Hydrological Analysis Using Whitebox Geospatial Analysis Tools - Revision history

OppNevan: /* Hydrological Analysis */

2026-10-09T14:58:20Z

Hydrological Analysis

OppNevan: /* Import DEM into QGIS */

2026-10-09T14:57:02Z

Import DEM into QGIS

OppNevan: /* Getting Started */

2026-10-09T14:56:50Z

Getting Started

OppNevan: /* Getting Started */

2026-10-09T14:56:39Z

Getting Started

OppNevan: /* Data Acquisition */ image adjustments

2026-10-09T14:56:18Z

Data Acquisition: image adjustments

OppNevan: /* Watershed */

2026-10-07T14:30:31Z

Watershed

OppNevan: /* Watershed */ updates to new version

2026-10-07T14:30:07Z

Watershed: updates to new version

OppNevan: /* Pour Points */ updated version, added missing images

2026-10-07T12:58:34Z

Pour Points: updated version, added missing images

OppNevan: /* Getting Started */ changing order to make it more clear

2026-10-07T12:44:02Z

Getting Started: changing order to make it more clear

OppNevan: /* Acquiring and Installing Whitebox Plugin (QGIS) */

2026-10-07T12:43:24Z

Acquiring and Installing Whitebox Plugin (QGIS)

@@ Line 88: / Line 88: @@
 The dialog box that appears for this tool is shown below. The input file should be set to the original Calabogie DEM.
-[[File:Fill depressions tool.png|800px]]
+[[File:Fill depressions tool.png|600px]]
 The output of this tool is shown below. It does not appear very different to the original DEM, but will closer inspection differences within the areas identified in the Find No-Flow Cells output can be seen.
-[[File:FillDepressionsOtp.PNG|800px]]
+[[File:FillDepressionsOtp.PNG|600px]]
 ===Flow Pointer===
@@ Line 106: / Line 106: @@
 The dialog box for this too is shown below. The input DEM raster file should be set to the output from the Fill Depressions tool.
-[[File:D8 flow tool.png|800px]]
+[[File:D8 flow tool.png|600px]]
 The output from this tool is displayed below. This image contained 8 colours corresponding to the 8 directions of flow. This image appears chaotic, but will be used in other tools to create more informative data products.
-[[File:FlowPointerOtp.PNG|800px]]
+[[File:FlowPointerOtp.PNG|600px]]
 ===Flow Accumulation===
@@ Line 124: / Line 124: @@
 The dialog box for this tool is displayed below. The input D8 flow pointer raster file should be set to the output from the D8 flow pointer tool. In the example the "Output Type" was set to "cells" so that a greater cell value in the output would correspond to a greater number of cells flowing through that cell. The "Log-transform output" box was left unchecked in this example, though checking this would help normalize the data for better display. After these inputs have been set click, run the tool.
-[[File:D8 accumulation tool.png|800px]]
+[[File:D8 accumulation tool.png|600px]]
 The output of this tool is displayed below. The brighter areas correspond to areas of higher accumulated flow. These areas of high flow correspond to the areas where more water gathers and flows together. A beter picture of the data can be gathered by zooming into the output in Whitebox.
-[[File:FlowAccumulationOtp.PNG|800px]]
+[[File:FlowAccumulationOtp.PNG|600px]]
 ===Isobasin===
@@ Line 140: / Line 140: @@
 The dialog box for this tool is displayed below. The input is the original, hydrologically conditioned (depression fill) raster.
-[[File:Isobasins tool.png|800px]]
+[[File:Isobasins tool.png|600px]]
 The output from this look is displayed below. It can be seen that the area has been broken down into 11 different basins of approximately equal size. It also appears that the basins do not fill the entire study area. This is likely because no more basins of a size of 500,000 cells could be fit into these areas. If the target basin size was set to a lower number these basins would conform to the study area more completely.
-[[File:IsobasinOtp.PNG|800px]]
+[[File:IsobasinOtp.PNG|600px]]
 ===Extract Streams===
@@ Line 157: / Line 157: @@
 The dialog box for this tool is displayed below. The input flow-accumulation raster file should be set to the output from the D8 Flow Accumulation (D8 Flow Accumulation). The "Channelization Threshold" is the cutoff value that will be used to determine which cells are a stream and which cells aren't. Trial and error was used to determine a value that produced an appropriate stream network. A value of 5,000 was settled on. Please make sure to check the "If true, non-stream background is 0 instead of NoData" box. This is because later tools in this analysis require rasters without NoData values.
-[[File:Extract streams tool.png|800px]]
+[[File:Extract streams tool.png|600px]]
 The output of the tool is displayed below. This output looks patchy at the full extent, but by zooming into it within Whitebox you can confirm that a network of continuous lines has been produced.
-[[File:ExtractStreamsOtp.PNG|800px]]
+[[File:ExtractStreamsOtp.PNG|600px]]
 ===Sub-basins===
@@ Line 176: / Line 176: @@
 <br>
-[[File:Subbasins tool.png|800px]]
+[[File:Subbasins tool.png|600px]]
 <br>
@@ Line 182: / Line 182: @@
 <br>
-[[File:SubbasinsOtp.PNG|800px]]
+[[File:SubbasinsOtp.PNG|600px]]
 ===Watershed Analysis===

