Calculate slope/gradient along streams (lines) segments in R

Question

I would like to calculate the slope for stream segments in R. The stream network has been derived from the DEM. I have split the stream segments into equal parts of 100m (or less) and I have the DEM (1m resolution). I have attempted to use the openSTARS package that runs through GRASS without success (I am finding the initial steps to start using GRASS very difficult).

I am aware of tools in QGIS and ArcGIS but I would like to make as many of my steps within R as possible (Calculate slope of line segments with QGIS ; Workflow for determining stream gradient?)

Answer 1

I managed to implement the approach suggested by @Spacedman to calculate slope. I am leaving the code here as a possible starter to calculate aspect. (the data called up here from the sample is a dummy and doesn't fit the names used)

I borrowed extensively from: https://www.r-spatial.org/r/2019/09/26/spatial-networks.html

    if(!"remotes" %in% installed.packages()) {
  install.packages("remotes")
}

cran_pkgs = c(
  #"sf",
  "tidygraph",
  "igraph",
  "osmdata",
  #"dplyr",
  #"tibble",
  #"ggplot2",
  "units",
 # "tmap",
  #"rgrass7",
  "link2GI",
  "nabor"
)

remotes::install_cran(cran_pkgs)


library(sf)
library(tidygraph)
library(igraph)
library(dplyr)
library(tibble)
library(ggplot2)
library(units)
library(tmap)
library(osmdata)
library(rgrass7)
library(link2GI)
library(nabor)
#for sample dataset taken from slopes package
if(!require(slopes)){install.packages("slopes")}
library(slopes)
data(dem_lisbon_raster)
data(lisbon_road_segments)
dem<-dem_lisbon_raster
stream_split<-lisbon_road_segments%>% select(OBJECTID) %>% rename(edgeID=OBJECTID)

#assign identifier to each stream segment
stream_split <- stream_split %>%
  mutate(edgeID = c(1:n()))

#extract start and end nodes
nodes<-stream_split %>%st_coordinates() %>% as_tibble %>%
  rename(edgeID=L1) %>% group_by(edgeID)%>%slice(c(1, n())) %>%
  ungroup() %>%
  mutate(start_end = rep(c('start', 'end'), times = n()/2))

#assign a unique index to each node (duplicate coordinates get the same index)
nodes <- nodes %>%
  mutate(xy = paste(.$X, .$Y)) %>% 
  mutate(nodeID = group_indices(., factor(xy, levels = unique(xy)))) %>%
  select(-xy)

#convert nodes to sf object
nodes_sf <- nodes %>%
  distinct(nodeID, .keep_all = TRUE) %>%
  select(-c(edgeID, start_end)) %>%
  st_as_sf(coords = c('X', 'Y')) %>%
  st_set_crs(st_crs(stream_split))

#extract elevation at each node
nodes_sf$elev<-raster::extract(dem, nodes_sf)

##add notes to each edge

source_nodes <- nodes %>%
  filter(start_end == 'start') %>%
  pull(nodeID)

target_nodes <- nodes %>%
  filter(start_end == 'end') %>%
  pull(nodeID)

stream_split = stream_split %>%
  mutate(from = source_nodes, to = target_nodes)

#convert elevations to tibble
nodes.tib<-as_tibble(nodes_sf)%>%select(-geometry)

#add start and end elevations to segments
stream_split<-inner_join(stream_split, nodes.tib, by=c("from"="nodeID")) %>% rename(elev_start=elev)
stream_split<-inner_join(stream_split, nodes.tib, by=c("to"="nodeID")) %>% rename(elev_end=elev)
stream_split$length<-st_length(stream_split)#caculate segment length
stream_split$slope<-(stream_split$elev_end-stream_split$elev_start)/stream_split$length

However, I do not get the same result as when I use the slopes package.

stream_split$slope_package = slope_raster(stream_split, e = dem)