Creating a Terrain Model for Floodplain Mapping
Publication: Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 7, Issue 2
Abstract
A geographic information system (GIS) based approach is presented for the development of a terrain model based on stream channel representation of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) hydraulic model. As input, the approach requires a completed HEC-RAS simulation, a digital elevation model (DEM), and a GIS representation of the stream thalweg. The process begins with export of the channel data from HEC-RAS to GIS, followed by data conversion from hydraulic model coordinates to geographic coordinates. A digital terrain model is subsequently synthesized by merging HEC-RAS data for the stream channel with comparatively lower-resolution DEM data for the floodplain. The resulting surface model provides a good representation of the general landscape and contains additional detail within the stream channel. The accuracy of the terrain model is comparable to high-resolution terrain data acquired through aerial photogrammetry and can be used in conjunction with the new generation of river hydraulic models capable of accepting GIS terrain data. An example application to Waller Creek in Austin, Texas, is presented.
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References
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 7 • Issue 2 • March 2002
Pages: 100 - 108
Copyright
Copyright © 2002 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 16, 2001
Published online: Mar 1, 2002
Published in print: Mar 2002
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