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USGS Chesapeake Publication Receives National Award for Outstanding Technology Paper

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By Chesapeake Bay Activities February 21, 2024

The paper, Ephemeral Stream Network Extraction from Lidar-Derived Elevation and Topographic Attributes in Urban and Forested Landscapes, describes a new method of remotely mapping ephemeral headwater streams using wetness index and topographic openness derived from lidar. This work is part of a long-term USGS study assessing the impacts of suburban development on a range of ecosystem functions including hydrology, water quality, geomorphology, and ecology in Montgomery County, Maryland. 

The Award

USGS scientists received the 2023 Kenneth J. Lanfear Award from the American Water Resources Association. The award was established in 2020 to recognize the author(s) of an outstanding technology-related paper published in the Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) during the previous year. The award recognizes papers that demonstrate the skillful use of technology, including GIS, field techniques and instrumentation, or remote sensing to address the understanding of complex multidisciplinary water resources issues. 

 

The Paper

The paper, Ephemeral Stream Network Extraction from Lidar-Derived Elevation and Topographic Attributes in Urban and Forested Landscapes, describes a new method of remotely mapping ephemeral headwater streams using wetness index and topographic openness derived from lidar. This work is part of a long-term USGS study assessing the impacts of suburban development on a range of ecosystem functions including hydrology, water quality, geomorphology, and ecology in Montgomery County, Maryland. The study was led by Marina Metes (USGS MD-DE-DC Water Science Center (WSC)) and Dan Jones (USGS Utah WSC), with co-authors Matt Baker (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), Andy Miller (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), Dianna Hogan (USGS Southeast Region), J.V. Loperfido (City of Durham, NC), and Krissy Hopkins (USGS South Atlantic WSC).

 

What We Learned

The paper documents new ways to use tools such as GIS and lidar to identify and study the location and extent of headwater streams that are not traditionally mapped on regional or national datasets (e.g. the USGS High Resolution National Hydrography Dataset). The results help improve our understanding of the wet weather (i.e. ephemeral) stream network and how these headwater systems function in urban landscapes that have been heavily engineering through the construction of roads, swales, and other stormwater management features. 

 

Major Findings

  • Using topographic signatures on the landscape (wetness index and topographic openness), rather than the commonly used fixed threshold of drainage area, to define the initiation points of streams improves the accuracy of remotely mapping these features (see Figure 1).
  • Small streams can be difficult to map, even when we use highly detailed models of the ground surface from lidar. Field surveys undertaken during the study to map stream initiation points indicated that many streams that started at groundwater seeps were unable to be located remotely because they did not have a topographic signature strong enough to identify them with lidar.
  • Application of this new topographic parameter aids in investigation of how engineered networks with roads and stormwater management features are connected to the overarching drainage system i.e. the way water flows across an urban environment.
Four photographs and two illustrations of field surveyed streams
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Figure 1.  This figure shows which of the field surveyed streams (i.e. stream channel heads or ‘heads’) we were able to identify using wetness index and topographic openness (shown in blue). The heads shown in yellow were too small to be remotely detected using topographic signatures seen on lidar. The blue lines on the map show the full extent of the stream network in a forested watershed on the left and an urban watershed on the right. The photos show examples of the ephemeral portion of the stream network that we were aiming to remotely map using lidar. 

Publication Details

 

For more information, please contact the study leaders

Marina Metes
Physical Scientist
Maryland-Delaware-DC Water Science Center
Email: mmetes@usgs.gov

Daniel Jones
Physical Scientist
Utah Water Science Center
Email: dkjones@usgs.gov

link
Sand filter and dry detention pond located in Clarksburg, Maryland

Understanding the Effects of Stormwater Management Practices on Water Quality and Flow

Urban development can have detrimental impacts on streams including altering hydrology, increasing nutrient, sediment, and pollutant loadings, and degrading biological integrity. Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) can be used to mitigate the effects of urban development by retaining large volumes of stormwater runoff and treating runoff to remove pollutants. This project focuses on...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Change Science Program, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)
link

Understanding the Effects of Stormwater Management Practices on Water Quality and Flow

Urban development can have detrimental impacts on streams including altering hydrology, increasing nutrient, sediment, and pollutant loadings, and degrading biological integrity. Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) can be used to mitigate the effects of urban development by retaining large volumes of stormwater runoff and treating runoff to remove pollutants. This project focuses on...
Learn More

Ephemeral channel heads and digital elevation models used to extract stream networks in Clarksburg, MD (ver. 2.0, October 2021)

This dataset describes the location of channel heads survyed in two headwater watersheds in Clarksburg, Montgomery County, Maryland, and the digital elevation models derived from light detection and ranging (lidar) covering the two watersheds. The digital elevation models were used to derive topographic attributes used to delineate drainage networks that were then assessed for accuracy using the f
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center

Ephemeral stream network extraction from lidar-derived elevation and topographic attributes in urban and forested landscapes

Under-representations of headwater channels in digital stream networks can result in uncertainty in the magnitude of headwater habitat loss, stream burial, and watershed function. Increased availability of high-resolution (<2 m) elevation data makes the delineation of headwater channels more attainable. In this study, elevation data derived from light detection and ranging was used to predict ephe
Authors
Marina Metes, Daniel Jones, Matthew E. Baker, Andrew J. Miller, Dianna M. Hogan, J.V. Loperfido, Kristina G. Hopkins
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Chesapeake Bay Activities, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Utah Water Science Center

The paper, Ephemeral Stream Network Extraction from Lidar-Derived Elevation and Topographic Attributes in Urban and Forested Landscapes, describes a new method of remotely mapping ephemeral headwater streams using wetness index and topographic openness derived from lidar. This work is part of a long-term USGS study assessing the impacts of suburban development on a range of ecosystem functions including hydrology, water quality, geomorphology, and ecology in Montgomery County, Maryland. 

