Author(s): Zhaoxiang Jiang; Tiejian Li; Jiaye Li
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Message Passing Interface; Priority-Flood algorithm; Drainage network extraction; Parallel computing
Abstract: Rivers, as the surface component of the global hydrological cycle, form complex drainage networks that are essential for understanding the underlying structure of water cycle, as well as modeling the hydrological and environmental processes. This paper presents a parallel framework for the Priority-Flood algorithm, which is the key of concurrent drainage network extraction algorithms. The method partitions DEM into square-shaped tiles with buffered boundaries and introduces an additional flow-direction reassignment step, enabling the use of non-blocking MPI communication, thereby improving load balance and reducing communication overhead. Application to the Yellow River Basin with 10-meter resolution DEM shows substantial reductions in processing time and sustained scalability in parallel efficiency, compared to the corresponding serial version.
Year: 2026