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A Novel Technique for Mapping Habitat in Navigable Streams Using Low‐cost Side Scan Sonar
Author(s) -
Kaeser Adam J.,
Litts Thomas L.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
fisheries
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.725
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1548-8446
pISSN - 0363-2415
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8446-35.4.163
Subject(s) - side scan sonar , large woody debris , sonar , substrate (aquarium) , underwater , remote sensing , streams , habitat , environmental science , computer science , channel (broadcasting) , geographic information system , geology , artificial intelligence , ecology , oceanography , computer network , riparian zone , biology
An inexpensive and rapid technique for mapping instream habitat of navigable rivers is needed by natural resource professionals. Unlike more expensive side scan sonar devices, the Humminbird® Side Imaging system employs a boat‐mounted transducer enabling the survey of shallow, rocky streams. This device can be used to obtain high resolution, georeferenced images of underwater habitat. We developed a technique employing geographic information systems (GIS) to transform raw sonar images to fit the configuration of a stream channel. The end product is a GIS layer that can be interpreted to map instream habitat. We demonstrated this approach by mapping substrate and large woody debris in a southwest Georgia stream, and evaluated the technique through a comprehensive accuracy assessment. An overall classification accuracy of 77% was observed for substrate mapping and sonar estimates of large woody debris were correlated (r 2 = 0.79) with actual wood abundance. Sonar mapping generated estimates of reach and substrate area comparable to a traditional field approach, and reduced the time investment by 90%. Applications for high resolution habitat maps are widespread and numerous; the ability to produce these maps at low cost is now within the grasp of researchers and managers alike.