ABEn 176 – Land and Water Conservation Engineering

2nd Semester, AY 2023 – 2024

Laboratory Exercise No. 3

Watershed Delineation Using GIS

Name: Lormelyn O. Tribunalo Date Performed: March 15, 2024

Course & Year: BSABE – 4 Date Submitted: March 17, 2024
Laboratory Schedule: Friday (1:00-4:00) PM

I. Introduction

Watershed is sometimes used interchangeably with the term’s drainage basin

and catchment; it is a fundamental concept in hydrology that plays a crucial role in
water resource management. Watersheds can vary in size from just a few acres to
thousands of square miles, and they are nested in organization, it means that multiple
smaller watersheds comprise a larger watershed (Aldridge & Baker, 2017). Because
they act as natural borders, watersheds are essential to the management of water
resources. They offer a framework for understanding the intricate interactions that exist
between soil, plants, water, and other essential biological processes. Comprehending
the attributes and actions of watersheds is crucial for evaluating the quality of water
since it allows us to keep an eye on the passage of water and the movement of
impurities. By defining watersheds, we can better understand their potential and
develop practical plans for managing water resources in a sustainable manner and
this is through watersheds delineation.

Watershed delineation is the process of guiding and organizing land and other
resource uses in a watershed to provide desired goods and services without adversely
affecting soil, water, and other natural resources (Department of Environment and
Natural Resources, 2015). Watershed delineation is a prerequisite in hydrologic and
environmental evaluation of a watershed, such as runoff estimation, water quality
 modelling, flood assessment, and disaster risk assessment (Luo et al. 2011; Giridhar
et al. 2015; Ray 2018). It was already practiced long time ago through manual
drawings of the watersheds and stream networks using visual interpretations and
digitization of the topographic and contour maps. With the emerging advance
technology in the present, watershed delineations are done using remotely sensed
terrain features processed by different digital elevation models (DEMs) at various
spatial resolutions (Munoth & Goyal 2019). Watershed delineation commence with
characteristics—things like elevation, slope, and aspect. Steep slopes create smaller
watersheds, while gentle ones result in larger ones. Another important factor is the
drainage patterns. Streams and rivers converge to form larger watersheds, and we
identify key points where water exits the watershed. Then, we use data sources and
methods. Automatic delineation relies on digital elevation models (DEMs), while
manual delineation involves drawing boundaries based on existing data. Automatic
delineation is the application of GIS and integrating drainage or watershed modeling
with GIS system could reduce a huge amount of work on data formatting and
processing, allowing easy interpretation of model inputs and outputs with a more user-
friendly map representation (Zhou, 2014).

This laboratory exercise enables students to delineate watersheds using digital

elevation models in QGIS software. By engaging in this activity, the student gains a
deeper understanding of watersheds as the student explore and delineate watershed
in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental. Through this hands-on experience, students
not only learn the practical application of geographical tools but also develop a
comprehensive understanding of watershed dynamics, including how landforms
influence water flow and how watersheds contribute to the overall hydrological cycle.

II. Objectives

The laboratory report aims to:

1. Understand the concept of watershed and its significance in hydrological analysis.
2. Utilize GIS software tools to delineate watersheds from digital elevation models
(DEMs).
 3. Analyze the characteristics of watersheds, such as area, perimeter, and
drainage.

III. Materials

1. Computer desktop or laptop with installed QGIS

2. Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data of the study area 3.
Shapefile of the study area boundary; and 4. Pen and paper
for notetaking.

IV. Methodology

The student had downloaded the QGIS software from the internet and found
free available DEMs on sites like Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) with good resolution
for their desired location of interest. After downloading the DEM file, it was opened in
the QGIS app by navigating to the Layer Menu, selecting Add Layer, and choosing
Add Raster Layer. If the DEM wasn't in a projected coordinate system, it was re-
projected by right-clicking on the DEM file layer in the Layer Panel, selecting
Properties, and choosing the appropriate Coordinate Reference System (CRS), such
as EPSG:32651. The Processing Toolbox Panel was then activated by right-clicking
on the Menu Bar, and within it, the System for Automated Geoscientific Analyses
(SAGA) tool was found for watershed analysis. Using the re-projected DEM,
depressions were filled using the Fill Sinks (Wang and Liu) tool found in the Terrain
Analysis – Preprocessing section of SAGA, and the filled DEM was saved as a new
raster layer. The Strahler Order and Channels were generated to outline the stream
network by selecting Channel Network and Drainage Basins under Terrain Analysis –
Channels in SAGA. The watershed was then generated using the Upslope Area Tool,
with the coordinates of the desired outlet point pasted and appropriate settings
chosen. The raster file was polygonized using the Polygonize (raster to vector) tool
found under the Raster Menu. To determine the area of the watershed, the Attribute
Table of the vectorized Upslope Area layer was opened, editing was activated, and the
 Field Calculator was used to calculate the area in hectares, with the edits saved
afterward. The student also added some additional plugins to generate a 3D model of
the delineated watershed. Finally, the delineated watershed was used in creating a
map and was exported, and findings were summarized, including watershed
characteristics, and observed patterns, with non-essential numbers omitted.

