Hydraulic Model Calibration Using Water Levels Derived from Time Series High-Resolution SAR Images
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Volume 146, Issue 4
Abstract
Hydraulic models require water extents (WE) and water levels (WL) for their calibration and validation. The synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has been readily used in the past to delineate water bodies and extract WL from the digital terrain model (DTM). However, studies using SAR data to calibrate hydraulic models have been carried out with a limited number of images. This study aims to use WL derived from a time series of high-resolution (5 m) Radarsat-2 SAR images to calibrate a one-dimensional model (HEC-RAS) using an automated algorithm on a 40-km reach of the Athabasca River in Alberta, Canada. Eighteen images, spanning 2012–2016, were processed to extract WL using a high-resolution (2 m) DTM that combined light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data and bathymetry acquired by boat surveying. The impact of the number of images used for the calibration has been assessed. The best root mean square error in validation between the SAR-derived and simulated WL was 0.28 m using seven images. Finally, a critical success index (CSI) was performed to compare the SAR-derived and simulated WE. No significant change in CSI was observed because of riverbank steepness.
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Data Availability Statement
1.
Some or all of the data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available in an online repository in accordance with funder data retention policies.
a.
Discharge levels
b.
Weather data from Keane Auto Station (wind, precipitation)
2.
Some or all of the data, models, or code used during the study were provided by a third party. Direct requests for these materials may be made to the provider, as indicated in the Acknowledgments.
a.
RADARSAT-2
b.
Lidar DTM
3.
Some or all of the data, models, or code generated or used during the study are proprietary or confidential in nature and may only be provided with restrictions (e.g., anonymized data).
a.
In situ water levels
b.
Bathymetry
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) for providing the RADARSAT-2 images used in this study. The LiDAR DTM data were provided by Environment and Climate Change Canada. Further thanks go to Water Survey Canada for making accessible the water level data. The authors would also like to thank the two anonymous reviewers for their thoughtful comments.
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Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 146 • Issue 4 • April 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 5, 2018
Accepted: Jul 11, 2019
Published online: Jan 27, 2020
Published in print: Apr 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Jun 27, 2020
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