diff --git a/contrib/stack/stripmapStack/Stack.py b/contrib/stack/stripmapStack/Stack.py
index 818393e..0caa9b2 100755
--- a/contrib/stack/stripmapStack/Stack.py
+++ b/contrib/stack/stripmapStack/Stack.py
@@ -74,7 +74,18 @@ class config(object):
         else:
             self.f.write('useGPU : False\n')
         self.f.write('##########################'+'\n')
-    
+
+    def createWaterMask(self, function):
+
+        self.f.write('##########################'+'\n')
+        self.f.write(function+'\n')
+        self.f.write('createWaterMask : '+'\n')
+        self.f.write('dem_file : ' + self.dem +'\n')
+        self.f.write('lat_file : ' + self.latFile +'\n')
+        self.f.write('lon_file : ' + self.lonFile +'\n')
+        self.f.write('output : ' + self.waterMaskFile + '\n')
+        self.f.write('##########################'+'\n')
+
     def geo2rdr(self, function):
 
         self.f.write('##########################'+'\n')
@@ -311,8 +322,7 @@ class run(object):
              self.runf.write(self.text_cmd+'stripmapWrapper.py -c '+ configName+'\n')
  
     def master_focus_split_geometry(self, stackMaster, config_prefix, split=False, focus=True, native=True):
-  	########
-  	# focusing master and producing geometry files
+        """focusing master and producing geometry files"""
         configName = os.path.join(self.configDir, config_prefix + stackMaster)
         configObj = config(configName)
         configObj.configure(self)
@@ -329,11 +339,19 @@ class run(object):
         counter += 1
 
         if split:
-             configObj.slc = os.path.join(configObj.slcDir,stackMaster+self.raw_string+'.slc')
-             configObj.outDir = configObj.slcDir
-             configObj.shelve = os.path.join(configObj.slcDir, 'data')
-             configObj.splitRangeSpectrum('[Function-{0}]'.format(counter))
-        
+            configObj.slc = os.path.join(configObj.slcDir,stackMaster+self.raw_string+'.slc')
+            configObj.outDir = configObj.slcDir
+            configObj.shelve = os.path.join(configObj.slcDir, 'data')
+            configObj.splitRangeSpectrum('[Function-{0}]'.format(counter))
+            counter += 1
+
+        # generate water mask in radar coordinates
+        configObj.latFile = os.path.join(self.workDir, 'geom_master/lat.rdr')
+        configObj.lonFile = os.path.join(self.workDir, 'geom_master/lon.rdr')
+        configObj.waterMaskFile = os.path.join(self.workDir, 'geom_master/waterMask.rdr')
+        configObj.createWaterMask('[Function-{0}]'.format(counter))
+        counter += 1
+
         configObj.finalize()
         del configObj
         self.runf.write(self.text_cmd+'stripmapWrapper.py -c '+ configName+'\n')
diff --git a/contrib/stack/stripmapStack/createWaterMask.py b/contrib/stack/stripmapStack/createWaterMask.py
index 97f9875..5946655 100755
--- a/contrib/stack/stripmapStack/createWaterMask.py
+++ b/contrib/stack/stripmapStack/createWaterMask.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ def createParser():
                       help='output filename of water mask in radar coordinates')
     return parser
 
+
 def cmdLineParse(iargs = None):
     '''
     Command line parser.
@@ -85,11 +86,12 @@ def download_waterMask(bbox, dem_file):
     #inps.waterBodyGeo = sw.defaultName(inps.bbox)
     sw.outputFile = os.path.join(out_dir, sw.defaultName(bbox))
     sw._noFilling = False
-    #sw._fillingValue = -1.0
-    sw._fillingValue = 0.0
+    sw._fillingValue = -1.0    #fill pixels without DEM data with value of -1, same as water body
+    #sw._fillingValue = 0.0
     sw.stitch(bbox[0:2], bbox[2:])
     return sw.outputFile
 
+
 def geo2radar(geo_file, rdr_file, lat_file, lon_file):
     #inps.waterBodyRadar = inps.waterBodyGeo + '.rdr'
     sw = SWBDStitcher()
@@ -100,6 +102,7 @@ def geo2radar(geo_file, rdr_file, lat_file, lon_file):
 
 #imageMath.py -e='a*b' --a=filt_20100911_20101027.int --b=watermask.14alks_4rlks.msk -o filt_20100911_20101027_masked.int -t cfloat -s BIL
 
+
 def main(iargs=None):
 
     inps = cmdLineParse(iargs)
@@ -108,6 +111,7 @@ def main(iargs=None):
         geo2radar(geo_file, inps.outfile, inps.latName, inps.lonName)
     return
 
+
 if __name__ == '__main__' :
   ''' 
   creates a water mask and transforms to radar Coord