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Project Structure

The 2017 version of the CHaMP Topographic Toolbar stores GIS data using a strict folder and file naming convention. Individual layers are stored as ShapeFiles, GeoTIFF rasters and TINs. This differs from previous years when the toolbar used a proprietary ESRI geodatabase to store the GIS layers produced by running the individual tools within the toolbar workflow. We have migrated to the new ShapeFile and GeoTIFF format because it is more flexible and allows for a wider variety of software tools to interact with the toolbar products.

The folder and file naming convention has also been revised for the 2017 field season. Individual layers are stored in a rigid folder hierarchy and using more consistent file names than in the past.

The overall package of layers produced by the toolbar for a single visit is now referred to as a project. A single “project XML” file exists at the top level folder containing all the layers and acts as an index, specifying the paths for each individual layer. The project XML file can be a little hard to read, but it is a mandatory part of each survey because it tells any piece of software that needs to use any of the survey GIS layers where to find the relevant data.

All CHaMP surveys collected since the start of the project have been converted to this need project structure and uploaded onto the CHaMP Monitoring web site. These new topo projects replace the survey geodatabases that were used from 2011-2016. Consequently, users should no longer use any CHaMP data stored in survey geodatabase format because it is likely out of date.

Folder and File Names

CHaMP topographic project data uses the following structure. Typically this structure is stored as a single zip archive called TopoData.zip available for download from the CHaMP Monitoring web site. There is currently no batch process for downloading multiple TopoData.zip files for multiple visits in one step.

  • Project.rs.xml file that stores project metadata and project structure data. This file is used to open a project in the toolbar.
  • log.xml file that stores a running log of processing steps for the project.
  • Inputs Folder. The main set of input data used to process a topo project
    • Raw and Aux Instrument files (varies depending on instrument type used).
    • ChannelUnits.csv Aux measurements for each channel unit.
    • Benchmarks.csv Aux measurements of benchmark GPS coordinates
    • QaQcPoints.shp shapefile of raw points derived from instrument files before they are loaded into Topographic Survey Layers.
    • SurveyQuality.sqlite SQLite database of qaqc processing tables.
    • Breaklines.dxf (or .shp) The exported dxf file that contains survey breaklines that were loaded into the project
  • MapImages Folder (may not be present for older surveys)
    • .PNG and .JPG images of the survey data captured during the various steps of the topographic processing.
    • MapImages.xml Contains metadata about each map image.
  • Reports Folder (may not be present for older surveys)
    • Processing Summary Report Summary of the processing for the project visit.
    • Survey Quality Report Information about the topographic data collection for the project visit.
    • TIN/Survey Editing Report Information about the topographic processing and editing steps for the project visit.
  • SurveyData Folder
    • Topo_Points.shp Primary topographic points used to create the topographic surface
    • EdgeofWater_Points.shp Topographic points used to create the topographic surface, water surface, and to
    • Control_Points.shp Control network and benchmark points used to occupy the site, but are not used in the topographic surface.
    • Stream_Features.shp 3D points that are used to either create the water surface (ws points) or capture other features at the site that are not used to create the topographic surface.
    • Error_Points.shp Points that were collected but ‘quarantined’ from being used to create the topographic surface.
    • Breaklines.shp Line features used to enhance the topographic surface by enforcing gradient breaks.
    • SurveyExtents Folder
    • SurveyExtent.shp The concave hull boundary of the survey area for the visit, used to limit the interpolated area of the topographic surface.
  • SurveyData_Unprojected Folder
    • Optional folder if the original survey data was collected in an assumed coordinate system, contains same datasets as SurveyData folder with unprojected coordinates.
  • Topography folder
    • TIN folders, each containing the following
    • topotin (appears as a folder). GIS data representing the Triangulated Irregular Network of the initial topographic surface that is used to construct the DEM.
    • wstin (appears as a folder) GIS data representing the Triangulated Irregular Network of the water surface that is used to construct the WSDEM.
    • Channel_Units_Field.shp Polygon features roughly digitized by the crew to represent the location of each channel unit.
    • Channel_Units.shp Polygon features clipped to the water extent to represent the area of each channel unit.
    • DEM.tif Raster/grid representation of the topographic surface at 10cm cell resolution
    • DEMHillshade.tif Hillshade surface used for displaying with the DEM.
    • Detrended.tif DEM with the valley slope removed. Used for modeling flow at various stages.
    • Thalweg.shp Line feature used to model the deepest, fastest part of the stream channel.
    • Water_Depth.tif Raster/grid surface representing water depth at the time of survey.
    • WSEDEM.tif Raster/grid surface representing water surface at the time of survey.
    • AssocSurfaces Folder
      • Assoc3DPQ.tif Raster/grid surface representing spread of 3D point quality measurement of the survey.
      • AssocIErr.tif Raster/grid surface representing the spread of the interpolated error measurement of the survey.
      • AssocPDensity.tif Raster/grid surface representing the spread of point density of the survey.
      • AssocRough.tif Raster/grid surface representing the estimated surface roughness from the channel unit measurements.
      • AssocSlope.tif Raster/grid surface representing the slope of the topographic surface (DEM).
      • ErrSurface.tif Raster/grid surface representing the estimated uncertainty of the topographic surface. This output is generated by compiling each of the Associated Surfaces in a Fuzzy Logic Model.
    • Stages Folder
      • Bankfull Folder
      • BCenterline.shp Centerline of the Bankfull extent. One feature for the main channel and one each for any side channels.
      • BCrossSections.shp Cross Sections across the bankfull area
      • BExtent.shp Polygon extent of the bankfull area. One and only one feature allowed.
      • BIslands.shp Polygons representing the area and type of bankfull islands/bar features.
      • Wetted Folder
      • WCenterline.shp Centerline of the wetted extent. One feature for the main channel and one each for any side channels.
      • WCrossSections.shp Cross Sections across the wetted area.
      • WExtent.shp Polygon extent of the wetted areas. One main channel feature plus any additional wetted areas within the bankfull polygon area.
      • WIslands.shp Polygons representing the area and type of bankfull islands/bar features.
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