U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Open-File Report 2013–1101

In cooperation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources 

and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Bathymetric Surveys of Selected Lakes 

in Missouri—2000–2008

Bathymetric Surveys of Selected Lakes 

in Missouri—2000–2008

By Joseph M. Richards

In cooperation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources 

and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Open-File Report 2013–1101

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

SALLY JEWELL, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2013

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Suggested citation:

Richards, J.M., 2013, Bathymetric surveys of selected lakes in Missouri—2000–2008: U.S. Geological Survey OpenFile Report 2013–1101, 9 p. with appendix, http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2013/1101.
iii

Contents

Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1

Study Area..............................................................................................................................................1

Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................1

Methods...........................................................................................................................................................1

Single-Beam Fathometer Surveys .....................................................................................................2

Multibeam Fathometer Survey ...........................................................................................................3

Bathymetric Survey Products and Accuracy ...........................................................................................5

References Cited............................................................................................................................................8

Appendix..........................................................................................................................................................9

Figures

1. Map showing location of sites for bathymetric surveys made in selected Missouri 

lakes from July 2000 to May 2008...............................................................................................2

2. Map showing example of transect orientation and spacing, and resulting data 

density in a typical bathymetric survey at Lamar Lake near Lamar, Missouri, on 

May 22, 2002 ..................................................................................................................................6

3. Map showing Clearwater Lake bathymetric survey from April 25 to May 7, 2008. The 

bathymetry for the downstream part of the lake was surveyed with the multibeam 

fathometer. The bathymetry for the remainder of the lake was determined from 

digital elevation model data adjusted using single-beam fathometer data collected 

at intervals across and along the flood plains...........................................................................

Table

1. Lakes in Missouri where bathymetric surveys were made by the U.S. Geological 

Survey from July 2000 to May 2008............................................................................................4
iv

Conversion Factors

Inch/Pound to SI

Multiply By To obtain

Length

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

mile, nautical (nmi) 1.852 kilometer (km)

yard (yd) 0.9144 meter (m)

Area

acre 4,047 square meter (m2

)

acre 0.4047 hectare (ha)

acre 0.4047 square hectometer (hm2

) 

acre 0.004047 square kilometer (km2

)

square foot (ft2

) 929.0 square centimeter (cm2)

square foot (ft2

) 0.09290 square meter (m2)

Volume

acre-foot (acre-ft) 1,233 cubic meter (m3

)

acre-foot (acre-ft) 0.001233 cubic hectometer (hm3

) 

Unless otherwise noted, vertical coordinate information is referenced to the National 

Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD29). The term elevation, as used in this report, refers to 

distance above the vertical datum.

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 

(NAD83).
Abstract

Years of sediment accumulation and abnormally dry conditions in the Midwest in 1999 and 2000 led to the water level 

decline of many water-supply lakes in Missouri, and caused 

renewed interest in modernizing outdated area/volume tables 

for these lakes. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation 

with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, surveyed the bathymetry of 

51 lakes in Missouri from July 2000 to May 2008. The data 

were used to provide water managers with area/volume tables 

and bathymetric maps of the lakes at the time of the surveys. 

In 50 of the lakes, bathymetric surveys were made using 

a boat-mounted single-beam survey-grade fathometer. In 

Clearwater Lake, bathymetric data were collected primarily 

using a boat-mounted survey-grade multibeam fathometer, 

and some bathymetric data were collected using a single-beam 

fathometer in areas of the lake that were inaccessible to the 

multibeam fathometer. Data processing, area/volume table 

computation, and bathymetric map production were completed 

for each lake. 

Introduction

Abnormally dry conditions in the Midwest in 1999 and 

2000 (National Drought Mitigation Center, 1999) led to water 

level declines for many of the water-supply lakes in Missouri. Because many of the water-supply lakes had outdated 

area/volume tables or had none at all, managers of the water 

supplies were concerned that their lake’s supply would not 

be adequate to meet their needs. To provide the water-supply 

managers with the needed information on the capacity of their 

lakes, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the 

Missouri Department of Natural Resources, began a project to 

survey the bathymetry of the 46 most drought-affected lakes 

(fig. 1) and provide updated area/volume tables for these lakes.

In addition, after years of potential sedimentation, 

managers were becoming concerned about the accuracy 

of the area/volume tables at several of the lakes under the 

administration of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The U.S. 

Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps 

of Engineers, began a project to survey the bathymetry of the 

five lakes of most concern (fig. 1) and provide updated area/

volume tables for these lakes. 

Study Area

Most of the drinking-water lakes surveyed were located 

in northern or west-central Missouri (sites 1–46; fig. 1), 

where access to a reliable groundwater supply does not exist. 

Drinking-water lakes surveyed ranged in size from about 8 to 

1,010 acres at the time of the survey, but most were less than 

200 acres in size. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lakes 

surveyed generally were larger than the drinking-water lakes, 

and ranged in size from about 708 to 9,630 acres in size at the 

time of the survey (sites 47–50; fig. 1).

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this report is to document the methodology used to survey the bathymetry, compute the area/volume 

tables, and to present the bathymetric data collected for 

51 lakes in Missouri. The report describes the accuracy of the 

bathymetric surface and the bathymetric contours for lakes.

Methods

Technology used to conduct bathymetric surveys in lakes 

has changed substantially since bathymetric data were first 

collected, but the general procedure largely remains the same 

whether collecting data using a weighted sounding line or 

boat-mounted survey-grade multibeam fathometer (hereafter 

referred to as multibeam fathometer). Under ideal conditions, 

the lake surface would be at the full pool elevation when conducting a bathymetric survey so the survey instrument can collect the maximum amount of data with little or no data collection necessary above the water surface elevation. Water-depth 

measurements are made at numerous points within a lake, 

and then the depths are converted to elevation by subtracting 

the water depth from the water surface elevation. Elevation 

Bathymetric Surveys of Selected Lakes 

in Missouri—2000–2008

By Joseph M. Richards
2 Bathymetric Surveys of Selected Lakes in Missouri—2000–2008

is interpolated in areas between collected data points. The 

elevation values are interpreted and a bathymetric surface is 

derived. The area/volume table is computed, and a bathymetric contour map is generated from the bathymetric surface. 

Wilson and Richards (2006) provide a detailed description 

of the methods used to conduct bathymetric surveys of small 

lakes using a single-beam survey-grade fathometer (hereafter referred to as single-beam fathometer). Huizinga (2010, 

2011), and Huizinga and others (2010) provide descriptions 

of the methods used to conduct bathymetric surveys using a 

multibeam fathometer in large rivers; however, the methods 

are applied the same way in lakes.

