Digital Elevation Models Applications in Menengai Geothermal Field

Abstract

Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are spatial data formats which depict the ground elevation of an area. DEMs have been used for the last two decades in various mapping and multidisciplinary applications. In Menengai geothermal field, DEMs have been used for visualization of topography and as basis of engineering works in road construction, road and waterline profiling. Also from already installed telecommunication equipment, view shed analyses resulting from terrain undulation are being used to study coverage of communication signals in different operation areas. Hydrological modeling has also been achieved through interpretation and analysis of DEM to generate flow directions of surface runoff. The DEMs used for this analysis are generated from contour interpolation from existing 1:50,000 topographic maps, small interval topographical surveys and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 90 second DEM from USGS.