INTERNATIONAL METHODOLOGIES FOR RIVER NETWORK MODELING: A COMPARATIVE REVIEW AND ADAPTATION FOR UKRAINE

Abstract

The article analyzes international experience in the creation and maintenance river system maps in leading countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. Approaches used for the spatial identification of watercourses are reviewed, along with the datasets and algorithms applied in these countries based on publicly available information. The study highlights the organizational features of national and pan-European hydrographic databases, as well as their limitations. The aim of the article is to analyze international approaches to river network identification and, based on the synthesis of global experience and taking into account the current natural conditions of Ukraine, to develop a methodological approach for identifying rivers, including low-order streams. The study proposes the use of ALOS PALSAR Earth observation data and the construction of river networks using Geomorphons, flow accumulation, and black top-hat tools within the QGIS geographic information system. The proposed methodology is considered as a tool for constructing a more comprehensive and scientifically grounded model of the river network, creating a basis for determining the hierarchical structure of river systems and delineating river basin systems at the local level. The results can be applied to integrated river basin management and landscape–basin planning in Ukraine.