Objective extraction of channel heads from high-resolution topographic data

Clubb, F. J., Mudd, S. M., Milodowski, D. T., Hurst, M. D. and Slater, L. J. (2014) Objective extraction of channel heads from high-resolution topographic data. Water Resources Research, 50(5), pp. 4283-4304. (doi: 10.1002/2013WR015167)

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Abstract

Fluvial landscapes are dissected by channels, and at their upstream termini are channel heads. Accurate reconstruction of the fluvial domain is fundamental to understanding runoff generation, storm hydrology, sediment transport, biogeochemical cycling, and landscape evolution. Many methods have been proposed for predicting channel head locations using topographic data, yet none have been tested against a robust field data set of mapped channel heads across multiple landscapes. In this study, four methods of channel head prediction were tested against field data from four sites with high-resolution DEMs: slope-area scaling relationships; two techniques based on landscape tangential curvature; and a new method presented here, which identifies the change from channel to hillslope topography along a profile using a transformed longitudinal coordinate system. Our method requires only two user-defined parameters, determined via independent statistical analysis. Slope-area plots are traditionally used to identify the fluvial-hillslope transition, but we observe no clear relationship between this transition and field-mapped channel heads. Of the four methods assessed, one of the tangential curvature methods and our new method most accurately reproduce the measured channel heads in all four field sites (Feather River CA, Mid Bailey Run OH, Indian Creek OH, Piedmont VA), with mean errors of 211, 27, 5, and 224 m and 34, 3, 12, and 258 m, respectively. Negative values indicate channel heads located upslope of those mapped in the field. Importantly, these two independent methods produce mutually consistent estimates, providing two tests of channel head locations based on independent topographic signatures.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:F.J.C. is supported by Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland. S.M.M. is supported by NERC grant NE/J009970/1 and U.S. Army Research Office contract number W911NF-13-1-0478. D.T.M. is supported by NERC grant NE/J500021/1. L.J.S. was supported by a NERC PhD studentship.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Hurst, Dr Martin
Authors: Clubb, F. J., Mudd, S. M., Milodowski, D. T., Hurst, M. D., and Slater, L. J.
Subjects:G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General)
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GA Mathematical geography. Cartography
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GB Physical geography
Q Science > QE Geology
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Geographical and Earth Sciences
Journal Name:Water Resources Research
ISSN:0043-1397
ISSN (Online):1944-7973
Published Online:28 April 2014

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