Single-Beam Fathometer Surveys

In general, for sites 1 to 50 (fig. 1 and table 1), position 

data were collected using boat-mounted differential global 

positioning system (DGPS) equipment. Water depths were 

collected using a single-beam fathometer, operating at 

200 kilohertz. The single-beam fathometer emitted sound 

ATCHISON

HOLT

NODAWAY

ANDREW

BUCHANAN

PLATTE

WORTH

GENTRY

DEKALB

CLINTON

CLAY

HARRISON

DAVIESS

CALDWELL

RAY

MERCER

GRUNDY

LIVINGSTON

CARROLL

PUTNAM

SULLIVAN

LINN

CHARITON

SCHUYLER

ADAIR

MACON

RANDOLPH

HOWARD

CALLAWAY

AUDRAIN

MONROE

SHELBY

KNOX

SCOTLAND

CLARK

LEWIS

MARION

RALLS

PIKE

LINCOLN

WARREN

MONTGOMERY

ST LOUIS

CITY

JEFFERSON

FRANKLIN

GASCONADE

OSAGE

COLE

MONITEAU

COOPER

SALINE

LAFAYETTE

JACKSON

CASS

BATES

VERNON

BARTON

JASPER

NEWTON

MCDONALD

BARRY

LAWRENCE

DADE

CEDAR

ST CLAIR

HENRY

JOHNSON PETTIS

BENTON

HICKORY

POLK

GREENE

CHRISTIAN

STONE TANEY OZARK

DALLAS

CAMDEN

MORGAN

MILLER MARIES

PULASKI PHELPS

TEXAS

HOWELL

OREGON

SHANNON

DENT

CRAWFORD STE

GENEVIEVE

ST FRANCOIS

IRON

REYNOLDS

CARTER

RIPLEY

BUTLER

WAYNE

MADISON

PERRY

SCOTT

STODDARD

BOLLINGER

MISSISSIPPI

NEW

MADRID

PEMISCOT

DUNKLIN

BOONE

ST CHARLES

ST

LOUIS

WASHINGTON

LACLEDE

CAPE GIRARDEAU

WEBSTER

WRIGHT

DOUGLAS

51

50

49

48

47

46

45

44

42

41 40

39

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

11 10

12

20

14

15

16

17

18

19

13

21

22

23

24

25 26

27

28

29

30

31

32 33

35

34

37

36

38

43

90°

92° 94°

40°

38°

36°

0 25 50 75 100 MILES

0 25 50 75 100 KILOMETERS

Figure 1. Location of sites for bathymetric surveys made in selected Missouri lakes from 

July 2000 to May 2008.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 2000; 1:24,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 15

Horizontal coordinate information referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)

EXPLANATION

Bathymetric survey site and identifier (table 1)

14

Figure 1. Location of sites for bathymetric surveys made in selected Missouri lakes from July 2000 to May 2008.
Methods 3

pulses that were reflected off the lake bottom and received 

by a transducer. In some areas, the water depth was below 

the minimum operating depth [approximately 2.5 feet (ft)] of 

the single-beam fathometer, and water depths were measured 

manually using a graduated rod. Shoreline points were collected using only the DGPS coordinate data with zero depth. 

These various data types are described in more detail, and 

illustrations of their spatial relation to one another are presented, in Wilson and Richards (2006).

Bathymetric maps and tables of the drinking-water lakes 

(sites 1–46, fig. 1 and table 1) were most often computed to 

the spillway elevation of the lake (normally considered the 

full pool elevation). In some cases, for sites 1–46, bathymetric 

maps and tables were computed to the elevation of the top of 

the dam. Because of drought conditions during and before the 

time of some of the surveys, the water surface for some of the 

drinking-water lakes (sites 1–46, fig. 1 and table 1) was several feet below the full pool elevation. The lakes that were surveyed in 2000 and 2001 generally had the greatest difference 

between the lake surface elevation and the full pool elevation. 

The maximum difference was 9.3 feet at Stanberry Lake 

(site 6, fig. 1 and table 1). The median difference between the 

lake surface elevation and the full pool elevation was 0.3 feet 

for sites 1–46. In some cases when the lake surface was not at 

the full pool elevation, land surface elevation points, collected 

with DGPS equipment, were obtained at various locations and 

densities between the lake shoreline and the full pool elevation 

of the lake to augment the fathometer data. These two datasets 

were combined, and a bathymetric surface was produced for 

these lakes up to the full pool elevation. 

Bathymetric maps and tables of U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers lakes (sites 47–50, fig. 1 and table 1) were computed to the elevation of top of the dam. Land surface elevation data above the water surface for sites 47–50 were collected using DGPS equipment and were obtained at various 

locations and densities where possible. DGPS data were 

augmented above the water surface with 1:24,000 scale topographic data to complete the maps and tables for sites 47–50 

where DGPS data could not be collected or were distributed 

sparsely.

Single-beam fathometer surveys were designed to collect data along transects oriented generally perpendicular to 

the down valley flow direction of the original stream course 

(fig. 2). The distance between transects was approximately 

1 to 2 percent of the length of the long axis of the lake. For 

example, a lake with a long axis length of 5,000 ft would have 

an approximate transect spacing of 50 to 100 ft. Wilson and 

Richards (2006) indicate that this transect density is sufficient 

to develop a bathymetric surface from which an area/capacity 

table, referred to as an area/volume table in this report, can be 

computed. The resulting bathymetric surface would provide 

a reliable representation of the lake bottom and the resulting 

table would give a volume difference at full pool of less than 

5.1 percent when compared to surveys with higher density 

transect spacing (Wilson and Richards, 2006). Wilson and 

Richards (2006) also indicate a minimum boat navigation limit 

for single-beam fathometer surveys would be approximately 

30 ft between transects.

Early in the project (before December 2003), methods 

of collecting bathymetric data using a single-beam fathometer and data processing techniques were being developed. 