The Award

USGS scientists received the 2023 Kenneth J. Lanfear Award from the American Water Resources Association. The award was established in 2020 to recognize the author(s) of an outstanding technology-related paper published in the Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) during the previous year. The award recognizes papers that demonstrate the skillful use of technology, including GIS, field techniques and instrumentation, or remote sensing to address the understanding of complex multidisciplinary water resources issues. 

 

The Paper

The paper, Ephemeral Stream Network Extraction from Lidar-Derived Elevation and Topographic Attributes in Urban and Forested Landscapes, describes a new method of remotely mapping ephemeral headwater streams using wetness index and topographic openness derived from lidar. This work is part of a long-term USGS study assessing the impacts of suburban development on a range of ecosystem functions including hydrology, water quality, geomorphology, and ecology in Montgomery County, Maryland. The study was led by Marina Metes (USGS MD-DE-DC Water Science Center (WSC)) and Dan Jones (USGS Utah WSC), with co-authors Matt Baker (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), Andy Miller (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), Dianna Hogan (USGS Southeast Region), J.V. Loperfido (City of Durham, NC), and Krissy Hopkins (USGS South Atlantic WSC).

 

What We Learned

The paper documents new ways to use tools such as GIS and lidar to identify and study the location and extent of headwater streams that are not traditionally mapped on regional or national datasets (e.g. the USGS High Resolution National Hydrography Dataset). The results help improve our understanding of the wet weather (i.e. ephemeral) stream network and how these headwater systems function in urban landscapes that have been heavily engineering through the construction of roads, swales, and other stormwater management features. 

 

Major Findings

  • Using topographic signatures on the landscape (wetness index and topographic openness), rather than the commonly used fixed threshold of drainage area, to define the initiation points of streams improves the accuracy of remotely mapping these features (see Figure 1).
  • Small streams can be difficult to map, even when we use highly detailed models of the ground surface from lidar. Field surveys undertaken during the study to map stream initiation points indicated that many streams that started at groundwater seeps were unable to be located remotely because they did not have a topographic signature strong enough to identify them with lidar.
  • Application of this new topographic parameter aids in investigation of how engineered networks with roads and stormwater management features are connected to the overarching drainage system i.e. the way water flows across an urban environment.
Four photographs and two illustrations of field surveyed streams
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Figure 1.  This figure shows which of the field surveyed streams (i.e. stream channel heads or ‘heads’) we were able to identify using wetness index and topographic openness (shown in blue). The heads shown in yellow were too small to be remotely detected using topographic signatures seen on lidar. The blue lines on the map show the full extent of the stream network in a forested watershed on the left and an urban watershed on the right. The photos show examples of the ephemeral portion of the stream network that we were aiming to remotely map using lidar. 

Publication Details

 

For more information, please contact the study leaders

Marina Metes
Physical Scientist
Maryland-Delaware-DC Water Science Center
Email: mmetes@usgs.gov

Daniel Jones
Physical Scientist
Utah Water Science Center
Email: dkjones@usgs.gov

link
Sand filter and dry detention pond located in Clarksburg, Maryland

Understanding the Effects of Stormwater Management Practices on Water Quality and Flow

Urban development can have detrimental impacts on streams including altering hydrology, increasing nutrient, sediment, and pollutant loadings, and degrading biological integrity. Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) can be used to mitigate the effects of urban development by retaining large volumes of stormwater runoff and treating runoff to remove pollutants. This project focuses on...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Change Science Program, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)
link

Understanding the Effects of Stormwater Management Practices on Water Quality and Flow

Urban development can have detrimental impacts on streams including altering hydrology, increasing nutrient, sediment, and pollutant loadings, and degrading biological integrity. Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) can be used to mitigate the effects of urban development by retaining large volumes of stormwater runoff and treating runoff to remove pollutants. This project focuses on...
Learn More

Ephemeral channel heads and digital elevation models used to extract stream networks in Clarksburg, MD (ver. 2.0, October 2021)

This dataset describes the location of channel heads survyed in two headwater watersheds in Clarksburg, Montgomery County, Maryland, and the digital elevation models derived from light detection and ranging (lidar) covering the two watersheds. The digital elevation models were used to derive topographic attributes used to delineate drainage networks that were then assessed for accuracy using the f
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center

Ephemeral stream network extraction from lidar-derived elevation and topographic attributes in urban and forested landscapes

Under-representations of headwater channels in digital stream networks can result in uncertainty in the magnitude of headwater habitat loss, stream burial, and watershed function. Increased availability of high-resolution (<2 m) elevation data makes the delineation of headwater channels more attainable. In this study, elevation data derived from light detection and ranging was used to predict ephe
Authors
Marina Metes, Daniel Jones, Matthew E. Baker, Andrew J. Miller, Dianna M. Hogan, J.V. Loperfido, Kristina G. Hopkins
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Chesapeake Bay Activities, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Utah Water Science Center
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