Integration of manual channel initiation and flow path tracing in extracting stream features from lidar-derived DTM

Abstract

Stream network delineation based on LiDAR-derived digital terrain model (DTM) may produce stream segments that are inexistent or incomplete because of limitations imposed by extraction procedure, terrain and data. The applicability of a common threshold value in defining streams such as those implemented through the D8 algorithm also remains in question because the threshold varies depending on the geomorphology of the area. Flat areas and improper hydrologic conditioning produce erratic stream network. To counteract these limitations, this study proposes a workflow that improves the stream network produced by the D8 algorithm. It incorporates user-defined channel initiation points as inputs to a tool developed to automatically trace the flow of water into the next actual stream segment. Spurious streams along digital dams and flat areas are also manually reshaped. The proposed workflow is implemented in Iligan River Basin, Philippines using LiDARderived DTM of 1-meter resolution. The Flow Path Tracing (FPT) method counteracts the limits imposed by extraction procedure, terrain and data. It is applicable to different typologies of watersheds by eliminating the need to use site-specific threshold in determining streams. FPT is implemented as a Phyton script to automate the tracing of the streams using the flow direction raster. The FPT method is compared to the blue line digitization and the D8 method using morphometric parameters, such as stream number, stream order and stream length, to assess its performance. Results show that streams derived from the FPT method has higher stream order, number and length. An accuracy of 93.5% produced from field validation of the FPT method’s streams strengthens the findings that integrating manual channel head initiation and flow path tracing can be used for nationwide extraction of streams using LiDAR-derived-DTM in the Philippines.