Tool NameFlow Accumulation (Top-Down)
Tool ID0
Library IDta_hydrology
Version1.0
Author(s)O.Conrad (c) 2001-2016, Portions by T.Grabs (c) 2010

Description

Top-down processing of cells for calculation of flow accumulation and related parameters. This set of algorithms processes a DEM downwards from the highest to the lowest cell.

Flow routing methods provided by this tool:

References

Bauer, J., Rohdenburg, H. & Bork, H.-R. (1985): Ein Digitales Reliefmodell als Vorraussetzung für ein deterministisches Modell der Wasser- und Stoff-Flüsse. Landschaftsgenese und Landschaftsökologie, H.10, p.1-15.

Fairfield, J. & Leymarie, P. (1991): Drainage networks from grid digital elevation models. Water Resources Research, 27:709-717. doi:10.1029/90WR02658

Freeman, G.T. (1991): Calculating catchment area with divergent flow based on a regular grid. Computers and Geosciences, 17:413-22. doi:10.1016/0098-3004(91)90048-I

O'Callaghan, J.F. & Mark, D.M. (1984): The extraction of drainage networks from digital elevation data. Computer Vision, Graphics and Image Processing, 28:323-344. doi:10.1016/S0734-189X(84)80011-0

Qin, C. Z., Zhu, A. X., Pei, T., Li, B. L., Scholten, T., Behrens, T. & Zhou, C. H. (2011): An approach to computing topographic wetness index based on maximum downslope gradient. Precision Agriculture, 12(1), 32-43. doi:10.1007/s11119-009-9152-y

Quinn, P.F., Beven, K.J., Chevallier, P. & Planchon, O. (1991): The prediction of hillslope flow paths for distributed hydrological modelling using digital terrain models. Hydrological Processes, 5:59-79. doi:10.1002/hyp.3360050106

Seibert, J. & McGlynn, B. (2007): A new triangular multiple flow direction algorithm for computing upslope areas from gridded digital elevation models. Water Resources Research, Vol. 43, W04501,
C++ implementation in SAGA by Thomas Grabs (c) 2007, contact: thomas.grabs@natgeo.su.se, jan.seibert@natgeo.su.se. doi:10.1029/2006WR005128

Tarboton, D.G. (1997): A new method for the determination of flow directions and upslope areas in grid digital elevation models. Water Resources Research, Vol.33, No.2, p.309-319. doi:10.1029/96WR03137


Parameters

NameTypeIdentifierDescriptionConstraints
Input
Elevationgrid, inputELEVATION
Sink Routesgrid, input, optionalSINKROUTE
Weightsgrid, input, optionalWEIGHTS
Sinksgrid, input, optionalSINKSA grid indicating sink (terminal) cells. Cells with valid values (i.e. not NoData) act as sinks that capture all incoming flow and sediment and do not route anything downslope.
Input for Mean over Catchmentgrid, input, optionalVAL_INPUT
Material for Accumulationgrid, input, optionalACCU_MATERIAL
Accumulation Targetgrid, inputACCU_TARGET
Linear Flow Threshold Gridgrid, input, optionalLINEAR_VALoptional grid providing values to be compared with linear flow threshold instead of flow accumulation
Channel Directiongrid, input, optionalLINEAR_DIRuse this for (linear) flow routing, if the value is a valid direction (0-7 = N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW)
Output
Flow Accumulationgrid, outputFLOW
Mean over Catchmentgrid, outputVAL_MEAN
Accumulated Materialgrid, output, optionalACCU_TOTAL
Accumulated Material (Left Side)grid, output, optionalACCU_LEFT
Accumulated Material (Right Side)grid, output, optionalACCU_RIGHT
Flow Path Lengthgrid, output, optionalFLOW_LENGTHaverage distance that a cell's accumulated flow travelled
Loss through Negative Weightsgrid, output, optionalWEIGHT_LOSSwhen using weights without support for negative flow: output of the absolute amount of negative flow that occurred
Options
Stepinteger numberSTEPFor testing purposes. Only generate flow at cells with step distance (each step row/column).Minimum: 1
Default: 1
Flow Accumulation UnitchoiceFLOW_UNITAvailable Choices:
[0] number of cells
[1] cell area
Default: 1
MethodchoiceMETHODAvailable Choices:
[0] Deterministic 8
[1] Rho 8
[2] Braunschweiger Reliefmodell
[3] Deterministic Infinity
[4] Multiple Flow Direction
[5] Multiple Triangular Flow Direction
[6] Multiple Maximum Downslope Gradient Based Flow Direction
Default: 4
Thresholded Linear FlowbooleanLINEAR_DOapply linear flow routing (D8) to all cells, having a flow accumulation greater than the specified thresholdDefault: 0
Linear Flow Thresholdinteger numberLINEAR_MINflow accumulation threshold (cells) for linear flow routingMinimum: 0
Default: 500
Convergencefloating point numberCONVERGENCEConvergence factor for Multiple Flow Direction Algorithm (Freeman 1991).
Applies also to the Multiple Triangular Flow Direction Algorithm.
Minimum: 0.001000
Default: 1.100000
Contour LengthbooleanMFD_CONTOURInclude (pseudo) contour length as additional weighting factor in multiple flow direction routing, reduces flow to diagonal neighbour cells by a factor of 0.71 (s. Quinn et al. 1991 for details).Default: 0
Prevent Negative Flow AccumulationbooleanNO_NEGATIVESwhen using weights: do not transport negative flow, set it to zero instead; useful e.g. when accumulating measures of water balance.Default: 1