The other day I had a distributor call me and say they needed help sizing a system for one of their customers. They said their customer had a 7+ acre body of water. I asked for some rough measurements and things weren’t adding up. I ultimately ended up measuring the small lake on Google Maps. Turns out the actual size of the pond measured approximately 4.72 acres. This makes a world of difference when properly sizing an aeration system or making a recommendation for a decorative fountain.
To accurately measure Your pond on Google Maps, follow these steps:
- Go to Google, click on “Maps” and either enter an address close the pond or navigate by scrolling to where the pond is.
- Click on the Satellite view in the bottom left hand corner.
- Right click on the screen near the pond and click “Measure distance”.
- Click around the perimeter of the pond or lake you would like to measure. Multiple clicks that originate and end in the same point will measure the perimeter. You can also drag the dots to more precise spots after clicking.
- Your last click should be back onto the dot that was the starting point. After clicking on the first dot a box with “total area” will display on the bottom of your screen. The total area will be listed in square feet. Divide this number by 43,560 to get the approximate surface acreage of the pond. If you need to re-set and start over, right click and choose “Clear measurement”.
This measurement tool can be a great way of, not only better understanding your customer’s needs, but also ensuring that the info you are provided is as accurate as possible. Many people do not know their pond’s actual size, or only know what it was originally designed as. Ponds and lakes can change drastically over the years, so for older ponds, this can be a very valuable tool. This tool can also help measure approximate lengths of power cords or the amount of tubing required for a diffused aeration install.
For ponds that are either in the design stages or new enough to not be listed on google with satellite imagery, head over to our pond sizing tool on our website. This will require physical measurements to properly calculate. As always, should you have any questions feel free to contact Kasco Marine at 715-262-4488 or support@kascomarine.com.