WigglyRivers: A tool to characterize the multiscale nature of meandering channels
- Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN (United States); The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (United States)
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Channel sinuosity is ubiquitous along river networks, producing complex patterns that encapsulate and influence morphodynamic processes and ecosystem services. Accurately characterizing these patterns is challenging with traditional curvature-based algorithms. Here, in this study, we present WigglyRivers, a Python package that builds on existing wavelet-based methods to create an unsupervised meander identification and characterization tool. The package uses planimetric information the user provides or from the USGS’s High-Resolution National Hydrography Dataset to characterize individual reaches or entire river networks. WigglyRivers also includes a supervised river identification tool for manually selecting individual meandering features. Here, we provide examples of idealized river transects and show the capabilities of WigglyRivers. We also use the supervised identification tool to validate the unsupervised identification on river transects across the continental US. WigglyRivers is a tool to understand better the multiscale characteristics of river networks and the link between river geomorphology and river corridor connectivity.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 2538245
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Modelling and Software, Journal Name: Environmental Modelling and Software Vol. 188; ISSN 1364-8152
- Publisher:
- ElsevierCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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