skip to main content
Language:
Search Limited to: Search Limited to: Resource type Show Results with: Show Results with: Search type Index

MERIT Hydro: A High‐Resolution Global Hydrography Map Based on Latest Topography Dataset

Water resources research, 2019-06, Vol.55 (6), p.5053-5073 [Peer Reviewed Journal]

2019. The Authors. ;2019. This article is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License. ;ISSN: 0043-1397 ;EISSN: 1944-7973 ;DOI: 10.1029/2019WR024873

Full text available

Citations Cited by
  • Title:
    MERIT Hydro: A High‐Resolution Global Hydrography Map Based on Latest Topography Dataset
  • Author: Yamazaki, Dai ; Ikeshima, Daiki ; Sosa, Jeison ; Bates, Paul D. ; Allen, George H. ; Pavelsky, Tamlin M.
  • Subjects: Accumulation ; Algorithms ; Arid regions ; Basins ; Biogeochemical cycle ; Biogeochemical cycles ; Biogeochemistry ; Carbon emissions ; Climate models ; Datasets ; Digital Elevation Models ; Drainage area ; Drainage channels ; Earth science ; Elevation ; Environmental risk ; Equator ; Flood risk ; Flow ; Flow mapping ; Gauges ; Geologic depressions ; global hydrology ; High water levels ; Hydrography ; Hydrologic cycle ; Hydrology ; Open systems ; Resolution ; Risk assessment ; River basins ; River channels ; River hydrology ; river network ; River networks ; Rivers ; Runoff ; Satellites ; Spatial data ; Streamlines ; Streams ; Surface flow ; Surface water ; topography ; Topography (geology) ; Water bodies ; Water levels ; Water resources ; Watersheds ; Width
  • Is Part Of: Water resources research, 2019-06, Vol.55 (6), p.5053-5073
  • Description: High‐resolution raster hydrography maps are a fundamental data source for many geoscience applications. Here we introduce MERIT Hydro, a new global flow direction map at 3‐arc sec resolution (~90 m at the equator) derived from the latest elevation data (MERIT DEM) and water body data sets (G1WBM, Global Surface Water Occurrence, and OpenStreetMap). We developed a new algorithm to extract river networks near automatically by separating actual inland basins from dummy depressions caused by the errors in input elevation data. After a minimum amount of hand editing, the constructed hydrography map shows good agreement with existing quality‐controlled river network data sets in terms of flow accumulation area and river basin shape. The location of river streamlines was realistically aligned with existing satellite‐based global river channel data. Relative error in the drainage area was <0.05 for 90% of Global Runoff Data Center (GRDC) gauges, confirming the accuracy of the delineated global river networks. Discrepancies in flow accumulation area were found mostly in arid river basins containing depressions that are occasionally connected at high water levels and thus resulting in uncertain watershed boundaries. MERIT Hydro improves on existing global hydrography data sets in terms of spatial coverage (between N90 and S60) and representation of small streams, mainly due to increased availability of high‐quality baseline geospatial data sets. The new flow direction and flow accumulation maps, along with accompanying supplementary layers on hydrologically adjusted elevation and channel width, will advance geoscience studies related to river hydrology at both global and local scales. Plain Language Summary Rivers play important roles in global hydrological and biogeochemical cycles, and many socioeconomic activities also depend on water resources in river basins. Global‐scale frontier studies of river networks and surface waters require that all rivers on the Earth are precisely mapped at high resolution, but until now, no such map has been produced. Here we present “MERIT Hydro,” the first high‐resolution, global map of river networks developed by combining the latest global map of land surface elevation with the latest maps of water bodies that were built using satellites and open databases. Surface flow direction of each 3‐arc sec pixel (~90‐m size at the equator) is mapped across the entire globe except Antarctica, and many supplemental maps (such as flow accumulation area, river width, and a vectorized river network) are generated. MERIT Hydro thus represents a major advance in our ability to represent the global river network and is a data set that is anticipated to enhance a wide range of geoscience applications including flood risk assessment, aquatic carbon emissions, and climate modeling. Key Points A global hydrography map was generated using the latest topography dataset Near‐automatic algorithm applicable for global hydrography delineation was developed Adjusted elevation and river width layers consistent with flow direction map are provided
  • Publisher: Washington: Blackwell Publishing Ltd
  • Language: English
  • Identifier: ISSN: 0043-1397
    EISSN: 1944-7973
    DOI: 10.1029/2019WR024873
  • Source: Wiley Blackwell AGU Digital Archive
Back to results list
INSPIRE LIBRARY - TON DUC THANG UNIVERSITY (84-028) 37 755 057 Feedback
19 Nguyen Huu Tho St. Dist.7, HCM thuvien@tdtu.edu.vn

Copyright © 2017 INSPIRE LIBRARY - TON DUC THANG UNIVERSITY

Searching Remote Databases, Please Wait