Planning of Watershed

Development Using Geospatial

Techniques
Tutorial May 29, 2015
(Georefenecing, Database Creation and Watershed
Characterisation)

Short Term Training Programme Organised for

the Engineers of
Department of Watershed Development and Soil
Conservation
Govt. of Rajasthan

Programme Coordinator
Dr. Mahesh Kumar Jat
Email Mahesh.mnit@gmail.com
Phone 01412713412; 09549654186

Department of Civil Engineering

Malaviya National Institute of Technology

Jaipur
Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur

Tutorial Exercise: May 29, 2015

Objective of this laboratory exercise is to revise what we have learned in
1st Training programme during April 17 21, 2015. This lab exercise
includes revision of Georefencing, GIS database creation, Making queries
and automatic watershed characterization in GIS.
Scope of this tutorial includes
Exercise 1: Georeferencing of Given Survey of India Topo-sheet
(D:/dwdsc_training/May29_lab/Georeferencing/topo8.JPG)
Exercise 2: GIS database creation from geometrically corrected SOI
toposheed (topo8). This exercise includes creation of a point, line and
polygon feature class (namely spot_height, drainage and water_body) and
joining attributes from xreated tables.
Exercise 3: Automatic characterization of watershed using DEM layer
given folder (D:/dwdsc_training/May29_lab/hydrology/DEM.img).

Exercise 1: Geo-Referencing
1. At first we will open the toposheet which we want to geo-reference in a desired
coordinate system.

2. The toposheet is in geographic (Lat/Long) coordinate system but we want this

toposheet in UTM-WGS coordinate system which will represents all the units in
meter. So for this at first we will calculate the coordinates which are in degree, we
will convert these coordinates in meters by the following process.

3. We will use the tools option from the menu bar. And choose coordinate calculator.
4. Tools Coordinate Calculator
5. A new window will get open:

6. In this window we will define the input and output coordinate system. For input
coordinate system selection we will go to projection menu bar and select set input
coordinate system.
7. Projection Set input projection and units

8. The new window will look like this and then we will set input projection by clicking
on the input projection button on the window.

9. Then we will choose Custom and set the projection type as geographic (Lat/Long) and
datum as Everest 1969 and click OK

10. Then we will select output projection system.

11. Projectionset output projection and units

12. Then we will set output projection system by clicking on Set Output Projection
button. The following window will get appear:

13. Again we will choose Custom and we will set projection information as follows:

14. Then in a particular order we will put longitude and latitude information on the
calculator and it will calculate the output projection in meter. But the main thing
which we will take care of is the order of coordinates we have given to the calculator.
The output will be as follows:

15. Then we will note down all the output coordinates for respective input coordinate.
16. Now we will start geo-referencing process:

17. We will go on data preparation

geometric correction option

icon and then we will choose image

18. It will open a new window. In this window we will select from Image File option

19. Now we will select the toposheet which we want to geo-reference by using

icon.

20. Then clock OK. Two windows will get open. One is viewer, which will open the
toposheet and the other window is Set Geometric Model Window.

21. In set Geometric Model Window we will set polynomial and then click OK.

22. Again two window will get open. One in polynomial model properties and the other is
Geo Correction Tool.

23. In polynomial Model properties window we will select polynomial order as 1 and
close this window. A new window will get appeared. Then we will select option Key
Board Only and clock OK.

24. A new window will get appeared.

25. In this window we will add/change Map Projection.

26. We will select Custom setting. And set the projection values as follows then click OK.

27. Then we will select GCP in the same order as we have calculated the coordinates
earlier.
28. WE will use
option for GCP selection. And we will enter the Reference X and
Reference Y value through keyboard which we have calculated earlier.

