Satellite imagery, LiDAR and water tracing

Choose your site

1. Open Photo, then Satellite photo.
2. Search for your location and frame the area you want to plan.
3. Check the LiDAR coverage, survey resolution and collection year shown for that area.
4. Select Import LiDAR when available, then Use this photo.

The satellite image supplies an initial scale. Check it against a known site measurement before relying on dimensions or volume. Imagery and elevation surveys can come from different dates.

Add ground terrain

If your project already has a satellite photo, use Import LiDAR in Photo to add terrain. Show relief on the photo makes the changes in ground elevation easier to see. Open Studio to inspect the ground around your pond in 3D.

Pond Tools uses USGS 3DEP one-meter elevation data where available in the United States. Coverage varies by location. Larger areas may use a coarser grid. Check the spacing shown with the import.

Use Remove ground terrain to remove the imported surface. Terrain is included when you save or export the project.

Trace an existing body of water

1. With your photo loaded, choose Trace water.
2. Inspect the detected outline before selecting Use this pond.
3. If it misses the shoreline, choose Improve outline. Sample five water spots across light and dark areas. Mark Not water spots to exclude confusing areas such as shadows or vegetation.
4. Choose Update outline, review the result, then Use this pond.
5. Adjust the outline points and enter the pond's measured depths and shelves.

Water tracing estimates the visible shoreline from the image. It does not measure underwater depth.

Get a useful volume estimate

LiDAR describes the ground surface. Water surfaces in elevation datasets may be flattened; they do not supply pond-bottom bathymetry. Enter measured depths and check the photo scale before using a volume estimate for equipment or treatment calculations.

Continue with scale and measurements, depths and shelves, or pond-care calculators.