Hydrological Analysis in QGIS

Section outline

• Select section Introduction

  Introduction

  Collapse all Expand all

  This workshop has been made for the QGIS User Conference 2025 in Norrköping, Sweden.

  We will explore the diverse range of tools available in QGIS for conducting comprehensive hydrological analysis. Participants will gain hands-on experience with tools from GRASS, SAGA, WhiteboxTools, and PCRaster processing provider plugins, as well as other specialized plugins designed for hydrological studies.

  Our interactive session will cover practical exercises on deriving streams and catchments, and calculating essential morphometric parameters such as drainage density, concentration time, and hypsometric curves. By the end of the workshop, attendees will have a solid understanding of how to leverage QGIS for hydrological analysis, enabling them to apply these techniques to their own projects and research.

  This video provides an overview of the hydrological tools available in QGIS:

   
• Select section Install plugins

  Install plugins

  • Install the PCRaster Tools plugin following these instructions
  • Install the Whiteboxtools plugin following these instructions
  • Make sure that GRASS works from the Processing Toolbox.
  • Install the SAGA NextGen plugin and make sure the SAGA tools work. Windows users can check this video:

   
• Select section Tutorials

  Tutorials

  • Select activity Tutorial: Stream and Catchment Delineation

    

    Tutorial: Stream and Catchment Delineation Book
  • Select activity Data for tutorial Stream and Catchment Delineation

    

    Data for tutorial Stream and Catchment Delineation Folder
  • Select activity Tutorial: Delineate multiple (sub)catchments

    

    Tutorial: Delineate multiple (sub)catchments Book
  • Select activity Tutorial: Create a Hypsometric Curve

    

    Tutorial: Create a Hypsometric Curve Book
  • Select activity Data for tutorial Create a Hypsometric Curve

    

    Data for tutorial Create a Hypsometric Curve File
  • Select activity Tutorial: Calculate time of concentration of a river (Kirpich equation)

    

    Tutorial: Calculate time of concentration of a river (Kirpich equation) Book
  • Select activity Data for tutorial Calculate time of concentration of a river

    

    Data for tutorial Calculate time of concentration of a river File
  • Select activity Tutorial: Calculate Drainage Density

    

    Tutorial: Calculate Drainage Density Book
  • Select activity Data for tutorial Calculate Drainage Density

    

    Data for tutorial Calculate Drainage Density File
  • Select activity Tutorial: Burn stream network into DEM

    

    Tutorial: Burn stream network into DEM Book
  • Select activity Data for tutorial Burn stream network into DEM

    

    Data for tutorial Burn stream network into DEM File
• Select section Morphometric Analysis

  Morphometric Analysis
• Select section Catchment Delineation with GIS

  Catchment Delineation with GIS
• Select section Additional resources

  Additional resources

  • Select activity QGIS for Hydrological Applications

    

    QGIS for Hydrological Applications URL

    Recipes for Catchment Hydrology and Water Management. By Hans van der Kwast & Kurt Menke.

  • Select activity YouTube channel of Hans van der Kwast

    

    YouTube channel of Hans van der Kwast URL

    Videos with tutorials, webinars and lectures on QGIS, Mergin Maps, PCRaster.

  • Select activity Course: Programming for Geospatial Hydrological Applications

    

    Course: Programming for Geospatial Hydrological Applications URL

    In this course you'll learn an essential skill for researchers dealing with (spatial) data. With scripting you can better control your analysis using command line tools. You can also automate your procedures by writing batch scripts. Furthermore, you can process your data and make models using Python and its useful libraries.

  • Select activity FOSS4G 2022 Workshop Hydrological analysis with PCRaster in QGIS and Python

    

    FOSS4G 2022 Workshop Hydrological analysis with PCRaster in QGIS and Python URL

    During the workshop you'll be introduced to PCRaster through the PCRaster Tools plugin. Next, we'll automate work flows using the QGIS graphical modeller, followed by developing PCRaster Python scripts. Finally, you'll develop a spatial dynamic model.