Instrumental Study and Mapping of Lake Synevyr: Remote Sensing Integration for Wetland Geoecological Monitoring

Abstract

Problem Statement and Objective. The study aims to create a high-precision topographic framework for Lake Synevyr, one of the key internationally significant wetlands in the Carpathian region, by integrating remote sensing techniques and hydroacoustic bathymetric surveying. This approach has facilitated the development of a cartographic foundation for the implementation of long-term geoecological monitoring and the assessment of spatiotemporal changes in the lake system under increasing anthropogenic pressure and climate change.

Methodology. The instrumental survey was conducted through a comprehensive mapping campaign using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with a LiDAR system, photogrammetric processing of high-resolution digital imagery, and echosounding of the lakebed with GNSS referencing. The collected data were processed in specialized software environments (Terrasolid, Agisoft Metashape, Trimble HYDROpro, Digitals), enabling the generation of a digital terrain model, orthophotomap, TIN bathymetric model, and topographic plan.

Study results. For the first time, a comprehensive high-accuracy instrumental mapping of Lake Synevyr has been carried out, including several key components: construction of a digital terrain model of the coastal area, creation of an orthophotomap with a ground sampling distance of 5.9 cm/pixel, and execution of bathymetric profiling with depth data obtained at an accuracy of ±0,1 m. As a result, the maximum lake depth of 19.98 m was recorded, a 3D model of the lakebed was constructed, and hypsometric profiles were developed. The acquired remote sensing and field survey data formed the basis of a high-quality 1:1 000 scale topographic map, which constitutes the core outcome of the study.

Scientific novelty and practical significance. For the first time, a complex instrumental mapping of the mountainous Lake Synevyr has been implemented using an integrated approach combining LiDAR scanning, UAV-based aerial photography, and hydroacoustic bathymetric surveying with high-precision georeferencing. This enabled the acquisition of fundamentally new spatial information on the morphology of the lakebed and the creation of a multi-component geospatial data system and high-quality cartographic materials. The developed topographic plan and digital datasets provide a robust basis for further spatial analysis of natural changes and serve as a cartographic foundation for implementing long-term geoecological monitoring of Lake Synevyr. The data and cartographic products obtained enable highly accurate hydromorphological, landscape-ecological, and other scientific investigations, as well as the identification and monitoring of the dynamics of natural and anthropogenic processes. The proposed instrumental mapping methodology can be adapted for other sites in the Carpathian region, including within the framework of cross-border conservation initiatives and the systematic management of territories with special ecological status.