Lake James Environmental

Association
Lake Bottom Mapping Program
Program Goals:
Monitor silt build-up.
Monitor the river channel changing over time.
Map bottom hardness in river deltas.
Determine the source of the silt and try to
minimize its impact on the lake.

Bottom Mapping Equipment

Sonar Sensor

GPS Antenna

Lowrance HDS-5

Al Pinkul & Ted Restel Discussing Mapping Operation

Mapping (Collecting Data) in Real Time

Computer Receiving Data From Lowrance Unit

Sonar/GPS Mast Mounted On Deck Boat. GPS Antenna

Directly Above Sonar Sensor To Eliminate Position Errors

Depth contour map of cove (west of Lake Club Drive

peninsula) overlaid on Google Earth, Nov 2011

Hardness map of cove (west of Lake Club Drive peninsula)

overlaid on Google Earth. Black is softest (Silt) Nov 2011

3D Depth contour map of cove (west of Lake Club Drive peninsula)

Nov 2011 (Looking into cove from main river channel)

Black Bear Cove Depth contour map (Overlaid on

Google Earth) 2012

Black Bear Cove Hardness map

Black is softest (silt) 2012

Black Bear Cove Depth contour map, 2013-10-01

(Overlaid on Google Earth)

Black Bear Cove Hardness map

Black is softest (silt) 2013-10-01

Black Bear Cove Depth contour map

2012
2013-10-01

Black Bear Cove Hardness map, Black is softest (silt)

2012
2013-10-01

Black Bear Cove + Bear Creek Marina Depth Contour Map

2014-07-02

Black Bear Cove + Bear Creek Marina Hardness Map

(Black Is Soft-[silt]) 2014-07-02

Work Objective
Establish baseline results for various sites
including a pilot test of what changes after a
storm.
Focus on major water inflow sites: Linville,
Catawba/Northfork and Paddy Creek deltas.
Use full pond elevation as a reference for all
depth measurements to get meaningful
results.

Lake Level yardstick on the valve tower at Linville Dam.

An absolute reference for lake level. We need to input the lake
level into the mapping software as a depth correction factor.

GPS Survey Marker(Top)

LJEA GPS Marker (Bot) at end
of dock
LJEA Marker GPS Position Is
Calculated From the Survey
Marker.
We put the Sonar/GPS mast
next to the marker at the end
of the dock to verify the GPS
accuracy of our Lowrance
unit

Linville River Delta 2012, Depth Contour Map

Linville River Delta 2012, Hardness Map

Blue is Softest (Silt)

Linville River Delta 2013-07-12, Depth Contour Map

Linville River Delta 2013-07-12, Hardness Map

Blue is Softest (Silt)

Linville River Delta 2014-07-01 Depth Contour Map

Linville River Delta 2014-07-01, Hardness Map

Blue Is Softest (Silt)

Linville River Delta, Depth Contour Comparison

2013-07-12
2014-07-01

Linville River Delta, Hardness Comparison

2013-07-12 (Blue is Softest-Silt) 2014-07-01

Catawba/North Fork Delta Depth Contour Map

(Overlaid on Google Earth). 2012-09-21

Catawba/North Fork Delta Hardness Map Blue is

softest (Silt). 2012-09-21

Catawba/North Fork Delta, 3D Map. 2012-09-21

Catawba/North Fork Delta Depth Contour Map

(Overlaid on Google Earth). 2013-05-10

Catawba/North Fork Delta Hardness Map

Blue is softest (Silt). 2013-05-10

Catawba/North Fork Delta Depth Contour Map

(Overlaid on Google Earth) 2014-07-01

Catawba/North Fork Delta Hardness Map

Blue is softest (Silt). 2014-07-01

Catawba/North Fork Delta Depth Contour Map

2013-05-10
2014-07-01

Catawba/North Fork Delta Hardness Map

2013-05-10
Blue is softest (Silt). 2014-07-01

Junction of the Catawba & North Fork rivers

The Catawba & North Fork rivers join at different speeds
creating a vortex which is removing dirt to a depth of 44 feet.

Junction of the Catawba & North Fork rivers

The Catawba & North Fork rivers join at different speeds
creating a vortex which is removing dirt to a depth of 44 feet.
This is a 3D cross section of the holes its creating

Plantation Point - Depth Contour Map

2013-05-09

Plantation Point Hardness Map

Dark Blue Is Softest(Silt)
2013-05-09

Paddy Creek Delta Depth contour map (Overlaid on

Google Earth). Oct 2012

Paddy Creek Delta Hardness Map. Dark Blue Is Softest (Silt).