29. In the same way will select minimum four GCPs in each corner of the toposheet.

30. After fourth point selection it will calculate the reference by itself but we will not use
these reference point. We will enter our calculated reference point. Now we will see
that our selected GCP has been shifted from its location. We will readjust this point
and if the error will be less than 1 we will proceed further.
31. Now in Geo-Metric Correction Tool we will select Display Resample Image Dialog
tool

32. In this resample box we will give the output file name and tick the ignore Zero in
Stats, then click OK.
33. Now in a new viewer we can open referenced image. Now this image is correctly georeferenced and we can see the units in meter and in UTM/WGS84.

Exercise 2:
GIS Database Creation

Objective: GIS database creation from geometrically corrected SOI

toposheed (topo8). This exercise includes creation of a point, line and
polygon feature class (namely spot_height, drainage and water_body) and
joining attributes from xreated tables.

Data: topo8 already georeferenced image. Use already georeferenced image

(exercise
1)
as
base
map
and
create
database
in
folder
D:/training_dwdsc/May29_lab/Dbase_creation
Layers to be created:
1. point : spot_height (name of layer), attribute to be recorded is RL of
these points.
2. polyline layer of drainage (from given base map , at least 15-20
drains)
3. polygon layer of water_body (water bodies available in given base
map
Step
1:
open
the
topo.img
map
available
in
D:/training_dwdsc/May29_lab/Georeferencing folder in the GIS software. This file
is already georeferenced and is in the WGS-1984, UTM 43N Zone projection
system.
Step 2: Check the projection system to ensure it is in WGS-1984, UTM 43N Zone.
Step 3: Create a new layer with following properties: Many software
automatically create Id field to uniquely identify each object of the layer, though
they may not automatically generate unique Id number (some software do that).
Check to ensure that Id field exists, if not you can create a field with name Id.
Name: spot_height
Feature type: point
Projection system: WGS-1984, UTM 43N Zone (import from already
georeferenced image topo8
Step 4: Similarly create two more layers with following properties:
Name: drainage
Feature type: polyline

Projection system: WGS-1984, UTM 43N Zone (import from already

georeferenced image topo8

Water bodies available in base map (topo8) should be located and a polygon
layer be created.
Name: water_body
Feature type: polygon
Projection system: WGS-1984, UTM 43N Zone (import from already
georeferenced image topo8
Step 5: Create these files one by one. Procedure to be followed in all layers will
be

Go in Start/all programmes/ArcGIS/ArcCatalog and select

Go
to
AcrCatalog
connect
with
required

folder

(D:/training_dwdsc/May29_lab/Dbase_creation).

Select the folder in content list then go in folder write click and
new/shapefile
Create new feature layers i.e., spot_height, drainage and
water_body one be one.
Specify project and coordinate system by importing information
from base map (already geoferenced map i.e., topo8).
Open ArcMap and add base map
Add spot_height feature layer in ArcMap.
Then go to contents and write click on spot_height layer, open
attribute table and add one field (column) to record RL of spot
heights to be digitized.
Go to editor and click on start editing.
Then select spot heights from the base map degitise them and
record RL of ponts in attribute Table.
After completing the digitization save and stop the editing.

Step 6: Similarly using appropriate tools and ensuring selection of proper layer,
create drainge shown in thick blue lines on the map.

Exercise 3: Automatic watershed characterization

1.0 Purpose
The purpose of this exercise to demonstrate the steps involved in delineating a stream
network and watershed boundaries from a digital elevation model (DEM) using the Spatial
Analyst Hydrology Tools in ArcGIS.

2.0 Computer Requirements

You must have a computer with windows operating system, and the following programs
(extensions) installed:
1. ArcGIS 10.0
2. Spatial Analyst Extension

3.0 Data Requirements and Description

The data files used in the exercise consist of Digital Elevation Model (DEM.img) and other
datasets like stream network and micro-watershed points for Reodar Block in Sirohi District
of the Rajasthan State. The datasets are given in Tutorial_Hydrology folder.
The ArcCatalog view of the data folder is shown below:

DEM.img is a DEM prepared from the stereo image of the area captured from CARTOSAT-1
satellite and obtained from NRCS, Hyderabad.
Images are geometrically corrected using WGS-84 coordinate system and UTM projection
system with a 43rd Zone.

