08-07-2015

Geographic Information System

(GIS) Simplified Method for Creating a Watershed
Layer from a DEM
Training Using ArcMap and Spatial Analyst
(14th Ashar– 24th Ashar 2072)

Watershed Determination

Raghu N. Prajapati
raghunp@nec.edu.np

Preparation: Step 1: Create the Flow Direction and Flow Accumulation hydrology
layers from your DEM
In ArcMap, be sure the Spatial Analyst Extension is loaded and Run the Fill tool
the Spatial Analyst toolbar is visible. Input: (your DEM layer)
Output: DEMFill1
Add in your DEM layer.
Add in vector layers for rivers and shoreline. These will be
Run the Flow Direction Tool
used for visually locating a general area to place the pour Input: DEMFill1
point. Output: FlowDir1
Set your geoprocessing environment to use the same spatial
reference system and cell size as your DEM layer. Run the Flow Accumulation Tool
You now need to set your processing extents in the Input: FlowDir1
geoprocessng environment. Here is simple (and simplistic) Output: FlowAcc1
way for doing this: The file names used in this document are only suggestions. You
Using the river layer overlaying your DEM, zoom in to an may use your own file names. Do not use any blank spaces in your
area somewhat larger than the watershed of interest. file names – many ESRI tools will generate errors if you use file
names with spaces, with special characters, or that are longer
Set your raster processing extents to “same as display”
than 8 characters.
setting.

Using the Spatial Analyst raster calculator, determine the
actual river lines from the flow accumulation layer:
• Make sure that FlowAcc1 is showing in the Spatial
Analyst toolbar “layer” field.
• Use raster calculator to evaluate “FlowAcc1 > 5000”.
(Note the value of 5,000 is an arbitrarily high number
representing large flows in the river bed. Depending on
the size of your watershed, you may have to adjust this
number.
• In the resulting “Calculation” layer, resymbolize the “0”
values to be “No Color” (i.e., transparent). You now
have a raster layer showing the river course.
You now have a flow direction and a flow accumulation raster for your watershed
area, as well a raster layer showing the river course.
Step 2: Create a Pour Point Layer (shapefile)
Open ArcCatalog and navigate to your own working
directory.
Create a new shape file using the File-New menu.
Choose a file name (e.g., PourPoint1), and choose “point”
as the Feature Type.
Sets shapefile’s coordinate system to be the same as the
DEM’s by pressing the Edit... button, then Import, then
navigating to your DEM.
Click OK. You have now created an empty shapefile (i.e., it
has no features in it yet).

1
 08-07-2015

Step 3: Specify a pour point in the PourPoint1 shapefile

The most critical stage in generating a watershed from your DEM is
specifying the correct pour point(s). This technique is a simplified way of
choosing a single pout point at a river mouth using visual inspection.
Other, more automated and more rigorous methods exist, but are
beyond the scope of this document.
Adjust your map:
• Place the new shapefile, PourPoint1, “on top” in the map’s table
of contents.
• The river and coastline vector layers must be visible just under
PourPoint1.
• The “Calculate” layer (the results of the raster calculator
operation that shows the river course) should be visible under
the river vector layer.
• The DEM should be under all.
• All other layers should be “unchecked” (not visible)
Change the symbology of your DEM to turn the “display background
value” option on (with the value set to 0) and change the background to
some contrasting color (e.g., red).
With your DEM layer in the background and using the river and
coastline vector layers as visual guides, zoom in to the river mouth (at
the coastline) until the individual pixels (cells) in the DEM raster layer
are large (1/4 inch or so) on the screen.
Locate the cell location in the “Calculate” layer that seems to best
represent the actual river mouth:
• This may be the first cell where the “Calculate” layer meets the a
zero-value (red) cell in the DEM; or
• This may be a cell in the “Calculate” layer that is closer to the
shoreline.
• Your choice of cell will determine the “end” of your watershed.
• NOTE: Use the raster river course layer and the DEM to
determine your pour point, NOT the river and shoreline vector
layers (these vector layers are for reference, but they are not
consistent with the raster-based layers).

Now that you have chosen the “river mouth” cell, you will place your
pour point over that cell:
• Turn on the “Editor” toolbar. Step 4: Run the Watershed Tool
• In the Editor menu, choose “Start Editing.”
• At the “Start Editing” dialog, choose the folder in which you have Input raster: FlowDir1
saved PourPoint1. On the Editor toolbar, make sure PourPoint1 is
Input Pour Point: PourPoint1
visible in the “Target” field.
• The “Task” field should be set to “Create New Feature.” Choose
Output: Watershed1
the “Sketch” tool (looks like a pencil).
• Place the crosshairs in the center of the cell that you have Note that all of the cells inside the watershed have the
identified as the river mouth. Click the mouse once. value of 0 (zero). Those outside the watershed have the
• In the Editor toolbar, choose “Save Edits”, the “Stop Editing” value of NoData.
You have just put a point feature in the PourPoint1 shapefile that corresponds with the
mouth of the river. This point will be the “pour point” used in the Watershed tool in the
next (and final) step.