# An R-based integrated method for producing river bathymetry and cross-sections from recreational-grade sonar sensor data

## TL;DR

This paper introduces an R-based method to create accurate river bathymetry maps and cross-sections using low-cost sonar data.

## Contribution

A standardized, R-based processing method for recreational-grade sonar data to produce high-accuracy bathymetric outputs.

## Key findings

- The R-based method enables robust processing of recreational-grade sonar data for bathymetric mapping.
- The approach allows extraction of cross-sectional metrics for rivers and complex-shaped water bodies.
- The method achieves high accuracy and low cost for bathymetric reconstruction.

## Abstract

Water bodies’ bathymetry is a crucial information for understanding and sustainably managing water resources. Bathymetric surveys can be expensive due to sonar equipment cost, but low-cost alternatives options exist. We present a methodology that standardize the bathymetric data collection and processing of recreational-grade sonar data. The sonar data postprocessing if fully implemented in R, with ready to use functions able to produce bathymetric maps or extract river cross sections’ metrics with minimal computing efforts. The method robustly produces a variety of outputs; the performance of the equipment adopted and of the interpolation technique allow for high accuracy and low-cost bathymetric reconstruction.•The method implemented allow for a robust and consistent processing of recreational-grade sonar water depth measures.•Through R-based functions the data are postprocessed to obtain bathymetry maps also for complex shape waterbodies.•Further metrics of rivers/channel cross sections can be extracted.

The method implemented allow for a robust and consistent processing of recreational-grade sonar water depth measures.

Through R-based functions the data are postprocessed to obtain bathymetry maps also for complex shape waterbodies.

Further metrics of rivers/channel cross sections can be extracted.

Image, graphical abstract