SPRING - An automated and flexible framework for developing large-scale 3D representations of river network

Accurate and up-to-date three-dimensional (3D) representation of rivers including channel centerline, channel boundary and bathymetry are seldom available for large basins due to inadequate resources to collect such data for the entire river network. Even at locations where such data exists for some rivers, post-processing geomorphology data for use in any hydrodynamic model remains a challenge. This study aims to develop a suite of automated tools System for Producing River Network Geometry (SPRING) for processing and updating geomorphology data to create a spatially consistent 3D representation of river network. SPRING consist of three modules: (i) the Centerline Correction Tool (CCT) which takes as input the DEM and (potentially) erroneous river centerline and delineates accurate centerlines and banks; (ii) the Cross-Section Tool creates a 3D mesh from bathymetric surveys for areas where they are available; and (iii) Conceptual Bathymetry Tool which generates semi-synthetic bathymetry for areas with sparse data using information from surveyed reaches with similar characteristics. The flexibility of SPRING to deal with varying data availability combined with its minimal need for user input makes it ideal for large-scale applications and can cater to the needs of a wide range of modelers. For ease of access, efforts are ongoing to integrate SPRING with the River Morphology Information System (RIMORPHIS) web platform, which will provide a GUI for users to effortlessly process river bathymetry datasets over large areas.