The data collection and data processing methods for these 

earlier surveys may be slightly different compared to surveys 

completed later in the project. The most significant difference between the earlier surveys and the later surveys is the 

collection of a quality-assurance dataset that was added to 

the procedure in December 2003. The quality-assurance data 

were collected with the single-beam fathometer at an oblique 

angle to the survey transects and at a spacing of approximately 

five times the survey transect spacing. This dataset allowed 

the accuracy of the survey to be evaluated. Because surveys 

completed before December 2003 do not have a quality-assurance dataset, accuracy of these surveys cannot be quantified; 

however, the methods of data collection and processing of 

the earlier surveys were similar to the later surveys and the 

expected accuracy is likely to be similar to the accuracies 

computed in later surveys. 

Multibeam Fathometer Survey

For Clearwater Lake (site 51; fig. 1 and table 1), the single-beam fathometer and the multibeam fathometer were used. 

The multibeam fathometer operates in a similar way to the 

single-beam fathometer with the main difference being that it 

uses multiple sonar transceivers instead of one, and that depth 

and position data are corrected for boat movement (heave, 

pitch, and roll). For each sounding, or “ping,” the multibeam 

fathometer collects a swath consisting of 512 points of data 

perpendicular to the direction of travel. When compared to the 

single-beam fathometer, the multibeam fathometer collects far 

greater numbers of data points and provides nearly complete 

data coverage of the survey area. 

For Clearwater Lake (site 51; fig. 1 and table 1), the 

bathymetric survey was completed while the lake stage was 

above the normal pool elevation, and parts of the lake designated as the flood pool were inundated. The part of the lake 

that is in the flood pool is inundated infrequently, and because 

of this, the area has substantial vegetative cover such as trees, 

vines, and brush. The generally shallow depths in this area 

combined with the vegetative cover caused problems for boat 

navigation and increased impact hazards to the multibeam 

fathometer. As a result, the parts of the lake that were shallow and heavily vegetated were impractical to survey with the 

multibeam fathometer. The bathymetry in these areas were 

estimated from 1:24,000 scale digital elevation model data that 

were vertically adjusted with data collected using the singlebeam fathometer at intervals across and along the flood plains 

(fig. 3). Methods similar to those used in Wilson and Richards 

(2006) for processing single-beam fathometer data were used 

to process the multibeam fathometer data, the main differences 

being that the volume of data was much greater and there 
4 Bathymetric Surveys of Selected Lakes in Missouri—2000–2008

Table 1. Lakes in Missouri where bathymetric surveys were made by the U.S. Geological Survey from July 2000 to May 2008.

[NGVD29, National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929; --, no data; N/A, not applicable; No., number]

-

Name

Site number 

(fig. 1; appendix)

Transect spacing (feet/

meters)

Number of points col

lected during survey

Survey date(s) 

(month/day/year)

Spillway elevation 

(feet, NGVD29)

Lake surface elevation

at time of survey (feet, 

NGVD29)

Bathymetric surface 

accuracy (feet, at the 

95-percent confidence 

level)

Bathymetric contour 

accuracy (feet, at the 

95-percent confidence 

level)

Shadow Lake 1 32.8/10 35,177 7/20/2000 895.6 890.3 -- --

Hamilton Lake 2 65.6/20 38,038 7/11/2000 923.9 921.6 -- --

Green City Lake 3 82.0/25 17,593 7/6/2000 1,004.0 995.0 -- --

Brookfield City Lake 4 98.4/30 28,260 7/13/2000 803.0 795.8 -- --

Jamesport City Lake 5 32.8/10 12,957 7/16/2000 889.3 889.0 -- --

Stanberry Lake 6 65.6/20 33,487 7/26/2000 893.4 884.1 -- --

King City South Lake 7 39.4/12 14,724 7/19/2000 1

1,034 1,025.4 -- --

Dearborn Reservoir 8 32.8/10 11,369 7/27/2000 917.5 917.0 -- --

Willow Brook Lake 9 98.4/30 46,388 7/25/2000 1

918 909.6 -- --

Fellows Lake 10 164.0/50 49,562 4/23/2001 1

1,264 1,256.5 -- --

McDaniel Lake 11 98.4/30 103,616 5/30/2001 1,124.5 1,124.0 -- --

Shelbina Lake 12 49.2/15 29,724 6/20/2001 715.0 714.3 -- --

Memphis Reservoir 13 98.4/30 151,957 6/19/2001 718.0 718.0 -- --

Lamar Lake 14 65.6/20 87,979 5/22/2002 955.7 955.7 -- --

Spring Fork Lake 15 49.2/15 22,746 4/17/2002 892.6 891.6 -- --

Butler City Lake 16 49.2/15 84,694 4/18/2001 795.1 794.3 -- --

Monroe City Lake 17 65.6/20 64,733 6/5/2002 669.6 669.3 -- --

Edwin A. Pape Lake 18 82.0/25 130,358 6/26/2002 709.6 709.3 -- --

Higginsville City Lake 

(Upper)

