How to make the drainage pattern analysis?

Question

can someone tell me how to (steps) make analysis about drainage pattern using the LIDAR images, DEM data and elevation/contour 
data?

JimCousins · Answer

You can also process this with the Hydrology toolset:
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#//009z0000004w000000
Regards,
Jim

MarkBoucher · Answer

Luis,

How to process your data to analyze drainage patterns is a bit more complex than can be "taught" through a forum. The best I can do for you is to again direct you to the forum at http://forums.arcgis.com/threads/48100-ArcHydro-Problem-Solvers where there are several posts and links about Arc Hydro. Arc Hydro is the ESRI created/supported tool set that uses Spatial Analyst functions to analyze watersheds. It is free to download. The link above contains the information on the ESRI ftp site where you can get the latest version.

For the LiDAR data, you will need to convert that to a DEM raster format. The contours could be used to verify the DEM, or if you have locations with contours and not LiDAR or DEM you can use the contours to create rasters. You may have to research each of these conversions.

In my understanding, you only need the DEM to run Arc Hydro. You may need a polyline layer for areas where the DEM does not define the flow paths (streams) well. Again, the posts at http://forums.arcgis.com/threads/48100-ArcHydro-Problem-Solvers cover a lot of this though not the LiDAR to DEM conversion or the contour to DEM conversion.

luizz · Answer

The answer depends on what kinds of patterns you are looking for.
Check out posts in the link in my signature for some posts about Arc Hydro. Arc Hydro uses DEMs. If you have LiDAR or contours, you will need to convert them to DEM format to use Arc Hydro.

im looking for the pattern of water flow from drainage to the watershed...using the LIDAR images, DEM data and elevation data..how can i process these data?