Hydrological Modelling Training Plan
A 5-Day capacity building technical curriculum compiled and delivered by Rotten Grapes Pvt. Ltd. in collaboration with the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat (WECS), Government of Nepal.
This training program bridges the gap between raw spatial observations and evidence-based water resource management policies. By training hydrologists, drainage engineers, and GIS analysts to utilize modern geospatial pipelines, we enable advanced catchment estimations, soil erosion mapping, and database cataloging for sustainable regional decisions.
Core Technology Stack
QGIS Desktop
The centralized GUI environment for spatial layers, cartography, geoprocessing algorithms, and map layout composition.
PostGIS Database
Spatial database client used to construct relational schemas, host vector layers, and run server-side spatial SQL geoprocesses.
Processing Engines
SAGA, GRASS, and WhiteboxTools integrated within QGIS to compute terrain derivatives, fill depressions, and extract stream networks.
SWAT+ / QSWAT+
Graphical environment for the Soil & Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to model sediment transport and watershed water balance.
Hydrological Datasets
Elevation Grids
High-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) including SRTM (30m) and Sentinel 1 SAR to trace flow paths and slopes.
Vector Layers
Catchment boundary shapes, river centerlines, and administrative zones sourced from Natural Earth and national databases.
Satellite Imagery
Multispectral bands from Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8/9 to compute indexes (NDWI, NDVI) and perform land cover classifications.
Precipitation Data
Point-gauge measurements and gridded CHIRPS datasets to interpolate rain distribution patterns and catchment rainfall volumes.
Participants should have basic computer operational skills (managing folder hierarchies, relative file pathing, and zip extractions). Elementary knowledge of coordinate refercing systems (CRS) and water basin structures is recommended. QGIS 3.34 LTR must be pre-installed.
Upon completion, attendees will be qualified to model terrain slopes, execute automated stream extractions, calculate zonal stats, compute soil loss indexes, stream remote OGC layers, build local PostGIS tables, and export print-composer maps.
5-Day Curriculum & Modules
Spatial Thinking & GIS
Coordinate reference systems, geographic vs. projected grids, spatial models (vector/raster), scaling, and CRS alignment exercises.
Remote Sensing & Earth Observation
Satellite missions (Sentinel-2, Landsat, SRTM), bands and band combinations, cloud-based data downloads, and terrain derivatives.
QGIS Workflows & Data Management
Workspace setup, symbology rules, table aggregations, vector overlay tools, OGC web streaming, and local PostGIS server deployments.
Terrain & Hydrological Analysis
DEM filling, flow accumulation, channel network extractions, basin delineation, and RUSLE soil erosion vulnerability modeling.
Time Series & Decision Support
Multi-temporal NDWI tracking, water extent change mapping, print Composer layouts, automation builders, and final project submissions.