Hydrology & Watershed Analysis Manual

By Katie Rosa, WWU 2015

This manual provides instructions corresponding to the Model Builder model (South Fork
Nooksack) for using the Spatial Analyst Hydrology toolset in ArcMap 10.2. It assumes the
user has preprocessed their data: obtained a DEM/stream network data, made sure data is
in correct projection, and clipped to watershed of interest. Consider setting up a hillshade
to display the watershed DEM before beginning with Model Builder. This manual was
created using the South Fork Nooksack (SFN) Watershed in Whatcom County,
Washington, provided by the USGS.

Step 1: Setting Flow Direction

FILLING SINKS
This process fills the sinks in a grid. If a cell is surrounded by higher elevation cells, the
water is trapped in that cell and cannot flow. Filling sinks modifies the elevation value to
eliminate this problem.

Open the Fill Tool

Use the clipped, projected DEM watershed as the input raster
Set a z-limit if you want to retain natural sinks, like filling a deep lake. This manual
did not set a z-limit because the default is to fill all sinks. Go here for more
information on the z-limit:
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#//009z00000050000000
Output named SFNfill (Make the output name something useful and relevant to
specific watershed being analyzed).

FLOW DIRECTION
A crucial part of hydrologic characteristics is the ability to determine the direction of flow
from each cell in the raster. This function calculates the flow direction from each cell to its
steepest downslope neighboring cell. There are eight valid output directions relating to the
eight adjacent cells which flow could travel. This is called the eight-direction flow model.

Open the Flow Direction tool

Use the output from Fill Tool (SFNfill) as the input raster
Output named SFNflow

Displaying the Flow Direction illustrates the various directions the streams flow within
the watershed.

Step 2: Calculating Flow Accumulation

FLOW ACCUMULATION
This step will use the flow direction raster to calculate the number of cells accumulated
into each cell to begin to decipher locations of stream channels.

Open the Flow Accumulation Tool

Use the output from Flow Direction tool (SFNflow) as the input raster
Output named: SFNacc
This manual left the default options for input weight raster null and changed the
output data type to Integer. This choice depends on specific watershed analysis. See
below for more information:
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#/Flow_Accumulation/009z0
0000051000000/

Displaying the flow accumulation illustrates the cells with the highest values of accumulation.
High values (white) that can be interpreted as stream channels.

Step 3 Creating a Stream Network

STREAM NETWORK
The flow accumulation can be used to define a stream with the assumption a stream is
formed when a certain area flows to a point.

Open the Flow Accumulation output raster in ArcMap to establish a threshold for the
number of cells in the accumulation grid in order to create a stream network. It is assumed
a stream is formed when a certain number of cells accumulate at a given point.
Change the symbology of the flow accumulation (SFNacc) to two categories, one with values
below 2000. This number will vary depending on the stream network you are working with.
If you want higher detail, use a higher threshold. If you want lower detail, use a lower
number.
Use a vector dataset of stream channels in the particular watershed to compare your
thresholds. Play with this threshold until you have a stream network that matches the
vector data.
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Next, create a raster that will have stream cells reflecting the specific threshold.

Open the Raster Calculator tool

Use the equation in the model, [SetNull(%SFNacc%< 1500,1)] but user must
change the value in Raster Calculator to reflect your specific threshold. This manual
uses a threshold of 1500.
Output named: STREAM

NUMBER STREAMS
This process will assign a unique number to each link of the stream raster. This
numbering will be useful for analyzing streams by defining a junction where two stream
channels converge.

Open the Stream Link Tool

Use the output from Raster Calculator (STREAM) as the input stream
Use the output from Flow Direction Tool (SFNflow) as the input flow direction raster
Output named: SFNlink

Displaying the results of Stream Link tool illustrates the number of stream segments
existing in the watershed.

Step 4: Determining Stream Order

STREAM ORDER
This process will order the streams into a hierarchy within the watershed.