V. Results and Discussion

The province of Negros Occidental is made up of many mountains and a lot of

rivers and streams can be found in the province. There are a total of 15 major
watersheds in the province, these major watersheds can still be subdivided into a more
watersheds. In this activity, the student delineate in her home region wherein nearest
catchment area to her home is being utilized and used.

Figure 1. Delineated Watershed using QGIS

Figure 1 shows the delineated watershed between the two great mountains. On
the right side is the Mt. Kanlaon in Canlaon City and on the left is the Northern Negros
Natural Park. The main source of the delineated watershed is the Bago River which is
known to be long and narrow river. The watershed covers 2 municipalities and a city,
San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto and Murcia.
Figure 2. Map of Delineated Watershed in San Carlos City-Slavador Benedicto-Murcia
 Using QGIS and SAGA inputs, the student delineated and created a map for the
delineated watershed. The delineated watershed was part of one of the 15 major watershed
in the province. The Bago River which is one of the seven major river sources in the province
(see figure 3) has a total discharge of 1822 million cu.m. with an annual recharge volume of
387,251,831 Cu.M/Year and a total watershed area of 83, 995 square kilometer.

Figure 3. Negros Island Watershed

Source: USAID Safewater Phil.
 As you can see in the figure above, the Bago River constitutes to many municipalities
and cities in the province. The total watershed of Bago River covers the four cities of Bago,
San Carlos, La Carlota and Talisay as well as the four municipalities of Murcia, Don Salvador
Benedicto, Calatrava and Pulupandan. The watershed empties into the Guimaras Strait.
These political units cover a total of 72 barangays. The entire area includes the 33,208
hectares of lands of the public domain in the two protected areas of Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park
(MKNP) and the North Negros Natural Park (NNNP) and 49,812 hectares of alienable and
disposable (A and D) lands (National Program Support for Environment and Natural
Resources Management Project). The delineated watershed which encompasses the Bago
Watershed, situated in San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto and Murcia has a total watershed
area of 43, 299. 32 hectares with a perimeter of 13.72 hectares.

Figure 4. Bago Watershed (San Carlos City – Salvador Benedicto – Murcia)

The watershed (figure 3) clearly shows that it is connected by small and large streams,
and it is considered as long and narrow type of watershed. Mostly in the area mentioned
above, irrigation waters are used for rice and crop production. Common crops in the area are
food crops and ornamental crops.
VI. Life-long Learning

Watershed delineation plays a crucial role in the work of agricultural and biosystems
engineers. These professionals are tasked with designing and managing systems that
optimize agricultural productivity while minimizing environmental impact. By accurately
delineating watersheds, engineers can understand the flow of water, nutrients, and pollutants
within a given area. This knowledge informs decisions related to irrigation, drainage, soil
conservation, and land use planning. For instance, identifying wetlands and their topographic
properties allows engineers to incorporate them into hydrologic models, improving predictions
of water availability, flood risk, and nutrient transport. In essence, watershed delineation
provides the foundation for sustainable water management practices, making it an essential
skill for future agricultural and biosystems engineers.

VII. References

ZHOU Q. 2014. A review of sustainable urban drainage systems considering the climate change
and urbanization impacts. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Retrieved from
www.mdpi.com/2073- 4441/6/4/976/pdf
Luo, Y., Su, B., Yuan, J., Li, H. & Zhang, Q. 2011 GIS techniques for watershed delineation of
SWAT model in plain polders. Procedia Environmental Sciences 10, 2050–2057.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proenv.2011.09.321.

Giridhar, M. V. S. S., Ramaraju, A., Rao, S. & Sowmya, P. 2015 DEM processing for watershed
delineation using QSWAT. International Journal of Scientific and Engineering Research 6
(8), 1670–1674

Ray, L. K. 2018 Limitation of automatic watershed delineation tools in coastal region. Annals of
GIS 24 (4), 261–274. doi:10.1080/19475683.2018.1526212

Munoth, P. & Goyal, R. 2019 Effects of DEM source, spatial resolution and drainage area
threshold values on hydrological modeling. Water Resources Management 33 (9), 3303–
3319. doi:10.1007/s11269-019-02303-x

ASF Home | Alaska Satellite Facility. (2024, February 27). Alaska Satellite Facility.
https://asf.alaska.edu/#/

Integrated Ecosystems Management. Province-led Integrated Ecosystem Management: The Case

of Bago River Watershed in Negros Occidental. Retrieved from
https://faspselib.denr.gov.ph/sites/default/files//Publication%20Files/Province%20led%20IE
M%2C%20Bago%20Watershed.pd