@@ Line 71: / Line 71: @@
 Import the DEM you downloaded into QGIS by adding it as a layer. You can do this by finding the layer in the QGIS browser or simply dragging it from the directory into QGIS. If it correctly imported, you should see the DEM displayed on the screen.
-[[File:DataExa.PNG|300px]]
+[[File:DataExa.PNG|600px]]
 ==Hydrological Analysis==

@@ Line 63: / Line 63: @@
 You're now all set to start using WhiteBox Tools. If you do not see them go to Processing > Toolbox to display the window.
-[[File:Toolbox location.png|600px]]
+[[File:Toolbox location.png|400px]]
 You will find the whitebox tools displayed at the bottom of the list. These tools will be used for the rest of the tutorial so please make sure you have access to them as shown here.

@@ Line 63: / Line 63: @@
 You're now all set to start using WhiteBox Tools. If you do not see them go to Processing > Toolbox to display the window.
-[[File:Toolbox location.png|700px]]
+[[File:Toolbox location.png|600px]]
 You will find the whitebox tools displayed at the bottom of the list. These tools will be used for the rest of the tutorial so please make sure you have access to them as shown here.

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 A sample of this data is shown bellow.
-[[File:DataExa.PNG|700px]]
+[[File:DataExa.PNG|600px]]
 For the event that the dropbox link has become inactive the process of obtaining this data is described below to make this tutorial relevant for longer.
@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 Under “Select options and submit job” fill all of the required boxes so that it matches the figure below. Make sure to enter the email address that you would like to have the file sent to in the “Email Address” field.
-[[File:SelectOptions2.png | 500px]]
+[[File:SelectOptions2.png | 300px]]
 An email will be sent to the entered email address shortly which contains a URL for the direct download of the data.

@@ Line 234: / Line 234: @@
 [[File:Watersheds tool location.png]]
-The dialog box for this tool is displayed below. The D8 flow pointer raster file should be set to the output from the D8 flow pointer tool (FlowPointer.dep). The pour point file should be set to the output from the Jenson snap pour points tool. After these inputs have been set, run the tool.
+The dialog box for this tool is displayed below. The D8 flow pointer raster file should be set to the output from the D8 flow pointer tool. The pour point file should be set to the output from the Jenson snap pour points tool. After these inputs have been set, run the tool.
-[[File:Watersheds tool.png|800px]]
+[[File:Watersheds tool.png|600px]]
 The output of this tool is displayed below. This shows 10 watershed ares, corresponding to the locations that the pour points were located. Each of these watersheds also conserve the value that its pour point had, meaning that any hierarchy or numbering system will be kept.
@@ Line 242: / Line 242: @@
 The number and location of your watershed areas will differ as a result of the different pour points used.
-[[File:WatershedOtp.PNG|800px]]
+[[File:WatershedOtp.PNG|600px]]
 ==Conclusion==

