Merging Remote Sensing Derived River Slope Datasets with High-Resolution Hydrofabrics for the United States
Yixian Chen1, Sagy Cohen2, Anupal Baruah2
1Department of Geography and the Environment, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35401, USA. ychen223@ua.edu.
Scientific Data
|October 20, 2025
Summary
The CONtiguous United States (CONUS) Flood Inundation Mapping Hydrofabric - ICESat-2 River Surface Slope (FIM HF IRIS) dataset enhances flood forecasting accuracy. Integrating satellite river slopes into NOAA
Area of Science:
- Hydrology and remote sensing
- Geospatial data integration
- Water resource modeling
Background:
- Flood inundation mapping relies on accurate river topography data.
- Existing datasets like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Water Prediction (OWP) HAND-FIM have limitations in river slope accuracy.
- Satellite-derived data offers a potential solution for improving hydrological models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To integrate satellite-derived river surface slopes from ICESat-2 River Surface Slope (IRIS) data into the CONUS Flood Inundation Mapping Hydrofabric (FIM HF).
- To assess the impact of this integration on the accuracy of the OWP HAND-FIM system.
- To develop a transferable methodology for integrating hydrofabric datasets with other hydrologic models.
Main Methods:
- A spatial joining approach was developed to align FIM HF and IRIS river reaches.
- Satellite-derived IRIS river slopes were integrated into the FIM HF, creating the FIM HF IRIS dataset.
- The improved hydrofabric was then transferred to the CONUS Next Generation Water Resources Modeling Framework Hydrofabric (NextGen HF), creating the NextGen HF IRIS dataset.
Main Results:
- The FIM HF IRIS dataset demonstrated a significant reduction in bias compared to original FIM HF slopes.
- Flood inundation mapping accuracy in the OWP HAND-FIM system improved by an average of 31% (CSI) across eight flood events.
- The developed methodology allows for the integration of IRIS data into both OWP HAND-FIM and NextGen HF, enabling the use of SWOT vector data.
Conclusions:
- The integration of satellite-derived river slopes substantially improves flood inundation modeling accuracy.
- The spatial joining approach provides a flexible method for integrating diverse hydrofabric datasets.
- This work facilitates enhanced flood prediction capabilities and supports the use of satellite data in operational water resource management.
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