MAKERERE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING DESIGN ART AND TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
DEPARTMENT OF GEOMATICS AND LAND MANAGEMENT
LSG 2204 HYDROGRAPHIC SURVEYING
END OF SEMESTER II EXAMINATION 2016/17
Date: 8th May 2018 Time: 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Instructions
i. Attempt any (five) questions
ii. All questions carry 20 marks

Question 1
a. Define hydrographic surveying? (2marks)
b. Briefly describe the history of hydrography? What has been the major challenges?
(6marks)
c. Discuss the relevance of hydrographic surveying to both land locked and non-land locked
countries like Uganda and Kenya? (8marks)
d. What do you understand by the “Law of the Sea” what are the major roles it has played in
hydrography? (4marks)

Question 2
a. Write short notes on the following as encountered in hydrographic surveys?
i. Baselines
ii. Maritime zones
iii. Continental margin (5marks@)
b. Briefly describe how preparation for a hydrographic survey is conducted? (5marks)

Question 3
a. Describe the four main branches of hydrographic surveying? What is the relevance of
each branch? (4marks)
b. Describe mentioning all the relevant parts, how a tide gauge works in determining a tidal
datum? (6marks)
c. What is the relevance of a tidal datum? Why should we simply use the mean sea level?
(4marks)
d. Using an illustration, how would you interpret a tidal chart during monitoring of water
levels in hydrography? (4marks)
e. Why do we prefer to use the Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT) as a chart datum during
sounding? (2marks)
Question 4
a. We have direct and indirect sounding methods in hydrography? What are these and under
what circumstances would each method be used? (6marks)
b. Calculate the reduced soundings for each of the points below? (4marks)

Depth using Tidal height respect Error due to weather

echo sounder to chart datum conditions
a) 10.2 m +1.5 m -0.3 m
b) 15.7 m - 0.8 m +0.5 m
c) 32.7 ft +3.8 ft -1.4 ft
d) 50.2 ft - 2.3 ft -1.8 ft
c. Discuss the error sources during sounding? How would these be mitigated for during
sounding? (6marks)

Question 5
a. During a hydrographic survey three shore stations A, B and C were established such that
AB = 792 m and BC = 870 m, the three stations lying in a straight line. Angles APB and
BPC were measured simultaneously by sextant as 48 0 36 ' and 46 0 24' respectively, from a
float P which was then due east of B. determine the bearing of ABC, given that A lies
souths of B? (6marks)

Question 6
a. mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

SUCCESS!
Question 1
a) Define hydrography? (2marks)
b) Highlight and briefly discuss any four important conventions in the law of the sea that
guide hydrographic surveying on an international level? (8marks)
c) Describe three major reasons, why a land locked country like Uganda still is in need of
hydrographic surveys? (6marks)
d) You have been requested to write a report to government requesting funding to set up an
operational hydrographic office for the nation? What are the main aspects you would
include in the report? (4marks)

Question 2
a) Define a baseline? (3marks)
b) Distinguish normal and straight baselines? When would each type of baseline be used?
(4marks)
c) Discuss three purposes of baselines in hydrographic surveying? (3marks)
d) Describe how you would fix a baseline between Uganda and Kenya at points where the
two nations share Lake Victoria? Equipment, methods and other considerations should be
stated (6marks)
e) Distinguish between internal waters and territorial sea maritime zones? How does the
jurisdiction of these affect use by maritime countries and others? (4marks)
Question 3
a) How does position fixing on water compare with horizontal positioning on land?
(4marks)
b) Discuss some factors that affect accuracy of horizontal positioning on water? (4marks)
c) A, B and C are three shore stations on a coastline and P is a sounding point at sea. AB =
400m, BC = 381m, A ^BC = 1220 30’ , A ^ P B = 480 36’ and B P^ C = 450 24’. A and C are
respectively east and west of BP, B and P are respectively north and south of AC.
Calculate the distances AP, BP and CP? (6marks)
 d) What are the strengths and weaknesses of fixing position on water using Global
Positioning Systems? (6marks)
Question 4
a) Tidal signatures are classified into four groups, list and describe what each mean?
(4marks)
b) What criteria are considered when choosing a chart datum? (2marks)
c) What is the datum for depths and elevations in tidal waters? What about non-tidal (i.e.
Lake Victoria)? (2marks)
d) Describe the main factors that contribute to the attenuation of an acoustic signal in water?
(6marks)
e) Define heaving? Discuss different methods used to model heaving during sounding?
(6marks)
Question 5
a) You are to conduct a post dredging survey in the mouth of a river with a multibeam sonar
where the bottom type is very fine silt. There is water level gauges located a few
kilometers on either side of the work site, and the sound speed structure in the area is
very dynamic. Explain how you would partake of this? (6marks)
b) Describe with the help of a diagram what factors affect the size of a beam footprint?
(4marks)
c) Make a comparative discuss amongst single, multi and sonar beam echo sounders? What
are the strengths and limitations amongst these modes of echo sounding? (6marks)
d) Describe the applications of sounding done in hydrography? (4marks)
Question 6
a) Discuss how you would prepare a Nautical Chart from the hydrographic field data
collected? (4marks)
b) If you are using a chart prepared by a former hydrographic team, how can you measure
its accuracy before use? (4marks)
c) Explain the different categorises of nautical charts that are in use today? (6marks)
d) Why would a bathymetric map be relevant with existence of an up to date nautical
charts? (2marks)
e) Where in Uganda has a bathymetric survey been conducted? What was the relevance of
this map? (2marks)
f) What are other application areas for bathymetric surveys? (2marks)

SUCCESS!