River Ribble - A Truly Integrated Survey
During September 2004 and February 2005, Pelorus Surveys were commissioned to conduct a hydrographic, oceanographic and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey around Preston Dock, in conjunction with CL Associates, Leamington.
The River Ribble was last dredged in 1981 and has not been navigated by commercial traffic since that time. The purpose of the hydrographic survey was to establish a potential safe water route from the Irish Sea to Preston Dock and beyond, for the transit of a laden vessel carrying electrical transformers. The survey was conducted utilising swathe bathymetry and Real Time Kinematic Global Position System (RTK GPS) techniques to enable real time calculation of tidal height. The surveyed corridor was approximately 30 kilometres in length and 120 metres in width and was completed in less than five days!
In addition to the hydrographic survey an oceanographic survey utilising Acoustic Doppler Current Profiling (ADCP) techniques was undertaken to assess tidal currents around the dock entrance.
For the final phase of the project, a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) was conducted to evaluate the integrity of the road way along which the transformers will make their final journey. |
