Developing a pan-European Data Base of Drainage Newtorks and Catchment Boundaries from a 100 Meter DEM

Abstract

Digital data on river networks, lakes and drainage basins (catchments) are an important pre-requisite for modelling hydrological processes, including the analysis of pressures and their impact on water resources. Datasets covering extensive areas such as the European continent are especially important for mapping and monitoring activities of European institutions. Unfortunately such data have not been available up to now with sufficient coverage, quality and detail to satisfy such needs. Especially international river basins face the problem of the diversity of national information systems in terms of detail, scale, and projection systems, leading to incompatibilities at the national boundaries. In order to fill this gap, the Catchment Characterisation and Modelling (CCM) activity of the European Commissions’ DG Joint Research Centre has developed methodologies to derive adequate layers from digital elevation data and ancillary information using advanced algorithms based on the concepts of mathematical morphology and implementing a landscape stratification for drainage density. This paper details the methodology implemented in developing this pan-European database of hierarchically structured river networks and catchment boundaries. The resulting database covers the entire pan-European continent from the Atlantic to the Urals and from the Mediterranean to northern Scandinavia, including the Atlantic islands and Turkey. The use of homogeneous input data and their analysis with the same methodology ensures data with comparable and well documented characteristics (e.g., level of detail, geometric quality, attributes) over the entire area.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource