Sonar data can be interpretted to create bathymetry and substrate maps. These maps can inform research, habitat restoration, and conservation work.

Several research projects have used consumer-grade sonar instruments for the purpose of mapping habitat. Check out the links below for examples of fishfinder sonar used for research:

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While these commercially available sonar units have been successfully used in research, many of the projects have been small in geographic scale, and are often limited to one instrument type. The goals of Open Freshwater Sonar are as follows:

1. Create a repository of freely available sonar data from various bodies of fresh water.
2. Compare the resolution of data files from many sonar instruments available to consumers.
3. Use freely available sonar data to better correlate sonar return values to substrate composition in various conditions.
4. Create detailed maps of bodies of freshwater using crowd-sourced data