The new Hungarian riverbed survey vessel

A new survey vessel, named: GARDA, equipped with a multi- beam echo-sounder was acquired within the FAIRway Danube project. Through the project a new dedicated survey crew was created at the North-Transdanubian Water Directorate (EDUVIZIG), who has learned the technology from the SEABED team. The goal of the FAIRway Danube is to significantly increase the knowledge on shallow sections of the International Danube waterway so that the fairway routing will be optimized and rehabilitation measures drafted.

Within the project a compact and high-resolution Dual head curved array bathymetric mapping system by NORBIT has been purchased from Seabed BV. This all-in-one tightly integrated broadband multibeam turnkey solution offers high resolution bathymetry over a wide swath. The high-end sonar with globally leading GNSS/Inertial Navigation System embedded into the unit ensures fast and reliable mobilization and highest quality sounding for installations in all conditions.

Danube

The entire Hungarian stretch of the Danube (rkm 1811 – 1433) is characterised as a free-flowing section which includes sections with an easily scouring riverbed. Therefore, surveys will be executed along the entire national stretch of the Hungarian Danube waterway, with specific focus on the critical locations and the common Hungarian-Slovakian section. In addition to EDUVIZIG, there are other two directorates along the Danube where the survey takes place. Qinsy is used for raw data collection and surveying, post processing is done in Qimera and ArcGIS. Measurements are corrected, filtered, and the surface model is done in Qimera, and then the final formatting of the surface is done in ArcGIS. Surveying results – shallow section information – will be published on the FIS portal and on the national website of General Directorate of Water Management.