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- Title
Effect of User Decision and Environmental Factors on Computationally Derived River Networks.
- Authors
Olsen, N. R.; Tavakoly, A. A.; McCormack, K. A.; Levin, H. K.
- Abstract
Despite recent developments of continental and global vector‐based river networks, the impact of digital elevation model selection, stream initiation area and environmental parameters including land cover, and elevation, remain unexplored at large scales. To fill this gap, vector river networks based on multiple data sets are compared to the National Hydrography Dataset Plus High Resolution flowpaths. Using TauDEM, river networks from three conditioned Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) were produced at multiple thresholds for stream initiation. OpenCLC, a software package for the comparison of hydrographic networks, was used to compare digital hydrographic networks with the NHDPlus HR flowlines data set over more than 35,00 basins. Networks derived from the 12 m Tandem‐X data set showed similar results as the MERIT Hydro with 90 m resolution until the application of a sophisticated stream burning methodology improved performance significantly. The optimal CLC is obtained at 1‐km threshold for Hydrological Data and Maps Based on SHuttle Elevation Derivatives at multiple Scales and MERIT Hydro‐gridded data sets, quality declined with smaller thresholds. Spatial patterns in river‐network quality were observed and were associated with dominant land classification, with greater forest coverage associated with significantly better quality and greater wetland presence with lower quality networks. This study demonstrates user selection of DEM, and threshold combined with environmental factors (vegetation, water coverage, and precipitation) play a significant role in river‐network quality compared to the DEM selection, and that without sophisticated conditioning, a higher resolution base DEM does not necessarily produce a better river network. Plain Language Summary: To track the quantity of water flowing in rivers and streams around the world, researchers must draw maps of those rivers. These maps are made from data collected in outer space and our ability to collect these data has improved with time. Researchers have also developed increasingly sophisticated methods of cleaning the data to determine the position of the rivers. Currently, users assume that the most recent maps are better, but if so and by how much has not been tested across large, diverse regions. This research applies OpenCLC, a software tool that measures the similarity of a collection of lines, to some of the most popular globally available river maps. These space‐collected maps were compared to a map created by the United States Geological Survey that combines several methodologies for locating rivers and has been visually checked. This study found that the most recently developed river maps are better than older efforts and discovered patterns of land properties that were related to how well the river maps could be drawn from data collected in those areas. Key Points: A higher‐resolution base Digital Elevation Model does not necessarily produce a better digital river networkEnvironmental factors (vegetation, water coverage, and precipitation) play a significant role in the determination of digital river network quality
- Subjects
GEOLOGICAL Survey (U.S.); DIGITAL elevation models; DATA scrubbing; HYDROGRAPHY; STREAMFLOW; OUTER space
- Publication
Journal of Geophysical Research. Earth Surface, 2023, Vol 128, Issue 4, p1
- ISSN
2169-9003
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2022JF006873