19 82.0/25 -- 6/24/2002–6/25/2002 763.0 762.8 -- --

Higginsville City Lake 

(Lower)

19 82.0/25 2

103,086 6/24/2002–6/25/2002 755.0 754.7 -- --

Lake Showme 20 32.8/10 38,878 6/3/2002 1

774 769.8 -- --

New Marceline City Lake 21 65.6/20 101,381 5/19/2003 3

756.9 3754.5 -- --

Rock House Lake 22 39.4/12 80,031 5/28/2003–5/29/2003 3

906.3 3906.3 -- --

Eagleville Lake 23 32.8/10 20,411 5/28/2003 3

991.3 3988.8 -- --

Holden City Lake 24 65.6/20 151,458 6/2/2003 3

841.8 3841.3 -- --

Creighton City Lake 25 --/-- 5,559 6/28/2003 3

823.2 3820.0 -- --

Drexel City Lake No. 2 26 32.8/10 42,785 6/5/2003 3

972.5 3968.1 -- --

Adrian Reservoir (Upper) 27 32.8/10 -- 6/5/2003–6/6/2003 3

852.3 3850.7 -- --

Adrian Reservoir (Lower) 27 32.8/10 2

69,871 6/5/2003–6/6/2003 3846.2 3846.1 -- --

Breckenridge Lake 28 32.8/10 13,589 4/5/2004 3

806.5 3806.0 1.55 1.91

Garden City Lake 29 32.8/10 43,873 4/6/2004 3

892.1 3892.0 0.74 0.52

Garden City (New) Lake 30 32.8/10 67,626 4/5/2004 3

862.4 3862.4 0.94 1.41

Sugar Creek Lake 31 49.2/15 258,865 12/15/2003–

12/18/2003, 

12/30/2003–12/31/2003

3

746.8 3746.9 0.91 1.51

Lake Thunderhead 32 131.2/40 179,184 3/29/2004–4/3/2004 3

967.3 3967.8 1.62 2.78

Lake Mahoney 33 65.6/20 30,727 4/6/2004 3

977.0 3977.3 1.50 2.47
Bathymetric Survey Products and Accuracy 5

was less interpolation necessary because the lake bottom had 

nearly full survey coverage. The volume of data was reduced 

by averaging the collected data to a 16.4-ft grid so that an 

area/volume table and bathymetric contour map could be 

produced.

Bathymetric Survey Products and 

Accuracy

Bathymetric surveys of 51 lakes (fig. 1 and table 1) were 

made between July 2000 and May 2008. Bathymetric contour maps for each lake are presented in the appendix (link 

to appendix) at the back of this report. Area and volume at 

selected lake stage elevations were computed for each lake and 

are presented as a table on the corresponding lake map in the 

appendix (link to appendix). The volume of water contained 

in the lake shown in the tables is an estimate of the storage 

capacity at various lake stages based on the surveyed bathymetric surface. It should be noted that in most cases, the stated 

volume of water may not all be available for use because 

of various limiting factors. Limiting factors can include the 

elevation of the water intake (below which water cannot be 

used), and, in the case of paired lakes such as the Higginsville 

upper and lower lakes (site 19), the volume contributed to the 

lower lake from the upper lake is limited by the elevation of 

the connection between the two.

The fundamental vertical accuracy for the single-beam 

fathometer surveys is evaluated by comparing the qualityassurance dataset collected at the time of the survey to the 

computed bathymetric contours and bathymetric surface, and 

computing the root mean square error at the 95-percent confidence level (Wilson and Richards, 2006). For lakes that were 

surveyed using the single-beam fathometer after December 

2003, accuracy of the contour maps had a median of 

Table 1. Lakes in Missouri where bathymetric surveys were made by the U.S. Geological Survey from July 2000 to May 2008.

