VBET - Valley Bottom Extraction Tool

Riverscapes Report Card - VBET 0.5.1

VBET is one of several tools developed by the Riverscapes Consortium. This report card communicates VBET’s compliance with the Riverscape Consortium’s published tool standards.

Report Card Summary

Tool VBET - Valley Bottom Extraction Tool
Version 0.5.1
Date 2021-11-22
Assessment Team Bailey, Wheaton & Gilbert
Current Assessment production Production Grade
Target Status commercial Commercial Grade
Riverscapes Compliance Compliant Compliant
Assessment Rationale VBET has been applied extensively throughout the Western US and beyond. Continued development will improve output quality and applicability to a wider range of landscapes. The tool can be run at large scales and produces RAVE compatible riverscapes projects that are housed in the warehouse. Additional documentation is needed, but the tool qualifies for a Production Grade.

Report Card Details

This tool’s discrimnation evaluation by the Riverscapes Consortium’s is:

Evaluation Key: None or Not Applicable: • Minimal or In Progress: • Functional: • Fully Developed:

Criteria Value Evaluation Comments and/or Recommendations
Tool Interface(s) : CLI = Command Line Interface  
Scale Catchment scale Parameters are applied at reach scales, while the tool is applied to, and valley bottoms generated for whole watersheds
Language(s) and Dependencies Python Package dependencies are open source
Vetted in Peer-Reviewed Literature The initial publication for the earliest version was Gilbert et al, 2016 The newer versions have not been officially published, but are improvements upon the published original version
Source Code Documentation Available at Github repository Source code is clearly organized and documented
Open Source open-source with GNU General Public License v 3.0  
User Documentation Documentation is in progress Documentation is in progress but has not been published to the website
Easy User Interface Tool is accessed via command prompt The tool is primarily run 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.
Scalability batch-processing Tool is typically batch processed at the HUC 8 level
Produces Riverscapes Projects Yes Produces Riverscapes Projects that are fully-compatible with RAVE

Tool Output Utility

Criteria Value Evaluation Comments
RAVE- Compliant Riverscapes Projects Yes  
RAVE Business Logic Defined Yes Development is ongoing for some outputs (e.g., valley center line), which are not yet included in the business logic
Riverscapes Projects hosted in public-facing Riverscapes Warehouse(s) Yes. Current VBET projects are being housed in the Riverscapes Warehouse. There is data in the warehouse, but is provisional and wider access to the warehouse is forthcoming
Riverscapes Projects connected to Web-Maps Yes Current projects are viewable in WebRAVE through the Riverscapes Warehouse
Riverscapes Projects connected to Field Apps No  

Developer Intent

The Riverscapes Consortium’s Technical Committee provides report cards for tools either deemed as “riverscapes-compliant or “pending riverscapes-compliance.