Questions tagged [hydrology]

The study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability.

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LAS to DEM conversion [closed]

I regularly come across LiDAR (.LAS) files with elevation data. When I do, I always struggle to find a way of converting them to a DEM for hydrological analysis. I have developed several workflows, ...
Martin's user avatar
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31 votes
7 answers
19k views

Methodology for creating accurate drainage networks (and catchments) from high resolution LiDAR DEM?

This is not the first time I've stumbled over this issue; it seems that I am unable to generate a correct drainage network model and the resulting catchments from full resolution (1m cells) LiDAR data....
Jakub Sisak GeoGraphics's user avatar
19 votes
3 answers
3k views

Account for bridge overpasses in a ground DEM to allow for water flow under the overpass

I have a bare earth DEM made from lidar data (A). It works well and has passed all accuracy tests. It is used in storm surge models. The problem we are having is on underpasses. I need to allow water ...
If you do not know- just GIS's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
2k views

How to cartographically represent water flow?

I am modelling water flow on steep slopes for an erosion study. You can see from the screenshot the results from the ArcGIS-based flow analysis. To produce these flow lines, I generated a ...
Aaron's user avatar
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11 votes
2 answers
8k views

How to calculate stream order for vector data without a DEM? [closed]

I have a shapefile which contains the streams that were digitized from a satellite Image. I would like to calculate the stream order for this data. The data does not exactly match the DEM that I have, ...
Devdatta Tengshe's user avatar
10 votes
5 answers
10k views

Tutorial on how to model flooding using data from gauging stations along rivers in QGIS?

Can someone please direct me to a tutorial where I can learn more about how to model flooding using data from gauging stations along rivers using QGIS?
Bernie's user avatar
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10 votes
4 answers
5k views

What Algorithm is used by ArcGIS Watershed tool?

Does anyone know what type of algorithm is used in the ArcGIS Watershed tool (in the Spatial Analyst package)? Very little information given on Esri's website ... but I suspect it may be some kind of ...
James's user avatar
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9 votes
1 answer
3k views

Hydrology toolbox versus Arc Hydro toolbox?

I would like to do some watershed delineation research/development (at the County level) with our LIDAR generated DEM, after it is corrected, but am wondering what, if any, differences might result ...
user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
378 views

How to create a branch network from several input points to an unique outlet in minimizing the distances?

I am searching a way to "hydrologically" connect upstream points to a unique downstream outlet by creating an optimized stream network as pictured below... The cummulated lenght of the stream lines ...
ISSKA AM's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
2k views

How can I get weighted Flow Accumulation to deal with negative values? [duplicate]

here's one I haven't seen anywhere, to my surprise. I am trying to do something a little different with Flow Accumulation, which I would think has been attempted before, but it's stumping me for now. ...
user14175's user avatar
  • 537
8 votes
3 answers
1k views

Locate wet patches using DEM

I'm searching for a way to determine the location of wet patches, after rainfall, in a DEM. By this, I mean puddles. We are investigating the best locations to locate paths for recreational use. ...
Hanneke's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
2k views

Choosing parameters for SAGA Wetness Index?

I've been working with SAGA GIS to calculate the Topographic Wetness Index of an alpine catchment. I am using the tool Terrain analysis > Hydrology > SAGA Wetness Index because, compared to ...
Soalpa's user avatar
  • 173
8 votes
2 answers
420 views

Find headwater polygons

This is a follow up question to this question. I have a river network (multiline) and some drainage polygons (see picture below). My goal is to select only the headwater polygons (green). With John'...
EDi's user avatar
  • 265
7 votes
1 answer
6k views

Getting Negative Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) values in SAGA GIS?

I am getting negative topographic index wetness values in SAGA GIS - anyone else every get this? Not all negative values, but the minimum of the TWI range is negative for some steep watersheds we are ...
traggatmot's user avatar
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7 votes
3 answers
4k views

Calculating average stream slope at each location along stream using ArcGIS Desktop?

I'm trying to calculate the time of concentration for every point along a stream network. To calculate the time of concentration, I need the upstream channel length and channel slope. I've been able ...
Nena's user avatar
  • 131
7 votes
4 answers
2k views

What satellite imagery would help to show spring locations?

