A GIS-Based Tool for Spatial and Distributed Hydrological Modelling: CLASS Spatial Analyst

CLASS Spatial Analyst is a GIS tool which can be used to support spatially distributed hydrological modelling. The tool generates a number of spatial layers that can be used for many practical applications. These include climate zoning, multi-resolution DEMs, Compound Topographic Index (CTI) (also referred to as Topographic Wetness Index, TWI), lateral multiple flow paths, accumulation and dispersion of water and solutes from hazard areas, estimation of soil depth, soil material/horizon distribution and soil moisture storage capacity in different parts of the landscape. Although each of these tasks can be undertaken separately using spatial software packages such as ArcGIS, GRASS, TIME, and MapInfo, this tool puts together all these tasks into a single application which provides the user with an option of undertaking some or all of them within this application. The technology used in this tool is supported by various peer-reviewed publications (e.g. Tarboton 1997, Gallant and Dowling 2003).