• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.31 no.1B
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 2011

Channel network delineation from DEM (Digital Elevation Model) is a fundamental pre-process for hydrologic model application since it determines the drainage system in a watershed. This study aims to propose an effective and efficient channel network delineation process and assess the effects of DEM-based channel networks on the watershed drainage system. For these objectives, we applied two methods to generate the channel networks of the Jinan-cheon catchment with $18.28km^2$ from the 20 m resolution DEM: a widely-used area-threshold method and a slope-area threshold method based on the relationship between contributing areas and local slopes. The results showed that the area-threshold method led to unreliable drainage system, which did not satisfy geomorphological laws with respect to drainage density and source area representation whereas the slope-area threshold method provided acceptable results under the geomorphological laws. Our suggestions in this study can give valuable pre-processing information in DEM-based hydrologic modeling.