AUTOMATING ARCHYDRO FOR WATERSHED DELINEATION

Carol Kraemer1 and Sudhanshu S Panda2

AUTHORS: 1Undergraduate student (Environmental Science), Institute of Environmental Spatial Analysis, Gainesville State College, 3820 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood, GA 30566; 2Assistant Professor, GIS/Env. Sc., Institute of Environmental Spatial Analysis, Gainesville State College, 3820 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood, GA 30566; spanda@gsc.edu REFERENCE: Proceedings of the 2009 Georgia Water Resources Conference, held April 2729, 2009, at the University of Georgia.

Abstract: ArcHydro is a model developed for building hydrologic information systems to synthesize geospatial and temporal water resources data that support hydrologic modeling and analysis. The model is developed as an Add-on to ArcGIS software. Geo-spatial modelers working with water resource management areas use the Add-on toolbar through sequential drop down menu tools available with the toolbar. However if we do not follow the sequence properly and make a mistake with one tool of the sequence, we would fail to run the entire ArcHydro model to obtain the intended delineated watersheds for our research. It is a big problem with novice users, who make such mistakes often. The coding for the ArcHydro tools refers to a designated folder for storing the output files (which are referred by the next tool in the sequence) with a pre-defined designated name. Once we make a mistake in one tool, next time to correct it we have to delete the resultant wrong files from the folder, before to the next step. Therefore, in this study, we have developed a comprehensive geo-spatial model in ArcGIS Model Builder, utilizing ArcHydro tools that are developed individually and available through the ArcGIS developers library. This automation of running the model to obtain the delineated watersheds, just like ArcHydro Add-on, is much simpler. Using this tool, a user can obtain the desired result with three clicks. They have the option to set their input data, output file names, and output folders of their convenience. Key words: ArcHydro, geo-spatial model, model builder, ArcGIS Developers library, watershed delineation

INTRODUCTION
ArcHydro is a model developed for building hydrologic information systems to synthesize geospatial and temporal water resources data that support hydrologic modeling and analysis. The model is developed as an Add-on to ArcGIS software. It is used to extract topologic variables from a digital elevation model raster (DEM) for building geometric networks for hydrologic analysis (Dost, 2005). This geospatial and temporal model supports hydrologic simulation models (Maidment, 2002). The complete model consists of five

categories to divide water resources elements, such as network, drainage, channel, hydrography, and time series. The ArcHydro tools (part of the ArcHydro Addon toolbar) generates several datasets that collectively describe the drainage pattern of a catchment. Most watershed managers use this facility more than other advanced hydrologic analysis for their watershed management requirement. At the outset, a raster analysis is performed to generate data on flow direction, flow accumulation, stream definition, stream segmentation, and finally watershed delineation. Next, these data are used to develop a vector representation of catchments and drainage lines and in the end to help in constructing a geometric network. However, if one does not follow the sequence properly or makes an error with one tool of the sequence, the ArcHydro model fail to run the entire model and does not delineate watersheds. It is a big problem with novice users, who make such mistakes often. The coding for the ArcHydro tools refers to a designated folder for storing the output files (which are referred by the next tool in the sequence) with a pre-defined designated name. Once we make a mistake in one tool, next time to correct it we have to delete the resultant wrong files from the folder, else proceeding to the next step in the sequence would be a problem. ModelBuilder is one of the most powerful and yet most underused tools in ArcGIS. The ModelBuilder environment introduces a new and exciting way to perform analysis and to automate workflows. The ModelBuilder interface provides a graphical modeling framework to design and implement geoprocessing models with tools and scripts available in ArcGIS library and geographic data compatible to ArcGIS software (Rockware, 2008). ModelBuilder helps maximize the users time and energy by providing a rich environment that closely integrates GIS and process models. One best thing with ModelBuilder geospatial model development is that it does not require any programming skill. As provided in ArcGIS (ESRI, Redlands, CA) help menu, "The geoprocessing tools in ArcGIS make it easy to process spatial data to model aspects of the real world. However, when there are many steps involved in your geoprocessing work flow, it can be difficult to keep track of the assumptions, tools, datasets, and other

parameter values you have used. One of the easiest ways to author and automate your work flow and keep track of your geoprocessing tasks is to create a model. A model allows you to perform a work flow, modify it, and repeat it over and over with a single click." This suggests that models developed in ArcGIS ModelBuilder are quite easy to work with as there are options to include help information on the Model window itself for each tool used for the model. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to develop a comprehensive geo-spatial model in ArcGIS Model Builder, in line of ArcHydro, using tools that are developed individually and available through the ArcGIS developers library.

