What is Digital Elevation Model(DEM)

Apr 20, 2023

The Digital Elevation Model is a bare earth raster grid referenced to a vertical datum, and when non-ground points such as bridges and roads are filtered out, a smooth digital elevation model is obtained.

Completed power lines, buildings, towers, and tree vegetation are not included in the Digital Elevation Model(DEM).Digital Elevation Model(DEM) are produced when vegetation and man-made features are removed from DSM elevation data, and are particularly useful in hydrological, soil, and land-use planning.

Hydrological Modeling: Hydrologists use DEM to map watersheds and calculate flow accumulation and flow direction.

Terrain stability: Avalanche-prone areas are high slopes with sparse vegetation, and DEM are useful when planning highways or residential zoning.