, anglers in particular, are all coming together to play a role in putting this together.”
Valley said they estimated about 40 hours of time on Hayden Lake to collect the sonar data, which will be broken down between volunteers. They hope to get between eight and 16 volunteers to help collect the data.
Valley said with splitting the lake time between volunteers using their own off-the-shelf Lowrance fish-finder sonar devices, they will be able to do what used to cost about $100,000 for almost nothing.
Volunteers will use their devices to collect detailed data about the depth, the hardness of the bottom and vegetative cover down below. Data from all volunteers will be uploaded to an automated cloud mapping system called BioBase, where algorithms process all the data and create a detailed uniform map, according to the district.
The contour and habitat maps will benefit agencies including the Kootenai Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture’s invasive weed management, and the Idaho Department of Lands waterways management, according to the district.
“There are a lot of people who really value that bathymetric data,” Stoll said.
Stoll said the Hayden Lake Watershed Improvement District will use the lake-bottom maps in their water quality research and in public education about the watershed and lake system.
The finished map will be available online at genesismaps.com/socialmap as a free resource. Volunteers will also receive access to the highly detailed map including more details than the free resource.
“That’s a really valuable incentive for participants,” Stoll said.
Mark’s Marine staff in Hayden will coordinate the technical side, provide technical support and training for the volunteers, as well as help put boats in and out of the water.
Valley said there is also an opportunity for onshore volunteers to help with putting boats in and out of the water, and serving the coffee and donuts on opening day.
Those interested in volunteering must attend a lake mapping training day pre-boating week on Thursday at 6:00 p.m., at Mark's Marine in Hayden.
To volunteer, register at https://haydenlakewid.com/citizen-science/hl-lake-mapping. Participants must provide their own boat, Lowrance, and 200 kHz or structure transducer.
