Full-Resolution and Simplified Stream Cross-Section Data for Nine North Carolina Streams

This dataset contains full-resolution and line-simplified stream cross-section coordinates for nine streams in North Carolina, USA, representing the state's three dominant physiographic provinces: Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and Mountain (three cross sections per province). The data support the analysis presented in Froehlich, D.C., "Hydraulic Fidelity of Simplified Stream Cross Sections: Evaluation of Three Line-Simplification Algorithms," submitted to the ASCE Journal of Hydraulic Engineering. Each cross section combines high-resolution in-channel bathymetry from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) discharge measurements with overbank/floodplain topography derived from North Carolina LiDAR digital elevation models (NCEM). The merged full-resolution sections range from 123 to 451 ground points per cross section (mean 288 ± 109 points). Each full-resolution cross section was simplified using three line-simplification algorithms — Douglas–Peucker (D-P), Visvalingam–Whyatt (V-W), and Reumann–Witkam (R-W) — at five target point-count schemes (8, 11, 14, 17, and 20 points), yielding 15 simplified versions of each of the nine cross sections (135 simplified profiles total), in addition to the 9 full-resolution profiles. File contents: station-distance and elevation (NAVD88, meters) coordinate pairs for each cross section, labeled by physiographic region, stream site, dataset type (full-resolution or simplified), simplification algorithm, and target point count. Data sources: In-channel bathymetry: USGS ADCP discharge measurements (routine flow monitoring) Overbank/floodplain topography: North Carolina LiDAR Data Acquisition and Applications Program, North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM), 10 ft (3 m) and 20 ft (6 m) resolution bare-earth DEMs, acquired 2014–2021 Suggested citation: Froehlich, D.C. (2026). "Full-Resolution and Simplified Stream Cross-Section Data for Nine North Carolina Streams" [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/[your DOI] Questions about the dataset can be directed to the author at [e-mail].