The protection of the water quality of the lake is an absolute necessity as the lakes water demand is increasing not only for drinking purposes but also for navigation, recreation, and fish and wildlife management (USACE, 2008). However, the catchment area for Lake Lanier is a meager 2,682 km2. For this study, we have used this 8-digit HUC (# 03130001) Lake Lanier watershed as the study area. ArcHydro software was used to delineate the subwatersheds in the watershed to conduct further advanced studies. Data required for the study The major data used for the study was the 30m DEM downloaded from the USGS seamless server (http://seamless.usgs.gov) , the 8-digit HUC boundary from USGS database, and RF1 stream network downloaded from the Georgia GIS Clearinghouse ArcHydro Add(https://gis1.state.ga.us/index.asp). on/Extension, ArcGIS 9.2, and the ModelBuilder software were used for the analysis. ArcHydro modeling procedure for watershed delineation The procedure used for watershed delineation in ArcHydro involves a sequence of steps accessed through the toolbar menus. The first of these was the reconditioning of the DEM data to reconcile with the stream layer using the AGREE method. AGREE is a surface reconditioning system for DEMs. With the application of the AGREE method, the system adjusts the surface elevation of the DEM to be consistent with vector coverage of a stream or ridgeline coverage. ArcInfo's Arc Macro Language (AML) code is written for this AGREE tools operation like other ArcHydro tools (Hellweger, 2009). Reconditioning was required to raise the base level of the DEM values to prevent negative values in the DEM because it would have created problems when filling sinks in the next step. Sinks are artifact features from DEM creation which are cells in which there is no adjacent downstream cell. Once sinks were filled, flow direction was calculated using the adjusted DEM values and steepest flow path algorithm and eight-direction pour path model. The next step was the calculation of flow accumulation, which was used when specifying the threshold by which streams are defined in the next step. The model designates stream path channels begin at the point at which the accumulation threshold was exceeded. The stream definition dialog sets the default threshold at ten percent of the total drainage area, which may be too detailed for small study areas or too general for large ones. However, processing large DEM files using small threshold values may require an extended processing period for completion. For this study, the threshold was set at five

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study area Lake Sidney Lanier watershed is in northeast Georgia (Figure 1). The Chattahoochee River and its tributaries in northeast Georgia are the water sources in this watershed. Lake Sidney Lanier is the drinking water source for over 5 million residents of Atlanta and North Georgia (CWI, 2000).

Figure 1. Case study area map of Lake Lanier watershed, Georgia.

percent of the drainage area or about 18.0401 square kilometers. The stream layer output was in binary raster format, with cells occurring within stream features assigned a value of 1. Next, the stream grid was segmented into sections representing headwater tributaries or segments between confluences, with each segment assigned a unique grid code identifier. The resulting link grid was used in the next step to generate a catchment grid based on the values held by each stream segment. The number of catchments was equal to the number of stream segments defined in the previous step. These catchment grids were converted to polygon vector features in the next step, with single cell catchments automatically dissolved within the process topology. Additionally, the link grid from earlier processing was converted to a line feature class using the drainage line-processing tool in the next step. Each of these line segments is assigned an ID value

corresponding to the catchment polygon in which it resides. To facilitate the definition of entry and exit points, the next step generated aggregated adjoint catchments that represented the cumulative upstream area of each stream segment that was not a headwater segment. In the next step drainage points which are point features placed at the transfer points between adjacent catchments were generated. Each point was assigned a unique identifier based on the catchment it drains. For general watershed analysis, the adjoint catchments contain the watershed elements of the selected catchments and adjacent downstream catchments in the watershed, thus delineating the watershed boundary based on the selected catchment. Figure 2 is a very comprehensive flow chart to show the entire process involved in the Watershed Delineation using ArcHydro extension toolbar in ArcGIS 9.2.

Figure 2. Comprehensive ArcHydro process flow chart to delineate watershed boundary.

General problems/errors encountered while processing One of the major issues with ArcHydro software is that it stores outputs with a particular name and in a particular folder. You do not have the option to change it. Another big issue with the software run is that when one starts with the processing of a tool, it would fill in with the first raster/vector layer available in the Table of Content (TOC) of the ArcMap window depending upon the type of GIS data it refers. If we work with DEM Reconditioning (AGREE), then the Raw DEM combobox gets filled in with the first rater (layer(0)) in the TOC (Figure 3). Therefore, it is the responsibility of the user to go and change the actual DEM layer in the combobox. Thus, the user wastes some precious time to provide correct data into the required field. It is same with the Agree Stream combobox.

Figure 4. Error occurred while conducting drainage line delineation from users stream network.

Figure 5. Error associate with Catchment Polygon Processing output file naming.

