Canadian Hydrospatial Network (CHN)
Canada’s new, higher-resolution hydrographic network.
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About the Canadian Hydrospatial Network
The Canadian Hydrospatial Network (CHN) is an advancement in hydrographic data for Canada and is openly available for all to use. A product developed by the Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation at Natural Resources Canada, the CHN is created in the highest resolution available and is aligned to elevation. This data offers many improvements for hydrological modelling and is invaluable for analyses in many domains, such as:
- Flooding: determining potential flood extents in the Flood Hazard Identification and Mapping Program or for emergency management
- Transport fate: tracking sediment, nutrients, or other substances transported by water
- Climate and Environment: predicting drought and wildfire susceptibility
- Wildlife management: modelling aquatic and other wildlife habitat
- Water management: supporting urban planning, civil engineering, and conservation authorities
What are its improvements?
Compared to its predecessor, the National Hydro Network (NHN), the CHN has several improvements:
- Uses lidar-derived Digital Terrain Models (DTMs), when available, such as the High-Resolution Digital Elevation Model (HRDEM), for precise flowline and catchment extraction
- Uses Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI), when available, which extracts surface water features from high-resolution optical imagery.
- Incorporates value-added attributes (VAAs) that allow full network traversability and enhanced analysis capabilities
- Utilizes streamlined production processes and uses hydrologically connected work units to simplify data dissemination and access.
Map and dataset gallery
Canadian Hydrospatial Network data
Access the metadata and download the datasets.
Canadian Hydrospatial Network Map
View and explore a map of the network that includes waterbodies, catchments, and flowlines.
What’s next for the Canadian Hydrospatial Network?
The development of the CHN is an ongoing process, with a commitment to continual improvement. Future releases will include additional watersheds and regions. Technological advancements and new high-resolution data will be integrated into the CHN to stay at the forefront of hydrospatial network design and production in Canada.
Ongoing efforts will maintain data quality, improve access for users, and will advance hydrographic data standards in Canada. The CHN provides Canadians with current, open, and freely available hydrospatial network data.
Additional information
Find more information about the Canadian Hydrospatial Network and Hydrographic Networks in Canada.
If you have any questions, please contact: geoinfo@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.
