Explaining Hydrographic Surveys
                     EXPLAINING 
HYDROGRAPHIC 
SURVEYS
VICTOR OLERSKIY
Member of the Board of Directors at
Russian Fishery LLC
Explaining
Hydrographic Surveys
A hydrographic survey is the process of mapping, measuring and 
describing features that affect marine activities, including navigation, 
offshore drilling and exploration, marine construction and other related 
areas. The term is often used synonymously with maritime cartography.
Victor Olerskiy
Collecting Crowdsourcing
Hydrographical Data
In recent years, crowdsourcing 
The rules under which hydro- has become more widespread 
graphical data is collected vary, in the collection of hydro-
as they are dependent on the graphical data. Projects such 
acceptance authority. Increas- as ARGUS and OpenSeaMap 
ingly, data collection is carried send out volunteer vessels to 
out by sophisticated electron- record data on depth, time 
ics using shallow water sensor and position using standard 
systems, often with the aid of instruments of navigation, re-
aircraft, combined with more laying that data to a server af-
traditional echo sounding or ter it has been post-processed 
use of a sounding line. to account for corrections such 
as tidal movements and speed 
of sound. This helps save on 
costs and provides a continu-
ous survey for more accurate, 
recent data.
Victor Olerskiy
Victor Olerskiy
Hydrographic surveys are used in the creation of 
nautical charts for marine navigation. Learn more about 
nautical charts by visiting the blog of Victor Olerskiy.