Linking PCRaster and ArcView

Delft Hydraulics assigned Carthago Consultancy to create a link between the software packages PCRaster and ArcView. The link will be part of the DELFT-FEWS system. This GIS-based system will hold several hydrological and flood forecasting models. The GIS combines the strength of the two geographical information systems: ArcView and PCRaster.

Time sequence of appearance heather (time steps 1, 5 and 10). Calculations are made using PCRaster. Presentation of the results is done in ArcView.


ArcView is a widely used desktop GIS with an easy to use interface. PCRaster on the other hand has powerful options for modelling complex processes including time sequences. The link gives the possibility to read and write ArcViewGrid files in PCRaster. The hydrological models for the DELFT-FEWS system will be written as PCRaster scripts and can now be run directly from ArcView. The results can be viewed in ArcView. The models to be included in DELFT-FEWS will be among others Sacramento (SAMO), HBV, XINANJIANG and LISFLOOD. Other models already written for PCRaster can also be used.

more information

For more information please contact Jaap Kwadijk, for more information on PCRaster visit the website http://www.frw.ruu.nl/pcraster.html.