Understanding hydrologic characteristics of contributing and noncontributing drainage areas is a prerequisite for estimating the probable maximum flood. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which is responsible for estimating the probable maximum flood into Jamestown Reservoir, needed more detailed drainage-area information than was readily available from topographic maps. The purpose of this study was to use digital elevation models in conjunction with special-purpose software to delineate drainage areas and compute hydrologic characteristics for five test sites in the James River basin, North Dakota. Two digital elevation models were developed for each test site. The first model was developed from 7.5-minute topographic maps, and the second model was developed from 4,800-foot aerial photographs. In addition, a third digital elevation model was developed for test site 4 from 9,600-foot aerial photographs. The total cost of developing the digital elevation models for test site 4 ranged from $155 per square mile when using 7.5-minute topographic maps to $740 per square mile when using 4,800-foot aerial photographs. The total drainage area delineated for the test sites ranged from 2.62 to 10.2 square miles. Storage volume of depressions having storage greater than 10 acre-feet ranged from 117 to 715 acre-feet per square mile. The total runoff of subbasins contributing runoff to depressions in test site 4 was computed for a 1.0-inch runoff and a 3.0-inch runoff. For a 1.0-inch runoff, 0.40 square mile of the total 6.37-square-mile drainage area changed from noncontributing to contributing. For a 3.0-inch runoff, about 3.39 square miles changed from noncontributing to contributing. The percentage of drainage area that contributes runoff to depressions varies directly to the amount of precipitation and hydrologic characteristics in the basin.
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