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Objective extraction of channel heads from high‐resolution topographic data
Author(s) -
Clubb Fiona J.,
Mudd Simon M.,
Milodowski David T.,
Hurst Martin D.,
Slater Louise J.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1002/2013wr015167
Subject(s) - high resolution , channel (broadcasting) , extraction (chemistry) , geology , remote sensing , hydrology (agriculture) , geomorphology , computer science , telecommunications , geotechnical engineering , chromatography , chemistry
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 −11, −7, 5, and −24 m and 34, 3, 12, and −58 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.