Volunteer Citizen Scientists Will Gather Data
This is Citizen Science Month and Earth Day is around the corner. What better time for the Hayden Lake Community Lake Mapping Days to marshal the efforts of local fishing and boating citizens to gather lake-bottom contour data. On April 18-22, volunteers will trace 152 miles of spiraling navigation trails and peer beneath nearly 3800 acres of water surface. But don’t envision anglers dropping weighted lines over the sides of their boats to test the water depth. These volunteers will be putting their Navico Lowrance fish-finding electronics to good use. Using sonar, modern fishfinders supply amazingly detailed data about the distance from the surface to the bottom of the lake, the hardness of the bottom, and even the vegetative cover down there.Data Will be Mapped Through BioBase
This kind of data, crowd-sourced by many different marine electronics makers, typically blankets anglers’ favorite fishing spots along the lake’s shoreline. Unique to our goal, the Mapping Days data will characterize the entire lake bottom, even those areas more familiar to skiers than fishers. Though crowd-sourced data is often proprietary, Navico supports clean and healthy waterways by sharing data with research and management agencies. The Improvement District will upload and access the data through Navico’s online processing and mapping application, BiobBase.Hayden’s Bathymetric Map Will Benefit Many
The comprehensive map drawn from this data will benefit many. HLWID will be able to support other stakeholders’ work on the lake like the Kootenai Sheriff’s Department’s search and rescue, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture’s invasive weed management, and the Idaho Department of Land’s waterways management. The HLWID will use the lake-bottom maps to inform their water quality research and expand public education about the watershed and lake system. And the fishing community will get the best fishing contour map on the face of the earth!Frequently Asked Questions about Lake Mapping Days:
If you have a boat equipped with a Lowrance fishfinder and a 200 kHz or standard transducer, complete the registration form.
Yes! Aaron at Mark’s Marine will train you on April 14 at 6:00 p.m.
(Training has been rescheduled from April 11 to April 14.)
We still need you; yes, we do!
- Host Boat – take a fabulous volunteer videographer out onto the lake for one or more mapping sessions.
- Dock-hand – launch boats, park vehicles, pull boats out, etc.
- Historian – take photos, jot down quotes, write observations
- Barista – coordinate, set up, clean up coffee & donuts before the launch
Indicate your interest in the comment box, or call Mary Ann at 1-480-227-1536
The project is! But individuals will be assigned just one section of the lake.
Monday, April 18, gather at 8:30, launch by 9:00; repeat on Tues, Wed, Thus. More details will be determined at the April 11 training.
We anticipate 5 hours on the water per boat. If we have sufficient volunteers, we will assign pairs to each lake section. The pairs can sub-divide the section and the time if they wish. Encourage your friends and neighbors to join; many hands make light work.
You’ll get donuts, coffee, swag, and the best fishing contour map ever!
Plus, you will be contributing to data-based lake and water management and new watershed-related public education.
Contact Mark’s Marine
or call Aaron or Tony: 208-772-9038
Contact the Hayden Lake Watershed Improvement District
or call 1-480-227-1536
