Title Page
Tool Title: Channel Planform Statistics Toolbox
Tool Author: J. Wesley Lauer
Author e-mail: lauerj@seattleu.edu
Version: 2.0
Associated files:
1) PlanformStatisticsTools 2.0.ppt
2) PlanformTools.esriAddIn
Date: April 2012
Introduction
The current availability of digital aerial photography allows for the relatively
straightforward comparison of historic and recent imagery of river channels.
However, making quantitative measurements of planform characteristics
such as width, curvature, and channel migration rate, while not difficult, can
be time consuming. These tools automate several of the more time
consuming aspects of these measurements at discrete points along a singlethread river.
Background
The channel planform statistics toolbox 2.0 is an ESRI ArcGIS 10.x add-in
that provides most of the functionality available in the initial ArcGIS 8 and 9
releases of the planform statistics toolbox. The tools perform three primary
functions. 1) Interpolate the centerline of two lines (i.e. two banks that have
been digitized by hand from an aerial photograph). Width and local radius of
curvature at each evenly-spaced point along the centerline are saved in a
text file. 2) Estimate the mean lateral normal distances at even increments
between two lines developed using tool 1 (i.e. between river channel
centerlines at two points in time), and 3) generate a polygon shapefile of
boxes adjacent to the channel banks that correspond with a particular
centerline point. These boxes are useful if the user wishes to correlate a
bank property with one of the observed statistics.
This powerpoint presentation presents rudimentary instructions for installing
and using the tools. While the instructions are basic, the tools are fairly
intuitive so that the user should be able to develop useful information with
only a minimal amount of trial and error.
Installation
The Planform Statistics Toolbox for ArcGIS 10 is released as a complied ESRI
extension file. To install on a computer that has a valid ArcGIS 10.x installation,
simply copy PlanformToolsX.esriAddIn to any folder on the computer and then
double click on the file. ArcGIS will install the program automatically.
The tools are the accessed by opening ArcGIS and using the customize menu
to add the buttons for the Add-in to any existing toolbar.
The buttons for the tools are as follows:
Centerline Interpolator
Lateral Offset Measurement
Bank Buffer Boxes
Initial
Final
OID:
m:
width:
theta:
dtheta:
r_curve:
Object ID
s
Down-channel distance
i-1
Local width (a + b from slide 9)
Local angle of downstream segment, i
Local increment in angle, i-i-1
A first-order estimate for local radius of curvature, s/dtheta
A value of -99999 is stored for dtheta = 0.
cl_x and cl_y:
x and y coordinates of the centerline point
left_x and left_y:
x and y coordinates of the left bank point
right_x and right_y:
x and y coordinates of the right bank point
Note that local curvature (d/ds) can be estimated using a simple Euler scheme:
d/ds = (i i-1)/s. This is safer than taking the inverse of r_curve because of the way -99999 is
stored for points with no curvature. In any case, for most bank geometries, there is significant
local scatter in a first-order curvature estimate. It is recommended that higher order schemes be
used or curvature be smoothed prior to additional analysis.
Centerline interpolated
from two bank lines using
Tool 1.
(1952 photograph,
Pearl River, Louisiana/
Mississippi.)
Channel
Centerline
at t +t
Channel
Centerline
at t +t
Centerline Interpolation on
Downstream Translating Bend
Example usage of
tools 1 and 2:
Centerline interpolated from
two bank lines using Tool 1,
older photograph.
(1952 photograph,
Pearl River, Louisiana/
Mississippi.)
Modern
(1998)
aerial from
Centerline
interpolated
photograph
two bank lines using Tool 1,
more recent photograph.
(1998 photograph,
Pearl River, Louisiana/
Mississippi.)
Union Boxes
Example buffer
boxes developed
using Tool 3.
Bank Line 2
(used to create
buffer boxes)
Bank Line 1
(used only for
bank length)
Lines 1 and 2
identical
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