Figure 3. Error in referring to the actual input data. The other encountered errors are shown in Figures 46. Figure 4 shows some error if the user inadvertently go to delineate the drainage line from the stream because the HydroID, NextDownID, and others are generally not defined with the users own stream file. Therefore, it would waste the users time. In case of developed geospatial model for watershed delineation, the user does not have the luxury to make such mistakes and waste his/her time. Figure 5 shows one of the major problems. As the Catchment Polygon Processing output file is written into the spatial database engine (SDE) geodatabase, the user cannot overwrite the earlier created layers with catchment name. User must rename it and run it. In many cases, it was encountered that the program will be puzzled with new name and would stop in the middle and thus closing the ArcMap abruptly without saving. This error is shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6. The error message after the Catchment Polygon Processing failed and abruptly closed the ArcMap.

Geospatial model development with ArcGIS ModelBuilder ArcHydro Tools toolset were downloaded from the University of Texas Center for Research in Water Resources website (http://www.crwr.utexas.edu/gis/archydrobook/ ArcHydroTools/Tools.htm) and uploaded to the computer and thus it was available with the ArcGIS software. Arc Hydro Tools are available with the System Toolboxes of the ArcGIS software (in the Catalog Tree of ArcCatalog). The Arc Hydro Tools were dragged into the ArcToolbox to be available for our geospatial model development. At first, to get rid of the specific problem of a fixed output

folder as used in the ArcHydro tool extension, the Create Target Location tool, available with Arc Hydro Setup toolset was used as part of the first geospatial model (Figure 7) in ArcGIS ModelBuilder in creating the output target for the ArcHydro project. This was the vital part in getting the feature classes to load into the geodatabase properly. Then the raw DEM was put in the workspace created for all files. The tool references the raw DEM/NED and, when it was run, it created a geodatabase for the vector files and created the proper paths for the vectors and raster.

Figure 7. The geospatial model to set the output and input geodatabase for the ArcHydro watershed delineation process

Then the comprehensive ArcHydro watershed delineation process geospatial model (Figure 8) was developed in the ModelBuilder platform using the tools available with the Terrain Processing toolset of the Arc Hydro Tools toolbox. The advantage of this geospatial model was that it would help a novice with little GIS knowledge to run the model with single click to obtain his/her delineated watershed. Another important advantage of this model is that the user would not worry about a definite folder to save the resultant output. User can save the output to any of the output folder of his/her liking by just double clicking on the output oval and changing the file path. Therefore, there would be less chance of making mistakes on the part of the user. The model would not crash so often as it was case of the process run using the ArcHydro Add-on/extension toolbar tools. The user would not be worried to remember the sequential steps to follow to complete the watershed delineation process. A single Run button click would produce the result.

Figure 8. The comprehensive geospatial model for the ArcHydro watershed delineation process. Results and Discussions map of the watersheds in the study area. It was also observed that changing the Number of cells or the threshold area for the watersheds was very easy. Thus, we were able to rerun the entire process through the model in less than one fourth of the time we consumed with the other procedure.

Watersheds with the minimum area of 18 sq. km. were generated as the output of the ArcHydro watershed delineation process. As discussed in the earlier section, the geospatial models did not provide any error in the processing stage. There were no errors encountered while running the model unlike the initial process of delineating watersheds of the study area using tools from the ArcHydro add-on toolbar. Figure 9 is the resultant

CONCLUSION
As the norm of todays world is to make things faster and with less error, this study would help novice watershed stakeholders to delineate their watersheds with a single click. They can replicate this model just by replacing the input DEM. They would easily change the output geodatabase with complete ease. Therefore, the models developed as part of this study could be easily replicated elsewhere.

REFERENCES
Arc Hydro Online Support System maintained by the University of Texas-Austin Center for Research in Water Resources, http://www.crwr.utexas.edu/giswr/hydro/ArcHOSS/in dex.cfm ArcHydro Tools for ArcGIS 9.2- Tutorial published by ESRI Press, Redlands CA May 2007 Clean Water Initiative (CWI). 2000. Final Report of the Clean Water Initiative. A project of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Regional Business Coalition, Inc. November 2000. http://www.cleanwaterinitiative.com/recommendation s.html. Dost, R.J.J., 2005. Hydrologic information systems as a support tool for water quality monitoring: a case study in Bolivian Andes. M.S. Thesis, International Institute for Geo-information Science and earth Observation, Enschede, The Netherlands. Hellweger, F., 2009. AGREE - DEM Surface Reconditioning System. http://www.ce.utexas.edu/prof/maidment/GISHYDR O/ferdi/research/agree/agree.html. Last updated 01/10/1997. Accessed on March 12, 2009. Maidment, D., 2002. ArcHydro GIS for Water Resources. ESRI Press, Redlands, CA. Rockware, 2008. ArcView 9: ModelBuilder. http://www.rockware.com/product/overviewSection.p hp?id=189&section=57. Accessed on 11.08.08. United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). 2008. Lake Sidney Lanier. http://lanier.sam.usace.army.mil/. Accessed on April 01, 2008.

Figure 9. Delineated watershed of the study area using the developed geospatial model with ArcHydro Tools.