An enhanced and expanded Toolbox for River Velocimetry using Images from Aircraft (TRiVIA)

Abstract

Detailed, accurate information on flow patterns in river channels can improve understanding of habitat conditions, geomorphic processes, and potential hazards to help inform water management. Data describing flow patterns in river channels can be obtained efficiently via image‐based techniques that have become more widely used in recent years as the number of platforms for acquiring images has expanded and the number of algorithms for inferring velocities has grown. Image‐based techniques have been incorporated into various software packages, including the Toolbox for River Velocimetry using Images from Aircraft (TRiVIA). TRiVIA is a freely available, standalone computer program that provides a comprehensive workflow for performing particle image velocimetry (PIV)‐based analyses within a graphical interface. This paper summarizes major enhancements incorporated into the latest release of TRiVIA, version 2.1. For example, a new Tool for Input Parameter Selection (TIPS) provides guidance for specifying key inputs to the PIV algorithm by allowing users to explore relationships between flow velocity, pixel size, output vector spacing, and frame interval. Improved visualization capabilities include the ability to create streamlines and display PIV output on an interactive web map. The program now provides greater flexibility for importing field data in various formats and selecting which observations to use for accuracy assessment. The most substantial additions to TRiVIA 2.1 are the ability to integrate bathymetric information with image‐derived velocity estimates to calculate river discharge and to use images acquired from moving aircraft to efficiently map long segments of large rivers to support habitat assessment, contaminant transport studies, and a range of other applications.