HDTM: Hydro-Enforced Digital Terrain Models for Accurate Water Flow Modeling
LuxCarta’s HDTM delivers a hydrologically corrected DTM
A Hydro-Enforced Digital Terrain Model (HDTM) is created by starting with a Digital Surface Model (DSM) and then applying LuxCarta’s proprietary algorithms to remove above-ground features like buildings and vegetation, resulting in a bare-earth surface. The next step is hydro-enforcement, where terrain elevations are adjusted to ensure water bodies are level and streams or rivers flow naturally downhill. HDTM supports reliable terrain analysis across environmental and planning domains.
Hydrologically Correct Elevation Data
Ensures accurate representation of rivers, streams, and drainage flow paths.
Removes Artificial Obstacles
Corrects embankments, bridges, and man-made artefacts that disrupt water flow.
Ready-to-Use for Modeling
Clean datasets optimized for flood risk, hydraulic simulations, and water planning.
Improved Modeling Accuracy
Aligns terrain data with real-world hydrological behavior.
How HDTM Works — From DSM to Hydrologically Correct Terrain
LuxCarta’s HDTM is derived from DSM data and refined with advanced workflows to remove above-ground features and enforce hydrological flow, ensuring accurate terrain for telecom, flood risk, and geospatial modeling.
Start with High-Resolution DSM
The process begins with LuxCarta’s Digital Surface Model (DSM), generated from 30–50 cm or 1 m tri-stereo satellite imagery and supported by RGB/NIR orthoimagery. These high-resolution inputs provide detailed elevation data that captures both natural terrain and above-ground features such as buildings and vegetation.
Simulation-Ready
Trusted for floodplain mapping, risk modeling, and hydrological analysis
Hydrologic Enforcement
The next stage ensures that water flow is realistic and consistent across the terrain:
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Water bodies (such as lakes, large rivers, and the sea) are flattened to a single elevation.
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Major rivers and streams are adjusted so that water flows smoothly downstream without interruptions.
- Bridges and culverts are modified so water can flow underneath rather than being blocked.
- Areas with many buildings or dense trees, where automatic processing may miss water features
- Stream channels that are hard to see due to vegetation
- Agricultural areas with irrigation channels
Quality-Controlled
Deliverables
- HDTM (hydrologically corrected DTM, GeoTIFF)
- Optional: DSM, Orthoimagery, Contours (SHP), Breaklines (SHP)
Applications
LuxCarta’s HDTM (Hydrologically Enforced Digital Terrain Models) deliver bare-earth elevation data for flood risk analysis, telecom planning, and infrastructure modeling, giving engineers accurate and reliable results.
Floodplain Mapping & disaster planning
Urban Drainage Design
Watershed & Hydraulic Modeling
Environmental monitoring & climate risk assessment
Integrate your Population Density Map With All Planning Technology
List of Integrations: Information on software, tools, and services that the product integrates with, enhancing its utility and flexibility.
Integration Details: Brief explanations of how each integration adds value to the user experience.
Testimonials and Case Studies
Learn how global telecommunications firms are benefiting from LuxCarta’s unique population density map solution.
“We needed a way to show our senior leadership team that marketing was producing results, and that’s hard when your metrics are scattered. This dashboard saved the day.”
“We needed a way to show our senior leadership team that marketing was producing results, and that’s hard when your metrics are scattered. This dashboard saved the day.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about LuxCarta’s HDTM and their applications in flood risk analysis, telecom planning, and geospatial modeling.
What is an HDTM and how is it different from a standard DTM?
A Hydro-Enforced Digital Terrain Model (HDTM) is a bare-earth elevation model enhanced with hydrologic corrections. Unlike standard DTMs, HDTM adjusts terrain to enforce natural water flow, flattens lakes and rivers, and removes man-made artefacts that block drainage. This makes it far more reliable for flood modeling, watershed analysis, and water resource planning.
How accurate is LuxCarta’s HDTM?
HDTM is derived from high-resolution DSM imagery (30–50 cm), combined with RGB or NIR orthoimagery. The model achieves <1 m RMSE accuracy, with hydrologic adjustments ensuring realistic water flow representation.
How long does delivery take?
Typical delivery is ~4 weeks after order confirmation, depending on the size of the Area of Interest (AOI) and optional layers requested (e.g., contours, breaklines).