Oct 2012

Paddy Creek Delta Depth contour map

2013-09-23

Paddy Creek Delta Hardness Map. Dark Blue Is Softest (Silt)

2013-09-23

Paddy Creek Delta Depth contour map

2014-08-15

Paddy Creek Delta Hardness Map

Dark Blue Is Softest (Silt)
2014-08-15

Paddy Creek Delta Depth Contour Map

2013-09-23

2014-08-15

Paddy Creek Delta Hardness Map

Dark Blue is Softest (Silt)
2013-09-23
2014-08-15

Paddy Creek Dam Depth Contour Map. (Overlaid on

Google Earth). 2012

Paddy Creek Dam Hardness Map.

Dark Blue is Softest (Silt). 2012

Paddy Creek Dam Depth Contour Map.

3D Presentation. 2012

Southpointe Cove between White Rock Ln & Ash Cove Ct

Depth Contour Map
2013-01-29

Southpointe Cove between White Rock Ln & Ash Cove Ct

Hardness Map. Black Is Softest(Silt)
2013-01-29

Southpointe Cove between White Rock Ln & Ash Cove Ct

Depth Contour Map
2013-08-27

Southpointe Cove between White Rock Ln & Ash Cove Ct

Hardness Map. Black Is Softest(Silt)
2013-08-27

Southpointe Cove between White Rock Ln & Ash Cove Ct

Depth Contour Comparison
2013-01-29
2013-08-27

Southpointe Cove between White Rock Ln & Ash Cove Ct

Hardness Comparison. Black Is Softest(Silt)
2013-01-29
2013-08-27

Dry Creek Cove between Old Dry Creek Rd & Fair Oak Dr
Depth Contour Map
2013-01-29

Dry Creek Cove between Old Dry Creek Rd & Fair Oak Dr
Hardness Map. Black Is Softest(Silt) 2013-01-29

Dry Creek Cove between Old Dry Creek Rd & Fair Oak Dr
Depth Contour Map
2013-08-27

Dry Creek Cove between Old Dry Creek Rd & Fair Oak Dr
Hardness Map. Black Is Softest(Silt) 2013-08-27

Dry Creek Cove between Old Dry Creek Rd & Fair Oak Dr
2013-01-29
Depth Comparison
2013-08-27

Dry Creek Cove between Old Dry Creek Rd & Fair Oak Dr
Hardness Map Comparison. Black Is Softest(Silt)
2013-01-29
2013-08-27

Mimosa Marina Depth Contour Map

2014-07-29

Mimosa Marina Hardness Map

Dark Blue Is Soft (Silt)
2014-07-29

Benfield Landing Marina Depth Contour Map

2014-07-29

Benfield Landing Marina Hardness Map. Black Is

Softest(Silt)
2014-07-29

Mountain Harbor Marina Depth Contour Map

2014-07-29

Mountain Harbor Marina Hardness Map

Black is Softest(Silt)
2014-07-29

Canal Bridge-Catawba Dam Depth Contour Map

(Overlaid on Google Earth). 2012

Canal Bridge-Catawba Dam Hardness Map.

Black is Softest (Silt). Overlaid On Google Earth. 2012

Catawba Dam/Canal Bridge Access

3D Depth Contour Map. 2012
Canal Bridge
Access Ramps
Catawba Dam

Spillway

Catawba Dam Artifact Below Dam,

3D View. 2012

Artifact

Canal Bridge Access Artifact below Left

Launch Ramp (3D View). 2012

Access Ramps

Artifact

New State Park Cove, 2013-08-27

Depth Contour
Hardness(Black is Softest-Silt)

New State Park SE Longarm Coves 2014-09-18

Depth Contour Map

New State Park SE Longarm Coves 2014-09-18

Hardness Map - Black is Soft (Silt)

Future Projects
Determine source of the silt and what could be done
to minimize it.
Work with land owners and other stakeholders to
better understand stormwater management, help
stabilize existing erosion sites and prevent future
erosion because it washes away peoples land,
destroys fish habitat and gradually fills in the lake.
Map the river deltas each year to determine the
magnitude of the change.