Presenter: Brian Gelder, Adjunct Assistant Professor, ABE, CRP & Agronomy Departments, ISU

ABSTRACT: Brian Gelder, Research Manager in ABE and Lecturer in CRP, has been working on tools for Lidar-derived Digital Elevation Model (DEM) processing for the past 15 years through various grants and contracts. This presentation will overview a set of tools and processes that can be used to create DEMs and process them into hydrologically connected watersheds. Lidar elevation models provide very high resolution (<1m) models of the earth’s surface and the built/grown environment. This detail can frustrate existing DEM processing algorithms due to the inclusion of the built environment that often obscures water pathways with bridges and culverts or overhanging vegetation. New algorithms, such as those at https://github.com/dailyerosion/hydro_dems, can automate building and forcing water flow in watersheds.

The seminar starts promptly at 12:05 p.m. and ends at 12:55 p.m. The GIS Seminar @ ISU is open to the public. If you are interested in attending, the location is Design 362.

If you have any questions, please Monica Haddad (haddad@iastate.edu).