Topographic Wetness Index (3" resolution) derived from 1" SRTM DEM-H

TWI is calculated as log_e(specific catchment area / slope) and estimates the relative wetness within a catchment.

The TWI product was derived from the partial contributing area product (CA_MFD_PARTIAL), which was computed from the Hydrologically enforced Digital Elevation Model (DEM-H; ANZCW0703014615), and from the percent slope product, which was computed from the Smoothed Digital Elevation Model (DEM-S; ANZCW0703014016). Both DEM-S and DEM-H are based on the 1 second resolution SRTM data acquired by NASA in February 2000.

Note that the partial contributing area product does not always represent contributing areas larger than about 25 km2 because it was processed on overlapping tiles, not complete catchments. This only impacts on TWI values in river channels and does not affect values on the land around the river channels. Since the index is not intended for use in river channels this limitation has no impact on the utility of TWI for spatial modelling.

The 3 second resolution TWI product was generated from the 1 second TWI product and masked by the 3” water and ocean mask datasets.