—Continued

[NGVD29, National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929; --, no data; N/A, not applicable; No., number]

Name

Site number 

(fig. 1; appendix)

Transect spacing 

(feet/meters)

Number of points collected during survey

Survey date(s) 

(month/day/year)

Spillway elevation 

(feet, NGVD29)

Lake surface elevation 

at time of survey 

(feet, NGVD29)

Bathymetric surface 

accuracy (feet, at the 

95-percent confidence 

level)

Bathymetric contour 

accuracy (feet, at the 

95-percent confidence 

level)

Jack Floyd Memorial Lake 34 32.8/10 58,596 2/23/2005 3794.6 3794.6 2.28 2.67

Bowling Green West Lake 35 32.8/10 42,766 2/24/2005–2/25/2005 3

773.6 3773.6 1.72 2.44

Forest Lake 36 98.4/30 226,167 3/1/2005–3/2/2005 3

800.2 3800.2 1.47 2.92

Hazel Creek Lake 37 98.4/30 182,620 3/2/2005–3/4/2005 3

847.8 3847.2 1.95 3.01

Vandalia Reservoir 38 32.8/10 62,403 2/23/2005–2/24/2005 3

666.3 3666.3 1.67 1.73

Maysville South Lake 39 16.4/5 31,294 3/21/2006 3

898.6 3898.6 1.08 1.61

Maysville West Lake 40 32.8/10 8,561 3/21/2006 3

899.3 3899.5 1.01 1.34

Lake Viking 41 131.2/40 98,253 3/22/2006–3/23/2006 3

865.0 3865.1 3.57 3.69

Bucklin Lake 42 26.2/8 35,290 3/19/2007 3

844.2 3844.2 1.28 1.48

D.C. Rogers Lake 43 82.0/25 112,535 3/19/2007–3/20/2007 3

695.2 3695.2 1.29 1.98

Harrisonville City Lake 44 98.4/30 164,452 3/21/2007–3/22/2007 3

896.0 3892.1 1.58 3.28

Shepherd Mountain Lake 45 32.8/10 58,396 7/9/2007–7/10/2007 3

976.9 3977.2 0.92 1.20

Snow Hollow Lake 46 32.8/10 60,268 7/10/2007 3

1,285.0 31,285.3 1.17 1.48

Blue Springs Lake 47 164.0/50 162,494 7/15/2003–7/16/2003 -- 802.3 -- --

Long Branch Lake 48 196.8/60 443,009 8/12/2003–8/14/2003 -- 786.5 -- --

Longview Lake 49 164.0/50 176,626 7/17/2003–7/18/2003 -- 890.8 -- --

Pomme de Terre Lake 50 492.1/150 167,087 7/22/2002–7/24/2002 -- 840.0 -- --

Clearwater Lake 51 N/A 796,817 4/25/2008–5/7/2008 -- 3

559.77 1.64 --

1

Approximate elevation.

2

Total number of points of both lakes.

3

Elevation referenced to North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88).
6 Bathymetric Surveys of Selected Lakes in Missouri—2000–2008

Figure 2. Example of transect orientation and spacing, and resulting data density in a typical bathymetric survey at Lamar Lake near Lamar, Missouri, on May 22, 2002.
Bathymetric Survey Products and Accuracy 7

90°50' 90°45'

37°15'

37°10'

0 1 2 3 MILES

0 1 2 3 KILOMETERS

Figure 3. Clearwater Lake bathymetric survey from April 25, 2008 to May 7, 2008. The bathymetry for the downstream part of the lake 

was surveyed with the multibeam fathometer. The bathymetry for the remainder of the lake was determined from digital elevation 

model data adjusted using single-beam fathometer data collected at intervals across and along the flood plains.

Surveyed with multibeam 

fathometer

Surveyed with single- beam fathometer

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital raster graphic, 2001, 1:100,000 EXPLANATION Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 15

North American Datum 1983 (NAD83)

