A new global river network database for macroscale hydrologic modeling

Coarse‐resolution (upscaled) river networks are critical inputs for runoff routing in macroscale hydrologic models. Recently, Wu et al. (2011) developed a hierarchical dominant river tracing (DRT) algorithm for automated extraction and spatial upscaling of river networks using fine‐scale hydrography inputs. We applied the DRT algorithms using combined HydroSHEDS and HYDRO1k global fine‐scale hydrography inputs and produced a new series of upscaled global river network data at multiple (1/16° to 2°) spatial resolutions. The new upscaled results are internally consistent and congruent with the baseline fine‐scale inputs and should facilitate improved regional to global scale hydrologic simulations. Key Points The accuracy of DRT results is constrained by the accuracy of baseline inputs HydroSHEDS provides a superior quality of baseline inputs to HYDRO1k for DRT New multiscale river networks are derived using DRT and improved baseline inputs