4.0 Getting Started

First of all Open the ArcMap and add the DEM.img dataset to the ArcMap. Further save it as
hydrology.mxd. This is the only dataset you will need to get started with the process. We will
add other datasets later in the tutorial.

All spatial analyst tools that are used for delineating stream network and watershed
boundaries are available in ArcToolbox. If ArcToolbox is not activated within the map
document, click on the ArcToolbox button to access the tools. Hydrology tools can be found
by selecting Spatial Analyst Tools. Hydrology within ArcToolbox as shown below:

5.0 Filling Sinks

This function fills the sinks in a grid. If cells with higher elevation surround a cell, the water
is trapped in that cell and cannot flow. The Fill Sinks function modifies the elevation value to
eliminate this problem.
Double click on the Fill tool. Provide Dem.img as the input surface raster, and save the output
raster as fill_dem in your working directory. The main function of this tool is to remove
imperfections in the DEM to enable water flow to the watershed outlet. However, if there are
natural sinks in the data (e.g, 10m deep lake or pond), you can use the Z limit to retain
these natural sinks. For example, if you specify Z limit as 6 m, the program will not fill any
sinks that are deeper than 6 m. The default is to fill all sinks (do not provide any input for Z
limit). Click OK.

After the process is complete a filled DEM (fill_dem) will be added to the map document.

6.0 Flow Direction

This function computes the flow direction for a given grid. The value in any given cell of the
flow direction grid indicates the direction of the steepest descent from that cell to one of its
neighboring cells using the eight direction pour point (D8) method. Double click on Flow
Direction tool in Tool Box in ArcMap. Select fill_dem as the input surface raster, and name
the output raster as flowdir. Leave the other optional inputs unchanged. Click OK.

After the process is complete, a flow direction grid with cells having one of the eight flow
direction values (1,2,4,8,16,32,64,128) will be added to the map document. Save the map
document.

7.0 Flow Accumulation

The function uses the flow direction grid to compute the accumulated number of cells that are
draining to any particular cell in the DEM. Double click on Flow Accumulation tool in Tool
Box in ArcMap. Select flowdir as the input flow direction raster, and save the output flow
accumulation raster as flowacc. Leave the default options for input weight raster and output
data type (float) unchanged. Click OK.

After the process is complete, a flow accumulation grid will be added to the map document.
You will clearly see a stream network in this output, and if you check the pixel value (by
using the identifier tool), the values along the cells that appear to form a stream network will
have much higher values compared to the surrounding cells. Save the map document.

8.0 Stream Network

Because the flow accumulation gives the number of cells (or area) that drain to a particular
cell, it can be used to define a stream. It is assumed that a stream is formed when a certain
area (threshold) drains to a point. This threshold can be defined by using the number of cells
in the flow accumulation grid. If we assume an area of 0.50 km 2 as the threshold to create a
stream, the number of cells corresponding to this threshold area is 5000 (0.5 x 1000000/
(10*10)). To create a raster, that will have stream cells corresponding to a threshold area of
0.5 km2, select spatial analyst. Using Con function in Conditional tool create a raster from
flowacc dataset such that it only includes cells that have pixel value greater than 5000 as
shown below, and click Evaluate. Double click on Stream Network Tool in Tool Box in
ArcMap. Here input raster is flowacc and Input value raster or constant value as 1. Write
down Output raster as Stream and click ok. Note : while putting condition expression
should be - Value >= 5000 ; here first letter of Value should be capital and there shuld be
space between Value >= and 5000.

This will create a calculation raster where all the cells with value greater than or equal to
5000 in flowacc will have a value of 1, and all other cells are set to Null. Save raster as
stream in your working directory. Remove calculation, and add stream to your map
document. Save the map document.

