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Automatic Watershed Delineation Using Arcswat/Arc Gis: By: - Yalelet.F

This document provides instructions for using ArcSWAT to automatically delineate watersheds and subwatersheds from a digital elevation model (DEM). The key steps include: 1) Loading the DEM into ArcMap and defining its projection 2) Optionally adding a mask and stream network layers 3) Running the automatic delineation tool to calculate watershed and subwatershed boundaries and characteristics based on the DEM 4) Adding outlets, calculating subbasin parameters, and generating a report on the watershed characteristics.

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177 views9 pages

Automatic Watershed Delineation Using Arcswat/Arc Gis: By: - Yalelet.F

This document provides instructions for using ArcSWAT to automatically delineate watersheds and subwatersheds from a digital elevation model (DEM). The key steps include: 1) Loading the DEM into ArcMap and defining its projection 2) Optionally adding a mask and stream network layers 3) Running the automatic delineation tool to calculate watershed and subwatershed boundaries and characteristics based on the DEM 4) Adding outlets, calculating subbasin parameters, and generating a report on the watershed characteristics.

Uploaded by

Addisu melak
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Automatic Watershed Delineation using

ArcSWAT/Arc GIS

By: - Yalelet.F
1. Watershed Delineation
This tool allows the user to delineate sub watersheds based on an automatic procedure using
Digital Elevation Model (DEM). User specified parameter provides limits that influence the size
and number of sub watershed created. In addition, users have the option of importing pre-defined
watershed boundary and an associated stream network.
Purpose
The watershed delineation carries out advanced GIS function to aid the user in segmenting
watersheds in to several “hydrologically” connected sub-watersheds for use in watershed
modeling with SWAT.
Application
The watershed delineation tool uses and expands ArcGIS and Spatial Analyst extension function
to perform watershed delineation .the delineation process requires a Digital Elevation Model
(DEM) in ESRI grid format. The user also has the option of importing and using a pre- defined
digital stream network in ArcView shape file or geodatabase feature class (polyline) format.
Once the delineation is finished, a detailed report (topographic Report) is added to the current
project and several layers will be added to the current map, including: Basin, Watershed, Reach,
Outlet and monitoring point. The topographic report the elevation distribution within the
watershed ( or “hydrologically” not connected watersheds)and within each sub-watershed unit
(sub basin)the layer added to the map contain the parameter of the watershed(s) characterization.

Key Procedures

 Load the DEM


 (optional) Define the working area (Mask )
 (optional) Load the stream network to be used for the delineation
 Preprocess the DEM
 Specify the minimum sub- watershed area (critical source area)
 Review and edit the stream network points
 Run the calculation of the sub basin parameter
 (optional) locate the reservoir

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Create SWAT run with example dataset

1. Open ArcMap and choose “A new empty map”


2. Start ArcMap Customize -> Extensions -> make sure that Arc Swat project manager, swat
watershed delineator and Spatial Analyst extension are checked.
3. From the Customize -> Toolbars menu, make sure that the ArcSWAT toolbar is checked.

Explanation: Create an ArcMap project file using the ArcSWAT extension of ArcGIS
10.1 That will link GIS databases with the ArcSWAT hydrologic model.
Create new SWAT project / Setup working directory / Setup Geodatabases
4. SWAT Project Setup → New SWAT Project → save current document? → No → Project
Setup dialog box appears → Project Directory → E:\SWAT_Example → SWAT Project
Geodatabase automatically set to “SWAT_Example.mdb” and the raster geodatabase will be
set as “RasterStor.mdb”. The SWAT Parameter Geodatabase will be set to the
SWAT2009.mdb database located in your ArcSWAT installation folder (Figure-1) click OK.
Explanation: The Project Directory is where all of the project files will be stored

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Figure- 1

5. A new ArcSWAT project is created.

Figure-2

Processing the Elevation Dataset


1. Choose Watershed Delineator → Automatic Watershed Delineation → Watershed Delineation box
appears → DEM Setup → Load from Disk → go to E:\Example1 → Select DEM →Add

Explanation: The Digital Elevation Model (DEM) grid is added as a GIS layer to the ArcMap project file.

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Figure -3

2. DEM projection setup → Click on → the DEM Properties box appears → Check the units for
the Z Unit →make sure that the Z Unit in the DEM Properties box is meters → Ok

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Note:-
You can exit the Watershed Delineation and reopen it at anytime
3. Mask-----≥Manually delineate

Optional
Focusing on the watershed of interest using a pre-prepared “mask” – Speeds up GIS
processing Peg mask → Click the folder icon next to the mask box → select Load from

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Disk → Ok → select amask → Add

Explanation: The mask covers the watershed that you plan to simulate with a little overlap
around the watershed boundaries. The mask is pre-prepared and is added as a GIS layer to the
ArcMap project file. Later examples will show how to manually create a mask. The mask is used
to exclude areas outside of your selected watershed. Therefore only the data inside of the mask
area are utilized in the SWAT simulation thereby speeding up computer processing time.

Defining the stream network – Use the threshold area method


3. Go to the Stream Definition box → peg DEM-based → go to the Flow direction and
accumulation box and click on the icon → End of DEM grid preprocessing → Ok → in the Area
box change the value to 1000 Ha (In the example 1, set the threshold to 500. The smaller the
number, the more detailed the stream network generated.) → go to the Stream network box →
click on the icon → End of stream preprocessing → Ok
Explanation: The watershed boundaries and the stream network in the watershed is calculated
from the DEM using the flow direction and flow accumulation method. The locations of the
subbasin outlets are also defined. Minimum, maximum and suggested subbasin areas (in
hectares) can be defined.

Defining outlet and inlet definition


4. Go to the outlet and inlet definition → peg Subbasin outlet → click the folder icon and
select E:\Example1\outlet.dbf → Add → Ok → Ok → we will also add subbasin outlets
manually. Click the ADD button of Edit manually → Click the outlet points moving the
mouse (see the figure below). It shows red dots. → after adding outlet points, click the right

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mouse button and stop editing → yes
5. Go to the Whole watershed outlet(s) box and click on the icon → use the mouse to draw a
box around the watershed outlet (note: you may have to zoom-in if outlets are close-together
to make sure the box is drawn around the correct outlet) → 1 outlets selected→Ok

Explanation: Selecting the watershed outlet will define the boundary of the main watershed.

Delineate the watershed


6. Go to the Delineate watershed box and click on the icon → Watershed delineation is done
→ Ok
Explanation: After this step the delineated watershed with all subbasins will be added as a GIS
layer to the ArcMap project file.

Calculate the subbasin parameters


7. Go to the calculate subbasin parameters box and click on the icon (wait patiently!) →
Subbasin parameter calculation successfully done → ok → In this exercise, we will add a
reservoir. Click add reservoir button. → make sure the added reservoir point shown in both
the map and the MonitoringPoint layer. → click the right mouse button → stop editing →

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yes → back to the watershed delineation window → Exit

Explanation: This function calculates basic watershed and subbasin characteristics from the
DEM. A Topographic Report can be opened by going to → the Watershed Delineator tab →
Watershed Reports → Topographic Report → Ok. Each subbasin is given a unique ID number.

Note: - watershed parameters like area, length of the main water course and slop can be found
easily using the automatically delineated watershed.

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