HydroSHEDS

HydroSHEDS
Name	HydroSHEDS
Caption	High-resolution hydrographic data derived from satellite elevation models
Launched	2009
Developer	United States Geological Survey; World Wildlife Fund
Genre	Geospatial datasets; hydrology; river networks

HydroSHEDS

HydroSHEDS is a suite of high-resolution hydrographic maps and geospatial data products derived from satellite digital elevation models, designed to support freshwater research, environmental management, and river-basin planning. The project integrates topographic elevation inputs with hydrological modeling to generate drainage directions, watershed boundaries, river networks, and related attributes suitable for use by practitioners working on Amazon River, Nile, Yangtze River, Mississippi River, and other major basins. HydroSHEDS underpins studies by institutions such as the United States Geological Survey, World Wildlife Fund, NASA, European Space Agency, and numerous universities and non-governmental organizations.

Introduction

HydroSHEDS provides standardized hydrological geospatial layers produced primarily from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation data and enhanced with region-specific processing to represent drainage at multiple spatial resolutions. The dataset addresses needs in basin delineation, river connectivity, and flow accumulation used across projects involving Convention on Biological Diversity, Ramsar Convention, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, United Nations Environment Programme, and regional water initiatives. It supports cross-disciplinary collaboration among researchers at University of Cambridge, Columbia University, Princeton University, University of California, Berkeley, and agencies like the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Data and Products

HydroSHEDS offers a set of core products including hydro-corrected elevation grids, flow direction rasters, flow accumulation grids, vector river networks, catchment boundaries, and outlet points at multiple scales (e.g., 3 arc-second, 15 arc-second, 90 meter equivalents). These products are tailored for operational use in river-basin assessments by World Bank projects, conservation planning by Conservation International, and hydropower feasibility studies commissioned by companies and agencies such as International Hydropower Association and Asian Development Bank. Supporting ancillary layers often integrated with HydroSHEDS outputs include drainage density metrics used by research teams at Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry and hydrological indices referenced by reports from United Nations Development Programme.

Methodology and Processing

The HydroSHEDS workflow begins with preprocessing of the SRTM elevation tiles to remove sinks and artifacts, followed by hydrological enforcement algorithms to establish continuous flow paths. Techniques used include pit-filling, stream burning where necessary, and recursive routing algorithms implemented in geoprocessing tools comparable to those in ArcGIS, GRASS GIS, and TauDEM. Generation of vector networks and catchments relies on watershed delineation procedures employed by research groups at University of Colorado Boulder and ETH Zurich. Quality control often involves cross-validation against independent datasets such as global river inventories maintained by Global Runoff Data Centre and regional hydrographic maps produced by national agencies like Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics.

Applications and Use Cases

HydroSHEDS supports a wide array of applications: flood risk modeling used in projects by FEMA and European Flood Awareness System; freshwater biodiversity assessments conducted with partners like IUCN and BirdLife International; sediment transport studies in collaboration with researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; and infrastructure planning for dams and water supply evaluated by World Bank and African Development Bank. Conservation planning for species in basins such as the Mekong River and Congo Basin often integrates HydroSHEDS with occurrence records from Global Biodiversity Information Facility and remote-sensing products from Landsat and Sentinel-2. HydroSHEDS also serves modeling communities using frameworks like SWAT, HYPE, HBV, and VIC.

Limitations and Accuracy

HydroSHEDS inherits limitations from its primary elevation source—SRTM—with reduced accuracy in high-latitude regions and areas of dense canopy such as parts of the Amazon Rainforest and Congo Rainforest. Vertical and horizontal errors can affect flow direction and stream location, impacting small catchment delineation and low-relief floodplain representation in deltas like the Ganges Delta. Coastal and tidal environments require careful interpretation when integrating HydroSHEDS with bathymetric datasets produced by institutions like National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and GEBCO. Users performing water quality or detailed hydraulics simulations often combine HydroSHEDS with LiDAR-derived topography obtained from surveys by national mapping agencies including Ordnance Survey and USGS National Geospatial Program.

Development and Updates

Originally released in 2009, HydroSHEDS has evolved through iterative updates incorporating improved processing routines and alternative elevation inputs when available. Development has involved collaborations among the United States Geological Survey, World Wildlife Fund, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and academic partners at University of Zurich and University of Leeds. Major updates align with releases of new global elevation models such as TanDEM-X and regional SRTM reprocessing initiatives undertaken by German Aerospace Center and European Space Agency. The project roadmap often reflects requirements set by multilateral programs like UN-Water and research priorities identified at conferences such as the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting.

Licensing and Access

HydroSHEDS datasets are distributed under terms designed to promote broad use by governments, researchers, and NGOs, with access facilitated through portals maintained by the USGS and partner organizations including WWF and academic FTP archives. Data packaging typically includes GeoTIFF rasters and ESRI-compatible vector shapefiles for integration into platforms such as QGIS and ArcGIS Online. Users seeking national-scale, high-resolution alternatives may consult national geospatial data providers like Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation or regional services offered by European Environment Agency.

Category:Hydrology