I've got lots of tiny streams on a hydrography shapefile. Historic texts indicate that certain ones have headwaters at "sources" or springs, and I want to try to find these. Browsing the historical ...
grad student's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
8k views

Calculate Topographic wetness index in SAGA

i am currently working on a project which involves the quantification of the wetness in certain areas. However it produces quite different results from what i expected. I'll describe the steps i have ...
Curlew's user avatar
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7 votes
3 answers
2k views

Is there hydrologically correct water-course data for Africa

I was wondering if there are any hydrologically correct river-channel data available for download for Africa? By hydrologically correct, I mean the topology should be correct. Connected river ...
tinlyx's user avatar
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7 votes
3 answers
4k views

Tracing up stream network & tabulating attributes of polygons it passes through

I am using ArcMap and I am somewhat inexperienced when it comes to dealing with network analysis. I have a stream network covering a very large area & some census data. My problem is: I want to ...
user14175's user avatar
  • 537
7 votes
1 answer
601 views

Is there a downloadable data source for mapping out rivers with names for the whole world?

I'd like to be able to extract rivers with their names and the flow size (not direction) for the whole world. The scale I'll be drawing it at is about 2 centimeters per 10 real world km - nothing too ...
Nardev's user avatar
  • 71
6 votes
1 answer
2k views

Generate channel network (rainwater run off) - which algorithm is the best?

I want to compute DEM for a whole country (cca 79 000 sqr. km) and I need to be hydrologically correct as much is possible. After, for this correct DEM I need to compute drainage lines of surface run-...
david_p's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
970 views

In hydrologic terrain analysis is there a difference between "pits", "depressions", and "sinks"?

In hydrologic terrain analysis is there a difference between "pits" and "depressions"? For instance, Planchon and Darboux (2002) state The usual numerical methods for removing the depressions of a ...
Richard's user avatar
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6 votes
5 answers
8k views

Calculating Runoff / Streams using DEM in ArcGIS

I am just curious about the workflow that many of you use for runoff/stream analysis using a DEM and create a "water network" from the results in ArcGIS 10.1? I know the average rainfall for different ...
CodeSpatial's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
902 views

Lowering density of GRASS r.stream.extract result?

I am fiddling with the GRASS plugin in QGIS to produce watersheds and drainage basins as well as being able to identify all the basins and watersheds leading to one point (depending where i chose to ...
Louis's user avatar
  • 674
6 votes
1 answer
1k views

How to run a tool from Whitebox GAT in ArcGIS?

I have a series of tools that I need to run in ArcGIS to hydrologically condition my DEM, but the first step in this process is running the Breach Depressions tool from Whitebox GAT (I have found that ...
Marina's user avatar
  • 192
6 votes
3 answers
4k views

How to determine elevation drop along stream with ArcGIS Desktop?

I need to calculate(estimate) hydraulic head(elevation drop) along a single river stream in order to find potential site for small hydropower plant. I have a DEM with 20m resolution and raster and ...
Subija Izeiroski's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
626 views

Does this ArcGIS flow accumulation example have an error?

The lower right corner of the flow accumulation example in ArcGIS Desktop's documentation has a flow accumulation value of 2. However, I only see one cell flowing into the lower right corner (the ...
Paul H's user avatar
  • 915
6 votes
1 answer
1k views

Delineating coastal subbasins using SAGA GIS or GRASS in QGIS?

I'm having some problems trying to delineate watersheds using the SAGA watershed delineation tools in QGIS. I have a SRTM DEM (cell size 30 m) which I set the water cells to NULL values, following ...
Ernesto561's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
151 views

Selecting or highlighting upstream elements

I would like to use the information from the Swedish SMHI related with their hydrological model elements (catchment areas) that have a Containment hierarchy structure, each element has the information ...
Marco's user avatar
  • 3,210
5 votes
1 answer
1k views

Calculating width of unusually shaped polygon in QGIS

I have a large unusually shaped polygon of surface water within 15km radius of a site. I would like to calculate the widths of all the polygons. I would be open to calculating it at regular intervals, ...
Melanie Baker's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
1k views

Which flow routing algorithms does ArcGis support?

Other than standard D8 are there support for multiple flow algorithms like FD8, DEMON, Dinfinity etc?
Steinin's user avatar
  • 275
5 votes
3 answers
660 views

Hydrological Enforcement of culverts in QGIS

I work on a farm and we are in the process of developing a surface drainage program for individual fields. I am using QGIS 3.16 and the publicly available 2020 QL2 LIDAR flyover of Indiana, and my ...
overscoper's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
4k views

Extract river polygons from DEM

I would like to use DEM to extract a river network but I don't want to use the polylines. Is it possible for me to extract polygon (or raster) rivers from DEM? I'm using both ArcGIS 10 and R. If ...
BBR's user avatar
  • 81
5 votes
3 answers
711 views

Ways to determine winding topographic characteristics of a river

Are there any methods and/or technical guides on how to classify the degree of winding of river bodies? I have the following polygon layer of roughly 100,000 water bodies and would like to write an ...
dassouki's user avatar
  • 8,553
5 votes
1 answer
501 views

