A bankfull geometry dataset for major exorheic rivers on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Abstract

Bankfull river discharge shapes river morphology. The bankfull river surface planform and river width can be used to quantify river size. Regional studies of stream ecology, hydrologic modelling, river carbon emissions and geomorphology from the perspective of fluvial processes are hindered by the lack of a highly accurate spatially distributed river network that considers bankfull river geometry. Based on Sentinel-2 and Landsat 5/7/8 multispectral instrument imagery and in situ measured hydrological data, the river discharge and width of spatially distributed cross sections of six major exorheic rivers and their tributaries located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) are calculated under bankfull conditions. Then, the bankfull river surface is extracted. Finally, a bankfull river width and surface area database is established. The provided planform river hydromorphology data can supplement global hydrography datasets and effectively represent the combined fluvial geomorphology and geological background in the study area.