Research Mentor(s)
Flower, Aquila
Description
Remotely sensed digital elevation data can be utilized through geographic information science (GIS) techniques to model watershed and stream delineations. These techniques allow analysts to easily produce results that would otherwise require hours of intense field work, if possible at all. The accuracy of these watershed and stream models can be dependent on the resolution of the elevation data, and choosing an inappropriate resolution can result in further analyses producing inaccurate and/or misleading results. The purpose of my research is to quantify the differences between hydrological models developed from elevation data at varying resolutions. I chose the Lake Whatcom watershed as my focus for this project, as it is a relevant location of concern, being both a developed watershed and the Bellingham water source. I collected digital elevation models (DEMs) at three foot (WADNR) and ten (USGS) and thirty meter (NASA) resolutions. I aggregated the three foot resolution DEM to ten and thirty meters for comparison purposes. I then ran a sequence of GIS tools off of each of the DEMs to produce five hydrological models, including stream networks and watershed delineations at the watershed, subwatershed, and catchment levels. My research visualizes the necessity of choosing a proper resolution based on the scale and purpose of the project.
Document Type
Event
Start Date
15-5-2019 9:00 AM
End Date
15-5-2019 5:00 PM
Location
Carver Gym (Bellingham, Wash.)
Department
Environmental Studies
Genre/Form
student projects, posters
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Watersheds--Washington (State)--Whatcom, Lake, Watershed--Computer simulation; Geographic information systems--Washington (State)--Whatcom, Lake, Watershed; Hydrology--Washington (State)--Whatcom, Lake, Watershed--Computer simulation; River channels--Washington (State)--Whatcom, Lake, Watershed--Computer simulation
Type
Image
Keywords
GIS
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Included in
Dependence of Hydrological Modeling on Spatial Resolution in Lake Whatcom Watershed
Carver Gym (Bellingham, Wash.)
Remotely sensed digital elevation data can be utilized through geographic information science (GIS) techniques to model watershed and stream delineations. These techniques allow analysts to easily produce results that would otherwise require hours of intense field work, if possible at all. The accuracy of these watershed and stream models can be dependent on the resolution of the elevation data, and choosing an inappropriate resolution can result in further analyses producing inaccurate and/or misleading results. The purpose of my research is to quantify the differences between hydrological models developed from elevation data at varying resolutions. I chose the Lake Whatcom watershed as my focus for this project, as it is a relevant location of concern, being both a developed watershed and the Bellingham water source. I collected digital elevation models (DEMs) at three foot (WADNR) and ten (USGS) and thirty meter (NASA) resolutions. I aggregated the three foot resolution DEM to ten and thirty meters for comparison purposes. I then ran a sequence of GIS tools off of each of the DEMs to produce five hydrological models, including stream networks and watershed delineations at the watershed, subwatershed, and catchment levels. My research visualizes the necessity of choosing a proper resolution based on the scale and purpose of the project.