Hillslope Delineation Toolbox and Batch Modeling

Herrera developed custom tools for the U.S. Forest Service to allow soil scientists to predict sediment delivery associated with forest management practices and post wildfires with much greater accuracy and in a fraction of the time previously required. As part of this effort, we developed three tools: batch processing macros for the Disturbed Water Erosion Water Prediction (WEPP) model and Erosion Risk Management Tool (ERMiT) and a GIS toolbox to streamline hillslope analysis and improve accuracy associated with predictions of sediment delivery. Herrera developed a Python-based Hillslope Delineation toolbox that guides users through the extraction of hillslope areas from elevation data in GIS through a multi-step, easy-to-use interface using publicly available datasets. Hillslope data from the GIS tool can then be imported into the batch processing macros to allow users to run Disturbed WEPP or ERMiT over a large area of analysis. These tools have greatly reduced the amount of effort for forest service scientists to analyze disturbed area.