QGIS
Open SourceVerified
The free, open-source GIS that has become the default spatial platform for water engineers worldwide.
Geospatial & Hydro-GISActiveQGIS HydrologyTerrain Analysis
NASADEM
StableSRTM reprocessed with modern algorithms and merged with ASTER/ICESat — a quiet accuracy upgrade, same footprint.
by NASA / LP DAAC
- Pricing
- Gov-Public
- License
- US Government (public domain)
- Commercial use
- Permitted
- Ecosystem
- GDAL, Any GIS
- Platform
- Windows, macOS, Linux
About NASADEM
NASADEM reprocesses the original SRTM radar telemetry with a decade of algorithm improvements — better phase unwrapping, void-filling with ASTER GDEM and merged control from ICESat laser altimetry — over the same 60°N–56°S coverage. It is a straightforward accuracy upgrade for anyone still using original SRTM tiles, at no cost in resolution or licensing.
Distributed by LP DAAC alongside NASA's other elevation products, it is a sensible default when Copernicus DEM's surface-model (rather than bare-earth) nature is a poor fit for the study.
Where it fits in the workflow
TerrainCatchmentRainfallRunoffRoutingHydraulicsMappingReporting
Alternatives to NASADEM
Other geospatial & hydro-gis tools covering similar workflow stages.
WhiteboxTools
Open SourceVerified
500+ fast geospatial analysis tools with the best DEM hydrology toolkit in open source.
Geospatial & Hydro-GISActiveDEM ProcessingTerrain Analysis
JAXA's 30m global DSM from PRISM stereo imagery — a strong third opinion alongside SRTM and Copernicus DEM.
Geospatial & Hydro-GISStableSatellite DEM DataDEM Processing
ASTER GDEM
Gov-Public
A 30m global DEM reaching to 83° latitude — the go-to where SRTM/NASADEM have no coverage at all.
Geospatial & Hydro-GISStableSatellite DEM DataDEM Processing
Arc Hydro
Free
Esri's free hydrology framework for ArcGIS Pro — terrain preprocessing and the data model behind many agency workflows.
Geospatial & Hydro-GISActiveWatershed DelineationDEM Processing
Copernicus DEM (GLO-30 / GLO-90)
Gov-Public
ESA's TanDEM-X-derived global DEM — the most accurate free global surface model available today.
Geospatial & Hydro-GISActiveSatellite DEM DataDEM Processing