Bathymetric Surveys

IBW Surveyors provides turnkey bathymetric solutions for engineers and land surveyors. With over 20 years of expertise, we deliver survey-grade hydrographic data that is georeferenced, reliable, and easily integrated into your existing project files.

Technology & Methodology: Unmanned Surface Vessels (USV)

While we can employ various methods depending on project scope, IBW primarily utilizes Unmanned Surface Vessels (USV) equipped with single-beam sonar and integrated GPS. This remote-operated approach offers distinct advantages over conventional boat-and-rod methods:

• Enhanced Safety: Field crews remain on shore, eliminating the risk and liability associated with entering the water. This allows for safe surveying near hazardous areas, such as dams and spillways.
• High-Density Data: The USV collects thousands of data points with survey-grade accuracy in a fraction of the time required for manual methods.
• Data Integrity: All data undergoes automated filtration followed by a rigorous manual quality control process by our experts to ensure a clean, accurate output.
• Seamless Integration: Because our equipment utilizes integrated GPS, all bathymetric data is georeferenced and compatible with standard CAD and GIS software.

Sediment Volume Analysis & Dual Frequency Sonar

A critical application of our services is the calculation of accumulated sediment in stormwater ponds, reservoirs, and tailing ponds. To ensure precise volume analysis, IBW utilizes Dual Frequency Sonar technology.

This equipment transmits two distinct sound pulses simultaneously to generate a complete profile of the waterbed:

1. 1. High Frequency: Measured the top layer of soft sediment.
   2. Low Frequency: Penetrates the soft sediment to measure the compacted hard bottom or original design bed.

The Engineering Advantage: By creating surfaces for both layers, we calculate the exact volume of sediment sandwiched between them.

• Precise Dredging Quantities: We provide cubic-meter calculations strictly for the sediment layer, preventing over-estimation of removal costs.
• Non-Intrusive Measurement: Unlike physical survey rods which can sink arbitrarily into sludge, sonar provides a consistent, undisturbed measurement of sediment depth.
• Verification: We conduct baseline surveys to scope the work and post-cleanout surveys to verify that design depths were achieved.
• Visual Deliverables: We generate heat maps and cross-sections to visually identify specific areas of accumulation.

Typical Applications

• Stormwater Management & Pond Mapping
• Watershed & Floodplain Analysis
• Shoreline Erosion Monitoring
• Quarry & Tailing Pond Volumes
• River Mining & Environmental Hazard Mapping