[OKGIS] RE: stream order layer

[Donald Catanzaro, PhD]

Hi All,

The best stream network out there will probably be the NHD (National 
Hydrology Dataset) available here - nhd.usgs.gov.  The NHD has several 
levels (e.g. high, medium, low resolutions) so you can pick the one that 
has the most complete coverage in your area of interest.  NHD already 
has compiled an internal ordering and flow but some folks don't like it 
(read about it here on the ESRI website 
(http://forums.esri.com/Thread.asp?c=93&f=982&t=66662#172572) and how 
the USGS orders streams here http://nhd.usgs.gov/chapter1/index.html)

If you need to calculate it, Arc can calculate Strahler stream order 
(this is a raster processer by the way),
http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisdesktop/9.1/index.cfm?id=3201&pid=3190&topicname=Stream%20Order

If you need to calculate Strahler order and generate other types of 
information about streams, try TauDEM
http://hydrology.neng.usu.edu/taudem/

for a nice tutorial on TauDEM, look at this page - 
http://hydrology.neng.usu.edu/giswr/archive04/LoganRiverExercise.htm


-- 

-Don 

Don Catanzaro, PhD                  Landscape Ecologist
dgcatanzaro at gmail.com               16144 Sigmond Lane
479-751-3616                        Lowell, AR 72745