Open the Stream Order Tool

Use the output from Raster Calculator (STREAM) for the input raster
Use the output from Flow Direction tool (SFNflow) as input flow direction raster
Output named: SFNorder
There are two options for estimating stream order, Strahler or Shreve. This manual used
Strahler, which is a method of stream ordering where the order only increases when
streams of the same order intersect. See below for more information on Strahler vs. Shreve:
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#//009z00000057000000

Displaying Stream Order illustrates the hierarchy of the stream network.

Step 5: Calculating Flow Length

FLOW LENGTH
This process will calculate the flow distance from each cell to the most downstream or
upstream cell. In this model, the downstream flow length was calculated.

Open the Flow Length tool

Use the output from Flow Direction tool (SFNflow) as the input flow direction raster
Output named: SFNlen
Direction of measurement: Downstream. Choose the most appropriate direction for
the desired analysis.
Input weight raster was left blank.

Displaying the output for Flow Length shows the flow length for the flow path within a given
basin.

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Step 6: Delineate Water Basins

DELINIATE BASINS
This process will delineate basin boundaries based on the flow direction and will find all
sets of connected cells that belong in the same basin.

Open the Basin Tool

Use the output from Flow Direction tool (SFNflow) as input flow direction raster
Output named: SFNbasin

FEATURE CLASSES
For future analysis it would be helpful to create a vector version of our stream network.

Open Stream to Feature Tool

Use the output from Raster Calculator (STREAM) as the input stream raster
Use the output from Flow Direction tool (SFNflow) as the flow direction raster
Output named: SFNstreams
Make sure Simplify Polylines is checked

Create a vector outline of our watershed boundary for visualization with future analysis.

Open Raster to Polygon tool: Conversion Tools | From Raster | Raster to Polygon
Use the output from the Basin Tool (SFNbasin) as the input raster
Output named: SFNboundary
Make sure Simplify Polylines is checked. See below for more information:
http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#//009z00000058000000.
htm

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DELINEATE WATERSHEDS AND SUB-WATERSHEDS

Before delineating sub-watersheds for higher order streams, a dataset containing outlet points for
each 5 or higher order stream must be created. New Feature Class will be created to create the
outlet points.
This part cannot be done in the Model:

In ArcMap on the ArcCatalog window, right click your geodatabase

Select New | Feature Class
Create a new Points feature class, named Outlet
Start an editing session through the Editor Toolbar
Create new features within the Outlet dataset
Zoom in to carefully place a point just below the joining of any two streams of 5th
order or higher
Save Edits, stop Editing

In the Model:

Open the Snap Pour Point tool

Set the Outlet shapefile as the input feature pout point data
Leave default ID field unchanged
Use the output from Flow Accumulation (SFNacc) as the input flow accumulation
raster
Output named: snap_pt
Designate a snap distance (30 meters)

Open the Watershed tool

Use the output from Flow Accumulation tools (SFNflow) as the input for flow
direction
Use the output from Snap Pour point tool (snap_pt) as the input pour point raster
Choose the pour point field (Value)
Output named: Watershed

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Displaying the delineated watersheds with pour points illustrates the areas of sub-basins
and the primary basin.

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Step 7 Delineate Catchments

DELINEATE CATCHMENTS
Delineating the watersheds into catchments is useful for analysis. To delineate
catchments in this watershed, we will use a finer scale pour point data than was used in
Step 6.

Open the Watershed (3) tool

Use the output from Flow Accumulation tools (SFNflow) as the input for flow
direction
Use the output from Stream Link (SFNlink) as the input pour point raster
Choose the pour point field (Value)
Output named: catchments

Displaying the watershed catchments illustrates the various stream networks in the
watershed.

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Step 8: Relevant Application, Geometric Network: Direction of Flow

One of the possible applications of the watershed delineation, stream networks, and
watershed catchments created in the Model (Steps 1-7 above) is to create a Geometric
Network. According to Esri, Geometric Networks offer a way to model common networks
found in the real world. This can be easily understood as modeling the flow of a resource,
such as water, energy, gas, etc. In the map below, a Geometric Network was created using
the Utility Network Analyst toolbar, and the Direction of Flow in the South Fork
Nooksack Watershed was determined.

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