Conclusion

This project presented the bathymetry of the middle-lower Amazon’s floodplain lakes, using inundation frequency (IF) data and an IF-depth model calibrated with a boat survey conducted at one of the lakes. The lakes range in depth from 1.8m to 6.9m, and can generally be classified into shallower lakes on the alluvial plain and deeper lakes located in valleys.

A comparison of bathymetry and wetland cover data reveals a clear relationship between biodiversity and water depth, offering opportunities for further ecological research using the bathymetry data. Additionally, this data has applications beyond ecology, including mapping sediment distribution and modeling water circulation dynamics.

The IF-depth model methodology addresses the limitations of traditional survey and remote sensing techniques, offering a versatile approach that could be applied to other rivers with sediment-rich, seasonally-inundated floodplain lakes.