Delineating multiple nested catchments in R whitebox; prevent primary catchment from being cut by subcatchment

I am using whitebox tools in R to delineate catchments. I have 150 lakes in a rather small area so many of the lakes are within the same catchment. I use wbt_watershed(d8_pntr = ptr, ...
fredrik.sundberg's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
4k views

Calculating flowpaths downstream of a point

I am assessing the flood risk posed by pipeline failure. I need to calculate the likely flow-paths for flood water downstream of critical locations along the pipeline using GIS. I'm familiar with ...
Ed Rollason's user avatar
  • 3,868
5 votes
2 answers
5k views

Flow Accumulation in R [closed]

Is there an ArcGIS-like implementation of Flow Accumulation for R? What I am trying to avoid: Using ArcGIS; Using Grass; Using RpyGEO (but will if need be) I am aware of the landscape/hydrology ...
Mr.ecos's user avatar
  • 473
5 votes
1 answer
7k views

How to assign correct flow direction to stream network polylines?

I would like to create a map showing the results of watershed analysis as well as the resulting stream network with flow direction. I have a stream network which has been created from the flow ...
Jakub Sisak GeoGraphics's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
822 views

How do I get the upstream distance to all points in a DEM from a single downstream point?

I want to get the upstream distance to all points in a DEM from a single downstream point. The goal is to create a "downstream distance to a point grid". This then would allow me to create "distance" ...
bouch's user avatar
  • 51
5 votes
2 answers
517 views

Performing Weighted Flow Accumulation in GRASS?

I would like to calculate a weighted flow accumulation raster with GRASS. I have a DEM and a rainfall raster. I am looking to calculate the rainfall accumulated downstream. Basically, it is similar in ...
Guido A. Herrera's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
3k views

Generate Height Above the Nearest Drainage (HAND) using QGIS

I have a DEM I want to generate a HAND for and want to do so in QGIS. Does anyone know of any plugins or the processing steps to be able to do this?
TheMinimalistMapper's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
4k views

How to display Flow Direction arrows + Burn Stream Netwok in QGIS?

I have used the automated r.watershed tool in QGIS 2.18 (GRASS plugin) to conduct a watershed analysis (basin boundaries, flow direction, flow accumulation etc). I'm stuck on the following operations:...
Michael_01's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
3k views

Calculating Flooded area / Inundation in ArcGIS for Desktop?

I was tasked to create a layer with the flooded areas if the sea / river level was to go up by X feet. There is no requirement to take Flow and Pour Points into account, just a simple raise in water ...
user5495269's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
714 views

Calculate Polygon Centerline with a LeastCostPath approach

I'm working on deriving the centerline of a polygon, similar to this question or this one, using a different approach. I'm 90% done with the task, but cannot reach the final step. My approach is to ...
Ratnanil's user avatar
  • 963
5 votes
1 answer
463 views

HEC GeoHMS generates wrong catchment area

I am trying to define a catchment area automatically with HEC Geo HMS (ArcGIS version 10.1). My input-data is a DEM-file (raster 1m). After doing all steps in HEC Geo HMS, the catchment area (see ...
jul.ia's user avatar
  • 51
5 votes
1 answer
167 views

Global Basin Delineation Across Dateline

I'm trying to delineate all river basins on a global 1/16 degree grid. The algorithm that the Basin tool in the Spatial Analyst Toolbox works well (fast) except it doesn't know how to handle the ...
sea_hydro's user avatar
  • 193
5 votes
1 answer
6k views

How to compute average slope and area-weighted average slope?

I am learning GIS for use in hydrologic analysis. Related to computation of overland flow there are two types of slope that I would like to be able to obtain from GIS. The first is average slope for ...
Robotuner's user avatar
  • 394
5 votes
1 answer
2k views

Extracting flow accumulation to stream shapefile

I would like to create a shapefile that displays the flow accumulation for a given point in a stream channel. Is this possible? My client wants a map that shows the accumulated flow/catchment area ...
Altoids_99's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
2k views

Flow direction generated for river is incorrect

I am trying to generate a hydrologic model and I can not really proceed on the next processes. I have this problem on generating flow direction. I have already executed fill sinks and the next is flow ...
vklopt's user avatar
  • 469
5 votes
3 answers
7k views

How to calculate runoff in Rainfall Analysis?

I have 30 years daily rainfall data. How can i calculate the mean monthly runoff, minimum monthly runoff and maximum monthly runoff with the available rainfall data using GIS? I would like to use ...
saranya's user avatar
  • 61

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