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Create Basin From DEMs

1. This document outlines steps to create a DEM and mask file from geospatial data for use in hydrological modeling with SHETRAN. This includes downloading ASTER DEM data, processing it in ArcGIS to create a watershed boundary and pour point, then converting the DEM and watershed shapefile to ASCII format for input into the SHETRAN model. 2. Key steps are mosaicking DEM tiles, projecting the raster to a local grid, aggregating cells, clipping extents, filling sinks, calculating flow direction and accumulation, creating a pour point feature, delineating the watershed, and exporting the DEM and watershed as ASCII files for SHETRAN. 3. The process allows creation of

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Ralaiarinosy natolotra
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26 views

Create Basin From DEMs

1. This document outlines steps to create a DEM and mask file from geospatial data for use in hydrological modeling with SHETRAN. This includes downloading ASTER DEM data, processing it in ArcGIS to create a watershed boundary and pour point, then converting the DEM and watershed shapefile to ASCII format for input into the SHETRAN model. 2. Key steps are mosaicking DEM tiles, projecting the raster to a local grid, aggregating cells, clipping extents, filling sinks, calculating flow direction and accumulation, creating a pour point feature, delineating the watershed, and exporting the DEM and watershed as ASCII files for SHETRAN. 3. The process allows creation of

Uploaded by

Ralaiarinosy natolotra
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Create SHETRAN DEM and Mask Data

This uses ArcView (Version 9) to create a catchment/watershed for a river catchment.


From there both a SHETRAN DEM and a SHETRAN mask data file can be easily
created. The procedure uses the ASTER 30m DEM dataset.

The ASTER dataset (http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/gdem.asp) has free to download


30m DEM of nearly the whole of the Earth’s land surface. The data is downloaded in
GoeTIFF format. It has geographic lat/long coordinates and a 1 arcsecond
(approximately 30 m) grid. It is referenced to the WGS84/EGM96 geoid.

GeoTiff data can be read directly in ArcMap (within the ArcView software package)

A similar procedure can be used for other DEM datasets. For example, if you
download data from Digimap (ordnance survey map collection -> data download
services -> data download -> OS land-form profile DTM, 10000 or 1,50000) you can
download DEM in either 10m or 50m grids in British National Grid. This needs an
additional stage to convert the NTF data to ASCII data (e.g. Map Manager Software).

1. DEM in ArcMap

In ArcMap use is made of the ArcToolbox. This can be displayed by clicking on


Window -> ArcToolbox

In File -> Add data select the appropriate file e.g. ASTGTM_N54W003_dem.tif

The DEM data range is over a strange scale. Double click on the dataset (e.g.
ASTGTM_N54W003_dem.tif ) in Layers, click on classified then OK

If the catchment is over several datasets then add all the required datasets to ArcMap.
Then in ArcToolbox go to
Data Management tools -> Raster -> Mosiac to New raster

Add all the input rasters, e.g.


ASTGTM_N54W003_dem.tif
ASTGTM_N54W002_dem.tif
In Output Location choose a folder
In Raster dataset name with extension choose a name and leave the extension blank
for a grid

2. Convert to projected coordinate system

The GeoTiff data is in lat/long coordinates. To convert to a projected coordinate


system (i.e national grid system such as the British National Grid) in the Arctoolbox
go to:
Projections and Transformations -> raster -> Project raster select the DEM
created in 1. In Output coordinate system select the appropriate national grid
(Coordinate system -> Select…) (e.g. projected coordinate system -> National
grids -> British National grid.prj) In resampling technique choose bilinear or
cubic. The output cell size is automatically set (in this case at 30.822m). This can be
set at the desired size for the catchment boundary and SHETRAN files (e.g. 100m) in
which case stage 3 (see below) is not needed.

The display in the bottom right of the screen will still be in lat/long coordinates. This
can be modified by selecting

View -> Data fame properties and selecting a coordinate system (e.g. predefined ->
projected coordinate system -> National grids -> British National grid.prj)

The display in the bottom right of the screen will now be in the projected coordinate
system.

3. Change grid size

In Spatial Analyst Tools -> Generalisation -> Aggregate


Select the DEM with the new coordinate system. The cell factor is the factor by
which to multiply the cell size (i.e 3 to convert from 30m to 90m). The aggregation
technique should be median

4. Clip the DEM


If the DEM covers too big an area it may need clipping.
In Data Management tools -> raster -> clip select the DEM dataset and the new
rectangle

5. Create a catchment

a. Fill Sinks
• Spatial analyst tools -> hydrology -> Fill. The z-limit is generally left blank,
however, it may need to be altered.

b. Determine Flow Direction and Accumulation


• Spatial analyst tools -> hydrology -> Flow Direction
• Spatial analyst tools -> hydrology -> Flow Accumulation. The flow
accumulation shows the location of the river channels.

c. Create Pourpoint shapefile


• In Arc Catalog create a new shapefile File -> New -> Shapefile. Call the file
pour-point
• Add the new file to ArcMap File -> Add Data - > pour-point.shp
• Make sure the editor toolbox is open (right click on grey screen at the top and
select editor). Edit pour-point.shp dataset (editor -> start editing) and click
on the picture on the pencil (Sketch tool) and click where the exit of the
channel should be (i.e. the pour point which can seen from the flow
accumulation data layer) which delineates where you want the basin to. Stop
editing (editor -> stop editing).

d. Create actual watersheds


• Spatial analyst tools -> hydrology -> Watershed. Use flow direction from b.
and pour point from c. This procedure is very sensitive to the exact location of
the pour point. If this does not work try a very slightly different location for
the pour point. Go to editor -> start editing. Click on the arrow (Edit tool)
move the location of the pour point and stop editing (editor -> stop editing).

6. Output SHETRAN DEM and Mask

Zoom so that the entire catchment is just visible in the display (you may also need to
change the size of the window). Then in
Conversion Tools -> From Raster -> Raster to ASCII. select the catchment (or
watershed) dataset created in 5d. Click on
Environments -> General Settings -> Output Extent (you need to scroll down) - >
Same as Display

Do the same for the DEM data

There may be better ways of doing some of the above, but this is what works for me..
Thanks to Isabella Bovolo for the original document on which this is based.

Steve Birkinshaw 16/07/09

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