| Title: | A Simple GIS Approach for Estimating Lake Volume from Limited Data |
| Authors: | Jeffrey W. Hollister, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
| Date/Time: | Tuesday, October 6 ~ 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm |
| Abstract: | Lake volume provides key information for estimating residence time or modeling pollutants. Methods for calculating lake volume have relied on dated technologies (e.g. planimeters) or used potentially inaccurate assumptions (e.g. volume of a frustum of a cone). Modern GIS provides improved methods; however, these methods require detailed bathymetric data which may be unavailable. Obviously, GIS technology cannot correct for a lack of data. It can provide methods that better use limited data. I developed a method to model bathymetry and estimate the volume of a lake with only maximum depth and a lake shoreline layer. Using a simple linear transformation, I estimate depth as a function of distance from shoreline and then calculate lake volume. I tested this method with bathymetry data from lakes in New Hampshire. Preliminary results support the assumption of depth as a function of distance. Also, the simple GIS method better estimates lake volume than does the formula for volume of a cone. This approach has broad implications in the assessment of lake condition from broad-scale surveys and should provide improved hydrologic and contaminant models even in the absence of detailed bathymetric data. |
| Print this Page | |
| Close Window | |