Drainage areas and orthogonal contours

Introduction

Geocap has a unique and flexible algorithm for generating drainage areas for a terrain. It is much used in migration studies and gives an picture of migration patterns.

Drainage areas are closely connected with orthogonal contours and one sees that the pattern of drainage areas follows the layout of the orthogonal contours.

On this page:

Illustration

To activate drainage areas on a grid terrain: grid > Advanced Display > Drainage areas .

And similar for ortho contours on a terrain: grid > Advanced Display > Ortho contours

Drainage areas and orthogonal contours are illustrated in the terrain image. One sees that the drainage areas follows the ridges and natural drainage pattern of a rain fall. The number of drainage areas are controlled by a minimum size parameter and a requirement of *minimum angle separation<' between adjacent drainage areas.

Drainage area and orthogonal contoured

Features of drainage areas

Drainage area calculation and generation

Drainage areas options

Follows the natural terrain drainage system
Generation of area border lines
Minimum size drainage area
Minimum angle between adjacent areas
Combine two areas
Split an area
Area size calculation