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This report card communicates the Channel Area Tool's compliance with the Riverscape Consortium's published tool standards.

Report Card Summary

ToolChannel Area Tool
Version1.1.1
Date2021-11-22
Assessment TeamBailey, Wheaton & Gilbert
Current AssessmentProduction Grade
Riverscapes ComplianceCompliant
Assessment Rationale

The tool has been run for a wide geographic area, produces riverscapes projects that are compatible with RAVE, and outputs are available in the riverscapes warehouse. Documentation is still needed, but the tool qualifies for Production Grade.

Report Card Details

This tool's discrimination evaluation by the Riverscapes Consortium is:

CriteriaValueEvaluationComments and/or Recommendations
Tool Interface(s)CLIPass
ScaleNetwork (reach scale resolution, watershed extent)PassThis tool has been applied across watersheds in various regions; results are reach-scale performed across whole watersheds
Language(s) and DependenciesPythonPassPackage dependencies are open source
Vetted in Peer-Reviewed LiteratureThe equation used to estimate channel width in areas without NHD polygons is from Beechie and Imaki (2013)PartialThe width equation used in the tool has been reliable in a variety of landscapes, but was developed for the Columbia River Basin and may give poor results in different landscapes
Source Code DocumentationAvailable at Github repositoryPassSource code is clearly organized and documented
Open Sourceopen-source with GNU General Public License v 3.0Pass
User DocumentationDocumentation is in progressPartialDocumentation is in progress but has not been published to the website
Easy User InterfaceTool is accessed via command promptPartialMost projects right now are performed by North Arrow Research analysts. For a user to run this version of the tool themselves would require advanced understanding (programming capability) and significant documentation on the process.
ScalabilityBatch-processingPassThe tool can be batch processed at the HUC 8 level
Produces Riverscapes ProjectsYesPassProduces Riverscapes Projects that are fully-compatible with RAVE

Tool Output Utility

CriteriaValueEvaluationComments
Riverscapes Compliant Riverscapes ProjectsYesPass
Viewer Business Logic DefinedYesPass
Riverscapes Projects hosted in public-facing Riverscapes Data ExchangeYes. Current Channel Area projects are being housed in the Riverscapes Data Exchange.PartialThere is data in the warehouse, but is provisional and wider access to the warehouse is forthcoming
Riverscapes Projects connected to Web-MapsYesPassCurrent projects are viewable in WebRAVE through the Riverscapes Warehouse
Riverscapes Projects connected to Field AppsNoFail

Developer Intent

The current Production Grade version of Channel Area improves on previous versions by:

  • Having an inviting web-map interface so non GIS-users can discover tool runs and explore and interrogate them.
  • Making it easy for GIS users to download channel area projects for use in Viwer
  • Allowing discovery of past Channel Area runs in Warehouse

The development team envision a Professional Grade version of Channel Area, which would additionally:

  • Encourage more user-interaction with Channel Area outputs and crowd-sourcing of information to improve the accuracy of outputs
  • Allow users to upload their own Channel Area projects