A Fast Recursive Gis Algorithm for Computing Strahler Stream Order in Braided and Nonbraided Networks¹

Stream ordering is a useful property of every river network, having a wide range of applications. A method for determining stream orders that quickly and easily addresses various network topologies and magnitudes is therefore needed. This paper introduces a general recursive stream ordering framework for vector hydrography. It also presents a linear, O(n), stream ordering procedure for braided river networks, which is a major improvement to the existing quadratic, O(n 2 ), procedure. The discussion includes results and interpretations, and the appendices present procedure pseudocodes and thorough line by line explanations.