Figure 3. Clearwater Lake bathymetric survey from April 25 to May 7, 2008. The bathymetry for the downstream part 

of the lake was surveyed with the multibeam fathometer. The bathymetry for the remainder of the lake was determined 

from digital elevation model data adjusted using single-beam fathometer data collected at intervals across and along the 

flood plains.
8 Bathymetric Surveys of Selected Lakes in Missouri—2000–2008

1.91 ft and ranged from 0.52 ft to 3.69 ft at the 95-percent confidence level, and accuracy of the bathymetric surfaces used 

to compute the area/volume tables had a median of 1.47 ft 

and ranged from 0.74 ft to 3.57 ft at the 95-percent confidence 

level (sites 28 to 46, fig. 1 and table 1). Lakes surveyed before 

December 2003 were surveyed before quality-assurance 

procedures were established and documented for bathymetric 

surveys of small lakes, so survey accuracies for sites 1 to 27 

(fig. 1 and table 1) could not be computed and are unknown; 

however, because lakes surveyed before December 2003 are 

similar in size and geometry to those surveyed after December 

2003 and because the survey data density and procedures used 

to collect and process the bathymetric data were similar, lakes 

surveyed before December 2003 are expected to have a similar 

range in accuracy values compared to those surveyed after 

December 2003. 

Uncertainty is evaluated somewhat differently for multibeam fathometer surveys than for single-beam fathometer 

surveys. The Combined Uncertainty Bathymetric Estimator (CUBE) method (Calder and Mayer, 2003) was used to 

estimate the total propagated uncertainty (TPU) for the 16.4-ft 

gridded bathymetric surface of Clearwater Lake (site 51, 

fig. 1 and table 1), where the multibeam fathometer was used. 

This method, as it relates to multibeam fathometer surveys, 

is described more fully in Huizinga (2010, 2011). The CUBE 

analysis of the multibeam fathometer survey of Clearwater 

Lake (site 51, fig. 1 and table 1) indicated that 99.4 percent of 

the tested data had a TPU of less than 1.64 ft, 68.4 percent of 

the tested data had a TPU of less than 0.82 ft, and 40.9 percent 

of the tested data had a TPU of less than 0.50 ft. The accuracy of the bathymetric surface of Clearwater Lake was not 

evaluated in areas that were not surveyed with the multibeam 

fathometer.

For multibeam fathometer surveys, the greatest uncertainty in vertical elevation generally tends to occur in areas of 

high relief such as steep-sided submerged ridges and channels, 

and steep areas along shorelines (Huizinga, 2010, 2011). Areas 

of generally low relief tend to have lower uncertainty in vertical elevation. Examination of the distribution of the magnitude 

of the differences in vertical elevation for single-beam fathometer surveys generally indicates these same trends (Gary 

Wilson, U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 2008,). 

References Cited

Calder, B.R., and Mayer, L.A., 2003, Automatic processing 

of high-rate, high-density multi-beam echosounder data: 

Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, v. 4, p. 1048. 

Huizinga, R.J., 2010, Bathymetric surveys at highway bridges 

crossing the Missouri River in Kansas City, Missouri, using 

a multibeam echo sounder, 2010: U.S. Geological Survey 

Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5207, 61 p.

Huizinga, R.J., 2011, Bathymetric surveys at highway bridges 

crossing the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers near St. Louis, 

Missouri, 2010: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2011–5170, 75 p.

Huizinga, R.J., Elliott, C.M., and Jacobson, R.B., 2010, Bathymetric and velocimetric survey and assessment of habitat 

for pallid sturgeon on the Mississippi River in the vicinity 

of the proposed Interstate 70 Bridge at St. Louis, Missouri: 

U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 

2010–5017, 28 p.

National Drought Mitigation Center, 1999, Drought monitor 

archives, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, accessed July 

2012, at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/animations.html.

Wilson, G.L., and Richards, J.M., 2006, Procedural documentation and accuracy assessment of bathymetric maps and 

area/capacity tables for small reservoirs: U.S. Geological 

Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006–5208, 24 p. 

plus oversize figs.
Appendix

This appendix (link to appendix) contains the bathymetric map produced 

and the area/volume table computed for the selected lakes surveyed in Missouri from July 2000 to May 2008. Each is found in this appendix as a figure 

(A1, A2, ... A51) with the number corresponding to the site number that can be 

found on figure 1 and table 1 in the body of this report. Each appendix figure 

contains the area/volume table (numbered the same as the figure number) for 

the lake depicted on the figure.
Publishing support provided by:

Rolla Publishing Service Center

For more information concerning this publication, contact:

Director, USGS Missouri Water Science Center

1400 Independence Road

Rolla, MO 65401

(573) 308–3667

Or visit the Missouri Water Science Center Web site at:

http://mo.water.usgs.gov/