9.0 Stream Link

This tool assigns a unique number to each link (or segment) in the stream raster. Double click
on Stream Link in Tool Box in ArcMap. Provide stream as the input stream raster, flowdir as
the flow direction raster, and name the output raster as stream_link.

10.0 Stream Order

This tool creates stream order for the stream network. Double click on stream order in Tool
Box in ArcMap. Provide stream as the input for stream raster, flowdir as the input for flow
direction raster and name the output raster as Stream_order as shown below. Two methods
are available for estimating stream order. Choose anyone you like (Strahler in this case), and
click OK.

After the process is complete, stream_order will be added to the map document. Can you tell
the order of the Reodar Macro watershed?

11.0 Stream to Feature

Double click on Stream to Feature Tool in Tool Box in ArcMap. This tool converts stream
raster to a polyline feature class. Provide stream_order as the input for stream raster, flowdir
as input for the flow direction raster and save the output as stream.shp in your working
directory. Click OK.

After the process is complete, a shapefile named stream.shp will be added to the map
document. Save the map document. You can use this tool to create features from other stream
related rasters such as stream order and stream link.

12.0 Flow Length

This tool uses the flow direction to compute the flow distance or length from each cell to the
most downstream or upstream cell in the DEM. Double click on Flow Length tool in the
Toolbox of the ArcMap. Provide flowdir as the input flow direction raster and save the output
as stream_len in your working directory as show below. Use downstream to compute the
flow length to the watershed outlet. Click OK.

After the process is complete, stream_len will be added to the map document. What is the
maximum distance any water drop has to travel over the Reodar Macro watershed to reach
the outlet?

13.0 Basin
This tool uses the flow direction grid to find all sets of connected cells that belong to the
same drainage basin, and assigns the number of cells that belong to a basin to all the cells
within that basin. Double click on Basin tool of the Tool Box in ArcMap. Provide flowdir as
the input flow direction raster, and name the output raster as basin as shown below. Click
OK.

After the process is complete, basin raster will be added to the map document. Although you
will see a big drainage basin that gives the drainage boundary for Reodar Macro Watershed
output, there are some small drainage areas that do not drain to the Macro watershed.

14.0 Creating Watershed Boundary

To get the boundary of for Reodar Macro watershed, convert basin raster to polygon features
by selecting from Raster function in Conversion Tools of the Tool Box in ArcMap. Convert
Raster to Features. Provide basin as the input raster, choose output geometry type as polygon
(or polyline if you want), and save the output as basin_boundary.shp in your working
directory as shown below. Click OK.

After the process is complete, basin_boundary shapefile will be added to the map document.
Besides the main Reodar Macro Watershed Boundary, this shapefile also has small polygons
that do not belong to the Macro watershed. You can delete these polygons if you want.

15.0 Delineating Sub-watersheds

In order to delineate sub-watersheds, add the point shapefile in your map document.
Although these points are snapped to the stream, it is a good idea to use the Snap Pour Point
function to create grid of snapped points, and then use this grid to delineate sub watersheds.
Double click on Snap Pour Point function in Tool Box of ArcMap. Use the point shapefile as
input for the feature pour point data, leave the default Id field unchanged for pour point field,
use flowacc as input for the flow accumulation raster and name the output raster as snap_pt.
Use a snap distance of 10m (this may change for different datasets and resolutions). Click
OK.

After the process is complete, a raster named snap_pt will be added to the map document.
Zoom-in to the points to make sure that they align with the stream or flow accumulation grid.
Next, double click on Watershed function in the Hydrology tool of the Tool Box of the
ArcMap. Use flowdir as input for flow direction, snap_pt for input pour point raster, leave
the default pour point field unchanged, and name the output raster as watershed. Click OK.

After the process is successfully completed, you should get a raster showing watersheds at
these points as shown.