Wetland restoration with interactive terrain and surface water planning
- Käyttötapaukset
Although wetlands cover just 6% of the Earth's surface, they support nearly 40% of all species, making them one of the planet’s most vital ecosystems.
Discover how detailed elevation data and interactive surface water analyses help design wetlands and restore natural landscapes.
Scalgo Live is widely used for wetland planning and design. We've gathered a few inspiring projects — explore them through the links at the end of this blog.
Site assessment in no time
Make sure you choose the best locations for your wetlands. Here are some key aspects to consider—where Scalgo Live can provide valuable insights:
1) Topography
Sites in natural depressions or low-lying areas are commonly better suited for wetlands. The depression map is an excellent way to identify low points suited for wetland restoration.
The depression map provides detailed information about volumes and areas in existing depressions.
"The initial screening is very important. Scalgo Live helps us identify where the issues in the project area might be and what kind of measures we might be able to implement."
Simon Rahbæk, Envidan, Denmark
2) Natural flow patterns
Maximise the benefits of your wetland! Flow paths and watersheds help place wetlands strategically to ensure a steady water supply for biodiversity, enhance water quality and reduce the risk of flooding.
Flow paths and watershed delineation can be used to quickly explore existing flow patterns in the project area.
Designing for birds, bugs and beavers
Create a balance of dry and wet areas with varying water depths to maximise biodiversity. Do this with the terrain editing tools in Scalgo Live - quickly start experimenting with your design directly in the elevation data. You can explore unlimited design possibilities before settling on the ideal solution.
“Scalgo Live gave me the kind of safe space that I needed to play around with terrain. I could test what works and what doesn’t.”
David Thomas, Devon wildlife trust, UK
Two different designs (final design on the left) are created and subsequently evaluated by recomputing the surface water analyses.
More restoring, less digging
Moving large amounts of soil is costly and unsustainable. When designing wetlands in Scalgo Live, you can continuously monitor the soil balance and refine your design.
"With a few clicks, we can estimate volumes and the mass balance of soil movement."
Ea Baden, Ekologigruppen, Sweden
Scalgo Live continuously assesses soil balance in your designs helping evaluate how much soil you need to remove and place in your project area.
Video: Wetland restoration along a stream
An introduction to experimenting with wetland designs.
In this video you'll get an introduction on how to get started with wetland planning along a stream.
Want to know more?
Check out these inspiring stories:
1) Creating wetlands on agricultural land
2) Rewilding and restoring Danish landscapes
3) Maximising nature’s potential on farmland through technology and collaboration
Try Scalgo Live in your next wetland project!
You can get a free trial or book a meeting to learn more about terrain editing and soil balance in Scalgo Live.