@@ Line 193: / Line 193: @@
 [[File:Create new layer location.png | 400px]]
-You can create whichever data structure you prefer for vectors, for this tutorial we use a shapefile. Make sure to set your CRS to the same CRS as the pre-requisite hydrological products that have already been created. Then set the geometry type to Point. Your dialog box may look something like below.
+You can create whichever data structure you prefer for vectors, for this tutorial we use a shapefile. Make sure to set your CRS to the same CRS as the hydrological products that have already been created. Then set the geometry type to Point. Your dialog box may look something like below.
 [[File:Create points layer.png | 500px]]
-Pour points must now be identified and added. Before this can be done, the layers in the data tab have to be set up. I made sure that only the extract streams output and the create blank outlet raster output were visible, and that only the create blank outlet raster output was highlighted in the layer list.
+Pour points must now be identified and added. Before this can be done, the layers in the data tab have to be set up. I made sure that only the extract streams output and the create blank outlet raster output were visible.
-Next the vector layer must be edited tool, start by enabling editing like so.
+Next the vector layer must be set to editing mode, start by enabling editing like so.
 [[File:Toggle editing.png]]
@@ Line 209: / Line 209: @@
 After clicking this button your cursor will become a cross-hair when mousing over your data frame. The center of this cross-hair is the location of the pixel that will be altered using this tool.
-Click on a location along the stream network, such as the location displayed below. When you click on it a small window like the one below will appear. This window tells you the co-ordinates of the pixel you are changing, and the current value of the pixel. The value should currently be NoData.
+Click on a location along the stream network, such as the location displayed below. When you click on it a small window like the one below will appear. Give your point an a unique ID so that it can be saved in the vector.
-Change this value from NoData to 1.
 [[File:Place pour point.png|500px]]
@@ Line 224: / Line 222: @@
 [[File:Jenson snap pour points tool location.png]]
-The dialog box for this tool is displayed below. The input outlets file should be set to the output from the create blank outlet raster tool that you have just modified (OutletRaster.dep). The input streams raster should be set to the output from the extract streams tool (ExtractStreams.dep). The output should be set to the DataProducts folder and named something similar to "PourPoints.dep". After these inputs have been set click "Run" in the bottom left of the popup window.
+The dialog box for this tool is displayed below. The input streams raster should be set to the output from the extract streams tool. After these inputs have been set, run the tool.
-[[File:Jenson snapped pour points.png|800px]]
+[[File:Jenson snapped pour points.png | 500px]]
 After this you will get a new point layer that is perfectly snapped to the stream network. Use this point layer for future analysis instead of your manually created layer.

@@ Line 60: / Line 60: @@
 ==Getting Started==
-===Import DEM into QGIS===
-Import the DEM you downloaded into QGIS by adding it as a layer. You can do this by finding the layer in the QGIS browser or simply dragging it from the directory into QGIS. If it correctly imported, you should see the DEM displayed on the screen.
-[[File:DataExa.PNG|300px]]
 ===Accessing WhiteBox Tools===
 You're now all set to start using WhiteBox Tools. If you do not see them go to Processing > Toolbox to display the window.
@@ Line 73: / Line 68: @@
 [[File:Whitebox in toolkit.png|500px]]
+===Import DEM into QGIS===
+Import the DEM you downloaded into QGIS by adding it as a layer. You can do this by finding the layer in the QGIS browser or simply dragging it from the directory into QGIS. If it correctly imported, you should see the DEM displayed on the screen.
+[[File:DataExa.PNG|300px]]
 ==Hydrological Analysis==

@@ Line 56: / Line 56: @@
 [[File:Install Plugin Whitebox.png|400px]]
+Install the plugin, once that is finished please move on to the next section.
 ==Getting Started==