Acquire DEM And Preprocess
45 minFill sinks; verify vertical datum.
Field context
This workflow is part of 1 niche field
Complete watershed delineation guide for hydrology practitioners. Step-by-step workflow with 4 stages and 3 specialized tools. Covers acquire dem and preprocess, delineate pour point basin, calculate morphometric indices.
Fill sinks; verify vertical datum.
Trace flow accumulation to outlet cell.
Compute area, slope, and main channel length.
Rasterize subbasins and stream network.
Pour point must lie on defined stream cell.
Unfilled sinks create artificial closed basins — always preprocess DEM.
Burn known stream vectors into DEM for accurate channel placement.
Ground-truth pour point location — GIS delineation can miss subsurface drainage.